Science Illustrated

Science Illustrated delivers natural science, break through discoveries and an understanding of the world for the entire family. Packed with stunning photography and in-depth editorial it’s a visually spectacular gateway to the world looking into the beginning of life to distant objects in the universe.

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Science Illustrated

Orbital velocity: space station breaks speed limits

Wolf mother: glam-rock spider gets Bowie epithet

CRISPR treatment corrects defective gene in child • A boy called KJ was born with a rare enzyme deficiency which kills many newborns. But KJ was also the first child to get a new treatment that edited his genes.

How CRISPR works • CRISPR is a tool that works at the genetic level, using guide RNA, ‘scissors’, and a template. Together, these can repair genes that carry undesired diseases.

Hypersonic rocket plane takes flight • The US Talon-A2 rocket plane can fly so fast it could circle the world in six hours. Its trial offers a vision of future travel.

Colossal squid caught on camera for the first time • After 100 years of searching, a live colossal squid has finally been filmed. And the footage reveals more than the researchers had dared to hope for.

Our Moon’s interior is non-uniform • The far side of the Moon looks different from the side which always faces Earth – more craters, fewer lava plains. By studying data from a 2011-2012 mission, NASA has found out why.

High winds found to be capable of making glaciers melt faster • The melting of the large glaciers in Antarctica has long been a cause for concern among researchers. A team from the UK and India has discovered that a special type of high wind could accelerate the problem.

The immune system weakens with age • The immune system plays a role in ageing – in humans as well as other animals. The system weakens, making us more susceptible to illness.

Cats are resistant… dogs are deficient • Researchers have studied the lifespans of 46 different mammals, finding the immune system crucial for a long life.

Laser strikes satellite near the Moon • For the first time ever, a powerful laser beam from Earth has reportedly hit a target deep in space. It could be the key to lightning-fast space communication in the future.

Alzheimer’s develops in three stages • Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia. It can develops for years before symptoms appear.

Hearing loss may speed dementia • According to a new study, dementia might be delayed in many elderly people by the use of targeted hearing-loss treatments.

Where do fruit flies come from? • “Fruit flies seem to appear out of nowhere and go straight for the fruit in our kitchen. Are they hatching from the fruit or coming from elsewhere? Can we get rid of them?”

Is a walk in the woods good for you? • It’s a Japanese stress remedy that can be translated as ‘forest bathing’. But researchers suggest it’s the break from technology which helps most.

TEST YOURSELF • ANSWERS ON PAGE 19

How does an old-fashioned thermostat work? • “We have an old holiday cottage with electric heating, but the 60-year-old radiators have thermostats. I don’t understand how they work without electronics?”

“Why do some people feel aggressive towards cute things?”

How low can the resting heart rate get? • In humans, fitness can lower resting heart rate, though not nearly as low as in some animals. Who/what holds the records?

Why do some people have difficulties falling asleep? • “I lie awake for a long time, while my husband falls asleep almost immediately, or after reading a few pages of a book. We’re in the same environment – why such a big difference?”

Why do black holes not swallow space itself?

…piranhas...