CATEGORIES

INTERACTIVE IMAGES COULD REVOLUTIONISE POLICE LINE-UPS AND REDUCE THE NUMBER OF WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS
BBC Science Focus

INTERACTIVE IMAGES COULD REVOLUTIONISE POLICE LINE-UPS AND REDUCE THE NUMBER OF WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS

We're trying to identify criminal suspects all wrong, say psychologists. But new technology could help us catch more bad guys

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2 mins  |
December 2023
CAN I REALLY DIFFERENCE MAKE A BY RECYCLING?
BBC Science Focus

CAN I REALLY DIFFERENCE MAKE A BY RECYCLING?

Recycling is not a silver bullet that will halt climate breakdown. Not even close. Its potential impact - a saving of around 11 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) over 30 years if the whole world recycles more than 80 per cent of its municipal waste - is dwarfed by the amount of greenhouse gases currently released by fossil fuels and industry: 36.8 gigatonnes in 2022 alone.

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2 mins  |
November 2023
HELLO DARKNESS.MY OLD FRIEND
BBC Science Focus

HELLO DARKNESS.MY OLD FRIEND

With the evenings drawing in, could embracing the darkness be good for you?

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2 mins  |
November 2023
WHAT IS ASHEN LIGHT?
BBC Science Focus

WHAT IS ASHEN LIGHT?

The 'ashen light', or AL, is a faint, mysterious glow, or colouration, seen in the night-side hemisphere of the planet Venus.

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1 min  |
November 2023
DEAR DOCTOR
BBC Science Focus

DEAR DOCTOR

IS IT REALLY BETTER TO HOPE FOR THE BEST, BUT BRACE FOR THE WORST?

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2 mins  |
November 2023
WHAT IS THE DEADLIEST CREATURE IN THE UK?
BBC Science Focus

WHAT IS THE DEADLIEST CREATURE IN THE UK?

Mosquitoes are infamously the world's most deadly animal, killing up to a million people every year via the diseases they spread, such as malaria and dengue fever. In the UK, however, our 36 native mosquito species pose little in the way of threat, so they don't feature in the three-way tie for the title of UK's deadliest creature.

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1 min  |
November 2023
HAMMERHEAD BAT
BBC Science Focus

HAMMERHEAD BAT

With a face that wouldn't look out of place among the Notre Dame gargoyles, the hammerhead bat is what the French would call 'jolie laide'.

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2 mins  |
November 2023
THE SCIENCE OF DOCTOR WHO
BBC Science Focus

THE SCIENCE OF DOCTOR WHO

At 60 years old, Doctor Who, the BBC Show following the adventures of the regenerating Time Lord, continues to be highly enjoyable fiction. But it's science fiction. The Doctor's primary tool is a sonic screwdriver, not a magic wand. The Gallifreyan takes science seriously. And so should we...

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9 mins  |
November 2023
The Power of Caffeine
BBC Science Focus

The Power of Caffeine

For many, caffeine is considered a guilty pleasure. But there is growing evidence that our daily fix isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it might actually be doing us some good

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8 mins  |
November 2023
HOW TO MAKE THE MOON ON EARTH
BBC Science Focus

HOW TO MAKE THE MOON ON EARTH

The expense and prestige involved in sending landers and rovers to the Moon means you can’t afford for them not to work when they get there. But the lunar landscape is like nothing here on Earth. So how, and where, do you test equipment that’s bound for the Moon?

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7 mins  |
November 2023
DEEP & BROODY
BBC Science Focus

DEEP & BROODY

On the side of a hill next to some thermal springs 3,000m beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean, scientists have discovered the world's biggest octopus nursery. Join them as they explore it on Planet Earth III

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8 mins  |
November 2023
These vibrating vests bring music to life for deaf gig-goers
BBC Science Focus

These vibrating vests bring music to life for deaf gig-goers

Haptic tech is making music accessible to people with impaired hearing

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4 mins  |
November 2023
Sony WF-1000XM5: An audio home run, but in a smaller package
BBC Science Focus

Sony WF-1000XM5: An audio home run, but in a smaller package

Alex Hughes tries out Sony’s tiniest earbuds to date to see if it’s possible to pack a bigger musical punch into a smaller package

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4 mins  |
November 2023
BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER:WHY IS IT STIGMATISED?
BBC Science Focus

BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER:WHY IS IT STIGMATISED?

Despite being recognised for decades, the condition remains misunderstood and undertreated as a result

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3 mins  |
November 2023
ANTIGRAVITY: A RECENT TEST RESULT MIGHT HAVE RULED IT OUT
BBC Science Focus

ANTIGRAVITY: A RECENT TEST RESULT MIGHT HAVE RULED IT OUT

Hoverboards and flying cars may be off the cards... but dark energy may yet come to the rescue

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3 mins  |
November 2023
REALITY CHECK - THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE HEADLINES
BBC Science Focus

REALITY CHECK - THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE HEADLINES

SICK DAYS: WE'RE TAKING MORE THAN EVER. SO WHAT'S KEEPING US AWAY FROM WORK?

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3 mins  |
November 2023
WOMB TRANSPLANTS ARE NOW A REALITY AND THEY'RE CHANGING PEOPLE'S LIVES
BBC Science Focus

WOMB TRANSPLANTS ARE NOW A REALITY AND THEY'RE CHANGING PEOPLE'S LIVES

There’s new hope for the thousands of women who are unable to conceive or carry their own child

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3 mins  |
November 2023
SAYING NO TO DRUGS CAN BE HARD, ESPECIALLY WHEN OUR BRAINS HAVE EVOLVED TO SAY 'WHY NOT?'
BBC Science Focus

SAYING NO TO DRUGS CAN BE HARD, ESPECIALLY WHEN OUR BRAINS HAVE EVOLVED TO SAY 'WHY NOT?'

The Stoptober’ push to quit smoking is useful, but we need to look at why people start... especially when it's harder drugs

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3 mins  |
November 2023
DID THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE JUST SPOT GALAXIES THAT SHOULDN'T EXIST?
BBC Science Focus

DID THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE JUST SPOT GALAXIES THAT SHOULDN'T EXIST?

Given the age of the Universe, the galaxies we've just been shown appear to be too old. So, what's gone wrong?

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3 mins  |
November 2023
PLANT APOCALYPSE
BBC Science Focus

PLANT APOCALYPSE

The race is on to document and protect the world's plant and fungi species... and everything is at stake if we lose

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4 mins  |
November 2023
THE BURNING 'RING OF FIRE' ECLIPSE.…..THAT WENT DOWN, DOWN, DOWN THE AMERICAS
BBC Science Focus

THE BURNING 'RING OF FIRE' ECLIPSE.…..THAT WENT DOWN, DOWN, DOWN THE AMERICAS

The burning ring produced by the Sun and Moon crossing paths won't be seen again in the US until 2039

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2 mins  |
November 2023
MYSTERIOUS AFTERGLOW POTENTIALLY CAUSED BY MASSIVE COLLISION OF PLANETS
BBC Science Focus

MYSTERIOUS AFTERGLOW POTENTIALLY CAUSED BY MASSIVE COLLISION OF PLANETS

Scientists have a probable cause for the unexplained brightness

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1 min  |
November 2023
A MAP OF THE BRAIN CELLS THAT MAKE US UNIQUE MARKS "A PIVOTAL MOMENT IN NEUROSCIENCE"
BBC Science Focus

A MAP OF THE BRAIN CELLS THAT MAKE US UNIQUE MARKS "A PIVOTAL MOMENT IN NEUROSCIENCE"

Benchmark study maps over 3,000 cell types in the human brain

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2 mins  |
November 2023
SCIENTISTS PLAN TO MELT MOON DUST TO LAY LUNAR ROADS
BBC Science Focus

SCIENTISTS PLAN TO MELT MOON DUST TO LAY LUNAR ROADS

Triangular paving stones’ could be made on the Moon using the Sun's rays and might solve the problems caused by Moon dust

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1 min  |
November 2023
ULTRA-BRIGHT LIGHT BREAKTHROUGH COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING
BBC Science Focus

ULTRA-BRIGHT LIGHT BREAKTHROUGH COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING

Creating an ultra-bright light in a small space is harder than it sounds... But scientists think it may be possible

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2 mins  |
November 2023
How does the fitness app on my phone know how many steps I've taken, especially if it's in my bag?
BBC Science Focus

How does the fitness app on my phone know how many steps I've taken, especially if it's in my bag?

Your phone uses GPS to track distance travelled. But try disabling it and you'll notice that fitness apps will still give you step counts.

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1 min  |
August 2023
Should you underestimate the power of the Force?
BBC Science Focus

Should you underestimate the power of the Force?

It's an energy that lets you control people's minds and.... make things float. So where do midi-chlorians fit in?

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2 mins  |
August 2023
DEAR DOCTOR : WHY DO I CATASTROPHISE SO MUCH AND HOW DO I STOP?
BBC Science Focus

DEAR DOCTOR : WHY DO I CATASTROPHISE SO MUCH AND HOW DO I STOP?

Catastrophe-filled thoughts are common, especially for people prone to anxiety. You might find yourself imagining that your first day at a new job will be an excruciating disaster, that you'll flunk an upcoming exam, or that your flight to New York will crash. These thoughts are unpleasant, but they're essentially your mind working overtime to keep you safe. If you start to act on these catastrophic thoughts, trying to avoid any risk in your life, that's when this thinking style can start to become debilitating.

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2 mins  |
August 2023
IS IT TRUE THAT WEARING HEADPHONES INCREASES EAR BACTERIA?
BBC Science Focus

IS IT TRUE THAT WEARING HEADPHONES INCREASES EAR BACTERIA?

Your ears are already dark, moist and full of oils and dead skin - an all-you-can-eat buffet for many bacteria. Sealing off the entrance with headphones or earphones seems like it could only make that environment more inviting to these microbes.

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1 min  |
August 2023
A SCIENTIST'S GUIDE TO...PILLOWS
BBC Science Focus

A SCIENTIST'S GUIDE TO...PILLOWS

THE RIGHT SUPPORT CAN HELP RELIEVE BACK PAIN

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2 mins  |
August 2023