The origin of writing

Hello – here is your weekly round-up of the best stories in science and technology from New Scientist. There is something for everyone today, from archaeology to hardcore physics, so get stuck in!

Ancient Mesopotamian clay seals offer clues to the origin of writing

How did writing begin? It’s a fascinating question with a complicated answer. The latest wrinkle is the suggestion that decorated cylinders , used to create patterns on clay to denote ownership, may have played a key role – with the symbols making up the patterns eventually becoming the proto-cuneiform script, a precursor to writing invented in Mesopotamia around 3200 BC.

Heat can flow backwards in a gas so thin its particles never touch

We all know that leaving a hot mug of tea on your desk too long will mean you eventually come back to a cold cuppa, as heat from the tea escapes into the colder surrounding air. This one-way transfer of heat energy, from warmer to colder, is laid down by the second law of thermodynamics – but now it seems we can break this law with a very thin gas .

Cancer deaths expected to nearly double worldwide by 2050

Low-income countries adopting a Western style of life will be a key driver of global cancer rates in the coming decades, with deaths expected to soar by mid-century . This projection doesn’t account for the development of new or more effective treatments, however, leaving hope that we may be able to bring these numbers down.

More from New Scientist

• Take a new look at the heart with these unusual images
• Our magazine cover story this week looks at a proposal to rewrite the Stone Age – were the first tools actually based on plants ?
• Want to brush up on your quantum physics? There is just about time to sign up for our event in London on 9 November.

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Jacob Aron, News Editor