See below for more info
2030
 WHAT WILL THE WORLD BE LIKE IN 2030? Leading thinkers - including Jeffrey Sachs, Sir David King and Alan Trounson - forecast the next 20 years of medicine, energy, transport, cities, food, and communications. From driverless cars to regenerative organs, the world of the next 20 years may look very different from today. Also in this issue: a revealing look at lost civilisations - from Atlantis to the Amazon; why astronomers now think frigid, far-away Pluto may have oceans; and the reason to worry about swine flu, which may still turn into a deadly killer. Plus much, much more! |
ECONOMICS: BLUEPRINTS FOR CHANGE
We are at a watershed moment in history and require reform of government, economies and an entirely new way of thinking to solve the multitude of global challenges facing us, argues Jeffrey Sachs.
MEDICINE: REGENERATIVE MEDICINE
Regenerative therapies such as stem cells have the potential to change the face of medicine over the next 20 years, as Alan Trounson and Don Gibbons explain.
ENERGY: A REAL TURN ON
The time has come for society to face up to the true cost of our energy consumption, saysBarry Brook. By 2030, nuclear may be leading the march.
CITIES: UNDER PRESSURE
Cities face a rapidly growing population and an unstable planet. It will take foresight, collaboration and careful planning to ensure they can take the stress and endure the unexpected, says Xuemei Bai.
FOOD: FEED THE WORLD
World population will surpass eight billion by 2030, and demand for food will grow 50%, says David King, Britain’s former chief scientist. How will we cope?
COMMUNICATIONS: SMART EVERYTHING
Telecommunications will only occasionally exist in the form that we know it today, saysDavid Skellern.
LOST
Some fallen civilisations carry a mysterious aura that fascinate – even when their history is based on myth and conjecture. Emma Young separates fact from fable.
TIME BOMB
Luckily, H1N1 is not the ferocious killer it was feared to be. But the swine flu virus that has now infiltrated every corner of the globe is a potentially deadly cocktail that could still turn nasty, writes Laura Sanders.
THE LAST OASIS
In the lonely outskirts of our Solar System, Pluto and its moon Charon forever keep one face toward each other. And, as Rick Lovett discovers, this may have warmed Pluto just enough for it to develop a life-friendly ocean.
PORTRAIT:
Michael Kakanis, exercise immunologist
NEWS:
The latest in science from around the globe.
HIT LIST:
Biodiversity hot spots
TRIVIA:
Science brainteasers for everyone
DIAGNOSIS:
Men who walk on all fours
MENAGERIE:
Mother Nature’s answer to Casanova
SNAPSHOT:
Out of Africa: meet your ancestors
COMPETITION:
What is it?
FOREWORD:
"The undiscovered country" - a word from the editor. And Happy Birthday Cosmos
FEEDBACK:
Letters – and photos – from our readers, who have opinions and like to travel.
GALLERY: EYE IN THE SKY
It’s the most successful telescope in history – and just turned 20. Originally launched with a faulty mirror, the Hubble Space Telescope has been patched up, augmented and upgraded five times. It’s taken almost a million pictures, giving us the deepest and most astonishing insights into our vast universe.
FICTION: LOOKING GOOD
“Ella had freckles and slightly crooked teeth, but they weren’t quirks to make her look better. She was the real deal.” Original fiction by Deborah Walker.
REVIEWS
The Language of Life by Francis Collins, March of the Microbes by John L. Ingraham, The Great Pheromone Myth by Richard L. Doty and Alex’s Adventures in Numberland by Alex Bellos. Plus we review two new DVDs:The Cove and Blue Gold, as well as the first instalment of a new sci-fi series, Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding. And our list of the top five books in science fact and science fiction.
ISSUES & IDEAS: BY THE BOOK
The content of textbooks used in Australian schools and universities is dominated by the nuances and taboos of American publishers who fear upsetting powerful lobbies, Rob Morrison reveals.