In this issue

THE GREAT MOON RUSH
Why the world’s superpowers and billionaires are in a hurry to get back to the Moon.

MICHAEL MOSLEY
Why it’s time to throw out your fitness tracker, and embrace Active 10.

THE RACE FOR THE MOON
No human has set foot on the Moon for decades. But an armada of exciting new missions are set to explore the lunar surface once more.

MALE CONTRACEPTIVE PILL ONE STEP CLOSER

The researchers behind the drug hope it will start human clinical trials later this year

2 mins

COVID RISK: IS IT SAFE FOR ME TO RESUME ALL MY NORMAL ACTIVITIES?

In a restriction-free world, how risky is going to the pub vs going to the supermarket?

3 mins

MIGRAINES:CAN NEW TREATMENTS HELP EASE THE SUFFERING OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE?

Better understanding of the processes driving migraine pain is leading to promising new remedies

3 mins

HAPPINESS: IS IT RIGHT TO PURSUE IT AT ALL COSTS?

Research suggests that focusing on your own happiness can end up making you miserable

3 mins

Can a smartphone be eco-friendly and desirable?

Fairphone has a long history of producing some of the most eco-friendly smartphones around. In fact, it is currently ranked in the top 1 per cent of sustainable companies in the world according to EcoVadis, a sustainability ratings company.

4 mins

FIT TO BURST

INFLATION IS A USEFUL TOOL IN NATURE, ALLOWING ANIMALS TO PROJECT SOUNDS, SCARE OFF PREDATORS OR EVEN ATTRACT A MATE. LET'S BRING ON THE BLOAT!

5 mins

THE RACE FOR THE MOON

A new space race has begun. Over the coming years, an armada of rockets will head to the Moon to hunt down precious resources, satisfy the urges of billionaire tourists and maybe do some intriguing science along the way…

10 mins

WHY I DITCHED MY FITNESS TRACKER

Stop chasing a 10,000-step target - Active 10 is an easier, more effective way to get fit

2 mins

ARGOS OR AMAZON: WHO DID IT FIRST?

You can thank an in-flight catalogue, not the internet, for the emergence of convenient same-day deliveries

2 mins

THE DNA DETECTIVE

All sorts of mysteries lurk in our family trees, from long-lost relatives to adoptees' hidden heritages. In the new series of DNA Family Secrets, geneticist Prof Turi King sets out to solve them with the help of presenter Stacey Dooley and home genetic testing kits. She talks to Sara Rigby

6 mins

The Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Metaverse

Facebook recently changed its name to 'Meta' in order to position itself at the forefront of a new digital frontier called the metaverse. But what the heck is the metaverse, and what can it offer us mere mortals who do not inhabit the shiny Silicon Valley bubble?

10+ mins

IF MY BRAIN CAN'T FEEL PAIN, WHY DO WE GET HEADACHES?

We tend to experience pain when unpleasant stimuli activate sensory nerve fibres called nociceptors.

1 min

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.