How It Works UK
SPACE MINING UNCOVERED
Asteroids rich in rare elements could be harvested for their valuable contents, but the real worth may be in using them as interplanetary fuel stations
2 min |
Issue 211
How It Works UK
BOOZE, BEANS AND YOUR BODY
Caffeine and alcohol are two of the world's most common drugs. But what effects does drinking them have on our brains and bodies?
5 min |
Issue 211
How It Works UK
WHY THINGS ROT
How dead plants and animals decay, and how living organisms rely on this natural process to survive
3 min |
Issue 211
How It Works UK
CATHEDRAL CONSTRUCTION
Dear HIW Issue 209 had an article about how cathedrals were built. How they cut, carved and assembled the stones is amazing, but you haven't explained how such an elaborate building was designed and how those designs were communicated to a workforce of thousands.
1 min |
Issue 211
BBC Science Focus
3,000-year-old map of the Universe discovered at ancient Maya site
Thousands of willing people are thought to have helped create a structure used for communal astronomical observations
2 min |
January 2026
BBC Science Focus
First signs of dark matter spotted, study claims
A mysterious glow surrounding the Milky Way could be the fingerprints of the Universe's most enigmatic material
3 min |
January 2026
BBC Science Focus
THE BEST SCIENCE IMAGES OF 2025
Over the course of 2025, there was no shortage of mind-blowing images that helped us visualise scientific progress. From awe-inspiring cosmic explosions to a ray of hope for a struggling species, we've curated the most awe-inspiring images of the last 12 months. Here's our selection of the best, and what they taught us...
9 min |
January 2026
BBC Science Focus
The truth about antidepressant withdrawal
One in eight people in the US take an antidepressant. Stopping this medication can be hard, but researchers can't agree on the risks
5 min |
January 2026
BBC Science Focus
FORGET COUNTING CALORIES TRY THIS INSTEAD...
Calorie counting isn't just difficult, it's riddled with problems that make it practically useless for anyone trying to lose weight.But there are alternatives
9 min |
January 2026
BBC Science Focus
Modern men are in crisis. Just not the one you think
Are gender-equality gains coming at men's expense, as some claim? The statistics tell a more complex story...
4 min |
January 2026
BBC Science Focus
ARE PSYCHOPATHS REALLY THAT GOOD AT LYING?
Picture infamous psychopaths from fiction, such as the eerily cold and calculating Patrick Bateman in the film adaptation of American Psycho, and they certainly seem like master deceivers. But what about real-life psychopaths? Research confirms that psychopaths are more inclined to lie to get what they want, and that they typically display a striking fearlessness - as if they have ice running through their veins.
1 min |
January 2026
BBC Science Focus
ADD WEIGHT TO LOSE WEIGHT
A very basic kind of wearable could make your New-Year-weight-loss plans stick
3 min |
January 2026
BBC Science Focus
100 DAYS OF WEIGHT LOSS
Newcomer to fighting the flab? Drop the quick-fixes at the gym, destined to backfire.
7 min |
January 2026
BBC Science Focus
SIGNS OF LIFE
The more planets we find outside our Solar System, the better our chances are of finding life on one of them. But if there really is life out there, how do we spot it?
8 min |
January 2026
BBC Science Focus
WHY DO CATS PREFER TO SLEEP ON THEIR LEFT?
I've said it before, and I'll keep saying it again and again and again: who knows why cats do anything?
1 min |
January 2026
BBC Science Focus
It's TIME to WAKE UP and SMELL the roses
What if the pursuit of happiness in the traditional sense – chasing wealth or power – is the very thing stopping you from being happy? Researchers are beginning to understand that spending time enjoying the simple things might be the secret ingredient to enjoying a happy, healthy life
8 min |
January 2026
BBC Science Focus
AHEAD OF THEIR TIME
The Maya civilisation is known for its art and architecture.
8 min |
January 2026
BBC Science Focus
Magnet-powered microrobots could soon swim through your bloodstream
They're steered using magnets, like tiny remote-controlled bubbles zooming through your bloodstream
1 min |
January 2026
BBC Science Focus
The link between air pollution and dementia just got stronger
Recent studies are bolstering the idea that air pollution could increase your chances of developing dementia. But there are steps you can take to reduce your risk
5 min |
January 2026
BBC Science Focus
A BETTER WAY TO GO: HOW TO HAVE A GREENER DEATH
Modern funeral arrangements are trashing the planet. But there are better ways to dispose of your body
10 min |
January 2026
BBC Science Focus
THE AARDVARK
In a time when people are being asked to consider eating insects, we should, perhaps, learn a thing or two from the aardvark (Orycteropus afer), Africa’s ant-guzzling gourmand. On an average night, the big-schnozzed mammal devours up to 50,000 of the crunchy critters.
2 min |
January 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
The Milky Way as you've never seen it before
This is the largest low-frequency radio colour image of our Galaxy ever assembled
1 min |
January 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Building blocks of life found in another galaxy
JWST detects complex organic molecules outside the Milky Way for the first time
1 min |
January 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
To sleep among the stars
The rhythms of the night sky can help you wash the worries of the day away and find a restful night's sleep
2 min |
January 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
INSIDE THE SKY AT NIGHT
2026 is going to be a fantastic year for exoplanet research. The Sky at Night presenter George Dransfield tells us why she's counting down to a flood of new discoveries
3 min |
January 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Q&A WITH A GALAXY EVOLUTION EXPERT
Fresh evidence shows supernovae aren't the trusty yardsticks we thought, putting the standard model of an accelerating, expanding Universe in doubt
2 min |
January 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Merger of ‘impossibly' massive black holes explained
Scientists discover how enormous, fast-spinning black holes can exist after all
1 min |
January 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
The Universe's expansion may be slowing down
New study suggests current theories of dark energy could be wrong
1 min |
January 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Space junk strands astronauts on space station
Chinese crew couldn't risk re-entry after capsule damaged by debris
1 min |
January 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Largest-ever flare from a black hole spotted
The star-shredding event blazes with the power of 10 trillion Suns
1 min |