Focus-Science and Technology

FROM THE EDITOR

From where I’m sitting right now (a few weeks before Christmas) January seems like a terrible time to change my life. The long nights, howling winds and unending drizzle that constitute a British winter all seem to scream: stay indoors, get under a...

FROM THE EDITOR

Imagine having access to a time machine. You could experience historical events first-hand – and finally get to the bottom of all manner of mysteries, such as: where did I put my keys? The keys I had in my hand just a second ago? We can’t travel back...

THE MYTH OF HIGH-CHOLESTEROL FOODS, DEBUNKED

FROM THE EDITOR

Psychology is rife with myths: you only use 10 per cent of your brain; you’re either left-brained or right-brained; your brain has a ‘learning style’. Culture is littered with ideas that would have any decent psychologist rolling their eyes. It’s the...

HOW CLIMATE CHANGE CAN TRIGGER EARTHQUAKES THAT LEVEL MAJOR CITIES

THE GALAXIES THAT SHOULDN'T EXIST

CROSSWORD

Engage your grey matter!

FROM THE EDITOR

The last 10 years on Earth have been the hottest since records began. To make matters worse, 2024 was the first calendar year that was, on average, 1.5°C warmer than the pre-industrial era. This will come as no surprise to anyone who follows the news....

HOW TO REDUCE YOUR CHOLESTEROL WITHOUT STATINS

RETHINKING HYPNOSIS

From pain management to dealing with anxiety, why scientists are taking it seriously

FROM THE EDITOR

I’ve always wanted to visit Silfra in Iceland. I can’t really explain why, other than by simply stating what it is. Iceland sits upon two continental plates – the Eurasian plate and the North American plate. These are huge chunks of Earth’s surface –...

FROM THE EDITOR

I once saw someone’s beating heart. Don’t worry, the story isn’t as grisly as it sounds. It was an ultrasound scan (also known as an echocardiogram): a video in black and white of my gran’s heart. She had a leaky valve, which meant blood didn’t always...

FROM THE EDITOR

As we age, we all tend to get a bit more forgetful. Like sore knees, dodgy hearing and hair sprouting from places where it’s not welcome, memory loss is an inevitable part of getting older. In reality, we don’t actually lose our memories; it’s likely...

FROM THE EDITOR

Everyone loves a tall tale. Stories of spooky goings on pique our interest like nothing else. So there’s always a slight tinge of disappointment when science debunks them as fiction rather than fact. Case in point: the many yarns spun by sailors and...

FROM THE EDITOR

On the eve of a quarter century, it seems like a good time to pause and take a look back (and forwards) at the science that matters. Of course, it’s all important, but it’s fun to wind the clock back and argue about the breakthroughs that have really...

FROM THE EDITOR

Timing is everything. It’s the one thing stand-up comedians and experimental physicists have in common. The ability to measure time precisely, over both vast and minute spans, underpins our observations of the world. If the Universe is a puzzle, then...

The solar apocalypse that could destroy Earth

ARE WE SPECIAL?

HOW SCIENTISTS ARE REWRITING THE ORIGIN STORY OF EARTH AND LIFE ITSELF

FROM THE EDITOR

These days it seems like every time I look in the mirror I notice yet another grey hair on my head or another wrinkle on my face – daily reminders that I’m not getting any younger. Sure, these changes are only cosmetic and of no real consequence, but...

FROM THE EDITOR

Earth’s core is a scary place, when you think about it. If you travelled straight down for around 2,900km (1,802 miles) – that’s roughly equivalent to travelling from London to Edinburgh four or five times over – you’d reach it. Specifically, you’d...

FROM THE EDITOR

It feels very British to have planned three articles about heat, only for the UK to be drenched by one of the soggiest summers I can remember. That said, I’d happily choose rain over the relentless 40°C (104°F) heat that’s beating down on parts of...

FROM THE EDITOR

Michael Mosley wrote for this magazine for over a decade. For some of that time, I was his commissioning editor and I was always happy to see a message from him. It meant I was about to learn about something new. Michael’s columns were a masterclass....