In this issue

THE EYES THAT WATCH THE SKY

The advanced new satellite that will reveal how humans are changing Earth’s atmosphere.

BED BUGS VS THE WORLD

Why the bloodthirsty bugs are so hard to kill and why they could be about to spread.

GOING ROGUE

How more planets than you think are wandering interstellar space after becoming untethered from their home stars.

5 SIMPLE WAYS TO RECLAIM YOUR ATTENTION!

Modern life is distracting and our brains are primed for constant interruption. Here’s how you can learn
to regain your focus.

5 SIMPLE WAYS TO RECLAIM YOUR ATTENTION

Primed for constant interruptions, your brain is now distracting itself, says science. It's time to break the cycle and retrain your focus

10 mins

GOING ROGUE

Some planets are stuck following the same orbital paths their entire lives. Others break free to wander alone through the vast, empty darkness of interstellar space and there's a lot more of them than you might think

7 mins

BED BUGS VS THE WORLD

When bloodthirsty bed bugs made headlines for infesting Paris Fashion Week in 2023, it shone a spotlight on a problem that's been making experts itch for decades: the arms race going on between bed bugs and humans. Now, with the 2024 Summer Olympics fast approaching, the stakes are higher than ever

10 mins

THE EYES THAT WATCH THE SKY

When it launches in 2026, the Copernicus programme's Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide Monitoring satellite will give us a new window on to Earth's atmosphere... And how we're altering it

7 mins

TIME-RESTRICTED EATING LINKED TO HIGHER RISK OF CARDIOVASCULAR DEATH

Skipping breakfast might not be so good for your health, after all

2 mins

INSIDE THE PROJECT TO SCAN THOUSANDS OF RARE SPECIMENS

A major collaborative project has created 3D reconstructions of previously locked away museum specimens

1 min

VIDEO IS FIRST EVIDENCE OF AN ORCA KILLING A GREAT WHITE

Tourists sailing off the South African coast film a never-before-seen event: a lone orca attacking a 2.5m shark

2 mins

AI REVEALS PROSTATE CANCER IS NOT JUST ONE DISEASE

DNA analysis carried out by artificial intelligence has helped scientists make a discovery that could revolutionise future treatment

1 min

MYSTERIOUS WAVES DETECTED IN JUPITER'S CORE

Scientists hope unusual fluctuations in the gas giant's magnetic field might reveal what's inside

1 min

MINI ORGANS GROWN FROM UNBORN BABIES MARK A BREAKTHROUGH IN PRENATAL MEDICINE

A new technique could allow congenital conditions to be diagnosed and treated before birth

1 min

CORAL REEFS CAN RECOVER IN JUST FOUR YEARS ACCORDING TO A NEW TRIAL

Coral 'transplants' could bring back reefs quicker than we thought possible

1 min

NEW STUDY SUGGESTS SMOKING INCREASES HIDDEN BELLY FAT

A large-scale statistical study reveals yet another reason to quit the habit

2 mins

NEW ERA FOR BLACK HOLE RESEARCH OPENED BY NOVEL 'QUANTUM TORNADO'

Lab-based vortex promises new insights into the nature of space-time and gravity

2 mins

CAN YOU REALLY TARGET BELLY FAT FOR WEIGHT LOSS?

There's a lot of advice about exactly what you should do to shift that spare tyre around your waist. Does any of it add up?

4 mins

COME OUT OF YOUR SHELL

Social anxiety is more than just being shy. It's a phobia born out of our evolutionary past. But that raises a puzzling question: why do so many of us fear human interaction when we're supposed to be the most sociable species on the planet?

8 mins

Google Gemini: Could this be the ChatGPT killer?

Google is working on a model to take on OpenAl. But is it good enough?

4 mins

PROSTATE CANCER: WHY MORE SCREENING DOESN'T ALWAYS HELP

Not all prostate tumours are aggressive and treating them can have side effects. So what's the best course of action?

3 mins

DIGITAL HEALTHCARE: ARE THE MOST IN NEED BEING EXCLUDED?

Tech is being used to make it easier for people to access healthcare services. But it's not working for everyone

3 mins

WELCOME TO THE EXTRAORDINARY WORLD OF QUANTUM FIELD THEORY

This beautiful language of cosmic vibrations is helping scientists further understand the origins of the Universe

3 mins

WHY ATHLETIC GENES DON'T GUARANTEE GOLD MEDALS

Sporty parents are only part of the puzzle when it comes to making an Olympic champion

3 mins

THE RETURN OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES

With measles, plague and cholera all rearing their heads again, are we seeing an unprecedented level of disease re-emergence? And what would it take to start another pandemic?

4 mins

MONEY MIGHT BE UNRELATED TO HAPPINESS, SAYS NEW STUDY

Research suggests overlooked Indigenous people with low or no income may be happiest of all

2 mins

STUDY REVEALS WHICH DOGS ARE LIKELY TO LIVE THE LONGEST

The size and head shape of your dog can give you clues as to how long they'll be around

2 mins

MICROSCOPIC ROBOTS COULD SOON ENTER PATIENTS' LIVERS TO FIGHT CANCER

Researchers are closing in on a novel approach to treat tumours using tiny robots

1 min

SCIENTISTS DISCOVER A TINY STAR HIDDEN INSIDE A GIANT SUPERNOVA

The James Webb Space Telescope has helped scientists solve a mystery that's been puzzling them for decades

2 mins

NEW FASTING-LIKE DIET COULD REVERSE YOUR BIOLOGICAL AGE

A new study suggests that cycles of a fasting-mimicking diet can reduce health risks and signs of immune system ageing

1 min

WHITE DWARF 'CANNIBAL' STAR ATE ITS SIBLINGS

In a first for astronomy, a unique piece of evidence has revealed what really happened to a white dwarf's lost cosmic neighbours

1 min

MAJOR QUANTUM GRAVITY BREAKTHROUGH COULD SPARK A NEW 'THEORY OF EVERYTHING'

Quantum gravity has long baffled scientists. Now, a breakthrough discovery could change physics forever

2 mins

THE COUNTERINTUITIVE COSMOS

THE WORLD ISN'T WHAT IT SEEMS. HERE'S HOW SCIENCE HAS EXPOSED THE FALLACIES AND MISCONCEIVED IDEAS OF EARTH AND THE HEAVENS THROUGHOUT HISTORY

9 mins

WHY DO WE PICK FAVOURITES?

At the root of favouritism is the fact we all have preferences for certain colours, tastes, faces, places and much more. These preferences are partly driven by our evolutionary past.

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.