Undercurrents was a British magazine subtitled "the magazine of alternative science and technology" (ISSN 0306-2392), published in England from 1972 to 1984. It was founded by engineer and journalist Godfrey Boyle, who conceived the idea amid growing skepticism toward mainstream scientific and technological paradigms in the early 1970s.
The magazine was published in London and appeared on a bimonthly basis for much of its run, having started as a quarterly. A total of 63 issues were published before the magazine was merged into Resurgence in 1984. Its circulation peaked at approximately 7,000 copies in the late 1970s.
Undercurrents became known as the "house journal of the alternative technology movement." Its content focused on critiquing mainstream scientific and technological approaches while promoting decentralized, community-oriented innovations. Topics covered included renewable energy, alternative lifestyles, and various technological subjects, including phone phreaking. The illustrator Clifford Harper provided artwork for the magazine during the 1970s.
The magazine's subtitle evolved over time. Early issues (from May 1972 to Spring 1973) carried the subtitle "in science and technology," while issues from Winter 1973 to June–July 1974 used "the magazine of radical science and people's technology." It was later described as "the magazine of radical science and alternative technology."
The publication was produced by Undercurrents Ltd. and was based in London. Its archives have been republished online, including on the World Wide Web via Issuu and partially on Scribd, and an archive of the magazine's contents is maintained at undercurrents1972.wordpress.com.
