Issue 37 - MASS EXTINCTIONS
Without the cataclysmic impact that killed the dinosaurs 65 million years ago, humans would not be here. Explore that fateful day with a blow-by-blow account, discover how meteorite impacts have shaped evolution and find out where the biggest bang in the Solar System took place, in the 23-page impact special in COSMOS. Also in this issue: why the Internet is making you smarter; how new discoveries deep underground may rewrite the books on physics; and see the prototype nanobots that may one day perform surgery inside you. Plus, we’ll take you to the deserts of Syria where scientists are racing to feed the world in 2050, and travel to the cold, misty forests of Brazil in search of the last jaguars.View full contents
Issue 38 - ATOMIC OUTLAWS
You can, after all, break the laws of physics – but only at the nanoscale. Why tiny materials behave in bizarre ways science can’t explain has got everyone excited about nanotechnolgy – and there are even hints of a new source of power. Plus, the human genome a decade on: we trace the twists and turns of genetics research, including the bizarre concept that we could inherit our grandparents’ genetic diseases even if we didn’t inherit their genes! Also in this issue, watch a solar eclipse from remote Easter Island and meet the Cold War physicists who turned climate change denial into a science.View full contents
Issue 39 - RINGS REVEALED
WHAT IF, in our quest for cleanliness, we have eradicated the very organisms that ward off conditions like asthma and allergies? And what if you had the chance to remedy this - but it involved voluntarily ingesting parasites like intestinal worms? We look at the controversial world of worm therapy; plus visit the ultimate potential of superconductors; the world's first seafloor laboratory connected to the Internet; go to Florida to view the final launch of the legendary space shuttle; and ask whether the oceans can survive humanity. Also, see our spectacular gallery where art meets science and view the chaotic beauty of Saturn's rings revealed.View full contents
Issue 40 - THE TRUTH ABOUT DRUGS
Ecstasy, cocaine, speed, heroin, alcohol, nicotine and caffeine – don’t miss our 26-page special on the drugs that permeate and plague society. What do drugs do to your brain? Is addiction a disease, and should we use controversial new drug vaccines as a preventative measure? We bring you up to date with the latest research on recreational drugs. We also discover links between music, evolution and sex; a plethora of exotic stars found by the Kepler space probe; and the weird quantum behaviours of supercooled liquids. Plus, our special flip-cover guide shows you how to survive your postgraduate science degree.View full contents
Issue 41 - THE FUTURE OF FOOD
Three things you should know about the genetically modified food that could soon hit supermarket shelves: and prepare to be surprised. We go behind the scenes of pioneering research and find out why GM foods polarise debate. Plus, with an expected world population of nine billion in 2050, how will we feed the planet? From synthetic meat to insects, we review some of the weird and innovative solutions. Stunning images, the origin of sex, where civilisation and farming began and the extreme speeds of the fastest objects in the universe are but a few of the tempting morsels for your mind this issue. Bon appetit!View full contents
