ECONOMICS: Blueprints for change
We are at a watershed moment in history and require reform of government, economies and an entirely new way of thinking to solve the multitude of global challenges facing us, argues Jeffrey Sachs.

MEDICINE: Regenerative medicine
Regenerative therapies such as stem cells have the potential to change the face of medicine over the next 20 years, as Alan Trounson and Don Gibbons explain.

ENERGY: A real turn on
The time has come for society to face up to the true cost of our energy consumption, says Barry Brook. By 2030, nuclear may be leading the march.

CITIES: Under pressure
Cities face a rapidly growing population and an unstable planet. It will take foresight, collaboration and careful planning to ensure they can take the stress and endure the unexpected, says Xuemei Bai.

FOOD: Feed the world
World population will surpass eight billion by 2030, and demand for food will grow 50%, says David King, Britain’s former chief scientist. How will we cope?

COMMUNICATIONS: Smart everything
Telecommunications will only occasionally exist in the form that we know it today, says David Skellern.

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LOST
Some fallen civilisations carry a mysterious aura that fascinate – even when their history is based on myth and conjecture. Emma Young separates fact from fable.

TIME BOMB
Luckily, H1N1 is not the ferocious killer it was feared to be. But the swine flu virus that has now infiltrated every corner of the globe is a potentially deadly cocktail that could still turn nasty, writes Laura Sanders.

THE LAST OASIS
In the lonely outskirts of our Solar System, Pluto and its moon Charon forever keep one face toward each other. And, as Rick Lovett discovers, this may have warmed Pluto just enough for it to develop a life-friendly ocean.

INTO THE DRAGON'S LAIR
Beasts of mythical proportions still roam some remote corners of the world. Jacqui Hayes goes to Indonesia in stubborn pursuit of dragons and hobbits.

THE DIPLOMAT
Peter Piot co-discovered the Ebola virus and was the first to make governments sit up and take notice of the unfolding AIDS epidemic. John Pickrell joined him during a rare London heat wave, to talk about the Pope, choas, philanthropy and the legacy of George W. Bush.

PORTRAIT:

Michael Kakanis, exercise immunologist

NEWS:

The latest in science from around the globe.

HIT LIST:

Biodiversity hot spots

TRIVIA:

Science brainteasers for everyone

DIAGNOSIS:

Men who walk on all fours

MENAGERIE:

Mother Nature’s answer to Casanova

SNAPSHOT:

Out of Africa: meet your ancestors

COMPETITION:

What is it?

FOREWORD:

"The undiscovered country" - a word from the editor. And Happy Birthday Cosmos

FEEDBACK:

Letters – and photos – from our readers, who have opinions and like to travel.

GALLERY: EYE IN THE SKY

It’s the most successful telescope in history – and just turned 20. Originally launched with a faulty mirror, the Hubble Space Telescope has been patched up, augmented and upgraded five times. It’s taken almost a million pictures, giving us the deepest and most astonishing insights into our vast universe.

FICTION: LOOKING GOOD

“Ella had freckles and slightly crooked teeth, but they weren’t quirks to make her look better. She was the real deal.” Original fiction by Deborah Walker.

REVIEWS

The Language of Life by Francis Collins, March of the Microbes by John L. Ingraham, The Great Pheromone Myth by Richard L. Doty and Alex’s Adventures in Numberland by Alex Bellos. Plus we review two new DVDs:The Cove and Blue Gold, as well as the first instalment of a new sci-fi series, Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding. And our list of the top five books in science fact and science fiction.

ISSUES & IDEAS: BY THE BOOK

The content of textbooks used in Australian schools and universities is dominated by the nuances and taboos of American publishers who fear upsetting powerful lobbies, Rob Morrison reveals.