New issue: Are we special?

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?

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Holly Spanner

Published: October 15, 2024 at 7:00 am
The cover of issue 411 for BBC Science Focus

Saving the sharks

Ruthless predators, mindless killers, man-eaters… sharks have a fearsome reputation that bears little relation to reality. But without them, the planet’s seas will be in even greater jeopardy than they already are. That's why scientists want to 're-shark' the oceans.

Asteroid apocalypse

Could we deflect an asteroid to stop it from hitting Earth? The success of NASA’s DART mission suggests so, but scientists need to double-check the results to be sure. That's why ESA are launching Hera, a spacecraft packed with gadgets that will gather huge amounts of data to confirm whether asteroid deflection is actually possible.

Could AI cure loneliness?

Rates of loneliness are increasing worldwide. Big-tech companies think they have the solution… but would conversations with AI really be enough to cure loneliness completely?

Prof Brian Cox

Go behind the scenes of professor Brian Cox's epic new television series, Solar System, as he takes time out to chat with special projects editor Noa Leach about upcoming space missions, filming and bloopers. Find out why he'd be relieved if aliens landed on Earth, and why it's moons – rather than planets – where extraterrestrial life might exist.

Plus

  • Satellite collisions: A disaster waiting to happen, especially with increasing numbers of satellites in orbit.
  • Climate tipping points: Collapsing ice sheets, loss of the Amazon rainforest, melting permafrost… Key parts of Earth’s climate system are in trouble. Which could trigger disaster first?
  • Over-the-counter weight-loss drugs: Would making Ozempic-type drugs available without the need for a prescription save people from turning to the black market?

Issue 411 on sale Tuesday 15 October 2024

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Holly Spanner

Staff Writer, BBC Science Focus

Holly is the Staff Writer for BBC Science Focus and looks after the popular Q&A section. She holds an MSc (distinction) in Geoscience (Space and Climate Physics) from UCL, and specialises in astronomy and earth sciences. Before joining Our Media, she worked as a geoenvironmental consultant and engineer, informing on ground risk and remediation in the north of England, while hunting for exoplanets in her spare time. Alongside this, she was regional editor of a popular theatre website for nine years, and has a solid background in curating and developing content for the digital space. Holly is also an artist and illustrator, and regular contributor to the craft website, Gathered. She has previously worked with the RSPB, English Heritage, Disney, Pilot and Brother, as well as on BBC Good Food magazine, Home Style magazine, and Papercraft inspirations magazine. She enjoys photography and has a sustained interest in antiques.
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