CONTENTS

REGULARS

06 EYE OPENER

Fascinating images from around the world.

36 INNOVATIONS

The latest tech and gadgets news.

12 CONVERSATION

See what’s landed in our inbox this month.

15 DISCOVERIES

This month’s science news: a male contraceptive pill could be on the horizon; forget the Mediterranean diet, the Nordic diet is just as good for you; how a s tar f ish’s exoskeleton could lead to innovative materials; the lettuce that could keep astronauts’ bones healthy in space.

30 REALITY CHECK

The science behind the headlines. In a world without restrictions, what is the risk of catching COVID-19? Could we ever cure migraines? Is trying to be happy at all costs ac tually making us miserable?

42 SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

63 MICHAEL MOSLEY

Why it’s time to throw out your fitness tracker, and embrace Active 10.

64 ALEKS KROTOSKI

Today, Amazon has given us the convenience of rapid deliveries. But did you know that an in-flight magazine actually got there f ir s t?

79 Q& A

Our team of exper t s answer this month’s tricky questions. If my brain can’t feel pain, why do we get headaches? Do we fart more as we get older? How can I get better at Wordle? What is a fogbow? What is the environmental impact of cigarette butts? Could a deep fake unlock a phone? How does photosynthesis work?

88 CROSSWORD

Give your brain a tough workout with our cryptic crossword.

Get two free issues when you take out a subscription to BBC Science Focus today!

88 NEXT MONTH

See what’s coming up in the next issue of BBC Science Focus.

90 POPCORN SCIENCE

Are there really multiverses, like those in Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness?

4

26

DISCOVERIES

30

REALITY CHECK

We talk to two of the scientists behind the recent mission to find Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance.

In a restriction-free world, how risky is going to the pub vs going to the supermarket?

79 Q&A

79 Q& A