New Scientist

The magazine was founded in 1956 by Tom Margerison, Max Raison and Nicholas Harrison{{cite journal |title=How New Scientist got started |first=Nigel |last=Calder |journal=New Scientist |date=24 November 1966 |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn10574-how-new-scientist-got-started.html?full=true |access-date=6 September 2017 |archive-date=22 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022184252/http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn10574-how-new-scientist-got-started.html?full=true |url-status=live }} as The New Scientist, with Issue 1 on 22 November 1956, priced at one shilling{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X6XezBQCg5wC |title=The New Scientist (on Google Books) |date=22 November 1956 |volume=1 |issue=1 |magazine=New Scientist |access-date=23 October 2015 |archive-date=2 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220902173507/https://books.google.com/books?id=X6XezBQCg5wC |url-status=live }} ({{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 [http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2298705 Bib ID 2298705] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220902173509/https://catalogue.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.{{cite web |url=https://mumbrella.com.au/reed-business-information-sells-new-scientist-magazine-439149 |title=Reed Business Information sells New Scientist magazine |first=Abigail |last=Dawson |date=18 April 2017 |website=Mumbrella |access-date=21 March 2018 |archive-date=20 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180720165502/https://mumbrella.com.au/reed-business-information-sells-new-scientist-magazine-439149 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/4127d94c-1f8c-11e7-b7d3-163f5a7f229c/ |title=Relx offloads New Scientist magazine to Kingston Acquisitions |url-access=subscription |date=12 April 2017 |access-date=25 April 2017 |archive-date=25 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170425065750/https://www.ft.com/content/4127d94c-1f8c-11e7-b7d3-163f5a7f229c |url-status=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.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/mar/03/daily-mail-owner-buys-new-scientist-magazine-in-70m-deal|title=Daily Mail owner buys New Scientist magazine in £70m deal|author=Mark Sweeney|date=3 March 2021|work=The Guardian|accessdate=3 March 2021|archive-date=3 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303081845/https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/mar/03/daily-mail-owner-buys-new-scientist-magazine-in-70m-deal|url-status=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.{{cite news|url=https://inews.co.uk/news/harmsworth-media-i-and-new-scientist-magazine-launch-new-media-division-1343221|title=Harmsworth Media: i and New Scientist magazine launch new media division|work=i|date=9 December 2021|accessdate=11 December 2021|archive-date=11 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211211074433/https://inews.co.uk/news/harmsworth-media-i-and-new-scientist-magazine-launch-new-media-division-1343221|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://pressgazette.co.uk/rothermere-creates-harmsworth-media/|title=Lord Rothermere splits off i and New Scientist from Mail and Metro in new Harmsworth Media division|work=Press Gazette|date=9 December 2021|accessdate=11 December 2021|archive-date=11 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211211074434/https://pressgazette.co.uk/rothermere-creates-harmsworth-media/|url-status=live}}

Originally, the cover of New Scientist listed articles in plain text.{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ca1QDXCpElgC |title=The New Scientist (on Google Books) |date=7 January 1960 |volume=7 |issue=164 |magazine=New Scientist |access-date=23 October 2015 |archive-date=2 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220102092455/https://books.google.com/books?id=ca1QDXCpElgC |url-status=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.{{cite web |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X6XezBQCg5wC |title=Back issues of New Scientist on Google Books |date=22 November 1956 |access-date=4 July 2019 |archive-date=2 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220902173507/https://books.google.com/books?id=X6XezBQCg5wC |url-status=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.{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c2iCzjpnd4EC |title=New Scientist (on Google Books) |date=12 March 1964 |volume=21 |issue=382 |magazine=New Scientist |access-date=23 October 2015 |archive-date=2 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220102092449/https://books.google.com/books?id=c2iCzjpnd4EC |url-status=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.{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XI67f03u6wgC |title=New Scientist (on Google Books) |date=19 January 1978 |volume=77 |issue=1086 |magazine=New Scientist |access-date=23 October 2015 |archive-date=2 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220902173514/https://books.google.com/books?id=XI67f03u6wgC |url-status=live }} Daedalus later moved to Nature.

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.{{cite web |url=https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/magazine-abcs-full-circulation-round-first-half-2013 |title=Mag ABCs: Full circulation round-up for the first half of 2013 |date=15 August 2013 |work=Press Gazette |access-date=4 July 2019 |archive-date=4 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190704084112/https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/magazine-abcs-full-circulation-round-first-half-2013 |url-status=live }} UK circulation fell by 3.2% in 2014, but stronger international sales increased the circulation to 129,585.{{cite news |title=UK magazine combined print/digital sales figures for first half 2014: Complete breakdown |url=http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/uk-magazine-combined-printdigital-sales-figures-first-half-2014-complete-breakdown |access-date=12 December 2014 |first=Dominic |last=Ponsford |work=Press Gazette |date=14 August 2014 |archive-date=20 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220162028/http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/uk-magazine-combined-printdigital-sales-figures-first-half-2014-complete-breakdown |url-status=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.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nu.nl/media/3352634/tijdschrift-new-scientist-nederland.html|title=Tijdschrift New Scientist naar Nederland|date=26 February 2013|access-date=6 November 2015|publisher=nu.nl|archive-date=3 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130403043404/http://www.nu.nl/media/3352634/tijdschrift-new-scientist-nederland.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.newscientist.nl/|title=New Scientist – Dutch Edition|access-date=6 November 2015|archive-date=25 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151025163006/http://www.newscientist.nl/|url-status=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.

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.{{cite work|title=New Scientist|publisher=Reed Business Information|date=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.{{cite journal |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/0-introducing-this-weeks-new-look-new-scientist-magazine/ |title=Introducing this week's new-look New Scientist magazine |website=New Scientist |issue=3228 |page=3 |author=Emily Wilson |date=4 May 2019 |access-date=29 May 2019 |archive-date=29 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190529204518/https://www.newscientist.com/article/0-introducing-this-weeks-new-look-new-scientist-magazine/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web|title=Sciencegarden Onlinemagazins für junge Forschung Deutschland.|periodical=|publisher=|url=https://sciencegarden.de/online-casino-osterreich/|url-status=live|format=|access-date=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412041241/https://sciencegarden.de/online-casino-osterreich/|archive-date=12 April 2021|last=|date=|year=|language=|pages=|quote=}}

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}}.{{cite web|date=2015|title=Audience & Brand|url=http://mediacentre.newscientist.com/audience-and-brand|access-date=20 May 2015|work=New Scientist Media Centre|archive-date=20 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150520035045/http://mediacentre.newscientist.com/audience-and-brand|url-status=live}}

• 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){{cite web|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/2159965-new-scientist-appoints-emily-wilson-as-first-female-editor/|title=New Scientist appoints Emily Wilson as first female editor|work=New Scientist|date=31 January 2018|access-date=31 January 2018|archive-date=31 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131221046/https://www.newscientist.com/article/2159965-new-scientist-appoints-emily-wilson-as-first-female-editor/|url-status=live}}
• Catherine de Lange (2023–){{cite web |url=https://talkingbiznews.com/media-moves/new-scientist-appoints-de-lange-editor/ |title=New Scientist appoints de Lange editor |last=Ahmed |first=Mariam |date=19 December 2023 |website=talkingbiznews.com |publisher=Vested LLC |access-date=20 February 2024}}

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}}

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.{{cite web |title=UCL academics presenting at New Scientist live |url=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2017/sep/ucl-academics-presenting-new-scientist-live |date=27 September 2017 |work=University College London |access-date=21 November 2017 |archive-date=9 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809102814/https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2017/sep/ucl-academics-presenting-new-scientist-live |url-status=live }}

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 coverage{{cite journal|last1=Justin Mullins|title=Relativity drive: The end of wings and wheels?|journal=New Scientist|date=8 September 2006|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19125681.400-relativity-drive-the-end-of-wings-and-wheels.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009022924/https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19125681.400-relativity-drive-the-end-of-wings-and-wheels.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=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".{{cite web |url=http://golem.ph.utexas.edu/category/2006/09/a_plea_to_save_new_scientist.html |title=A Plea to Save New Scientist |date=19 September 2006 |first=John C. |last=Baez |author-link=John C. Baez |website=The n-Category Café |access-date=19 September 2006 |archive-date=9 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109032120/https://golem.ph.utexas.edu/category/2006/09/a_plea_to_save_new_scientist.html |url-status=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".{{cite web|url=https://www.newscientist.com/blog/fromthepublisher/2006/10/emdrive-on-trial.html |title=Emdrive on trial |date=3 October 2006 |work=New Scientist |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061028045848/https://www.newscientist.com/blog/fromthepublisher/2006/10/emdrive-on-trial.html |archive-date=28 October 2006 |url-status=dead}}

In January 2009, New Scientist ran a cover with the title "Darwin was wrong".{{cite journal|last1=Graham Lawton|title=Why Darwin was wrong about the tree of life|journal=New Scientist|date=21 January 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090122084759/http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20126921.600-why-darwin-was-wrong-about-the-tree-of-life.html|archive-date=22 January 2009|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20126921-600-why-darwin-was-wrong-about-the-tree-of-life|access-date=23 March 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2009/03/21/new-scientist-flips-the-bird-a |title=New Scientist flips the bird at scientists, again |date=21 March 2009 |author=pharyngula |website=ScienceBlogs |access-date=3 July 2019 |archive-date=3 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190703205223/https://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2009/03/21/new-scientist-flips-the-bird-a |url-status=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.{{cite web |url=https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2009/03/21/the-new-scientist-has-no-shame-again/ |title=The New Scientist has no shame–again! |date=21 March 2009 |author=Jerry Coyne |website=Why Evolution Is True |access-date=3 July 2019 |archive-date=3 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190703205224/https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2009/03/21/the-new-scientist-has-no-shame-again/ |url-status=live }}

• Citizen science – first use of this term was in New Scientist in October 1979{{cite magazine| title=The Failure of the 'Science' of Ufology |last=Oberg |first=James |journal=New Scientist| date=11 October 1979| volume=84| issue=1176| pages=102–105}}
• List of scientific journals
• Nominative determinism – first use of this term was in New Scientist in December 1994{{cite book |last=Alter |first=Adam |title=Drunk Tank Pink: And Other Unexpected Forces That Shape How We Think, Feel, and Behave |publisher=Penguin Press |location=London |year=2013 |isbn=978-1-78074-264-9}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{Official website|https://www.newscientist.com/}}
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=reE9YRnv2i0C Digitized New Scientist magazines]{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} on Google Books

Category:1956 establishments in the United Kingdom

Category:2017 mergers and acquisitions

Category:2021 mergers and acquisitions

Category:Daily Mail and General Trust

Category:Magazines established in 1956

Category:Magazines published in London

Category:Popular science magazines

Category:Science and technology in the United Kingdom

Category:Science and technology magazines published in the United Kingdom

Category:Weekly magazines published in the United Kingdom