Ever wondered how your teenage years shaped the person you are today? Or why certain rebellious behaviours, like underage drinking, seem almost inevitable, no matter which generation you look at? Adolescence is a crucial, yet often misunderstood, phase of life.

Adolescent psychologist Lucy Foulkes’s new book ‘Coming of Age: How Adolescence Shapes Us’ will leave you reflecting on your own formative years in a whole new light – and offers insights that may help settle your anxieties as a parent of teens.

In this episode, Foulkes explains to New Scientist editor Catherine de Lange why adolescence is often such a challenging period, explains how these struggles are essential for self-discovery and shares tips on how adults can help the young people in their lives navigate this tricky period.

To read about subjects like this and much more, visit newscientist.com.

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With so many new TV series and documentaries available, it can be tough to decide what's truly worth your time. That’s where our TV columnist Bethan Ackerley comes in. From the genetically-gifted superheroes of Supacell…to a sobering documentary about the ethics of assisted dying, she has a wealth of options for your next night in.

Bethan and host Christie Taylor share a rundown of the top science TV shows from 2024 so far. They also get excited for what’s still to come this year and next, with recommendations on what to keep an eye out for.

Explore all of Bethan’s TV columns at newscientist.com/author/bethan-ackerley.

In this episode Christie and Bethan discuss the following series:

Science fiction:

Dr. Who (BBC/Disney+)

Time Bandits (Apple TV+)

Supacell (Netflix)

The 3-Body Problem (Netflix)

Fallout (Amazon Prime Video)

Scavengers Reign (Netflix)

Historical fiction:

The Decameron (Netflix)

Documentary:

Our Living World (Netflix)

Better Off Dead? (BBC - UK-only at this time)

The Space Shuttle that Fell to Earth / Space Shuttle Columbia: The Final Flight (BBC/Max/Hulu/Others)

Yet to come:

Secret Lives of Orangutans (Netflix, August)

Dune: Prophecy (Max/Sky/NOW, November)

Silo, season 2 (Apple TV+, November)

Squid Game, season 2 (Netflix, December)

Severence, season 2 (Apple TV+, January 2025)

Andor, season 2 (Disney+, early 2025)

The Last of Us, season 2 (Max/Hulu/Others, 2025)

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Quantum theory describes the tiny building blocks that make up everything around us. It has made many successful predictions but could a new, more radical idea help us make better sense of the world around us? Could it even be the answer to creating world peace?

Carlo Rovelli is an Italian theoretical physicist and writer behind the relational interpretation of quantum mechanics. His idea suggests that the fundamental building blocks of the universe are not particles or objects as many of us are taught in school, but relationships and interactions between them.

In this episode, Rovelli explains why he believes we should all be applying his theory to our everyday lives and relationships. And how it could even help improve international relations.

To read about subjects like this and much more, visit newscientist.com.

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