Majalah New Scientist

virus was more or less kicked out,” says Rottier. DEEPOL BY PLAINPICTURE/SARA MONIKA In covid-19
As we try to extinguish the covid-19 hotspots, up to
directly from bats, the main reservoir of 20 per cent of
pandemic and prevent new ones arising, other these viruses in the wild. In 2017, a virulent pet cats could
insights from the coronaviruses of domestic disease called swine acute diarrhoea syndrome be infected with
animals are less encouraging. For a start, they (SADS) struck down 25,000 piglets in southern SARS-CoV-2
clearly show that mutation isn’t the only China. It shared up to 98 per cent of its RNA
means by which these pathogens can evolve. code with a virus found in horseshoe bats. about what can happen if we aren’t alert to this
If different coronaviruses replicate in the same These bats also host a virus very similar to danger: a modified version of the same bovine
cell, and if certain critical genetic sequences SARS-CoV-2 and have been identified as the coronavirus that jumped into dogs in 2003 is
match up, new types can emerge. This source of SARS-CoV-1, which killed hundreds also a prime suspect for the 1890 “Russian flu”
happened when the benign swine respiratory of people between 2002 and 2004. Worryingly, pandemic, which killed an estimated 1 million
virus interacted with another coronavirus the instances of bat coronaviruses jumping people. The virus, called OC43, still regularly
called porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus to into pigs seem to be increasing. What’s more, infects us, although it has evolved further
form a chimera. We have also seen this in lab experiments have revealed that the SADS so that now it usually causes nothing more
SARS-CoV-2, where recombination of different virus can infect human cells. than a common cold.
versions of the virus within individuals is
thought to have resulted in new variants. Each time a virus moves to a new host, it is Based on their experience, animal
pressured to adapt, and it may also recombine coronavirus experts warn us not to
Such rejigging makes it particularly difficult with a related coronavirus in the new animal. underestimate these viruses, nor assume a
to predict the evolutionary trajectory of This revs up viral evolution, rendering these predictable trajectory for SARS-CoV-2. “When
coronaviruses. And they have another ability viruses more unpredictable. “We have to avoid I was doing my training, the dogma was that
that confuses things further: viruses from that at all costs,” says Saif. She is particularly coronaviruses were not good at jumping from
different species can swap material to form concerned by the recent detection in Haiti one species to another,” says Neuman. Now
mash-ups. One feline coronavirus, for of a coronavirus that appears to have jumped they are viewed as troublemakers and rule
example, arose when viruses hosted by from birds to pigs to humans. This is also a breakers. “Whenever I hear someone say,
cats and dogs exchanged some of their RNA major reason virologists were so worried last coronaviruses can’t do this because of
sequences. Or take two coronaviruses that November when mink contracted SARS-CoV-2 what human coronaviruses do, that’s always
can infect a dog’s gut. Their RNA sequences are and transmitted it back to people, and to cats a facepalm moment,” he says. “Don’t make
very similar, but they have strikingly different too. That outbreak was quickly dealt with. assumptions about coronaviruses.” ❚
spike proteins: one looks like a feline virus and However, history offers a salutary lesson
the other has clearly been exchanging genetic Anthony King is a science
material with a pig coronavirus. Another journalist based in Dublin, Ireland.
example is canine respiratory coronavirus, Follow him @antonyjking
which was first detected at a dog rehoming
centre in the UK in 2003. It turned out to be
almost identical to bovine coronavirus, which
can also transmit to other animals, including
pigs, horses and alpacas.

Surprising sources

The animals that live most closely with us
don’t just mix up their coronaviruses, they
can also acquire new ones from surprising
sources. In 2012, a coronavirus turned up in
pigs and a cat in Hong Kong. It turned out to
come from a group of coronaviruses thought
to be exclusive to birds – the new strain didn’t
go quietly, either, causing a major disease
outbreak in pigs in the US two years later.
Pigs also appear able to acquire coronaviruses

29 May 2021 | New Scientist | 49



The back pages

Puzzles Almost the last word Tom Gauld for  Feedback Twisteddoodles
Try our crossword, Why are we stronger New Scientist A self-portrait by a for New Scientist
quick quiz and when angry yet can’t A cartoonist’s take self-less portraitist: Picturing the lighter
logic puzzle p52 stand if laughing? p54 on the world p55 the week in weird p56 side of life p56

Science of gardening

Time for peat-free compost

A UK ban on peat-based compost sales to home gardeners is now
on the horizon. What are the best alternatives, asks Clare Wilson

Clare Wilson is a reporter THIS month, the UK government GAP/CLIVE NICHOLS
at New Scientist and announced that peat-based
writes about everything composts would no longer be sold sand, leaf mould or just a light soil. in, do check the label because if it
life-science related. to home gardeners by 2024. But But it can be hard to reliably doesn’t state “peat-free”, it won’t
Her favourite place is her some say the ban should happen be. Peat-free products can also
allotment @ClareWilsonMed sooner and also encompass peat’s make enough home compost take a little seeking out, but that
use by plant nurseries, which is unless your garden is huge. Plus it may change in the next few years.
What you need under consultation but not probably would be clumpier than
definitely going to be included. is ideal for seed germination – and According to the Growing
Any commercially available would also need sterilising to kill Media Association’s most recent
peat-free growing media. It is ironic that gardeners, weed seeds, by baking in the oven. report, home gardeners have been
Or make your own by mixing who tend to care about the slowly moving over to peat-free.
garden compost with leaf wider environment as well as A simpler option can be to
mould, horticultural sand their own personal green space, switch to buying peat-free Unfortunately, this trend is
or soil often buy peat-based growing growing media. These can be being somewhat offset as home
media, which is bad for the based on composted wood, bark, gardening becomes more popular
Science of gardening planet. I have done it myself wool or coconut fibre. There and so more compost is being
appears every four weeks out of habit and convenience. have been concerns about their bought. Overall, the total amount
quality, but those available today of peat-based compost bought in
Next week Commercially available peat generally give excellent results the UK fell by a quarter in the eight
compost is usually made from for plants, according to the UK’s years up to 2019. The country still
Science of cooking peat dug out of lowland bogs Royal Horticultural Society. has some way to go in phasing out
that form in high rainfall areas home use of peat before 2024. ❚
of northern Europe and Canada. The peat-free products may be
It makes a wonderful growing a bit pricier, but last time I looked, These articles are
medium for new plants because it wasn’t by much compared with posted each week at
of its ability to hold air and the cost of the plants I had just newscientist.com/maker
water and retain nutrients. bought. Yet until the ban comes

Yet peat bogs are a precious and
finite resource, taking thousands
of years to form out of partially
decomposed moss residues.
When we drain and rip up the
bogs, we lose unique ecosystems
and release carbon dioxide into
the atmosphere.

The good news is that there
are plenty of alternatives. In a
previous column, I looked at how
to make your own compost from
garden waste and kitchen scraps.
This makes a great mulch and
general soil improver, but if used
as a growing medium in plant
pots, it would be too heavy and
high in nutrients. So mix it with
something else, like horticultural

29 May 2021 | New Scientist | 51

The back pages Puzzles

Cryptic crossword #58 Set by Rasa Quick quiz #103

Scribble 1 What name is given to the large columns
zone of ice on the surface of glaciers that often
form where crevasses intersect?

2 NASA astronaut Michael Collins’s first space
flight took place during which NASA mission?

3 The modern classification system for clouds
is based on nomenclature proposed by which
amateur meteorologist in 1802?

4 Which of the four fundamental forces
do leptons not experience?

5 Psittrichas fulgidus is commonly known
as Pesquet’s parrot, but it is also associated
with which literary character?

Answers on page 55

Answers and Puzzle
the next quick
set by Barry R. Clarke
crossword next week
#115 A random robot
ACROSS DOWN
Roman the test robot is being given one
1 Bags instrument for eavesdropper (4) 1 Frighten away rival turning final roam before being consigned to the
3 “Miracle” deconstructed by up in winter wear (5,3) scrapheap where he can rust in peace.

British forensics facility (5,3) 2 Roaming cat included in He has been programmed to make four
9 Son embraced by vinegary abstainer (7) 101 Desert Organisms (5) equal length steps. For his first move,
10 Property of ocean expert lacking a hotel (5) he can travel one step east, west, north or
11 Tide turning around Conservative 4 Goes over dental appliance, bottom to top (6) south. Each of his subsequent three steps
5 Before long, demo new prototype (5) must be at right angles to the previous
mandate (5) 6 Far surpass string theorist from France (7) move. The direction of each move is selected
12 Rotating body clumsily, Paul’s 7 In conversation, tolerated by a random number generator, with all
four possibilities being equally probable.
meeting with resistance (6) quantum pioneer (4)
14 Woods shouted warning for 8 Bit of info on American condition (6) What is the chance that Roman will finish
13 Troublemaker at fashion magazine where he started?
golfers at second tee (6)
16 Value encounters with mid-Easterner initially ridicules spinning device (8) Answer next week
15 Object caught in ripped clothing (7)
in retrospect (6) 17 Scattered boxes on far side of office (6)
19 Upset and insult Peter Parker’s aunt (6) 18 Amino acid function supports
21 Accompaniment features Japanese export (5)
24 Authorise Cessna’s first jet’s name (5) longevity, superficially (6)
25 Hook up in section of lavatory (7) 20 Painting of the countryside making
26 Came to fully, nestled in large bag
Romeo millions (5)
with down (8) 22 Vegetarian has returned hopping mad (5)
27 Turn sharply and accelerate with 23 Leave clue for tracker (4)

twice the energy, heading west (4)

Our crosswords are now solvable online DM7/SHUTTERSTOCK

newscientist.com/crosswords

52 | New Scientist | 29 May 2021

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The back pages Almost the last word

Weak with laughter BJORN HOLLAND/GETTY IMAGES What would happen to us
and our planet if the sun
Why is it that we are stronger This week’s new questions simply vanished?
when we are angry, but hardly
have the strength to stand up In the dark What would happen to Earth if the sun suddenly disturbance to the supposedly
when we laugh really hard? disappeared? How long could we live in darkness? static water because this might
Richard Holden and Dylan, Rob and Tomos from his 9B3 physics introduce errors to the
Paul Davis class, Ysgol Bryn Alyn, Wrexham, UK measurements, so water level
Umeå University, Sweden fluctuations and any currents
Emotions are related to the Musical discord Why do we experience music that is out were carefully measured.
motion in their name (e-motion), of tune as unpleasant? Kevin Halford, Pelt, Belgium
but to the body too. This could be The main components of
anger directing us to lash out or up” can inhibit the potential to any lunar or solar period, and is these disturbances were residual
joy-induced fits of laughter that strength induced by angry fairly cut off from the ocean, which currents, which might persist
leave us unable to stand as a result feelings. On the other hand, explains why the tides are small. for days following the towing
of uncontrollable convulsions. extroverts and those who tend of a large model. However, my
to express their anger outwardly Stephen Rowe recollection is that a semi-diurnal
Each emotion is associated with experience greater increases in Shepperton, Middlesex, UK slosh, or seiche, due to the tides
an “action tendency”. For anger, anger-related strength. This fits In my early career, I worked in the could also be clearly seen in the
there is a powerful impulse to with studies that demonstrate ship division of the UK’s National data from the tank.
counter-attack when we feel there how swearing can increase Physical Laboratory. The facilities
has been an offence against us. physical strength. included a massive indoor towing Garry Trethewey
tank (sadly long since demolished Cherryville, South Australia
Motion and action require Tiny tide to make way for a superstore). This It depends on the sensitivity
energy. When we feel angry, this tank was 400 metres long, almost of the detector and the absence
channels resources into preparing What is the smallest body of water 8 metres deep and contained more of confounding factors like
for an assault on the target of our in which tides can be detected? than 45 million litres of water. wind blowing the water.
anger, by increasing physiological (continued)
activation (raising heart rate, Scale models of ships and other Any body of water, even in
for example), as well as narrowing Eric Kvaalen marine vehicles were towed down a cup or thimble, will respond
cognitive attention. The allocation Les Essarts-le-Roi, France the tank by a motorised carriage at to gravity and will therefore
of psychophysiological resources The Sea of Japan has almost no precise speeds, so that resistance be influenced by the moon.
to an action associated with anger, tides, but I suppose they are still and propulsive efficiency could be Detection then depends on
detectable. This sea doesn’t have measured in order to help refine how much you are prepared
“Emotions are linked a natural oscillation period related hull and propeller designs. to spend on fancy equipment.
to motion. Anger can
direct us to lash out There was great interest in any Right, wrong
and joy-induced fits
of laughter can leave Want to send us a question or answer? Why do some people struggle
us unable to stand” to tell left from right? (continued)
Email us at [email protected]
such as kicking or punching, Questions should be about everyday science phenomena Simon Iveson
can result in increased strength. Full terms and conditions at newscientist.com/lw-terms Newcastle, New South Wales,
Across multiple studies, we have Australia
observed anger increasing the A previous answer to this question
strength of a kick by about 20 per suggested that the concepts left
cent compared with when the and right reflect an “egocentric”
same individual kicks as hard view of the world and that using
as possible in a calm state. a fixed reference frame (north,
south, east, west) is a more
An individual’s personality satisfying “geocentric” view.
can influence their experience
and regulation of emotions. This may well be true, but
People who rate highly for what is I have another suggestion: that
known as “trait anger” experience it is the development of a written
frequent and intense levels of form of a language that forces
anger. Our research shows that a culture to adopt the concepts
the increase in kicking strength of left and right.
when angry is related to levels
of trait anger. In a phonetic alphabet,
the order of letters in a word
The tendency to suppress the determines the word’s meaning –
expression of anger or “bottle it “tap” versus “pat”, for example.
Even in a pictographic language,

54 | New Scientist | 29 May 2021

Tom Gauld Answers

for New Scientist Quick quiz #103

Answers

1 Seracs

2 Gemini 10

3 Luke Howard

4 The strong force

5 Count Dracula – its black and
red plumage has led some to
call it the Dracula parrot

Quick crossword #83

Answers

the order of pictograms can “The development Chris Jack ACROSS 1 Open University,
St Albans, Hertfordshire, UK 9 Hot-rod, 10 Obsidian,
determine the meaning (“Sam of a written form There are many circumstances 11 Alastrim, 14 Sixths,
hit Jon” versus “Jon hit Sam”, of a language could when left and right are 17 Cardiac arrest,
for instance). Hence any kind of force a culture to ambiguous. Which is the left 20 Hemispherical, 23 Gutter,
writing requires the development adopt the concepts side of a house, for instance? 25 Smart Car, 28 Neverdie,
of the concept of a forward and In contrast, port and starboard 29 Rhombi, 30 Detoxification
(respectively, the left and right
backward direction when reading of left and right” sides of a sea vessel as seen by DOWN 2 People, 3 Nares,
a person on the vessel looking 4 Nadir, 5 Vroom, 6 Ross Sea,
a page or tablet, which must be forward), where front and 7 Index, 8 Inositol, 12 Tyres,
back are well defined, can 13 Irish, 15 T-cell, 16 Mahogany,
orientated with reference to the My mother was intrigued by avoid this problem. 17 Comet, 18 CD-ROM,
19 Recur, 21 Paradox,
reader of the page, not to the this usage, which was new to her. Andy Woolford 22 Gabbro, 24 Tweet,
Al Ain, United Arab Emirates 25 Shelf, 26 Auric, 27 Trout
surrounding environment. Reference to points of the compass In my experience as a flying
instructor, I have noticed that #114 Lara’s birthday
If this hypothesis is correct, may have been common among my students often have difficulty
in telling left from right when Solution
then cultures that lack the concept fishermen and their families – they are put under pressure.
Francesca’s birthday is
of left and right would be ones Anstruther was an important When a new student is told to 29 February, Martha’s is
join a “left pattern” or report “right 1 March. Those born on the
in which writing was never herring port till the 1930s, base” when they are still working 1st were 1 on their first birthday,
on maintaining altitude and speed but not 31 (and so on) the day
developed – or at least not when the shoals disappeared. and deciding which runway to use, before. Meanwhile, nobody can
then it isn’t unusual for them to celebrate their 29th birthday
until very recently. An alternative explanation turn the wrong way. When they do on 29 February because their
the same exercise in a classroom, age on that date can only be
Perhaps a linguist out there is that the town was divided into however, they have little difficulty a multiple of 4.
in identifying right from left. ❚
has access to the data to support two parts, Anstruther Easter and

or refute this? Anstruther Wester. Possibly the

local community had a clear idea

Kate Calder about where the east and west

Edinburgh, UK parts of the town were. It would

My mother recalled a visit to an be interesting to find out if other

old aunt in Anstruther, a fishing communities have similar usages.

town on the Fife coast of Scotland,

around the time of the second Helen Bennett

world war. While helping her aunt Oxford, UK

to set out tea, she was instructed, How would a geocentric system

“Gang aist [east] tae the dresser, for left and right talk about body

and bring wast [west] the scones.” parts on the right or left?

29 May 2021 | New Scientist | 55

The back pages Feedback

No selfie Twisteddoodles for New Scientist but clear escapade up the wrong
side of a multi-lane highway shown
As a philistine, Feedback is unsure Got a story for Feedback? in another video, the answer to
whether AI art is a good or a bad that is a no, too.
thing, or better or worse than the Send it to [email protected] or
alternative. All we can say is that it New Scientist, 25 Bedford Street, London WC2E 9ES Bleak, very bleak
is a Thing, and one that some people Consideration of items sent in the post will be delayed
are increasingly willing to pay good We are grateful, for some value
money for. And also bitcoin. through a cultural wormhole to Is it a… ? of grateful, to Michael Zehse
emerge at the pronouncement for drawing our attention to
One possible disadvantage “her tomb is covered with over Reports are coming in that the city the music of Nǽnøĉÿbbœrğ
of algorithmic art – or advantage, 5000 square feet of paintings of Harbin in China is testing a new Vbëřřħōlökäävsŧ. We discover, as
if you are one of those tiresomely and spells, equivalent to over autonomous train that doesn’t need the extensive use of röck döts was
logical types who finds the 1000 Mona Lisas in area”. traditional tracks, but runs on roads perhaps inviting us to conclude,
descriptions in exhibition on a “virtual track”. Having viewed that this is “an extremely
catalogues to be largely mystifying Feedback likes this style, not the video many times, Feedback underground band that plays
agglomerations of words – is the least because it gives us a handle comes to the conclusion that this a dank, bleak, light-void music
inability to glean from the artists on another fun fact for free: the is neither a train nor, given the lack commonly referred to as either
themselves what their intentions size of the Mona Lisa. As anyone of tracks, a tram – much though ‘ambient cosmic extreme funeral
were in creating the piece. who has battled the crowds in it superficially resembles one. drone doom metal’ or ‘post-noise’.”
the Louvre (the one in Paris,
Step forward Ai-Da, the android best-beloved subeditors) No, what we have here is a Having begun listening to
artist whose self-portraits are can testify, this comes out as bus. A very long bus, to be sure – one track, 10^100 Gs of Artificial
currently featuring in an exhibition “smaller than you think”. it resembles a still-further-extended Gravity, from their album
at the Design Museum in London, version of the articulated sort that, The Ultimate Fate of the Universe,
and who is now artist-in-residence In fact, it is smaller even when briefly introduced onto we can’t confirm the accuracy
at the Porthmeor Studios in St Ives, than you would think given London’s roads, were famed for of the first description, but the
south-west England. that comparison. The Mona getting stuck going round corners – second seems pretty fair.
Lisa measures 21 by 30 inches but a bus nonetheless.
In interviews with the BBC and according to our best information, The “windy, staticy” tone
The Guardian, Ai-Da’s answers so that second “over” is doing Whether autonomous control was achieved by the two band
might be regarded as formulaic – quite a bit of overtime by our makes its driving any less erratic members, researchers who
they are an artist because they calculation. Exactly how much we assume only testing will tell. describe themselves as having
“like to be creative”, apparently – we leave as an exercise in pre- The video shows some impressive met while studying carnivorous
but at least they reveal a robust revolutionary units for the reader. lane wiggling. But judging by a brief Antarctic predators, loading a
attitude to the agonies of the bass, an amp and a laptop onto a
creative process. How long does dog sled to sample at the precise
a self-portrait take? “Between geographic South Pole during a
45 minutes and one hour 15,” long winter. Whatever we think
says Ai-Da. of the outcome, this is true
dedication to art. Rëspëkt.
What the meaning of a self-
portrait is when the portraitist has Birdbrained 2
no self is a question apparently no
one has yet put to Ai-Da. The time Many of you write in bafflement
to get really unnerved is when an at our recent story mentioning
AI comes up with a better answer the intention of councillors
to that than a human can. in the town of Hungerford in
southern England to transport
Renaissance values their incontinent feral pigeons
to Whitby, 400 kilometres north,
Moving to art in a different and release them there (15 May).
space and time, Renee Colwell
writes from New York City with A popular suggestion seems to be
“a novel unit of measure for that the denizens of Whitby should
the true Renaissance man”, respond in like manner by arranging
as she describes it. the transport of their notoriously
aggressive gulls southwards. That’s
Discussing the resting place of one way of giving them the bird,
Queen Nefertari, first of the great we suppose. But this represents
royal wives of Ramses the Great a levelling-down agenda of the
(the Ancient Egyptians did titles as type most definitely not espoused
well as pyramids), in the Valley of by the UK government. ❚
the Queens near Luxor, an episode
of the TV series Unearthed sped

56 | New Scientist | 29 May 2021