This is a sponsored post in partnership with our friends at New Scientist, written by me. I only accept sponsorship from things I actually like!
You know those obscure questions that pop into your head when you’re trying to get to sleep, or waiting for your video to load, or your boss is talking?
Things like:
- Does space radiation give astronauts cancer?
- Was the heatwave anything to do with global warming?
- How did NASA work out how to get us to the moon when it had never been done before?
- Did T-rex really sound like it does on TV?
- Is what I perceive actually reality?
They’re like an itch. Ignoring it only makes it worse, so often we go for the fastest solution: a quick Google.
But as a depressing glance at any comments section will demonstrate, the internet is a thicket of misinformation, and even decent sources often have to oversimplify or touch up the truth to keep the clicks coming.
So where do we find explanations we can rely on?
The answer used to be good journalism. And it still is.
All of the questions above are taken from recent issues of New Scientist, which answers them in easily-understood, scientifically-accurate, downright fascinating articles.
For instance, did you know:
- That there are 96 bags of human poo on the moon?
- That Professor of Future Crimes is a real job?
- That wasps seem to be shrinking because of climate change?
- That some jellyfish sperm stings females on the inside?
- That there might be a single cause for everything from heart disease to Alzheimer’s?
All facts I gleaned from the same few recent issues of NS. They arrive weekly, so there’s no time to get bored.
In our universe, the truth is often far, far stranger than what the misinformation-mongers of the internet can come up with. So don’t waste that big brain of yours on juicy headlines that turn out to be milky pseudoscience. Your neurons deserve the real deal.
10 issues for £10
I love New Scientist, and have been a ravenous reader since my school days. I’ve even written for them, which was one of the proudest moments of my career.
My friends at NS have given me a peach of an offer to share with Gadgette readers in need of a brain snack: 10 issues for £10.
That means the full magazine, delivered to your door (or app) every week, full access to the New Scientist website and digital archive, videos of all the amazing talks at New Scientist Live (like TED Talks for geeks), and free digital editions of the NS book series.
You can cancel after your 10 issues if you like, but I think you’ll find this is the fuel your mind’s been crying out for. Even if you just read it while you poo on the moon.
