Magazine
BBC Science Focus is the BBC’s science and technology monthly magazine. Jargon-free and accessible, you don’t need a PhD in particle physics to enjoy reading it. All you need is a quizzical mind that wants to understand the world around you, and gain a fact or two to keep up your sleeve in a pub quiz emergency.
New issue: The next timekeepers
Timing is everything. It’s the one thing stand-up comedians and experimental physicists have in common. The ability to measure time precisely underpins our observations of the world. But the atomic clock – the current benchmark by which units of time are calculated – is based on the behaviour of jumpy electrons, so, by its very nature, it’s a sensitive creature. A nuclear clock on the other hand, which would be based on the ticking of nuclear material, is – in theory – a much more rugged beast. In practice, this means that it would be both more accurate and more robust when it comes to the kinds of measurements required to interrogate the very fabric of the Universe. It’s game-changing stuff and in this issue, Prof Jon Butterworth explores the significance of nuclear time-keeping.
BBC Science Focus Crossword solution #413
Here is the solution to the crossword from issue 413 of BBC Science Focus magazine.
New issue: Reboot your immune system
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.
BBC Science Focus Crossword solution #412
Here is the solution to the crossword from issue 412 of BBC Science Focus magazine.
New issue: Are we special?
Since the first confirmed detection of exoplanets in 1992, astronomers around the world have identified thousands of other solar systems scattered throughout space. The thing is, very few of them look like the Solar System we call home. Some have two stars instead of one at their centres, while others have planets orbiting their stars so closely that any ‘rain’ falls in the form of liquid metal. Is Earth really is unique? Or is it just one of many planets that provides a home to intelligent life?
BBC Science Focus Crossword solution #411
Here is the solution to the crossword from issue 411 of BBC Science Focus magazine.
New issue: A cure for ageing
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.
BBC Science Focus Crossword solution #410
Here is the solution to the crossword from issue 410 of BBC Science Focus magazine.
New issue: Unlimited energy
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...
BBC Science Focus Crossword solution #409
Here is the solution to the crossword from issue 409 of BBC Science Focus magazine.
New issue | The biggest adult ADHD myths, busted
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.
BBC Science Focus Crossword solution #408
Here is the solution to the crossword from issue 408 of BBC Science Focus magazine.
New issue | Earth's deadliest supervolcanoes are waking up
One of the deadliest forces on Earth is waking up. Are we prepared?
BBC Science Focus Crossword solution #407
Here is the solution to the crossword from issue 407 of BBC Science Focus magazine.
A scientist's guide to life | How to be a better conversationalist
What’s the best way to deal with cold callers and win an argument? Elizabeth Stokoe, an expert in social interaction, reveals all.
Intrusive thoughts: Why they happen and how to deal with them
Occasionally, you’re minding our own business when a weird – and sometimes disturbing or upsetting – thought pops into your head. Why does your brain do this, and does it mean that you’re a bad person?
New issue: The Hunger Game
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.
BBC Science Focus Crossword solution #406
Here is the solution to the crossword from issue 406 of BBC Science Focus magazine.
New issue | Something is wrong with our model of the Universe
Although our picture of the cosmos is incredibly detailed, as the tools we build to explore the Universe become more and more sensitive, our understanding starts to grow fuzzy. There are crucial pieces missing... and without them, our model of the Universe just doesn't make sense. We take a dive into some of the biggest head-scratchers that are baffling astronomers.
BBC Science Focus Crossword solution #405
Here is the solution to the crossword from issue 405 of BBC Science Focus magazine.
Anti-ageing pills are real, and some of us are taking them without knowing it
Eternal youth is the stuff of religion and mythology, but what if we could just have a bit more of it? What if there was a pill that could slow down the ravages of time, so that you could feel younger for longer. It sounds like snake oil, but there’s a growing body of research that’s betting on making it a reality.
New issue: Reclaim your attention!
Offices, the very place where we’re supposed to get stuff done, seem to be designed to make it impossible to actually get anything done. Open-plan, noisy and full of people. Meanwhile, email, messaging apps, video calls and social media provide endless distractions. It never ends. Sound familiar? We've got some science-backed ways to help keep your focus fixed firmly on the things you need to get done.
BBC Science Focus Crossword solution #404
Here is the solution to the BBC Science Focus Crossword from issue 404 of BBC Science Focus magazine.
Ghostbusters: A psychologist explains why we believe in the paranormal
Should we get Venkman and co. on speed dial?