New Scientist

62 Pages·2022·30.468 MB·English

BENEFITS OF YOGA
Why a weekly session
could protect your heart
FUSION BREAKTHROUGH
New test gives best hope
yet of unlimited energy
PATHOGENS ON ICE
The viral threats hiding in
our thawing permafrost
WEEKLY February 19-25, 2022
MAKING
A MIND
How to create an
artificial intelligence
that really thinks
like us
DON’T SIT UP STRAIGHT
No3374 US$6.99 CAN$9.99
Why the rules of good posture are being rewritten
PLUS ICELAND’S COLD BLOB
COSMIC NUCLEAR EXPLOSION / /
WHITE DWARF PLANET
/ WHY DO BABIES MAKE SO MUCH NOISE?
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Science and technology news

This week’s issue
On the 16 Benefits of yoga 42 Features
Why a weekly session
cover
“ A lot of what
could protect your heart
we think
38 Making a mind 19 Fusion breakthrough
How to create an New test gives best hope of as good
artificial intelligence that yet of unlimited energy
really thinks like us posture is
46 Pathogens on ice
42 Don’t sit up straight The viral threats hiding in about what
Why the rules of good our thawing permafrost
is deemed
posture are being rewritten
9 Cosmic nuclear explosion
elegant and
12 Iceland’s cold blob
22 White dwarf planet attractive”
Vol 253 No 3374 54 Why do babies make
Cover image: Julia Lee so much noise?
News Features
8 Zero child cancer 38 Brain-inspired AI
Australia’s plan to prevent News Inside the push to make
children dying from cancer artificial intelligence that
thinks like humans
10 Going slow
Lichens can’t evolve 42 Sitting comfortably?
quickly enough to adapt Why it is time to rewrite the rules
to climate change regarding perfect posture
12 Anti anti-vax 46 Pathogens on ice
Facebook’s efforts to combat Are potentially deadly microbes
covid-19 misinformation being released as ice and frozen
soil melts?
Views
The back pages
27 Comment
James Ball on backlashes 51 Science of cooking
to technological progress How to deep-fry ice cream
28 The columnist 53 Puzzles
Chanda Prescod-Weinstein Try our crossword, quick quiz
celebrates weather satellites and logic puzzle
30 Aperture 54 Almost the last word
Polar bears take over What caused a rainless,
abandoned Russian buildings red-only “rainbow”?
32 Letters M 56 Feedback
O
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Observations on the new PL. Bed-based dieting and a sperm
E
R
quantum perspective TU database: the week in weird
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34 Culture BE 56 Twisteddoodles
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Why we need a Blue New Deal A for New Scientist
NI
to protect our oceans 20 Gas be gone Innovative ways to remove carbon from the air Picturing the lighter side of life
19 February 2022 | New Scientist | 1
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astronomers detect an isolated Shackleton’s epic (but ultimately to quantum mechanics sent
black hole for the first time? unsuccessful) Imperial Trans- direct to your inbox each month. How did the universe begin?
Meanwhile, the panel discusses Antarctic expedition, a new The latest issue asks whether What is it made of? Do black holes
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of pig organs for transplants most iconic and rare images taken the heat death of the universe, time-warping theories of relativity
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2 | New Scientist | 19 February 2022
Debate
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THE UK’S
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Wednesday 23 February 2022
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The UK Government has decided that higher activity nuclear
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waste should be disposed of in a deep underground facility
Katherine Morris
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BNFL Research Chair,
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The leader
Listen and learn
A collaborative approach is needed to avoid the next pandemic
HERE is a sinister idea: as climate change Permafrost regions are often inhabited to improve relationships with Indigenous
thaws the world’s ice and permafrost, by Indigenous peoples who, owing to long groups. The result is an emerging body of
frozen viruses and bacteria may emerge histories of colonialism and genocide, knowledge on how scientists and doctors
and cause deadly outbreaks of ancient are understandably mistrustful of the can work with Indigenous peoples to the
diseases (see page 46). We might one day governments under which they live. That benefit of all. One key principle is that
have to face Neanderthal influenza or distrust often extends to scientific and Indigenous community leaders must be
Homo erectus anthrax. medical institutions, which have been involved from the outset. For example, a
Most readers will, on balance, feel that complicit in abuses. For these reasons, project called FORGE AHEAD tackled the
we have had enough novel diseases lately. growing rates of diabetes among Canada’s
“ Indigenous community leaders
But the good news is that there is plenty Indigenous peoples by working closely
must be involved in any public
we can do to reduce the chances of a major with communities to identify why they
health projects from the outset”
outbreak. Increased monitoring in remote often didn’t receive healthcare. It
permafrost zones, for example, will give succeeded in boosting Indigenous
public health agencies a chance to stamp many Indigenous people are wary of people’s access to diabetes therapy –
out diseases before they gain a foothold. covid-19 vaccines. The same problem which translated into better health.
So far, so positive. But if there is one may befall efforts to boost public health Regardless of where the next potential
lesson to be learned from the covid-19 monitoring among the Indigenous pandemic comes from, it is this sort of
pandemic, it is that having medical and communities living in permafrost zones. collaborative, listening approach to
technological solutions isn’t enough. We These problems aren’t insoluble. In research and public health that we need
also have to overcome social challenges. recent years, some researchers have tried more of if we are to stop it before it starts. ❚
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19 February 2022 | New Scientist | 5

News
Drone attack Cave swap Spider ears Depleted uranium Battle of the bites
Microwave Modern humans Webs are most US arms maker Cricket has world’s
weapon can take moved in a year after sensitive natural ditches controversial strongest known
out electronics p10 Neanderthals p15 “hearing” p15 weapon p16 insect chomp p19
A woman wearing
a mask in Belfast,
Northern Ireland
an international outlier for
“not giving parents the choice of
whether to vaccinate their child”.
The US, meanwhile, has delayed
a decision on whether to approve
vaccination for children aged
6 months to 4 years. The US Food
and Drug Administration had
been due to decide on the Pfizer/
BioNTech vaccine for this age
group on 15 February, based on
data from two doses in a clinical
trial. However, the agency has
K
C
T O now decided to wait for data
S
R
TE from the third dose in this trial
T
U
H before making a decision on the
S
O/
OT vaccine’s use in under-5s, which
H
P
R is expected in April.
U
N
AK/ While the omicron surge
D
R WI seems to have peaked in some
U
RT countries, including the UK,
A
the World Health Organization
Covid-19 (WHO) noted on Tuesday that a
Removing restrictions wave of infections is now passing
over eastern Europe, causing cases
to double in multiple countries.
The WHO warned that, as
Countries worldwide are having to decide what “living with covid” countries such as Poland
consider lifting restrictions,
really looks like, report Alex Wilkins and Carissa Wong
the threat level remains high.
Omicron is also causing
AS THE omicron variant requirements for people who But the UK has been slow to strain where authorities are
continues to surge around test positive for the virus. vaccinate its children. The US and pursuing zero-covid strategies.
the world, nations are having But health advisers have Israel began offering vaccines to Daily infection numbers have
to face up to life amid warned that the pandemic and 5-to-11-year-olds in November 2021, repeatedly broken records in Hong
continuing high infection rates. all its inherent risks – deaths from and Australia and New Zealand Kong in recent weeks, numbering
On Monday, Northern Ireland’s covid-19, chronic illness from have recently begun vaccinating 2071 on 14 February. Hong Kong’s
health minister Robin Swann long covid, higher risks to people this age group. The UK, in contrast, chief executive Carrie Lam has said
announced that the country’s who are immunocompromised has only recently started offering that the wave has “overwhelmed
remaining legal covid-19 and substantial pressure covid-19 vaccinations to children the city’s capacity of handling”.
requirements were to become on hospitals – is far from over. aged 5 to 11 who are vulnerable While omicron may have
guidance instead from 15 February. “Immune-compromised patients or live with people who are shifted expectations for how
Northern Ireland isn’t alone. remain at very high risk, higher immunocompromised. nations can cope with covid-19
Sweden and Denmark both lifted risk than they’ve ever been before The UK government was in the mid-to-long term, the
their pandemic restrictions earlier in their lives,” says Lance Turtle at due to make an announcement prospect of further variants means
this month, despite daily infection the University of Liverpool, UK. on vaccinating all children in there are no certainties. “A variant
rates in the tens of thousands. Many nations are hoping this age group on Monday, but with any property could emerge
UK prime minister Boris Johnson that vaccination will make the this has now been postponed to at any time, and it could be totally
is expected to announce a plan for difference. South Korea and 21 February. Writing in The BMJ last different in terms of disease. It
“living with covid” for England Sweden have begun offering week, Christina Pagel at University could be worse, could be better,
on 21 February, which is likely fourth doses of covid-19 vaccines College London and three other could be the same, and that will
to involve the end of isolation to the clinically vulnerable. researchers described the UK as happen at random,” says Turtle.  ❚
19 February 2022 | New Scientist | 7
News
Medicine
The dream of ending child cancer
Is it possible to prevent all children dying from cancer? Alice Klein reports
AN AMBITIOUS Australian DNA sequencing helps
programme to use personalised offer a personalised
medicine to reduce the number approach to cancer
of children who die of cancer to
zero has already kept alive more personalised medicine scheme.
than 150 children with aggressive “They told me I was nuts, but they
cancers who would have otherwise agreed to give it a go,” she says.
died. The success of the scheme – After securing A$20 million
the Zero Childhood Cancer (US$14 million) of funding from
Program, or Zero – means it will be the Australian government, the
made available to all Australian team started by enrolling children
children with cancer from 2023. with cancers that give people a
Y
One of Zero’s participants AR less than a 30 per cent chance of
R
B
is Jack Burai in Sydney, who was LI survival, like Jack’s. “These are the
O
T
diagnosed with a brain tumour O children whose parents are told,
H
P
in 2017, when he was 9 years old. CE ‘Go spend some quality time
N
E
His cancer was surgically removed, SCI together’,” says Mayoh.
E/
but came back aggressively a year AG Since 2015, 700 children
M
later and spread through his brain EK I have joined Zero from children’s
T
and spine, leaving him unable to cancer hospitals in Australia.
walk, eat or see out of his right eye. Individual cancer drivers have
700
“It was an end-of-life situation,” that seem most active against been identified for 94 per cent
recalls his father Alex. “When the cells are then tested in mice of them and targeted treatments
his mum was out of the hospital that have been injected with Number of children who have have been recommended
room, he would turn to me and the child’s tumour cells to check joined the Zero cancer programme for 72 per cent.
say, ‘Dad, am I going to die?’.” their safety and efficacy before Of the children who have had
72%
Now, Jack is a healthy, seemingly they are given to the child. targeted treatments, 31 per cent
cancer-free 14-year-old who runs In Jack’s case, genetic have responded, meaning their
marathons and rides his BMX bike sequencing showed that a Proportion of those children cancers have partially or
daily thanks to the personalised mutation called V600E in a gene recommended a targeted therapy completely disappeared or
care he received through Zero. called BRAF was driving his cancer. stabilised, says Mayoh, who will
31%
The idea of the programme The Zero team knew that cancers present the results at the annual
is to move away from giving with this mutation often respond scientific meeting of the Royal
standardised treatments and to drugs called dabrafenib and Proportion of those treated whose College of Pathologists of
to view every child’s cancer as trametinib and recommended cancers shrunk or were stabilised Australasia next month.
unique, says Chelsea Mayoh at them to his oncologists. With standard care, these
the Children’s Cancer Institute Within a week of taking these children would have died, says
in Sydney, where Zero is based. drugs, Jack was walking again, and Mayoh. “We always said that
The first step is to try to work after four weeks, he was playing Jack Burai was diagnosed helping just one patient would
out more about each child’s tennis. Scans showed the tumours with a brain tumour when be amazing, so we think it’s been
cancer. To do this, Mayoh and her in his brain and spine rapidly he was 9 years old a huge success.” Because the
colleagues genetically sequence shrinking, before disappearing treatments in Zero are targeted,
a child’s tumours and run other altogether. “It was truly miraculous they also tend to have fewer
tests. Once the possible drivers because he had been slipping side effects than conventional
are identified, the team searches away in front of our eyes, and therapies, says Mayoh.
medical literature and talks to then he was suddenly back to his
colleagues to determine what normal self,” says his mother Viv.
A faster approach
sort of treatment might work best. Zero is the brainchild of
The team also tries a scattergun Michelle Haber, the executive Zero hasn’t been able to save
approach by testing more than director of the Children’s Cancer every child, often because they
100 different cancer drugs on Institute. In 2013, she convened ATI succumb to their disease before
S
O
tumour cells taken from the child several cancer experts and R a personalised treatment can be
N
A
and grown in Petri dishes. Drugs explained her idea for the VI found. The team has managed
VI
8 | New Scientist | 19 February 2022