Indholdsfortegnelse for May 2025 i BBC Science Focus Magazine

WEST BENGAL, INDIA These two flower crab spiders have been caught copulating by Sandip Guha, who won the Macro category of the London Camera Exchange Photographer of the Year competition with this image. Aside from the colours and detail, the picture provides a perfect example of sexual dimorphism (where different sexes of the same species vary drastically in appearance). Here, the speckled green and white female is much larger than the smaller, more colourful male. The average female flower crab spider’s body is 9–11mm (0.3-0.4in) long, but males tend to be a more measly 3–4mm (0.11–0.15in). Size isn’t the only thing the males lack. They’re not exactly gifted in the romance department either (according to famed arachnologist Dr Norman Platnick, they have “the least developed courtship of any spiders”). There…

“At the time when they were alive, these people were almost like living fossils – like something that shouldn’t be there” Today, the Sahara Desert is one of the most inhospitable places on Earth. But it wasn’t always this way. Roll the clock back 7,000 years and the Sahara was a lush, green savannah, teeming with wildlife and dotted with lakes - including one the size of modern-day Germany. It was, in other words, the perfect place for our ancient ancestors to settle. But who were they? Thanks to new research, we might have found out. Scientists have successfully analysed the DNA of two naturally mummified women from the Takarkori rock shelter, in what is now southwestern Libya. Their findings, published in the journal Nature, reveal something extraordinary: these ancient…

For more than 70 years, so-called ‘forever chemicals’ have been used to make all sorts of products, from nonstick cookware to fabrics. But they’ve also been linked to environmental problems and serious health consequences, including several types of cancer - and they’re notoriously hard to get rid of. Now, scientists have discovered how to break down and recycle these chemicals (also known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS). What’s more, the method – developed by researchers at the University of Oxford, working with Colorado State University in the US – not only destroys PFAS, but also recovers useful elements from them. “The destruction of PFAS with phosphate salts is an exciting innovation, offering a simple yet powerful solution to a longstanding environmental challenge,” said Dr Long Yang, a chemist…

None of us remember being babies. In fact, most adults’ earliest memories come from the age of about four and scientists don’t really know why. Researchers have long believed this phenomenon (called ‘infantile amnesia’) was because very young children didn’t form memories of specific events while the part of the brain that dealt with memory, the hippocampus, was still developing. But a new study from Yale University, in the US and published in the journal Science has blown that theory apart. It found that babies do store these types of memories in their hippocampus, making it even more bizarre that we don’t remember anything from this time. The scientists showed babies, aged four months to two years, images of faces, objects and scenes while scanning their brains using magnetic resonance…

The day after the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument’s (DESI) second data release papers came out, which presented evidence for a weakening of the dark energy accelerating the Universe’s expansion, members of the cosmology group at my research institute received an email announcing a discussion group. It was headed “The week that broke Cosmology!” and said that we would meet in an hour to hear a summary from a member of the DESI team and then “pick up the pieces and decide what comes next for cosmology.” It’s not unusual to see breathless proclamations about cosmic crises in the media, but within the research community, most of us tend to be more cautious. Yes, it could be really interesting and important, but we shouldn’t throw out the textbooks just yet. Yes,…

These days, more and more youngsters are turning to social media platforms such as TikTok for advice on everything from how to perform the latest K-pop dance moves to hacks on producing the perfect winged eyeliner. But should they be taking advice from social media influencers on more serious issues, such as mental health? A recent study published by researchers in British Columbia, Canada, found that the 100 most popular TikTok videos tagged #ADHD clocked up a total of almost half a billion views. ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder) is clearly on TikTok users’ minds. But what is the quality of information given out online, and what does it mean for the people who consume it? It’s important to note that ADHD has historically been considered by psychiatry, clinical psychology and…

A confined space, a limited number of suspects, a lack of contact with the outside world. These are the makings of a juicy murder mystery. They’re also eerily similar to conditions aboard the International Space Station (ISS), where astronauts – highly trained personnel selected for their resourcefulness, endurance and almost impossibly cool composure – spend months on end trapped together. Though we like to think of Earth’s best and brightest scientists as incorruptible, who hasn’t considered murdering a co-worker from time to time? And extended stays in high-stress environments are enough to make anyone snap. As cosmonaut Valery Ryumin chillingly wrote in his personal diary during a stint in space in 1980: “All the necessary conditions to perpetrate a murder are met by locking two men in a cabin of…

You don’t need a scientist to tell you that hangovers are bad. Too much alcohol often leads to headaches, nausea and fatigue, and a bodywide wave of inflammation. This, of course, is to say nothing of the long-term health risks of alcohol consumption. So, given the bitter toll they exact on us, it’s amazing how little research has been done on hangovers. “I did a PubMed search for ‘hangover’ and I think it came up with around 600 articles since 1945,” says Prof J Leigh Leasu re, refer ring to the open-access database of biomedical and life science research. “Which means that there’s, like, nothing on this topic. It’s stunning.” Leasure, a neuroscientist who studies the effects of alcohol at the University of Houston, is one of the researchers trying…

Contrary to what you might have heard, technology could offer some surprising benefits in slowing cognitive decline as we age. At least that’s according to a new study published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour. “The terms ‘brain rot’ and ‘brain drain’ get thrown around a lot, and now we’re seeing the term ‘digital dementia’,” Prof Michael Scullin, co-author of the new study, told BBC Science Focus. “The notion that a digital device is inflicting cognitive harm with every use is very concerning and would suggest that adults who’ve been exposed to computers, the internet and smartphones during the first few decades of the digital revolution should be at increased risk for cognitive impairment.” To test if digital dementia is really as bad as it sounds, Scullin and his colleague,…

According to the National Coffee Association, the average American drinks just over three cups of coffee a day. It’s often seen as a healthy habit, and for good reason: coffee is linked to a reduced risk of diabetes and certain types of cancer. But coffee also contains natural compounds that can raise cholesterol, and depending on how it’s prepared, your daily pick-me-up could be giving you more of them than you want. In a study, published in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, a team of Swedish researchers took a closer look at workplace coffee machines and found that many produce coffee with relatively high levels of these cholesterol-elevating substances. Unfiltered or boiled coffee is known to contain two cholesterol-raising compounds, cafestol and kahweol, which belong to a group…

These pictures mark a successful end to NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore’s extended stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). After taking the first crewed test flight of the Boeing Starliner spacecraft up to the ISS for a planned eight-day mission last June, safety concerns about their return trip meant that Williams and Wilmore had to extend their stay. After safely splashing back down to Earth on 18 March in a SpaceX Dragon capsule – with just 9.3m³ (328ft³) of room inside for Williams, Wilmore and two other returning astronauts – they were flown to Texas to be quarantined and given extensive medical evaluations. Despite exercising for two hours every day while aboard the ISS, the astronauts’ extended stay in microgravity left them at risk of muscle atrophy,…

According to the World Health Organization, around 41,000 people die each year while cycling. How many of those weren’t wearing a helmet is unknown. What is known, is that helmets are a deterrent for many. Cycling UK, a charity promoting bicycle use, suggests that if helmet use were to be made mandatory, it would prompt a drop in the numbers of people choosing to go by bike. For evidence of that, look no further than Australia - after New South Wales and Melbourne introduced mandatory helmet laws, cycling in the two states dropped by 36 per cent. Studies suggest people’s reluctance to wear helmets is due to, among other things, scepticism about the protection they offer, the difficulty of storing them and cost. Ventete, a British start-up, thinks its new…

1 ADOPT THE HYPNOTIC MINDSET Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Sit with a straight back and the crown of your head pointing to the ceiling. Try to increase your optimism that the process will bring benefits. Prepare yourself to imagine the things that are being suggested to you. 2 ENGAGE IN THE INDUCTION PROCESS Without moving your head, lift your gaze and fix your eyes on a point on the ceiling. You should feel a slight strain on your eyes that quickly turns to fatigue. As you feel your eyes tiring, imagine your lids becoming heavier and allow them to close slowly. Relax your breathing. 3 DEEPEN YOUR EXPERIENCE In your mind, count from five down to one and imagine that with each number you count, your body and…

NEW JERSEY, USA This intricate rainbow pattern represents the first sighting of Hofstadter’s butterfly. Spotted lurking between two layers of graphene, it was – up to this point – a theoretical ‘creature’ with wings made of self-repeating fractal patterns. Prof Douglas Hofstadter, a computer scientist and distinguished professor at Indiana University Bloomington, in the US, theorised the butterfly’s existence in a 1976 paper. He predicted that, under the right conditions, electrons in the quantum world could produce repeating shapes, or fractals, that would “form a very striking pattern somewhat resembling a butterfly.” Now, researchers from Princeton University think they’ve accidentally found one. The researchers were passing electricity between sheets of graphene in a magnetic field to see how the electrons would behave. Setting up microscopic materials is tricky, though, and…

The analysis highlights plenty of ways to support older people in gaining the benefits of technology. “If an older adult has avoided adopting tablets, smartphones or other digital devices because they fear it will be too hard to learn how to use them, then now is a good time to suggest giving it another try,” Scullin said. The key here is patience: don’t assume that because someone is older, technology is a lost cause. And the more challenging they find it, the more beneficial the learning experience may be. Benge and Scullin have conducted behavioural clinical trials in which they successfully coached older adults with mild dementia and little to no experience with smartphones. “The keys to successful learning are to have a quiet room, a very patient trainer and…

The beauty industry is no stranger to trends. From pro-ageing campaigns to use-at-home LED masks, consumers have seen it all. But one trend that has taken a particularly firm grip over the past decade is the idea of ‘natural’, or ‘organic’, beauty. On the surface, it sounds great. Botanical ingredients, minimal processing and fewer synthetic pesticides. What’s not to love? Well, quite a lot as it turns out. When we think about doing right by the planet, choosing to use a ‘natural’ beauty product might feel like a good idea. But as the beauty industry faces scrutiny for its environmental toll, it’s time to look beyond the greenwashing and ask whether relying on naturally grown resources for a billion-dollar industry is truly sustainable. GROWING MARKETS The current global natural and…

The problems started with six little red dots. Six small fuzzy spots, among thousands of others, were enough to suddenly bring every thing into question. The dots appeared in images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and, whichever way astronomers and astrophysicists looked at them, they just didn’t make sense. Every thing about the dots seemed wrong – their colour, the wavelengths of light they were giving off and the fact they were so numerous. Their existence didn’t fit into our understanding of the Universe. And yet, there they were. Six little dots, sitting – as plain as the nose on your face – right in the middle of images collected by the most advanced telescope humanity had ever built. A telescope with the ability to look so…

To most of us, mushrooms are just weird-looking woodland growths, and a fungus is something you probably need a cream for. Increasingly though, scientists are describing fungi as more sophisticated than we previously thought. Some even say ‘intelligent’, with a few researchers going so far as to hint they might be conscious. While such theories are controversial among experts, the rest of us would like to know if, for instance, our breakfast ingredients are thinking about us. So, what should we make of such reports? Biologists have long argued over whether animals like fish and bats are conscious. But now brainless beings like plants, slime moulds and fungi are getting caught up in the debate. And there’s certainly more to mushrooms than meets the eye, as Cecelia Stokes, a PhD…

PENCILS AT THE READY! ACROSS 1 British country that’s lacking in interest (5) 4 Pressure on thin piece of timber (5) 8 Fever caught on slope (5) 9 Intended money to have no new energy (7) 10 Another grocer has some work (3) 11 Resistant to alcoholic strength (5) 12 Husband gags terribly, swallowing one delicacy (6) 14 One who makes way, being polite? (5,8) 17 Staple shape for dishes (6) 19 Called new dame out (5) 22 Excessively, as well (3) 23 Tongue finds a type of coffee (7) 24 Lift gets more money (5) 25 New cadet in performance (5) 26 Lived to have terribly lewd time (5) DOWN 1 Support wolves and go hiking (8) 2 In the morning, I leave friend (5) 3 Party left fuel…