With accessible features illustrated with the world’s best photography, BBC Focus Magazine explains the theory behind scientific phenomena and really brings science to life. In every issue you’ll find news of the latest major scientific developments, a lively Q&A section plus exclusive and astonishing photographic reports that range from the breathtaking to the downright odd.
FROM THE EDITOR
ON THE BBC THIS MONTH…
CONTRIBUTORS
WANT MORE?
A monster in deep space
Ant fusillade
Quick, but quiet
FEED BACK • YOUR OPINIONS ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND OUR MAGAZINE
BBC Science Focus Magazine
DISCOVERIES
BLACK HOLE UNBALANCES ENTRE GALAXY WITH MASSIVE TANTRUM • The XMM-Newton space observatory has spotted a black hole going ‘full toddler’
NEW CAMERA TECH SEES THE WORLD THROUGH ANIMALS’ EYES • Advanced video camera reproduces animals’ eyesight capabilities with over 90 per cent accuracy
WATER FOUND BURIED UNDER MARTIAN EQUATOR • New observations reveal what’s inside the mysterious deposits hidden beneath giant formations on the Red Planet
MEGALONDON MAY NOT HAVE BEEN QUITE SO MEGA, CONTROVERSIAL STUDY SUGGESTS • Shark experts now disagree over the apex predator’s shape and size
BREAKTHROUGH ANTI-AGEING CELL DISCOVERY COULD HELP YOU STAY YOUNGER FOR LONGER • A white blood cell in our bodies could give extended youth
NEED TO TUNE OUT THE RINGING OF TINNITUS? THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT • Initial trials of MindEar suggest it can help tinnitus sufferers filter out the ringing in their ears
AI ANALYSIS SHOWS YOUR FINGERPRINTS AREN’T UNIQUE • The findings could lead to the reopening of many criminal cases
PEEK INSIDE WHAT COULD BE THE FIRST HUMAN SETTLEMENT ON THE MOON • The Sun will never set on this lunar habitat that could double as an exclusive tourist destination
RADIO WAVES OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN HAVE SCIENTISTS PUZZLED • Fast radio bursts originating from outside the Milky Way were first detected almost 20 years ago. But what are they?
STRUGGLING TO FIND THE MOTIVATION TO EXERCISE? BLAME YOUR BRAIN • We all know that working out makes us feel better. So why do most of us find it so difficult to actually do it?
ONE HORMONE COULD BE THE KEY THAT UNLOCKS A CURE FOR MORNING SICKNESS • The nausea and vomiting that, in extreme cases, can endanger mothers and babies might soon be just a memory
TONGUE SCRAPING: CAN THE LATEST TIKTOK TREND PUT AN END TO BAD BREATH? • Advocates of tongue scraping claim it’s an effective way to remove odour-causing bacteria
WATER BOTTLES: HOW SAVING THE PLANET COULD MAKE YOU SICK • Reusable water bottles reduce waste from single-use plastic, but without regular cleaning become havens for bacteria
POTHOLES: HIGH-TECH SOLUTIONS COULD FILL THE CRACKS IN UK ROADS • Britain’s roads are cratered with 750,000 potholes. Bacteria and self-healing asphalt could make them smooth again
THE BIGGEST PREPARE YOURSELF FOR TOMORROW FROM CES 2024 • Each year, Las Vegas plays host to the Consumer Electronics Show, where the world’s tech manufacturers assemble to unveil their latest developments. Here are some of the highlights…
IN THE LINE OF FIRE • AFTER THREE YEARS OF FIERY ERUPTIONS, EXPERTS ARE NOW CONFIDENT THAT ICELAND’S REYKJANES PENINSULA HAS ENTERED A NEW PHASE OF VOLCANIC ACTIVITY
DARK MATTER A NEW DAWN • A SCIENTIST SEARCHING FOR THE MISSING PART IN OUR THEORY OF REVEALS HOW DO CRACKS IN THE STANDARD MODEL HINT AT THE ARRIVAL OF A NEW PHYSICS?
THE POWER of THOUGHT • IS MANIFESTATION PURE PSEUDOSCIENCE OR COULD THERE BE SOMETHING TO IT?
TECHNIQUES TO TRY INSTEAD OF MANIFESTING
THE COUNTERINTUITIVE COSMOS • THE WORLD ISN’T WHAT IT SEEMS. HERE’S HOW SCIENCE...