New issue: Detecting dementia

New issue: Detecting dementia

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.

Holly Spanner

Published: February 21, 2025 at 8:00 am
The cover of BBC Science Focus, issue 416

Lost cities of the Amazon

A closer look at the advanced tech helping archaeologists find ancient settlements hidden in the Amazon rainforest. Huge cities, lost for millennia, are emerging from the jungle and revealing incredible details about the civilisations that lived there.

DNA in asteroid sample

The building blocks of life have been found in a sample returned from asteroid Bennu. It's been confirmed that the asteroid not only contains organic matter, but all the ingredients that make up DNA.

IBS

Despite affecting one in ten people worldwide, the exact cause of irritable bowel syndrome has proven tricky to find. Now, researchers are beginning to better understand the inner workings of our guts - and the best ways to provide relief.

Ball lightning

Science is giving us new insights into the strange and unexplained phenomenon, ball lightning. Could it be to blame for the recent series of UFO sightings over New Jersey, US? Or are we still missing a piece of the picture?

Plus

  • Perimenopause: How going on HRT and switching up your exercise regime could give you a new lease of life during perimenopause, and make you feel like your old self again.
  • The weirdest tech from CES 2025: Each year, exhibitors at the Consumer Electronics Show unveil a raft of strange devices – some are genuinely useful, others are... questionable (at best). We've rounded up a few of our favourite gadgets and gizmos from this year’s crop.
  • Q&A: Your questions answered! This month: Why does my stomach drop driving over a bump? What is a leaf sheep? How will smartphones develop in the future? How can I see Earthshine? How much day-to-day weight fluctuation is normal? What are the Gates of Hell? Should I be putting silicone tape on my wrinkles?

Issue 416 on sale Friday 21 February 2025

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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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