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

A blue ribbonworthy concept • CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS

Cotton candy • HELSINKI, FINLAND

A slice across the sky • SHANDONG, CHINA

FEEDBACK • YOUR OPINIONS ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND OUR MAGAZINE

BBC Science Focus Magazine

How a tiny worm's brain could transform artificial intelligence • ‘Liquid neural networks’, inspired by tiny worms, promise smaller, smarter and more transparent AI

Wikipedia's founder reveals the biggest threats facing the site • Almost 25 years and millions of articles after it launched, Wikipedia has become the biggest bank of human knowledge on the web. But AI, Elon Musk and the culture wars could change everything, says Jimmy Wales

Astronomers discover hidden 'moon' shadowing Earth • We’ve only just spotted an object that’s been following us since the 1960s

There's a 'critical' design flaw in women's running shoes, warn scientists • Feet aren’t created equal

Orcas have devised a disturbing way to kill great white sharks • The marine mammals have worked out how to take down the world’s most fearsome fish

New DNA evidence reveals how Napoleon's army was actually defeated • Turns out typhus may not have been the culprit

This bizarre optical illusion could teach us how animals think • By seeing which animals fall for a classic visual trick, scientists are uncovering how different brains make sense of the world

Certain snacks are more likely to cause winter weight gain, study suggests • Dietary fats may influence how our bodies respond to the passing of the seasons

I survived the worst fire in the history of space exploration and had to keep it a secret • Astronaut Jerry Linenger opens up about one of the worst accidents in space, and the cover-up that followed

2025'S BIGGEST MOMENTS IN SCIENCE • Revisit the discoveries and events from the last 12 months that will change the world in the years to come

THIS YEAR'S WEIRDEST SCIENCE STORIES • The good, the bad and the frankly bizarre: from the world’s oldest baby to a body-snatching bug, here were science’s strangest discoveries in 2025

THE SCIENCE THAT MADE US SMILE • When 2025 got a bit much, science stepped in with the good news we needed to hear

TB is surging. Should we be worried? • Cases of the world’s deadliest infection are climbing in the UK and US. Why is tuberculosis returning and how do we fight back?

There could be a toxic heavy metal lurking in your protein supplement • People everywhere use protein supplements on a daily basis. But a new report suggests some contain worrying amounts of a harmful substance

AIN'T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH • Could an exoskeleton help you scale every peak with ease? Ezzy Pearson straps on some cyborg enhancements to find out

A CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE FOR PEOPLE WITH MORE MONEY THAN SENSE • Who really needs, or even uses, a gift guide these days? You know your loved ones far better than I ever could. Want to get them thoughtful presents? Put some thought into it. So, instead of struggling to come up with ultimately unhelpful – possibly even unsuitable – suggestions for you, I’ve decided to indulge myself for a change. I’m lifting the covers offmy true, in some cases irrational, desires this...