New Scientist Magazine -15 October 2016 (NS151016)

No. 3095 DOWNLOADBUY IN PRINTFind back issuesSUBSCRIBE EDITOR'S PICK NEWS Exclusive: ‘3-parent’ baby method already used for infertility baby ad parent hands TECHNOLOGY Virtual reality: No one is actually buying 2016’s hottest tech VR heads Artwork of a group of people sleeping on each other's shoulders FEATURES Tired all the time? Why fatigue isn’t just about sleep Some of us feel constantly drained without knowing why. Some answers are emerging at last, and it’s not down to lack of sleep man and forge FEATURES Impossible alloys: How to make never-before-seen metals From bronze to steel, alloys are the backbone of the modern world. Now a recipe that shouldn’t work is creating metal mixtures with totally unexpected abilities illustration world web FEATURES The database that is rewriting history to predict the future A vast store of facts about the past aims to separate history from legend. It could pin down why civilisations rose and fell – and guide the evolution of our own Robert Pitman FEATURES I saw humpback whales save a seal from death by killer whale When Robert Pitman realised he had just witnessed an organised rescue mission by humpback whales, he had to find out why TABLE OF CONTENTS Leaders Science is catching up with society on transgender issues NEWS UPFRONT Haiti faces famine and disease in aftermath of hurricane Ancient Andes glaciers have lost half their ice in just 40 years Dementia risk linked to air pollution and lack of vitamin D Why scary clowns are threatening people all around the world Project Blue plans to send space telescope to snap nearby worlds First farm to grow veg in a desert using only sun and seawater 60 Seconds THIS WEEK Exclusive: ‘3-parent’ baby method already used for infertility Disco-ball sail propelled by laser could fly to a nearby star Chimps, bonobos and orangutans grasp how others view the world How to iron out gravity’s creases in our map of the universe Virus steals black widow poison gene to help it attack Flower hijacks the fragrance of attacked bees to imprison flies Young ovaries rejuvenate older mice and extend their lifespan Brain scans show trans people feeling at odds with their body IN BRIEF The moon has hundreds more craters than we thought Failed hunt for Proxima b’s star transit leaves us in the dark How brain cells move through newborn babies’ brains Spider spotted chaining wild crayfish with silk before devouring Weird orange crocodiles found gorging on bats in Gabon’s caves Thousands of animals flock to annual party hosted by starlings How much water should you drink a day? Your throat will tell you Softening surfaces stops liquids from splashing when they hit ANALYSIS Virtual reality: No one is actually buying 2016’s hottest tech Why shows like Westworld only show dark side of our robot future Anti-GM views might just triumph in India – here’s why There’s no good reason to go ahead with fracking in the UK TECHNOLOGY TV shows could use ultrasound to send bonus extras to your phone Do Uber ratings let passengers discriminate against drivers? APERTURE The deer whose antlers spanned three-and-a-half metres FEATURES Tired all the time? Why fatigue isn’t just about sleep Impossible alloys: How to make never-before-seen metals The database that is rewriting history to predict the future PEOPLE I saw humpback whales save a seal from death by killer whale CULTURE What do our natural laws really say about the world? A new London musical will change the way we think a