BBC Science Focus Magazine - January 2025

In this issue

REALITY CHECK: The science behind the headlines: US Congress is talking about extraterrestrial activity again. Is the truth really out there?; Could your cosmetics be harming your health?
THE BIG QUESTION: Can you change your personality? Cognitive neuroscientist Dr Christian Jarrett looks into the techniques and methods that claim to be able to help you become a more confident, extroverted and fulfilled person.

IMAGES OF THE CENTURY

THE WORLD IS FULL OF WONDERS, AND HIGH-RESOLUTION CAMERAS LET US SEE THEM IN UNPRECEDENTED DETAIL.

9 mins

Human activity is changing Earth's tilt and rotation

Scientists have found that using underground water has more of an impact on Earth’s tilt than melting polar caps

3 mins

Poop and vomit reveals how dinosaurs got so big

It wasn't meat but plant-based diets that helped dinosaurs rise to the top

1 min

Key weight-loss mystery solved

New research suggests fat cells have a 'memory'

1 min

Star outside our galaxy imaged for first time

Scientists have captured a close-up of WOH G64

1 min

Map of 100 million human body cells revealed

Over three dozen new studies mark significant milestone towards complete Human Cell Atlas

1 min

extraterrestrial US Congress is talking about activity again. Is the truth really out there?

Despite several testimonies, the question remains frustratingly unanswered

4 mins

Could your cosmetics be harming your health?

Cosmetic companies are phasing out microplastics and so-called 'forever chemicals' to help protect consumers.

4 mins

THE BIGGEST BREAKTHROUGHS OF THE CENTURY

We're a quarter of the way into the new century. To mark this milestone, we asked the UK's top minds to highlight some of the game-changing scientific breakthroughs shaping our world since the year 2000

3 mins

10 IDEAS THAT WILL SHAPE YOUR NEXT 25 YEARS

Predicting the future is considered a fool's game. But it's one many of us like to play.

3 mins

THE WORST IDEAS OF THE 21ST CENTURY

NOT ALL IDEAS CAN BE HITS. ALONGSIDE GROUND-BREAKING INNOVATIONS, 21ST-CENTURY SCIENTISTS HAVE HELMED THEIR SHARE OF WILD TECH FLOPS, DUBIOUS THEORIES AND OVERHYPED BREAKTHROUGHS. HERE ARE THE BIGGEST TO FORGET

6 mins

How can I change my personality?

Want to become more confident, extroverted or assertive? Science shows that with a few simple changes, you can unlock your best self

5 mins

HOW CAN I IDENTIFY MY PSYCHOLOGICAL BLIND SPOT?

In the 1950s two American psychologists, Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham, proposed a way of thinking about psychological blind spots - things you don't know about yourself - that they called the 'Johari Window' (the term is a combination of their first names).

2 mins

WHAT DETERMINES HOW MANY ABS I CAN GET?

Assuming you're a human being, you have exactly the same number of abs as everybody else: two.

2 mins

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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.