Science Focus Magazine – October 2024 Preview

New issue: A cure for ageing | BBC Science Focus Magazine

BBC Science Focus Magazine (September17, 2024) The latest issue features ‘A Cure For Aging’ – How Medicine is tackling the final frontier of health

Secrets of the Pyramids

The technical knowledge of Egyptian architects once again exceeds expectations. Was Egypt’s oldest pyramid, the Step Pyramid of Djoser, built using some seriously high-tech kit? And what’s with the huge, unexplained cavity that’s been discovered in the Great Pyramid of Giza?

Living fossils

Meet the creatures for whom time has almost stood still. These animals give us a glimpse into what life was like millions of years ago, and show us just how resilient some groups have been to the calamitous events that have consigned others – such as the dinosaurs – to extinction.

A mysterious UFO

There’s a mysterious object hurtling at one million miles per hour across the Milky Way. It’s moving so fast that it could exit the Milky Way entirely – and scientists are still trying to figure out what it is. Not quite a planet and not quite a star, so what is it?

Proba-3

The Proba-3 mission aims to unravel the mysteries of the Sun’s atmosphere by creating artificial eclipses on demand. But achieving this feat means teaching two spacecraft to perform a complicated dance with an unprecedented level of precision. If the mission is successful, scientists will be able to study the Sun’s corona in unprecedented detail, ushering in a new era for space observation.

Plus

Impostor syndrome: Ever feel like you’re an impostor, who’s bluffing their way through life? You’re not alone. Even the world’s most brilliant minds suffer from the fear of being ‘found out’. But what causes impostor syndrome? And more importantly, how can you overcome it?

Q&A: Boost your general knowledge! This issue: How do I break free of blame culture? How often should I change my toothbrush? How are identical twins created? Did dinosaurs have fleas? Why does my computer screen look so weird when I take a picture of it? What’s the smelliest animal? And more.

Sleep gadgets: A bad night’s sleep can follow you for days, making you tired and grumpy. Our tech experts have rounded up the best gadgets to help perfect your sleep routine and make the most of your shut-eye.

Generative AI: Speeding Up Amazon Package Delivery

CNBC (September 17, 2024): For decades, Amazon has set the standard for fast package delivery. When Prime launched in 2005, two-day shipping was virtually unheard of. By March 2024, 60% of Prime items were delivered same or next day. Now Amazon wants to push that number even higher, using generative AI, despite concerns about energy and cost.

Chapters: 2:14 Two-day to same-day 5:51 Robot revolution 9:18 Predicting orders 12:11 Routes and personalization

CNBC got an exclusive look at Amazon’s use of generative AI to optimize delivery routes, make more intelligent warehouse robots, and better predict where to stock new items.

Country Life Magazine – September 18, 2024 Issue

Country Life Magazine (September 17, 2024): The latest issue features

The legacy

Amie Elizabeth White hails king of cutlery Harry Brearley, whose stainless-steel invention was —  like himself — ‘made in Sheffield’

Country Life’s little-known gems of the Cotswolds

Jane Wheatley swerves the honeypots to share some of the region’s lesser-known places to eat, shop, stay or unwind

Dem bones, dem bones

The world’s first named dinosaur was found in the beautiful Oxfordshire village of Stonesfield. Ben Lerwill meets the Megalosaurus

A taste of the exotic

From coatimundis in Cumbria to scorpions in Kent, Victoria Marston introduces some of Britain’s most exotic residents

One bray at a time

The stoic and devoted donkey is often misunderstood, but it is capable of melting the hardest of hearts, as Katy Birchall learns

Marking time in the Cotswolds

Penny Churchill showcases the best country houses for sale in this sought-after region

Out of the ordinary

Annunciata Elwes scours the Cotswolds property market for something a little different

Geraldine Collinge’s favourite painting

The art-gallery director chooses a spectacular, nightmarish work

Revealing the Roman Cotswolds

Clive Aslet investigates the role of antiquarian Samuel Lysons in recording the excavation of Roman villas in the Cotswolds      

Love in an elevator

Country house lifts have been going up in the world ever since Queen Victoria’s day, as Melanie Cable-Alexander discovers

Interiors

Ideas and inspiration for your kitchen, with Amelia Thorpe

Where the north wind doth blow

Tiffany Daneff is blown away by panoramic views and weatherproof planting in the garden at Coates Barn in Warwickshire

Kitchen garden cook

Melanie Johnson pairs pears with both sweet and savoury

Foraging

Oyster mushrooms are a woodland delicacy, but vegans might be put off by their carnivorous tendencies, reveals John Wright

The good stuff

Hetty Lintell is on the prowl for luxurious leopard-print pieces

Travel

Steven King heads to Hungary to discover how autumn mists make Tokaji wine irresistible

We band of brothers

Octavia Pollock marvels at the medals of yesteryear, finding that many of their mottos and motifs are works of art in their own right

Right as rain

Michael Prodger dodges the showers to examine drizzle, downpour and deluge in art

The spy who came onto the stage

The first stage adaptation of a Le Carré novel is compelling viewing, says Michael Billington

News: Israel Casts Doubt On Hezbollah Diplomacy, Russia To Expand Its Army

Monocle Radio Podcast (September 17, 2024): We discuss the latest from the Middle East as Israel says that time is running out for a diplomatic solution with Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Also on the programme: Putin’s latest ambitions to expand Russia’s army and Greece’s dwindling birthrate. Then: what does the second assassination attempt on Donald Trump say about the safety processes for presidential candidates? Plus: we hear about New Zealand’s bird of the year.

The New York Times — Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024

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Trump, Outrage and the Modern Era of Political Violence

The latest apparent assassination attempt against the former president indicates how much the American political landscape has been shaped by anger stirred by him and against him.

Suspect Never Took a Shot at Trump but Hid Undetected for 12 Hours

Ryan W. Routh was charged with two federal gun crimes a day after Secret Service agents fired on him as he pointed a rifle toward the golf course where former President Donald Trump was playing.

Despite Relentless Russian Attack, Life in Kharkiv Endures Underground

Kharkiv, Ukraine, has adjusted to life amid the threat of bombings. Its resilience is manifested in a curious blend of life above and below ground.

Tim Walz, a ‘Snowman Melting,’ Tests His Appeal in the Sun Belt

The Minnesota governor was picked for his appeal to the white working-class. The Harris campaign hopes he can reach other demographics, too.