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{{short description|Science magazine}}{{Italic title}}{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}

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| circulation_year = 2016 H2| frequency = WeeklyBritish English>EnglishList of science magazines>ScienceTom MargerisonMax Raison>Nicholas Harrison}}| editor = Catherine de Langewww.newscientist.com/}}| issn = 0262-4079}}New Scientist is a popular science magazine covering all aspects of science and technology. Based in London, it publishes weekly English-language editions in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. An editorially separate organisation publishes a monthly Dutch-language edition. First published on 22 November 1956, New Scientist has been available in online form since 1996.Sold in retail outlets (paper edition) and on subscription (paper and/or online), the magazine covers news, features, reviews and commentary on science, technology and their implications. New Scientist also publishes speculative articles, ranging from the technical to the philosophical.New Scientist was acquired by Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) in March 2021.WEB, 2021-03-03, Daily Mail owner buys New Scientist magazine in £70m deal,www.theguardian.com/business/2021/mar/03/daily-mail-owner-buys-new-scientist-magazine-in-70m-deal, 2021-03-27, The Guardian, en, 27 March 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210327212948/https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/mar/03/daily-mail-owner-buys-new-scientist-magazine-in-70m-deal, live,

History

Ownership

The magazine was founded in 1956 by Tom Margerison, Max Raison and Nicholas HarrisonJOURNAL, How New Scientist got started, Nigel, Calder, New Scientist, 24 November 1966,www.newscientist.com/article/dn10574-how-new-scientist-got-started.html?full=true, 6 September 2017, 22 October 2012,www.newscientist.com/article/dn10574-how-new-scientist-got-started.html?full=true," title="web.archive.org/web/20121022184252www.newscientist.com/article/dn10574-how-new-scientist-got-started.html?full=true,">web.archive.org/web/20121022184252www.newscientist.com/article/dn10574-how-new-scientist-got-started.html?full=true, live, as The New Scientist, with Issue 1 on 22 November 1956, priced at one shillingMAGAZINE,books.google.com/books?id=X6XezBQCg5wC, The New Scientist (on Google Books), 22 November 1956, 1, 1, New Scientist, 23 October 2015, 2 September 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220902173507/https://books.google.com/books?id=X6XezBQCg5wC, live, (a twentieth of a pound in pre-decimal UK currency; {{Inflation|UK|0.05|1956|r=2|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}{{Inflation/fn|UK}}). An article in the magazine’s 10th anniversary issues provides anecdotes on the founding of the magazine. The British monthly science magazine Science Journal, published from 1965 until 1971, was merged with New Scientist to form New Scientist and Science Journal.National Library of Australia Bib ID 2298705 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220902173509catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2298705 |date=2 September 2022 }} In 1970, the Reed Group, which became Reed Elsevier, acquired New Scientist when it merged with IPC Magazines. Reed retained the magazine when it sold most of its consumer titles in a management buyout to what is now TI Media. In April 2017 New Scientist changed ownership when RELX Group, formerly known as Reed Elsevier, sold the magazine to Kingston Acquisitions, a group established by Sir Bernard Gray, Louise Rogers and Matthew O’Sullivan to acquire New Scientist.WEB,mumbrella.com.au/reed-business-information-sells-new-scientist-magazine-439149, Reed Business Information sells New Scientist magazine, Abigail, Dawson, 18 April 2017, Mumbrella, 21 March 2018, 20 July 2018,web.archive.org/web/20180720165502/https://mumbrella.com.au/reed-business-information-sells-new-scientist-magazine-439149, live, NEWS, Financial Times,www.ft.com/content/4127d94c-1f8c-11e7-b7d3-163f5a7f229c/, Relx offloads New Scientist magazine to Kingston Acquisitions, subscription, 12 April 2017, 25 April 2017, 25 April 2017,web.archive.org/web/20170425065750/https://www.ft.com/content/4127d94c-1f8c-11e7-b7d3-163f5a7f229c, live, Kingston Acquisitions then renamed itself New Scientist Ltd. The New Scientist was subsequently sold to the Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) for £70 million in March 2021; DMGT guaranteed the magazine’s editorial independence, and ruled out staff cuts and the sharing of editorial content.NEWS,www.theguardian.com/business/2021/mar/03/daily-mail-owner-buys-new-scientist-magazine-in-70m-deal, Daily Mail owner buys New Scientist magazine in £70m deal, Mark Sweeney, 3 March 2021, The Guardian, 3 March 2021, 3 March 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210303081845/https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/mar/03/daily-mail-owner-buys-new-scientist-magazine-in-70m-deal, live, In December 2021, DMGT announced that both New Scientist and the DMGT-owned daily i newspaper would be moved to a new division of the company, to be called Harmsworth Media.NEWS,inews.co.uk/news/harmsworth-media-i-and-new-scientist-magazine-launch-new-media-division-1343221, Harmsworth Media: i and New Scientist magazine launch new media division, i (newspaper), i, 9 December 2021, 11 December 2021, 11 December 2021,web.archive.org/web/20211211074433/https://inews.co.uk/news/harmsworth-media-i-and-new-scientist-magazine-launch-new-media-division-1343221, live, NEWS,pressgazette.co.uk/rothermere-creates-harmsworth-media/, Lord Rothermere splits off i and New Scientist from Mail and Metro in new Harmsworth Media division, Press Gazette, 9 December 2021, 11 December 2021, 11 December 2021,web.archive.org/web/20211211074434/https://pressgazette.co.uk/rothermere-creates-harmsworth-media/, live,

General history

Originally, the cover of New Scientist listed articles in plain text.MAGAZINE,books.google.com/books?id=ca1QDXCpElgC, The New Scientist (on Google Books), 7 January 1960, 7, 164, New Scientist, 23 October 2015, 2 January 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220102092455/https://books.google.com/books?id=ca1QDXCpElgC, live, Initially, page numbering followed academic practice with sequential numbering for each quarterly volume. So, for example, the first page of an issue in March could be 649 instead of 1. Later issues numbered issues separately. From the beginning of 1961 ”The” was dropped from the title. From 1965, the front cover was illustrated.WEB,books.google.com/books?id=X6XezBQCg5wC, Back issues of New Scientist on Google Books, 22 November 1956, 4 July 2019, 2 September 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220902173507/https://books.google.com/books?id=X6XezBQCg5wC, live, Until the 1970s, colour was not used except on the cover.Since its first issue, New Scientist has written about the applications of science, through its coverage of technology. For example, the first issue included an article “Where next from Calder Hall?” on the future of nuclear power in the UK, a topic that it has covered throughout its history. In 1964, there was a regular “Science in British Industry” section with several items.MAGAZINE,books.google.com/books?id=c2iCzjpnd4EC, New Scientist (on Google Books), 12 March 1964, 21, 382, New Scientist, 23 October 2015, 2 January 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220102092449/https://books.google.com/books?id=c2iCzjpnd4EC, live, Throughout most of its history, New Scientist has published cartoons as light relief and comment on the news, with contributions from regulars such as Mike Peyton and David Austin. The Grimbledon Down comic strip, by cartoonist Bill Tidy, appeared from 1970 to 1994. The Ariadne pages in New Scientist commented on the lighter side of science and technology and included contributions from David E. H. Jones, Daedalus. The fictitious inventor devised plausible but impractical and humorous inventions, often developed by the (fictitious) DREADCO corporation.MAGAZINE,books.google.com/books?id=XI67f03u6wgC, New Scientist (on Google Books), 19 January 1978, 77, 1086, New Scientist, 23 October 2015, 2 September 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220902173514/https://books.google.com/books?id=XI67f03u6wgC, live, Daedalus later moved to Nature.Issues of (The) New Scientist from issue 1 to the end of 1989 are free to read online;MAGAZINE,books.google.com/books?id=yINSqbNUNM0C, New Scientist (on Google Books), 23–30 Dec 1989, 124, 1696–1697, New Scientist, 0262-4079, 23 October 2015, 23 March 2022,web.archive.org/web/20220323133145/https://books.google.com/books?id=yINSqbNUNM0C, live, subsequent issues require a subscription.WEB, Browse New Scientist magazine (from 1990 until current issue),www.newscientist.com/issues/1990, 29 May 2019, 29 May 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190529212729/https://www.newscientist.com/issues/1990/, live, In the first half of 2013, the international circulation of New Scientist averaged 125,172. While this was a 4.3% reduction on the previous year’s figure, it was a much smaller reduction in circulation than many mainstream magazines of similar or greater circulation.WEB,www.pressgazette.co.uk/magazine-abcs-full-circulation-round-first-half-2013, Mag ABCs: Full circulation round-up for the first half of 2013, 15 August 2013, Press Gazette, 4 July 2019, 4 July 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190704084112/https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/magazine-abcs-full-circulation-round-first-half-2013, live, UK circulation fell by 3.2% in 2014, but stronger international sales increased the circulation to 129,585.NEWS, UK magazine combined print/digital sales figures for first half 2014: Complete breakdown,www.pressgazette.co.uk/uk-magazine-combined-printdigital-sales-figures-first-half-2014-complete-breakdown, 12 December 2014, Dominic, Ponsford, Press Gazette, 14 August 2014, 20 December 2014,www.pressgazette.co.uk/uk-magazine-combined-printdigital-sales-figures-first-half-2014-complete-breakdown," title="web.archive.org/web/20141220162028www.pressgazette.co.uk/uk-magazine-combined-printdigital-sales-figures-first-half-2014-complete-breakdown,">web.archive.org/web/20141220162028www.pressgazette.co.uk/uk-magazine-combined-printdigital-sales-figures-first-half-2014-complete-breakdown, live, A monthly Dutch edition of New Scientist was launched in June 2015. It replaced the former {{ill|Natuurwetenschap & Techniek|nl}} (NWT) magazine, adopting its staff and subscribers. The editorially independent magazine is published by Veen Media.WEB,www.nu.nl/media/3352634/tijdschrift-new-scientist-nederland.html, Tijdschrift New Scientist naar Nederland, 26 February 2013, 6 November 2015, nu.nl, 3 April 2013,www.nu.nl/media/3352634/tijdschrift-new-scientist-nederland.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20130403043404www.nu.nl/media/3352634/tijdschrift-new-scientist-nederland.html,">web.archive.org/web/20130403043404www.nu.nl/media/3352634/tijdschrift-new-scientist-nederland.html, live, WEB,www.newscientist.nl/, New Scientist – Dutch Edition, 6 November 2015, 25 October 2015,www.newscientist.nl/," title="web.archive.org/web/20151025163006www.newscientist.nl/,">web.archive.org/web/20151025163006www.newscientist.nl/, live, It contains mainly translations of articles in the English-language edition, but also its own articles. These are typically focused on research in the Netherlands and Belgium, the main countries where it is purchased.

Modern format

In the 21st century, until May 2019, New Scientist contained the following sections: Leader, News (Upfront), Technology, Opinion (interviews, point-of-view articles and letters), Features (including cover article), CultureLab (book and event reviews), Feedback (humour), The Last Word (questions and answers) and Jobs & Careers. A Tom Gauld cartoon appears on the Letters page.WORK, New Scientist, Reed Business Information, 2014, A readers’ letters section discusses recent articles and discussions also take place on the website. Readers contribute observations on examples of pseudoscience to Feedback, and offer questions and answers on scientific and technical topics to Last Word. New Scientist has produced a series of books compiled from contributions to Last Word.From issue 3228 of 4 May 2019, New Scientist introduced a “slightly updated design, with ... a fresher, brighter feel”. A dedicated “Views” section was added between news reports and in-depth features, including readers’ letters, comment, and reviews on science, culture and society. Regular columnists were introduced, and columns in the culture pages. The light-hearted “Back Pages” includes the long-standing Feedback and The Last Word, puzzles, and a Q&A section.JOURNAL,www.newscientist.com/article/0-introducing-this-weeks-new-look-new-scientist-magazine/, Introducing this week’s new-look New Scientist magazine, New Scientist, 3228, 3, Emily Wilson, 4 May 2019, 29 May 2019, 29 May 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190529204518/https://www.newscientist.com/article/0-introducing-this-weeks-new-look-new-scientist-magazine/, live, WEB, Sciencegarden Onlinemagazins für junge Forschung Deutschland.,sciencegarden.de/online-casino-osterreich/, live,web.archive.org/web/20210412041241/https://sciencegarden.de/online-casino-osterreich/, 12 April 2021, Online readership takes various forms. Overall global views of an online database of over 100,000 articles are 10.8m by 7m unique users according to Google Analytics, {{as of|January 2019|lc=y}}. On social media there are 3.5m+ Twitter followers, 3.5m+ Facebook followers and 100,000+ Instagram followers {{as of|January 2019|lc=y}}.WEB, 2015, Audience & Brand,mediacentre.newscientist.com/audience-and-brand, 20 May 2015, New Scientist Media Centre, 20 May 2015,mediacentre.newscientist.com/audience-and-brand," title="web.archive.org/web/20150520035045mediacentre.newscientist.com/audience-and-brand,">web.archive.org/web/20150520035045mediacentre.newscientist.com/audience-and-brand, live,

Staff and contributors

Emily Wilson was appointed editor-in-chief in 2018.WEB,www.newscientist.com/in307-whos-who-at-new-scientist/, Who’s who at New Scientist, www.newscientist.com, 2 December 2016, 4 December 2016,web.archive.org/web/20161204030639/https://www.newscientist.com/in307-whos-who-at-new-scientist, live, WEB,www.newscientist.com/article/2159965-new-scientist-appoints-emily-wilson-as-first-female-editor/, New Scientist appoints Emily Wilson as first female editor, New Scientist, 31 January 2018, 31 January 2018, 31 January 2018,web.archive.org/web/20180131221046/https://www.newscientist.com/article/2159965-new-scientist-appoints-emily-wilson-as-first-female-editor/, live, Current staff members are listed on page 5 of the magazine. Columnists {{As of|2019|5|4|lc=y}} included Annalee Newitz on novel tech. James Wong on food myths, Chanda Prescod-Weinstein’s adventures in space-time and Graham Lawton on environment.New Scientist“>

Editors of New Scientist

• Percy Cudlipp (1956–1962)
• Nigel Calder (1962–1966)
• Donald Gould (1966–1969)
• Bernard Dixon (1969–1979)
• Michael Kenward (1979–1990)
• David Dickson (1990–1992)
• Alun Anderson (1992–1999)
• Jeremy Webb (1999–2008)
• Roger Highfield (2008–2011)
• Sumit Paul-Choudhury (2011–2018)
• Emily Wilson (2018–2023)
• Catherine de Lange (2023–)WEB,talkingbiznews.com/media-moves/new-scientist-appoints-de-lange-editor/, New Scientist appoints de Lange editor, Ahmed, Mariam, 19 December 2023, talkingbiznews.com, Vested LLC, 20 February 2024,

Spin-offs

New Scientist has published books derived from its content, many of which are selected questions and answers from the “Last Word” section of the magazine and website:

• 1998. The Last Word. {{ISBN|978-0-19-286199-3}}
• 2000. The Last Word 2. {{ISBN|978-0-19-286204-4}}
• 2005. Does Anything Eat Wasps?. {{ISBN|978-1-86197-973-5}}
• 2006. Why Don’t Penguins’ Feet Freeze?. (selections from the first two books) {{ISBN|978-1-86197-876-9}}
• 2007. How to Fossilise Your Hamster. {{ISBN|978-1-84668-044-1}}
• 2008. Do Polar Bears Get Lonely?. {{ISBN|978-1-84668-130-1}}
• 2009. How to Make a Tornado: The strange and wonderful things that happen when scientists break free. {{ISBN|978-1-84668-287-2}}
• 2010. Why Can’t Elephants Jump?. {{ISBN|978-1-84668-398-5}}
• 2011. Why Are Orangutans Orange?: science questions in picture. {{ISBN|978-1-84668-507-1}}
• 2012. Will We Ever Speak Dolphin?. {{ISBN|978-1-78125-026-6}}
• 2014. Question Everything. {{ISBN|978-1-78125-164-5}}

Other books published by New Scientist include:

• The Anti Zoo – 50 freaks of nature you won’t see on TV (e-book based on the website’s “Zoologger” column)
• Nothing: Surprising insights everywhere from zero to oblivion. (compilation of articles previously published in the magazine) {{ISBN|978-1-61519-205-2}}
• New Scientist: The Collection (compendiums of articles on specific scientific topics)
  • Volume 1 (2014, 4 issues):
    • The Big Questions
    • The Unknown Universe
    • Guide to a Better You
    • The Human Story
  • Volume 2 (2015, 5 issues):
    • The Human Brain
    • Medical Frontiers
    • Being Human
    • Our Planet
    • 15 Ideas you Need to Understand
  • Volume 3 (2016, 5 issues):
    • The Wonders of Space
    • Life: Origin, Evolution, Extinction
    • The Quantum World
    • Wild Planet
    • Mind-Expanding Ideas
  • Volume 4 (2017, 4 issues):
    • Einstein’s Mind-Bending Universe
    • The Scientific Guide to an Even Better You
    • Essential Knowledge
    • Infinity and Beyond
  • Second Edition (2018–2019):
    • Big Questions Big Answers (2nd Edition of “The Big Questions“)
    • 21 Great Mysteries of the Universe (2nd Edition of “The Unknown Universe“)
    • Civilisation
    • Becoming Human (2nd Edition of “The Human Story“)
    • The Essential Guide to Earth (2nd Edition of “Our Planet“)
    • Souvenir Issue: The Quest for Space
    • Being Human
    • 17 More Things You Need to Understand
    • Mysteries of the Human Brain
• New Scientist: Essential Guides (2020–2023)
  • The Nature of Reality
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Human Health
  • Our Human Story
  • Quantum Physics
  • Evolution
  • The Human Brain
  • Climate Change
  • Nutrition and Diet
  • Einstein’s Universe
  • Life on Earth
  • Consciousness
  • The Solar System
  • Human Society
  • Particle Physics
  • Exercise
  • Planet Earth
  • Ageing
  • Time
  • The Human Mind
  • The Dawn of Civilisation

New Scientist has also worked with other publishers to produce books based on the magazine’s content:

• 1992 Inside Science, edited by Richard Fifield, published by Penguin Books. {{ISBN|978-0-14-014570-0}}
• 1992 The New Scientist Guide to Chaos, edited by Nina Hall, published by Penguin Books. {{ISBN|978-0-14-014571-7}}

In 2012 Arc, “a new digital quarterly from the makers of New Scientist, exploring the future through the world of science fiction” and fact was launched.WEB, Arc,www.arcfinity.org/, 13 May 2015, 20 April 2015,www.arcfinity.org/," title="web.archive.org/web/20150420011015www.arcfinity.org/,">web.archive.org/web/20150420011015www.arcfinity.org/, live, In the same year the magazine launched a dating service, NewScientistConnect, operated by The Dating Lab.{{Citation needed|date=May 2015}}Since 2016 New Scientist has held an annual science festival in London. Styled New Scientist Live, the event has attracted high-profile scientists and science presenters.WEB, UCL academics presenting at New Scientist live,www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2017/sep/ucl-academics-presenting-new-scientist-live, 27 September 2017, University College London, 21 November 2017, 9 August 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200809102814/https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2017/sep/ucl-academics-presenting-new-scientist-live, live,

Criticism

Greg Egan’s criticism of the EmDrive article

In September 2006, New Scientist was criticised by science fiction writer Greg Egan, who wrote that “a sensationalist bent and a lack of basic knowledge by its writers” was making the magazine’s coverage sufficiently unreliable “to constitute a real threat to the public understanding of science”. In particular, Egan found himself “gobsmacked by the level of scientific illiteracy” in the magazine’s coverageJOURNAL, Justin Mullins, Relativity drive: The end of wings and wheels?, New Scientist, 8 September 2006,www.newscientist.com/article/mg19125681.400-relativity-drive-the-end-of-wings-and-wheels.html,web.archive.org/web/20081009022924/https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19125681.400-relativity-drive-the-end-of-wings-and-wheels.html, dead, 9 October 2008, of Roger Shawyer’s “electromagnetic drive”, where New Scientist allowed the publication of “meaningless double-talk” designed to bypass a fatal objection to Shawyer’s proposed space drive, namely that it violates the law of conservation of momentum. Egan urged others to write to New Scientist and pressure the magazine to raise its standards, instead of “squandering the opportunity that the magazine’s circulation and prestige provides”.WEB,golem.ph.utexas.edu/category/2006/09/a_plea_to_save_new_scientist.html, A Plea to Save New Scientist, 19 September 2006, John C., Baez, John C. Baez, The n-Category Café, 19 September 2006, 9 November 2020,web.archive.org/web/20201109032120/https://golem.ph.utexas.edu/category/2006/09/a_plea_to_save_new_scientist.html, live, The editor of New Scientist, then Jeremy Webb, replied defending the article, saying that it is “an ideas magazine—that means writing about hypotheses as well as theories”.WEB,www.newscientist.com/blog/fromthepublisher/2006/10/emdrive-on-trial.html, Emdrive on trial, 3 October 2006, New Scientist,web.archive.org/web/20061028045848/https://www.newscientist.com/blog/fromthepublisher/2006/10/emdrive-on-trial.html, 28 October 2006, dead,

“Darwin was wrong” cover

In January 2009, New Scientist ran a cover with the title “Darwin was wrong”.JOURNAL, Graham Lawton, Why Darwin was wrong about the tree of life, New Scientist, 21 January 2009,www.newscientist.com/article/mg20126921.600-why-darwin-was-wrong-about-the-tree-of-life.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20090122084759www.newscientist.com/article/mg20126921.600-why-darwin-was-wrong-about-the-tree-of-life.html,">web.archive.org/web/20090122084759www.newscientist.com/article/mg20126921.600-why-darwin-was-wrong-about-the-tree-of-life.html, 22 January 2009,www.newscientist.com/article/mg20126921-600-why-darwin-was-wrong-about-the-tree-of-life, 23 March 2018, live, WEB,scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2009/03/21/new-scientist-flips-the-bird-a, New Scientist flips the bird at scientists, again, 21 March 2009, pharyngula, ScienceBlogs, 3 July 2019, 3 July 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190703205223/https://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2009/03/21/new-scientist-flips-the-bird-a, live, The actual story stated that specific details of Darwin’s evolution theory had been shown incorrectly, mainly the shape of phylogenetic trees of interrelated species, which should be represented as a web instead of a tree. Some evolutionary biologists who actively oppose the intelligent design movement thought the cover was both sensationalist and damaging to the scientific community.WEB,whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2009/03/21/the-new-scientist-has-no-shame-again/, The New Scientist has no shame–again!, 21 March 2009, Jerry Coyne, Why Evolution Is True, 3 July 2019, 3 July 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190703205224/https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2009/03/21/the-new-scientist-has-no-shame-again/, live,

See also

• Citizen science – first use of this term was in New Scientist in October 1979MAGAZINE, The Failure of the ‘Science’ of Ufology, Oberg, James, New Scientist, 11 October 1979, 84, 1176, 102–105,
• List of scientific journals
• Nominative determinism – first use of this term was in New Scientist in December 1994BOOK, Alter, Adam, Drunk Tank Pink: And Other Unexpected Forces That Shape How We Think, Feel, and Behave, Penguin Press, London, 2013, 978-1-78074-264-9,

References

{{reflist|30em}}

External links

• {{Official websitewww.newscientist.com/}}
• Digitized New Scientist magazines{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} on Google Books