BBC Science Focus - March 2023

In this issue

DR RADHA MODGIL
Research-backed ways to help boost your wellbeing.

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF SLIME
Slime is everywhere, and without it, life on Earth would probably not exist. Let us tell you the glorious story of goo. Now, once upon a slime…

THE JWST HAS UNEARTHED EVIDENCE OF ANCIENT GALAXIES THAT SHOULDN'T EXIST

The presence of such massive galaxies lurking in the early Universe contradicts current cosmological models

2 mins

ENDANGERED MALE QUOLLS ARE CHOOSING SEX OVER SLEEP-AND IT MAY BE KILLING THEM

The finding could explain why males usually only survive for one mating season, while females can live through several

1 min

NEANDERTHAL GOURMETS REGULARLY FEASTED ON ROASTED CRAB

The discovery of cooked crab shells in a Lisbon cave is further evidence that the early hominids had a sophisticated culture

1 min

WORLD FACING IRREVERSIBLE AND CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES IF NET ZERO CARBON NOT REACHED BY 2060

Computer models show melting ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica could cause 100cm of sea level rise in the next 130 years

1 min

A FOURTH 'WHITE' TRAFFIC LIGHT WOULD HELP DRIVERLESS CARS TO EASE CONGESTION, SCIENCE SAYS

The extra light would indicate that autonomous vehicles had taken over control of the traffic flow at busy junctions

2 mins

GENIUS COCKATOOS USE TOOLSETS TO COMPLETE TASKS LIKE LITTLE, FEATHERY HANDYPEOPLE

It is as yet unclear how many sugars they take in their tea

2 mins

LOOKING TO BURN MORE BODY FAT? START YOUR DAY WITH A MORNING WORKOUT

Taking exercise in the morning may help to boost the metabolism and burn more body fat

1 min

EARTH'S CORE

The solid-iron core at the centre of our planet is slowing down, according to a new study... and it's making our days longer

4 mins

RARE GREEN COMET SEEN RACING THROUGH THE SKY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN 50,000 YEARS

The comet, C/2022 E3 (ZTF), last Neanderthals passed by when walked the Earth

1 min

COULD THE NEW GENERATION OF ANTI-OBESITY INJECTIONS BE A GAME-CHANGER?

UK chemists will soon be selling the weight-loss jabs

3 mins

THE SCIENCE OF HAPPINESS: RESEARCHBACKED WAYS TO BOOST YOUR WELLBEING

We could all use a little joy in our lives...

3 mins

Can chatbots encourage people to be nicer to each other?

The new wave of conversational psychology to push back against toxic language Al takes cues from social

3 mins

SOLARIS: ESA'S PLAN TO GENERATE POWER IN SPACE

Could building a network of orbital power stations help us solve the energy crisis?

3 mins

Meta Quest Pro: a VR headset for an unknown customer

The Meta Quest Pro is powerful and full of features, but, as Alex Hughes discovers, unless you’re already a full believer in the metaverse, it’s probably not for you

4 mins

THE MYSTERY OF THE BIGGEST BLACK HOLE IN THE UNIVERSE

Black holes are big. Very big. But physics makes it almost impossible for them to grow. Here's how one black hole defied the odds to swell to gargantuan proportions

9 mins

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF SLIME

Runny noses, slippery sea creatures and that impossible-to-clean bit behind your sink all have one thing in common: slime. While it might make us cringe, life on Earth would be very different without it

7 mins

HOW PROCESSED FOOD HARMS YOUR MOOD

Mental health problems are on the rise. Yet there is growing evidence that the food we eat may be a vital ingredient to help us feel better

10 mins

THE AMAZON

THE WORLD'S BIGGEST, MOST BEAUTIFUL, AND MOST BIODIVERSE RAINFOREST

6 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.