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.
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LAB-GROWN MINI BRAINS THAT MIMIC FEATURES OF PARKINSON’S CREATED FOR THE FIRST TIME • The breakthrough could lead to revolutionary new treatments
Viruses could help us win the fight against antibiotic-resistant infections • A virus called ‘Muddy’ helped treat abscess-causing infection in zebrafish
Compounds found in chocolate and tea promote gut health and lower your blood pressure • Flavonoids, which are found in foods like chocolate, berries and tea, play a key role in heart health
Five ways to improve your gut microbiome
Tyrannosaurus rex may have been a picky eater • Detailed scans of a T. rex’s jaw show it had nerves capable of sensing and selecting the choicest parts of its prey
The risk of developing a genetic disease drops off as we age • The finding may enable scientists to predict a person’s future risk of disease by analysing their genome
Regularly drinking coffee may help to protect your heart • Drinking three cups of coffee a day is linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke
Study of rhino family tree may help save them from extinction • Rhinoceroses naturally have low genetic diversity. This means we may be able to recover their numbers, despite there being so few of them left
Alien life could thrive on newly discovered ‘water world’ planets • Astronomers say focusing on these “hycean” planets could mean we find alien life in the next two to three years
Roadrunner stopped by border wall wins photography award
Pluto is a planet. Get over it • Planetary scientist Paul Byrne argues our official definition of what is and isn’t a planet is in need of a long-overdue shake-up
HYDROGEN POWER: WILL THE GOVERNMENT’S STRATEGY HELP US GET TO NET-ZERO CARBON? • The government plans to provide the UK with low-carbon energy derived from hydrogen. But will it help really us reach our emissions targets?
LONELINESS: IS IT INEVITABLE IN A MODERN WORLD? • Young or old, rich or poor, many of us will experience a longing for social contact at some point in our lives. But loneliness doesn’t have to be inevitable
MORE ME, NOW: IS NARCISSISM ON THE RISE? • Are we becoming more narcissistic? And is social media behind the seemingly growing me crowd?
INNOVATIONS • PREPARE YOURSELF FOR TOMORROW
Could we cool the oceans to snuff out storms? • Ever used a straw to blow bubbles in a drink? One company is scaling up that idea in the hopes of stopping hurricanes in their tracks
Do these headphones justify the price tag? • There’s a new kind of sound in town: spatial audio. Daniel Bennett tests Apple’s new headphones alongside the latest development in surround sound to find out what the fuss is all about…
Ideas we like…
FUSION’S TIME TO SHINE • FUSION – COMBINING ATOMIC NUCLEI TO RELEASE ENERGY – IS A CLEAN AND SAFE WAY TO POWER OUR HOMES AND INDUSTRY. THIS ‘HOLY GRAIL’ OF ENERGY HAS ELUDED PHYSICISTS FOR DECADES, BUT THERE ARE SIGNS THAT A BRIGHT FUTURE COULD BE ON THE HORIZON
THE SCIENCE OF DUNE • THE IDEAS, SCIENCE AND HISTORY DRIVING THIS DECADE’S BIGGEST SCI-FI FILM
IT’S BETTER OUT THAN IN • The Mediterranean diet...
