In this issue

POPCORN SCIENCE
Devastation would definitely ensue if the Moon fell out of orbit, as depicted in Moonfall. But just how likely is that to ever happen?

THE LIGHT FANTASTIC
They don’t call superluminous supernovae cosmic mega explosions for nothing. They occur on a truly epic scale. And new telescopes launching in the coming years could help us find even more of these events.

ASTRONOMY: NASA'S SOLAR PROBE ‘TOUCHES' THE SUN

The Parker Solar Probe is part of the way through its seven-year mission to investigate the inner workings of our nearest star

3 mins

Dinosaur treasure trove unearthed in Italy

PALAEONTOLOGY

1 min

ANIMAL EMISSIONS: HOW BIG IS MY PET'S CARBON PAWPRINT AND WHAT CAN I DO TO MINIMISE IT?

Globally, pets chomp their way through about 20 per cent of the planet’s meat and fish. Could Fido and Mr Tibbles adopt a more carbon-friendly lifestyle?

4 mins

Omicron Variant: How Worried Should We Be About It?

Research has started to emerge on the latest variant of COVID. How concerned should we be about it, and what makes it different from previous variants?

5 mins

Havana Syndrome: What's Causing the Mysterious Illness?

Some have blamed top-secret weapons, but the condition could be all in the mind

4 mins

Why do we find human like androids so unsettling?

Alex Hughes spoke to the creator of Ameca, a humanoid robot that’s been going viral online for its uncanny facial expressions

4 mins

WELCOME TO YOUR FUTURE COMMUTE

JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, IT FELT LIKE FLYING CARS WERE STILL A DISTANT SCI-FI FUTURE WE COULD ONLY DREAM ABOUT. BUT INVESTMENT HAS INCREASED RAPIDLY, AND A NUMBER OF COMPANIES ARE NOW BUILDING AIR TAXIS TO MAKE OUR CITY JOURNEYS FASTER, EASIER AND CLEANER

6 mins

An End to Ageing?

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

9 mins

A WINNING FORMULA

Beneath the rainforests of South America lives a fungi that consumes 50,000 leaves a day without ever coming to the surface. It relies on ants to bring it food in exchange for nutrients. This unlikely partnership starred in Sir David Attenborough’s new wildlife series The Green Planet. Evolutionary biologist Dr Pepijn Kooij speaks to Amy Barrett about this special relationship…

8 mins

The Light Fantastic

As new telescopes around the world power up, they could answer an ancient mystery: what’s powering the most energetic explosions in the Universe?

10 mins

Read all stories from BBC Science Focus

BBC Science Focus Magazine Description:

BBC Focus Magazine is the magazine of popular science and technology that explains the wonders of the Universe through stunning photography and accessible articles. Contributors include the very best writers and science experts, with columns every issue from renowned science writer Robert Matthews, TV presenter and scientist Helen Czerski, and science fiction author Stephen Baxter. From archaeology to neuroscience, climate change and particle physics, BBC Focus Magazine keeps you up to speed with the cutting-edge science and gadgets that will change our world.