The cover of the New Scientist magazine features a photograph of a woman and a child, both with their hands covering their faces. The woman is on the left, wearing a red and white striped garment, and the child is on the right, wearing a beige shirt. The background is a blurred image of a desert landscape. The magazine's title is at the top, and the subtitle reads 'The Clear Power Brokers'. There is text at the bottom of the cover, which appears to be a summary of the article's content.