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
2021 IN IMAGES • FOR ANOTHER YEAR, COVID-19 HAS DOMINATED THE NEWS. BUT ALONGSIDE THE PANDEMIC, WE HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED THE AWESOME IMPACT OF A CHANGING CLIMATE, WITNESSED TRAILBLAZING MISSIONS TO SPACE, AND SEEN SOME INCREDIBLE SCIENCE. HERE, IN PICTURES, ARE SOME OF THE STORIES THAT SHAPED 2021
CONVERSATION • YOUR OPINIONS ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND BBC SCIENCE FOCUS
LETTER OF THE MONTH
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IT’S TIME TO GET EXCITED ABOUT THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE • NASA’s most ambitious project yet will peer deep into space looking for clues about the birth of planets, stars and the evolution of the Universe itself
Earliest evidence of humans decorating jewellery unearthed in Polish cave • The 41,500-year-old ivory pendant is decorated with an ornate pattern of dots
Animal and plant life has colonised the Great Pacific Garbage Patch • The finding marks the first time coastal life has been discovered living in the open ocean
Rolls-Royce claims its all-electric plane is the fastest ever made • The new electric aircraft, Spirit Of Innovation, clocked a top speed of 623km/h (387.4mph). Could it help us reach ‘jet zero’?
There is a link between inflammatory diseases and a disrupted body clock, new research finds • Working the night shift or not getting enough sleep can have a serious impact on your health
Air and water pollutants linked to changes in sex ratio of babies • Temperature seems to be off the hook, but Iron, lead, mercury and carbon monoxide may play a role in determining the sex of unborn human children
Chronic fatigue syndrome and long COVID may overlap • Small study finds abnormal breathing patterns in people experiencing long COVID that may be shared by those suffering from chronic fatigue
An archaeological site, found by accident, contains a whole herd of mammoth fossils • Ben Garrod, presenter and researcher of new BBC show Attenborough And The Mammoth Graveyard, tells us about this fascinating find, which could be one of the most important mammoth discoveries ever made
THE BIG BURNOUT • Long hours, low pay and a lack of appreciation – among other things – can make for a stressful workplace and lead to burnout. It’s something we should all be concerned about, because over half of the workforce reports feeling it
WHAT IS BURNOUT?
WHAT DOES BURNOUT DO TO US?
A VACCINE FOR CANCER • The pandemic derailed a lot of medical research. But the effort that was suddenly redirected towards developing a vaccine for COVID-19 may have helped us make important progress on at least one breakthrough: preventing cancer
WHERE ELSE COULD mRNA VACCINES WORK?
GATEWAY TO THE FUTURE • 2022 will see NASA, with help from its international partners, take the first major step on humanity’s journey back to the Moon, and the start of a mission to establish an outpost alongside Earth’s natural satellite
DON’T JUST READ THIS MAGAZINE... LISTEN TO IT TOO • The all-new weekly podcast from the team behind BBC Science Focus
RUNNING CIRCLES AROUND DEPRESSION • Lacing up your trainers can help reduce your chances of developing depression
A WHOLE NEW WORLD? • Technology has transformed our lives in the last couple of years. Will it continue to do so as we ring in 2022?
PUTTING NATURE TO RIGHTS • More countries are...
