How solar panels generate energy
This cool silicon technology creates electricity from sunlight.

Stephen Hawking’s theories tested
Which of the theoretical physicist’s big ideas turned out to be right?

10 deadly volcanic eruptions
How this awesome force of geology has helped shape our world..

How freedivers plunge so deep
Take a dip into this extreme sport and find out firsthand what drives divers deeper underwater.

Giant Martian volcano
The Solar System’s biggest mountain is three times as tall as Everest, but how did it get so big?

Nature’s craziest cannibals
From starvation to devouring an opponent, there are many reasons why an animal might feast on its own kind..

How cheese is made
The process that can turn spoiled milk into a favourite foodstuff.

Inside the world’s largest warship
Step aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier and see how it compares to others in naval history.

How cats purr
Discover the purpose of this distinctive feline sound and why a purring cat is not always a happy one..

How AirTags track your belongings
Inside the discreet discs that allow you to find your lost possessions.

Lightning rod protection
How these vital structures found on tall buildings alter the path of lightning.

Why leaves turn brown in autumn
The cellular science behind seasonal leaf loss and why deciduous trees have evolved this way..

Secrets of the bog people
Meet the mysterious Iron Age mummies buried in Northwest Europe’s swamps.

Howard Carter
This archaeologist shot to fame when he discovered the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun.

Blue stars explained
Take a look at the hottest stars in the galaxy, living fast and dying young..

The lost city of Benin
The capital of Africa’s Benin Empire astonished Europeans with its beauty, so why is there nothing left?

Vocal cords explained
How the folds within your voice box give you the ability to shout, talk and sing.

Self-driving vehicles explained
This evolving technology is changing traffic dynamics and the way we drive..

Moles, freckles and skin tags
What makes these unique patterns form on your skin?

Fossil fuels vs alternative energy
The environmental cost of petrol and diesel is high, but alternative fuels could alleviate the impact on our planet..

Black box flight recorders
Why these devices found on most aeroplanes are virtually indestructible.

Hunting for truffles
How these rare culinary treasures grow underground..

The science behind your accent
How an accent is generated by the brain and shaped over time.

Inside NASA’s future Moon outpost
Take a look inside the lunar outpost that’s a future launchpad to the stars..

How to reuse a rocket : The latest space technology is making expensive disposable rockets a thing of the past

Steroids: natural, medicinal and illegal: How these chemical messengers control everything from our mood to the way our body grows

Growing glaciers
How these enormous ice flows form, grow and retreat.

21 simple life hacks
Cool tricks that will change the way you do these everyday tasks.

Why we get drunk
Discover the many effects alcohol has on our bodies..

ICE THERAPY
How cold both harms and heals our bodies.

BRAIN BATTLE
Does a dolphin’s intelligence match up to a human’s?

The Goldilocks zone
Discover the tiny region around a star that allows liquid water and potentially life to exist.

Formula 1: everything you need to know
Discover how race cars, racing technology and drivers come together in this popular motorsport.

Laser surgery
How surgeons use powerful lasers to both cut and repair.

Supermassive black holes
Discover the mysterious and powerful giants at the hearts of most galaxies..

GET CONNECTED
From browser to server and back again.

ROMAN ROADS
How these ancient highways were built.

MOPPING UP OIL
This massive oil spill took a huge effort to clean up.

EYE ON THE SEA
Inside the world’s most advanced ship radar.

Seeing sounds and smelling colours - What is synesthesia, and what happens in the brain when senses combine?

Gold: the rich element - We explain the chemistry, history and allure of this yellow metal.

Camel anatomy: from humps to hooves
See what makes these large mammals so well adapted to dry, hot deserts.

Why the Maya civilisation collapsed
What happened to this onceprosperous South American nation?

What do planets sound like?
How sound enables scientists to better understand Solar System objects.

The multiverse
Our universe might just be one of an infinite number of universes.

The Lycurgus Cup
This Roman artefact reveals ancient knowledge of nanotechnology.

MOON’S ORIGIN
How our natural satellite formed with a big smash.

IGLOO BUILDING
Make an Inuit shelter with our survival feature.

GREEN MACHINE
Bring this hybrid army vehicle to life in AR.

How a city works
Take a peek beneath the streets to discover the lifeblood utilities and technology of a metropolis.

The chemistry of tea and coffee
What makes these hot beverages a big hit for many around the world? 

Train journey back in time
Explore the huge array of historic sites and priceless artefacts that have been dug up for England’s new high-speed railway line.

Incredible Olympics
Discover the amazing history of the world’s biggest sporting event and the new technology of the Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

The hidden universe
What are dark energy and dark matter? Why can’t we see what makes up most of the cosmos?

Cosmetic chemistry
Discover the science behind the products we put on our skin.

Life-saving vehicles
Peek inside these land, sea and air emergency vehicles to see the kit required to save lives.

Natural wonders
Discover how the world’s most awe-inspiring sights were formed over thousands, millions or even billions of years.

Battlefield medicine
We speak to a combat medic and discover how the military trains personnel to save lives on the front line.

Amazingly weird Aussie animals
What makes these species from Down Under so different from others all over the world?

Smarter kitchens
How modern kitchen tech lets you cook dinner at home without even being in the same country..

How we use oil
Discover how oil is made into so many products and the chemical reason why it’s killing the plane.

Sunken cities
Come and explore some of history’s most incredible underwater ruins.

Extreme temperatures
How both hot and cold make materials do weird and fascinating things.

Inside the toxic cloud
We’re being poisoned by our cities: how smog forms and what we can do about it.

How to build a warship
See inside a Royal Navy dry dock and discover how the world’s most advanced combat vessel is being built.

How our ancestors mapped the world
Discover the ancient techniques that cartographers used to chart the world around them.

Amphibious vehicles
These impressive machines can
skip through land, sea and air, How we heal
Cuts, scabs, bruises, breaks and
more: here’s how our bodies deal
with and heal damage...

Back to the Moon
How It Works explores the technology and training behind NASA’s plan to put boots back on the Moon in 2024.

Hypernovae
Discover how a massive collapsing star generates one of the most powerful explosive forces in the universe.

Inside the lost city of Alexandria
How archaeologists have uncovered this majestic city of ancient Egypt and its wonders..

20 spooky answers to the world’s creepiest curiosities 
Why do we have nightmares? Is your phone eavesdropping on you? Why are cat pupils vertical? These answers and many more…

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The magazine that feeds minds, Welcome to How It Works, the magazine that explains everything you never knew you wanted to know about the world we live in. Loaded with fully illustrated guides and expert knowledge, and with sections dedicated to science, technology, transportation, space, history and the environment, no subject is too big or small for How It Works to explain.

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How It Works UK - Issue 156

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