New issue: How to cut your risk of heart disease

New issue: How to cut your risk of heart disease

The textbook version of a heart can look flat and motionless, which doesn't really equip us with a proper understanding of how it works. It looks different on an ultrasound scan (also known as an echocardiogram). It's easy to be struck by how tireless it is: contracting and relaxing in a precise rhythm without change. It's hypnotic. But of course, the heart does tire – it just takes a few billion beats for it to happen. And for some of us, years of neglect means that it’s likely to happen a little bit sooner. So, how can we add some extra beats or, at the very least, make life a bit easier on the old ticker? Alongside all the usual advice (get some exercise, eat less bacon and so on) researchers are discovering that some surprising small changes can also significantly lower your risk of heart disease. And the good news is that they add up. In this issue, we share what we’ve uncovered.

Holly Spanner

Published: March 18, 2025 at 8:00 am

The quantum universe

Quantum physics is confusing. Fortunately, scientists have been exploring it for years and we are, finally, beginning to make some sense of it all. Here's our guide to quantum mechanics made easy: a whistlestop tour in understanding the fundamental theories that govern the very small.

Near-death experiences

They leave their bodies, witness a bright light and return forever changed. But do survivors of near-death experiences (NDEs) truly glimpse the great beyond? Here's what NDEs can tell us about the mysteries of our final moments.

Lost worlds under the sea

Discover the lost landscape off the coast of Australia that was swallowed by the sea, where over half a million people may have lived, thousands of years ago.

Mysterious signals from deep space

Fast radio bursts: Are these mysterious signals from deep space getting even stranger?

Plus

  • Have a little hope: How having hope may do more good for your mental health than mindfulness.
  • A new piece of the obesity puzzle: A better understanding of the pathways in the human hypothalamus has huge possibilities for medicine and could lead to a new obesity treatment.
  • Q&A: Your questions answered! This month: Does your name affect your physical appearance? Does anything poop gold? How old is Jupiter's Great Red Spot? Why do I find it so difficult to switch between tasks? What's the craziest thing ever stolen? And more!

Issue 417 on sale Tuesday 18 March 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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