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Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
61
GRADE
D
FIX
5
REVIEW
5
PASS
3
INFO
0
Checks
13
3 PASS 5 REVIEW 5 FIX
D
Heading Hierarchy
Action
122 headings, 4 skip(s)
FIX
122 headings, 4 skip(s)
Info::
Single H1 present
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H1 → H3 (missing H2)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H2 → H4 (missing H3)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H2 → H4 (missing H3)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H2 → H4 (missing H3)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Info::
1 hidden heading(s) (aria-hidden)
  • H1 New Scientist hidden
  • H3 Explore by section skipped
  • H3 Explore by subject
  • H3 Explore our products and services
  • H4 Mathematics
  • H3 How we discovered the speed limit of arithmetic – and broke it
  • H4 Technology
  • H3 We might finally know how to use quantum computers to boost AI
  • H4 Health
  • H3 Why the right kind of stress is crucial for your health and happiness
  • H3 Newsletters
  • H4 Society
  • H3 Game theory explains why the US's goals in Iran keep changing
  • H4 Space
  • H3 Titan’s strange plains may be explained by unusual weather
  • H4 Health
  • H3 A whole new way to prevent death from sepsis shows promise
  • H4 Physics
  • H3 Diamonds are surprisingly elastic when you make them tiny
  • H4 Health
  • H3 Can we ‘vaccinate’ ourselves against stress?
  • H4 Health
  • H3 Can you determine your personalised stress score?
  • H3 Newsletters
  • H3 Explore the mysteries of the universe
  • H4 Health
  • H3 Beef is making a comeback – does it fit into a healthy diet?
  • H4 Mind
  • H3 How autoimmune conditions can unexpectedly drive mental illness
  • H4 Physics
  • H3 Exclusive report: Inside Chernobyl, 40 years after nuclear disaster
  • H4 Humans
  • H3 Are Neanderthals descendants of modern humans?
  • H4 Society
  • H3 My life as a meteorologist in Chernobyl under Russian occupation
  • H4 Physics
  • H3 The man who crawls into the perilous heart of the Chernobyl reactor
  • H4 Physics
  • H3 A once-fantastical collider could answer physics’ biggest mysteries
  • H3 Explore the mysteries of the universe
  • H2 This week's magazine
  • H3 Physics Exclusive report: Inside Chernobyl, 40 years after nuclear disaster
  • H3 Mind How autoimmune conditions can unexpectedly drive mental illness
  • H3 Space NASA’s Artemis II mission was a historic success
  • H3 Mathematics The secret project to settle controversial maths proof with a computer
  • H2 Ancient civilisations
  • H4 Humans skipped
  • H3 The surprising origins of Britain's Bronze Age immigrants revealed
  • H4 Humans
  • H3 Ancient DNA may rewrite the story of Iceland's earliest settlers
  • H4 Humans
  • H3 Was a little-known culture in Bronze Age Turkey a major power?
  • H4 Humans
  • H3 Pompeii’s streets show how the city adapted to Roman rule
  • H4 Popular articles
  • H4 1
  • H4 2
  • H4 3
  • H4 4
  • H4 5
  • H4 6
  • H4 7
  • H4 8
  • H4 9
  • H4 10
  • H2 Editor's pick
  • H4 Physics skipped
  • H3 We're solving the fundamental mystery of how reality is glued together
  • H4 Environment
  • H3 Oceans are darkening all over the planet – what’s going on?
  • H4 Health
  • H3 The profound effect the heart-brain connection has on your health
  • H4 Health
  • H3 How working out like an astronaut can reduce back pain and slow ageing
  • H2 Events and tours
  • H4 Weekend break skipped
  • H3 Mysteries of the universe: Cheshire, England
  • H4 Discovery Event
  • H3 Stargazing through time: How astronomy’s past, present and future shape our view of the cosmos
  • H4 Discovery Tour
  • H3 Arctic expedition cruise with Dr Russell Arnott, Svalbard, Norway
  • H4 Free Online Event
  • H3 Unfinished Business: How do we end HIV?
  • H2 Podcasts
  • H3 Listen to our weekly science and technology round-up show, as well as your other favourite New Scientist podcasts
  • H4 The world, the universe and us
  • H3 A “Super El Niño” is coming - and it could trigger global climate chaos
  • H4 The world, the universe and us
  • H3 Britain’s first astronaut on the new race to the moon
  • H4 New Scientist's stargazing companion
  • H3 How to spot the Lyrid meteor shower
  • H4 Explore all of our podcasts
  • H2 Video
  • H3 Watch the latest science news, discoveries and big ideas from New Scientist's video team
  • H4 Video
  • H3 James Maynard: uncovering the secrets of prime numbers
  • H4 Video
  • H3 We might be wrong about humanity’s near extinction
  • H4 Video
  • H3 CERN upgrade: Inside the world's largest scientific experiment
  • H4 Video
  • H3 We did not evolve alone: The story of our origins
  • H4 Video
  • H3 Why prime numbers might not be random after all
  • H4 Video
  • H3 Professor Daisy Fancourt on the life-changing power of the arts
  • H2 Engaging stories created in partnership with New Scientist CoLab
  • H3 To discover more visit colab.newscientist.com
  • H4 Geoscience
  • H3 How geophysicists are reverse engineering the Earth
  • H4 Technology
  • H3 Can humanity find a place in the rewired world?
  • H4 Research
  • H3 UK-Spanish partnerships are solving pharma’s toughest challenges
  • H4 Podcast
  • H3 How UK and Spanish scientists are reimagining the future of green pharma
  • H4 Find us on social media
  • H4 Subscriptions
  • H4 Support
  • H4 Tools
  • H4 Legal and privacy
  • H4 © Copyright New Scientist Ltd.

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.

Why this matters

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.

Learn more

Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.

Why this matters

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.

Learn more

Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.

Why this matters

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.

Learn more

Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.

Why this matters

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.

Learn more

Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI

D
Web Manifest
Action
Not found
FIX
Not found
Info::
No web manifest found
No manifest at standard paths (/manifest.json, /site.webmanifest). A manifest is optional but enables PWA features like home screen installation and standalone display.

No web manifest found.

D
Dark Mode Support
Action
Theme color only
FIX
Theme color only
Info::
Theme-color present but no dark variant
A theme-color is set but no dark-specific variant was found. The browser toolbar may not adapt for dark mode users.
Got: #ffffff
Info::
No dark mode signals detected
Consider adding CSS with @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) and <meta name='color-scheme' content='light dark'>.
Info::
Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles
External CSS files may contain prefers-color-scheme rules not visible to this scan.
Dark ModePartial Dark Mode
color-scheme meta Not set Dark theme-color Not set CSS indicators Not detected

Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles.

D
Print Stylesheet
Action
No print styles
FIX
No print styles
Info::
No print-specific styles detected
When users print this page, they get the screen layout including navigation and non-essential elements. Add @media print rules to hide navigation and optimize layout for paper.
Print Stylesheet No Print Styles
Print stylesheet Not found Inline @media print Not detected
F
Navigation UX
Action
1 navigation pattern(s)
FIX
1 navigation pattern(s)
Info::
Skip navigation link detected
Info::
4 navigation landmark(s) detected
Info::
Hamburger menu detected (responsive design)
Breadcrumbs
Search
Skip Link Skip link detected
Labeled Navigation 4 <nav> element(s)
Back to Top
Hamburger Menu
Sticky Navigation Cannot reliably detect (CSS-based)
3 of 6 testable patterns navigation patterns detected. Strong navigation UX with multiple discovery paths.
C
404 Error Page
Action
HTTP 404, custom page
REVIEW
HTTP 404, custom page
Info::
Correct 404 status code returned
Got: HTTP 404
Info::
Custom styled 404 page
404 Page Quality Custom 404 Page
Status Code HTTP 404 Page Title Page not found | New Scientist Custom Styling Navigation Homepage Link Search Form
B
Favicon & Branding
10 icon(s) detected
REVIEW
10 icon(s) detected
Info::
favicon.ico present at site root
Info::
HTML icon links detected
Info::
Apple touch icon present
Info::
Multiple icon sizes detected
favicon.ico Present
PNG Icons Present
Apple Touch Present
SVG Favicon Missing
Manifest Icons Missing
Multiple Sizes Present
C
Color Contrast (Screenshot)
Action
20 text elements analyzed, 1 fail WCAG AA
REVIEW

Analyzes text contrast against the actual rendered page, including background images, gradients, and overlays that CSS-based tools cannot detect.

19 pass 1 fail WCAG AA
h3 Explore by subject
2.03:1
#000000
on
#324157
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
Show all checked elements (20)
ElementRatioRequiredFGBGResult
h1 New Scientist21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 This week's magazine20.29:13.0:1
#000000
#FBFBFB
Pass
h2 Ancient civilisation…20.29:13.0:1
#000000
#FBFBFB
Pass
h2 Editor's pick20.29:13.0:1
#000000
#FBFBFB
Pass
h2 Events and tours20.29:13.0:1
#000000
#FBFBFB
Pass
h2 Podcasts20.29:13.0:1
#000000
#FBFBFB
Pass
h2 Video20.29:13.0:1
#000000
#FBFBFB
Pass
h2 Engaging stories cre…20.29:13.0:1
#000000
#FBFBFB
Pass
h3 Explore by section21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h3 Explore by subject2.03:13.0:1
#000000
#324157
Fail
h3 Explore our products…20.29:13.0:1
#000000
#FBFBFB
Pass
h3 How we discovered th…20.29:13.0:1
#000000
#FBFBFB
Pass
h3 We might finally kno…20.29:13.0:1
#000000
#FBFBFB
Pass
h3 Why the right kind o…20.29:13.0:1
#000000
#FBFBFB
Pass
h3 Newsletters20.29:13.0:1
#000000
#FBFBFB
Pass
h3 Game theory explains…20.29:13.0:1
#000000
#FBFBFB
Pass
h3 Titan’s strange pl…20.29:13.0:1
#000000
#FBFBFB
Pass
h3 A whole new way to p…20.29:13.0:1
#000000
#FBFBFB
Pass
h3 Diamonds are surpris…20.29:13.0:1
#000000
#FBFBFB
Pass
h3 Can we ‘vaccinate…20.29:13.0:1
#000000
#FBFBFB
Pass

Methodology: The top 20 text elements by font size were checked. Background color was sampled from the desktop screenshot using a 5-point pattern. WCAG 2.1 AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.

B
Lighthouse Accessibility Audits
Score 82/100 — 5 failing, 21 passed
REVIEW
82

Accessibility

These checks highlight opportunities to improve the accessibility of your web app. Automatic detection can only detect a subset of issues and does not guarantee the accessibility of your web app, so manual testing is also encouraged.

Names and labels

Informative elements should aim for short, descriptive alternate text. Decorative elements can be ignored with an empty alt attribute. Learn more about the `alt` attribute.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
span.mol-ads-cmp--nobr > span.mol-ads-cmp--tooltip > a.mol-ads-cmp--tooltip-trigger > img.mol-ads-cmp--info span.mol-ads-cmp--nobr > span.mol-ads-cmp--tooltip > a.mol-ads-cmp--tooltip-trigger > img.mol-ads-cmp--info
span.mol-ads-cmp--nobr > div.mol-ads-cmp--tooltip > a.mol-ads-cmp--tooltip-trigger > img.mol-ads-cmp--info span.mol-ads-cmp--nobr > div.mol-ads-cmp--tooltip > a.mol-ads-cmp--tooltip-trigger > img.mol-ads-cmp--info

Screen reader users rely on frame titles to describe the contents of frames. Learn more about frame titles.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
body > iframe#mol-ads-cmp-iframe body > iframe#mol-ads-cmp-iframe

Link text (and alternate text for images, when used as links) that is discernible, unique, and focusable improves the navigation experience for screen reader users. Learn how to make links accessible.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
h2.mol-ads-cmp--title > span.mol-ads-cmp--nobr > span.mol-ads-cmp--tooltip > a.mol-ads-cmp--tooltip-trigger h2.mol-ads-cmp--title > span.mol-ads-cmp--nobr > span.mol-ads-cmp--tooltip > a.mol-ads-cmp--tooltip-trigger
li > span.mol-ads-cmp--nobr > div.mol-ads-cmp--tooltip > a.mol-ads-cmp--tooltip-trigger li > span.mol-ads-cmp--nobr > div.mol-ads-cmp--tooltip > a.mol-ads-cmp--tooltip-trigger

These are opportunities to improve the semantics of the controls in your application. This may enhance the experience for users of assistive technology, like a screen reader.

Navigation

Properly ordered headings that do not skip levels convey the semantic structure of the page, making it easier to navigate and understand when using assistive technologies. Learn more about heading order.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
Humans article.Card > div.Card__Content > div.Card__CopyWrapper > h4.Card__Category
Physics article.Card > div.Card__Content > div.Card__CopyWrapper > h4.Card__Category
Weekend break article.Card > div.Card__Content > div.Card__CopyWrapper > h4.Card__Category

These are opportunities to improve keyboard navigation in your application.

Best practices

Touch targets with sufficient size and spacing help users who may have difficulty targeting small controls to activate the targets. Learn more about touch targets.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
Physics section > article > h3.ThisWeeksMagazine__Category > a.ThisWeeksMagazine__CategoryLink
Mind section > article > h3.ThisWeeksMagazine__Category > a.ThisWeeksMagazine__CategoryLink
Space section > article > h3.ThisWeeksMagazine__Category > a.ThisWeeksMagazine__CategoryLink
Mathematics section > article > h3.ThisWeeksMagazine__Category > a.ThisWeeksMagazine__CategoryLink

These items highlight common accessibility best practices.

Interactive controls are keyboard focusable
Interactive elements indicate their purpose and state
The page has a logical tab order
Visual order on the page follows DOM order
User focus is not accidentally trapped in a region
The user's focus is directed to new content added to the page
HTML5 landmark elements are used to improve navigation
Offscreen content is hidden from assistive technology
Custom controls have associated labels
Custom controls have ARIA roles
`[aria-*]` attributes match their roles
`[aria-hidden="true"]` is not present on the document `<body>`
`[aria-*]` attributes have valid values
`[aria-*]` attributes are valid and not misspelled
Buttons have an accessible name
Form elements have associated labels
`[user-scalable="no"]` is not used in the `<meta name="viewport">` element and the `[maximum-scale]` attribute is not less than 5.
ARIA attributes are used as specified for the element's role
`[aria-hidden="true"]` elements do not contain focusable descendents
Elements use only permitted ARIA attributes
Background and foreground colors have a sufficient contrast ratio
Document has a `<title>` element
`<html>` element has a `[lang]` attribute
`<html>` element has a valid value for its `[lang]` attribute
Links are distinguishable without relying on color.
Lists contain only `<li>` elements and script supporting elements (`<script>` and `<template>`).
List items (`<li>`) are contained within `<ul>`, `<ol>` or `<menu>` parent elements
No element has a `[tabindex]` value greater than 0
Skip links are focusable.
Document has a main landmark.
Identical links have the same purpose.
`[accesskey]` values are unique
`button`, `link`, and `menuitem` elements have accessible names
Deprecated ARIA roles were not used
Elements with `role="dialog"` or `role="alertdialog"` have accessible names.
ARIA input fields have accessible names
ARIA `meter` elements have accessible names
ARIA `progressbar` elements have accessible names
`[role]`s have all required `[aria-*]` attributes
Elements with an ARIA `[role]` that require children to contain a specific `[role]` have all required children.
`[role]`s are contained by their required parent element
`[role]` values are valid
Elements with the `role=text` attribute do not have focusable descendents.
ARIA toggle fields have accessible names
ARIA `tooltip` elements have accessible names
ARIA `treeitem` elements have accessible names
The page contains a heading, skip link, or landmark region
`<dl>`'s contain only properly-ordered `<dt>` and `<dd>` groups, `<script>`, `<template>` or `<div>` elements.
Definition list items are wrapped in `<dl>` elements
ARIA IDs are unique
No form fields have multiple labels
`<html>` element has an `[xml:lang]` attribute with the same base language as the `[lang]` attribute.
Input buttons have discernible text.
`<input type="image">` elements have `[alt]` text
The document does not use `<meta http-equiv="refresh">`
`<object>` elements have alternate text
Select elements have associated label elements.
Cells in a `<table>` element that use the `[headers]` attribute refer to table cells within the same table.
`<th>` elements and elements with `[role="columnheader"/"rowheader"]` have data cells they describe.
`[lang]` attributes have a valid value
`<video>` elements contain a `<track>` element with `[kind="captions"]`
Tables have different content in the summary attribute and `<caption>`.
All heading elements contain content.
Uses ARIA roles only on compatible elements
Image elements do not have `[alt]` attributes that are redundant text.
Elements with visible text labels have matching accessible names.
Tables use `<caption>` instead of cells with the `[colspan]` attribute to indicate a caption.
`<td>` elements in a large `<table>` have one or more table headers.
A
Landmark Structure
16 landmarks
PASS
16 landmarks
Info::
<main> landmark present
Info::
4 <nav> landmark(s) found
Warning::
4 of 4 <nav> elements are unlabeled
Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.
Info::
Skip navigation link present
Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it
BANNER header NAV MAIN CONTENTINFO footer

Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.

Why this matters

Some <nav> elements lack aria-label — screen-reader users hear 'navigation' multiple times with no way to distinguish them.

Learn more

When a page has multiple <nav> regions (primary, footer, breadcrumb), each needs aria-label or aria-labelledby. AT users navigate by landmark; identical 'navigation' announcements force them to enter each one to discover purpose.

Source: WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices

A
Alt Text Quality
All 47 images OK
PASS
All 47 images OK
Info::
11 image(s) with alt text over 125 characters
Info::
4 decorative image(s) correctly marked
Info::
32 image(s) with good alt text
47 images 32 good alt text 4 decorative
IssueCount
too long11 image(s)
A+
Form Accessibility
All 2 controls labeled
PASS
All 2 controls labeled
Info::
2 control(s) properly labeled
2 controls
2 labeled
0 placeholder only
0 unlabeled
ControlTypeLabelMethod
#nav-search-fieldtextSearch the websitenone
#appearance-togglecheckboxToggle between light and dark modearia-label
All checks on this page are automated. Results are estimates - run targeted manual reviews when the score affects a release decision.

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