June/July 2017
Issue 23: Night
It's often claimed that science is a light in the dark, showing us the way. But what if we want to embrace darkness for its own sake? After all, it's night half of the time we're alive — shouldn't you explore the world when it's hidden from the Sun? You never know what you might find.
This issue, discover night-time predators, mysterious glowing proteins, controversies over pornography, why we sleep, and a whole lot more. Don't let the bed bugs bite...
Cover illustration by Kayla Oliver.
Editorial
Features
Many people claim to have seen something supernatural. Are there rational explanations for these reports, or are we just watching too much TV?
Often maligned and misunderstood, the spotted hyena is one of Africa's most impressive and adaptable predators.
Bioluminescent glows have fuelled myths and legends for thousands of years. Jennifer Tsang explores how cultures around the world have interpreted luciferin's glow.
The heavily constructed realm of pornography is not going away anytime soon. How can we mitigate the effects it has on young people?
Every night, we sign away eight hours of our lives to be spent in slumber. Shouldn't we be doing something better with our time?
Articles
Self-experimentation is risky but has led to major scientific breakthroughs. Can science and society learn to work together to get the best of both worlds?
Recent rumours of the manta ray's taxonomic demise have been greatly exaggerated.
Changing how clinical trials are designed and reported could save billions of dollars.
Columns
Wild microbes can infect beer with surprising and creative new flavours.
Having no time for ambiguous terms in biology, Patrice Jones was led to Ashley Montagu, who fought for race to be dropped as a biological distinction at a time when it was embedded in culture.
On a roost above the forest floor, New Zealand’s short-tailed bats are singing for a mate, and Kathleen Collier is listening.
You can find anything in the dark depths of the web — even free research papers. But does illegal access to science come at a cost?