BBC Science Focus Magazine

With accessible features illustrated with the world’s best photography, BBC Focus Magazine explains the theory behind scientific phenomena and really brings science to life. In every issue you’ll find news of the latest major scientific developments, a lively Q&A section plus exclusive and astonishing photographic reports that range from the breathtaking to the downright odd.

FROM THE EDITOR

ON THE BBC THIS MONTH…

CONTRIBUTORS

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Big boys' toys • TOKYO, JAPAN

Flight paths • EMPORDA, SPAIN

Ancient dust • JOHNSON SPACE CENTRE, HOUSTON

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BBC Science Focus Magazine

DISCOVERIES

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

BETTER WAYS OF CATCHING CRIMINALS

JUSTICE WITH AI'S HELP

ALIEN PLANET DEBRIS DISCOVERED DEEP UNDER EARTH'S CRUST • A planetary collision so big that it formed the Moon also left behind remnants that changed Earth's mantle

SCIENTISTS FINALLY FIND WHERE A STARFISH KEEPS ITS HEAD • Compelling research into their genes sheds light on the echinoderm's enigmatic physiology

STUDY REVEALS WHAT REALLY KILLED THE DINOSAURS • It wasn't the meteor's impact, but the colossal clouds of dust it kicked up into the atmosphere that drove the mass extinction 66 million years ago

AUTONOMOUS DRONE COULD REVEAL ANTARCTICA'S SECRETS • Understanding ancient tectonics will improve ice melt predictions

2023 IN SCIENCE • Whether it's unexpected discoveries or answers to questions we didn't know were being asked, science news is always breaking. Here's a selection of some our favourite stories from the fields of health, space, medicine and technology that made headlines over the last 12 months

SPACE IN 2023 • April was packed with space news this year, thanks various celestial alignments that boosted the trafectory of launches. But the other 11 months of 2023 were also filled with fascinating discoveries, dramatic explosions and strange sightings…

2023 in launches

MEDICINE IN 2023

THE BREAKTHROUGHS THAT MADE US FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE WORLD

TECHNOLOGY & PHYSICS IN 2023

KIDS ARE THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING OBESITY. BUT WE NEED MORE OF THEIR GENES • We can unravel the role that bodyweight plays in disease, but we need a bigger, more diverse, sample of genetic material to do so

A DASH OF 'QUANTUM WEIRDNESS' ADDS AN INTRIGUING NEW ASPECT TO THE THEORY OF EVOLUTION • Just suppose survival of the fittest had a quantum element. What would that mean for life on Earth?

THE UK'S COUNTRYSIDE IS IN TROUBLE… AND WE NEED TO DO MORE TO HELP IT • Britain's woodlands, wetlands and wildflower meadows are under threat. But awareness isn't enough to save them

EMBRYO RESEARCH: WHY SCIENTISTS WANT MORE THAN 14 DAYS TO STUDY EARLY DEVELOPMENT • An extension to the 14-day limit on research has been proposed and has support. But there are moral and ethical questions to consider

INDOOR AIR POLLUTION: HOW COOKING CAN DAMAGE YOUR DNA • From roast dinners to scented candles, there are potentially harmful pollutants lurking in every home

SAD CLOWN PARADOX: WHY TEARS OFTEN LIE BEHIND THE LAUGHS • Mental health issues are common among comedians and performing is just one way they can self-medicate

HOW TO CHRISTMAS SHOP LIKE A BILLIONAIRE • If we were all billionaires, Christmas would look very different. While we would love to buy our loved ones diamond chess sets and trips to the Moon, our sights are set...