How It Works

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.

WELCOME • Issue 211

Global eye

GLOBAL EYE • Showcasing the incredible world we live in

WISH LIST • SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES

INCREDIBLE SCIENCE BREAKTHROUGHS FOR 2026 • Look out for 3D-printed organs, terabit Starlink broadband, DNA-personalised medication and other mega milestones, launches and achievements this year

BOOZE, BEANS AND YOUR BODY • Caffeine and alcohol are two of the world’s most common drugs. But what effects does drinking them have on our brains and bodies?

WINTER BUGS AND HOW TO AVOID THEM • Indoor gatherings are much more common during colder months, but it’s not just other people you share the air with

WHAT ARE RARE EARTHS? • The elements that form the actinide and lanthanide groups in the periodic table are used in almost all electronic devices today

ALL ABOARD A DOUBLE-DECKER TRAIN • Eurostar’s new two-tier Celestia trains will take to the tunnels in 2031

HOW THE PRINTING PRESS CHANGED THE WORLD • The development of the printing press led to a revolution, spreading literacy and ideas across the world

UNEARTHING GÖBEKLI TEPE • Marvel at these Turkish megaliths that predate Stonehenge by an incredible 6,000 years

INSIDE A TOMAHAWK MISSILE • This versatile and advanced missile has served militaries all over the world for decades

HOW TO CLEAN A SKYSCRAPER WINDOW • Discover how skilled window cleaners with nerves of steel tackle these towering glass facades

HOW AN ARCADE CABINET WORKS • These coin-operated video gaming machines were extremely popular in the 1980s and 1990s

HOW TO MAKE MAPLE SYRUP • Your favourite pancake topping is much more than just a sugary treat made in a factory

WHY THINGS ROT • How dead plants and animals decay, and how living organisms rely on this natural process to survive

FAULT LINES AROUND THE WORLD • Discover the dangers and benefits of Earth’s cracked crust. Is there a fault line beneath your feet?

ICE FORMATIONS EXPLAINED • Explore the variety of ice types found in nature, their properties and how they form

BIGGEST EXPLOSIONS IN THE UNIVERSE • Many of the most dramatic cosmic events take the form of explosions, from asteroid impacts to the Big Bang itself. Here are some of the most spectacular examples

SPACE MINING UNCOVERED • Asteroids rich in rare elements could be harvested for their valuable contents, but the real worth may be in using them as interplanetary fuel stations

BRAINDUMP • Amazing answers to your curious questions

THE LIBRARY • The latest book releases for curious minds

BRAIN GYM • Give your brain a puzzle workout

HOW TO… • Practical projects to try at home

INBOX • Speak your mind

How It Works

FAST FACTS • Amazing trivia that will blow your mind