Magazine

Many of us liken dementia to a loss of memory, but the condition comes from a much more fundamental erosion of the very structures our brains depend on. Dementia has multiple causes, and the collective symptoms typically sneak up on us. Our grey matter will have been diminishing for years before we, or those around us, notice a difference in our behaviour. As a result, we’re only able to spot most cases of dementia very late. But mercifully, that could be about to change. In this issue, we look at the breakthrough science on the cusp of developing a biological test to spot dementia early.

Stories of spooky goings on pique our interest like nothing else, so there’s always a slight tinge of disappointment when science debunks them as fiction rather than fact. Case in point: the many yarns spun about the ‘Bermuda Triangle’. But truth is stranger than fiction. And although we’ve struck off one mysterious Bermuda Triangle, another – perhaps even stranger – one has risen to take its place: the South Atlantic Anomaly, or the so-called ‘Bermuda Triangle of Space’. Satellites and spacecraft risk being scrambled and pass through it at their peril, while astronauts avoid going on spacewalks when they’re anywhere near it. But what makes this orbital no-go zone so weird, is that it doesn’t stay put. It's been shifting from one place to another, and back again, over a very long time. So, what's behind this mysterious sinkhole that we have no control over?

Here is the solution to the crossword from issue 415 of BBC Science Focus magazine.

On the eve of a quarter century, it seems like a good time to pause and take a look back (and forwards) at the science that matters. Of course, it’s all important, but it’s fun to wind the clock back and argue about the breakthroughs that have really blown our minds since the year 2000. We asked some of the world’s leading scientists and science commentators for their take on the biggest breakthroughs of the 21st century (so far), including the Higgs boson particle, the Mars Curiosity rover, psychedelic therapy, HPV and HIV vaccines, programmable chemical robots, the James Webb Space Telescope... and more.

Here is the solution to the crossword from issue 414 of BBC Science Focus magazine.

The older I’ve gotten the more I’ve come to know my body’s immune system. In my twenties, a cold would hit me like a train. Fevers would burn like a furnace, I would sleep like the dead and then, in a few days, it’d be over. These days everything’s drawn out. First, come the aches, then the hot, dry eyes, and finally an overwhelming weariness. But what if we could turn back the clock on our immune system? It's an appealing thought, and as it turns out, one that might not just be wishful thinking. Grab a copy of our November issue to find out what the latest science says about sprucing up your body’s natural defences and the best thing you can do to give your immune system a helping hand.

Here is the solution to the crossword from issue 411 of BBC Science Focus magazine.

What if we could halt the ageing process or maybe even reverse it? Researchers across the world are beginning to hone in on the ‘biological hallmarks’ of ageing – processes within the body that are linked to many common age-related diseases. In this issue, we look at some of the latest research, from pills that supercharge our bodies’ ability to remove disease-causing cells, to uncovering the mysteries the immortal jellyfish.

Here is the solution to the crossword from issue 410 of BBC Science Focus magazine.

The world is facing an energy crisis. But deep beneath our feet is a limitless source of heat that could wean us off fossil fuels forever. Around the world, a handful of engineering companies have been digging deep in the hopes of harnessing this heat. If they are successful, it could be the solution to humanity's most pressing existential crisis and might allow us to avoid the very worst consequences of climate change. But to reach it, we need to dig deeper than we've ever dug before in search of some very special rocks...

Here is the solution to the crossword from issue 409 of BBC Science Focus magazine.

Diagnoses of ADHD have risen in recent years, particularly among adults. But while we may be getting better at recognising the condition, as a society we need to improve the how we view and treat those with it.

Here is the solution to the crossword from issue 408 of BBC Science Focus magazine.

One of the deadliest forces on Earth is waking up. Are we prepared?

Here is the solution to the crossword from issue 407 of BBC Science Focus magazine.

Hunger is a hugely complex system. For one thing, the ‘system’ isn’t actually hunger, but appetite, which encompasses hunger, fullness and reward, all of which are mediated by different parts of the brain. To complicate things further, our guts and our brains need to speak to one another, but it turns out they don’t speak the same language. Then there's what’s going on outside our bodies: the world concocts all manner of treats designed to bend our brains to their will, and there's marketing conceived to seduce and trick us when we’re at our weakest. Professor Giles Yeo takes a deep dive into the role that genetics play in the struggle to get rid of unwanted fat.