BBC Science Focus - March 2025

In this issue

HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE QUANTUM WORLD
A whistle-stop tour to understanding the world of quantum physics.

BEHIND DEATH’S DOOR
What near-death experiences can tell us about the mysteries of our final moments.

ECHOES OF ATLANTIS
The lost landscape off the coast of Australia that was swallowed by the sea thousands of years ago.

A helping hand

INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

1 min

The aftermath

ALTADENA, CALIFORNIA

1 min

Energy companies shift blame to consumers

Study finds top polluters weave 'eco-hero' narratives

3 mins

Earth's inner core may be changing its spin and its shape

Changes to seismic waves travelling through the planet could reveal unusual activity in Earth's core

3 mins

A glimpse into the future of space born surveillance

New mapping by ESA satellites could track everything from natural disasters to illegal activity

1 min

The map that may lead to a new obesity treatment

A better understanding of the pathways in the human hypothalamus has huge possibilities for medicine

3 mins

The simple recipe for making powerful astrophysical jets

You need just three ingredients to make these truly colossal 'double-sided lightsabers'

3 mins

We can learn valuable lessons from the ‘polar bear capital of the world'

As the climate crisis pushes humans and animals closer together, it's crucial that we coexist with kindness

3 mins

'Brain rot': is TikTok causing brain abnormalities?

A new study seems to prove what we've all suspected: bingeing on short-form videos is bad for our brains. But not all experts are convinced...

5 mins

Is creating a 'woolly mammoth mouse' a step too far for biotechnology?

Are scientists so preoccupied with whether or not they could bring back mammoths, that they're not concerned with whether they should?

4 mins

GOING DEEP

An advanced new research station is being developed to explore the potential for a human settlement under the ocean

4 mins

A HITCH HIKER'S GUIDE TO THE QUANTUM WORLD

Quantum physics is confusing. Really confusing. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mindbogglingly confusing it is. Fortunately, scientists have been exploring it for years now and are, finally, beginning to make some sense of it all

9 mins

BEHIND DEATH'S DOOR

They leave their bodies, witness a bright light and return forever changed. But do survivors of near-death experiences truly glimpse the great beyond? New research into the brain's final moments could decode these visions at life's edge

9 mins

GET HEART SMART

NEW STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT SEVERAL SMALL LIFESTYLE CHANGES CAN DRASTICALLY IMPROVE YOUR HEART HEALTH

10 mins

ECHOES OF ATLANTIS

OVER HALF A MILLION PEOPLE MAY HAVE LIVED IN THE LOST LANDSCAPES NORTH OF AUSTRALIA... BEFORE THEY WERE CONSUMED BY THE OCEAN

9 mins

Fast radio bursts: Are these mysterious signals from deep space getting even stranger?

New discoveries are shaking up what little we thought we knew about fast radio bursts

5 mins

THE ASIAN PALM CIVET

The world might have paid little attention to the Asian palm civet, were it not for the Dutch settlers who planted coffee trees on the islands of Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi, some 300 years ago.

2 mins

ARE SATELLITES BURNING UP IN THE ATMOSPHERE BAD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT?

About 13,000 satellites currently orbit Earth, roughly 10,000 of which are operational. But that number is set to skyrocket, with a staggering 50,000 new satellites on track to join them by 2030.

2 mins

WHAT'S THE CRAZIEST THING EVER STOLEN?

Most robberies involve the sort of goods you would typically expect - jewellery, electronics, or just plain old cash.

2 mins

WHY DO I FIND IT SO DIFFICULT TO SWITCH BETWEEN TASKS?

First, the good news is you’re not alone – most people are terrible at task switching. Secondly (and in even more good news), psychologists have been studying it for decades to figure out why.

1 min

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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.