How It Works — Issue 191

From battlefield rescue drones to the immense black holes beyond our galaxy, How It Works — Issue 191 ranges across the questions that make science and technology such absorbing reading. This 2024 issue connects everyday curiosities with ambitious engineering and big ideas about the universe, the environment and the past.

Tomorrow’s machines, explained

Explore the growing roles of drones in delivery, farming, exploration and emergency medevac, alongside a look at a next-generation electric flying car. Features on terabit broadband and modern military radar add a closer view of the systems transforming communication and defence.

Space, nature and the changing planet

Look outward to the universe’s biggest black holes, then back to Earth for stories about carbon storage, superfoods, owls and the unusually salty Dead Sea. The issue also examines how acupuncture works and what happens in the body during a hangover, bringing biological questions into the mix.

Engineering with history beneath it

Discover how radar developed, how subsea tunnels connect the Faroe Islands, and what the history of wartime inventions can reveal about engineering under pressure. Together, these features show how scientific ideas become practical tools—and how the built world can reshape communities.

A varied read for curious minds

With topics moving from animal behavior and human health to transport, space and communications, this issue is suited to readers who like following a question wherever it leads. Dip into a single subject or enjoy the contrast between one feature and the next; there is plenty here to spark further curiosity. 📚