CONTENTS

REGULARS

20 CONVERSATION

See what’s been in our inbox this month.

23 DISCOVERIES

Artificial sweeteners found in sugar-free foods can kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria; AI can predict the risk of heart disease by analysing a single chest X-ray ; bats grunt like death metal singers to communicate; irritable bowel syndrome may be caused by body’s inability to deal with gravit y ; there are no signs of aliens on Venus; can genetic tests reliably predict disease?

34 DR KATIE MACK

A proton should be one of the simplest particles in physics, yet its weird properties send scientists down a rabbit hole of complexity.

36 DR KATE DARLING

We can now have a ‘real’ conversation with an AI, but who is benefiting f rom this tête-à-tête?

56 SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

38 DR JULIA SHAW

Eco-anxiety is on the rise, but we can harness it to help make the world a better place.

42 REALITY CHECK

The science behind the headlines. Can all-meat diets keep us healthy? Is it possible to overcome social anxiet y? Are food aversions learned or genetic?

49 INNOVATIONS

The latest tech and gadgets news.

75 Q& A

Our experts answer this month’s questions. Can animals be allergic to humans? Why do I feel better after I’ve cracked my neck? Do we really need to accept cookies on a website? Why are fish fish-shaped?

82 EXPLAINER

Everything you wanted to know about your body’s messengers, the hormones.

88 CROSSWORD

Give your brain a workout!

88 NEXT MONTH

A sneak peek at the next issue of BBC Science Focus.

Three issues for £5 when you subscribe to BBC Science Focus!

90 POPCORN SCIENCE

In M3GAN, a robot doll can communicate, dance and…kill. So how close are we to artificially intelligent kids’ toys with a mind of their own?

4

23

DISCOVERIES

42

REALITY CHECK

Homo naledi, an extinct hominid, may also have harnessed the ability to control fire.

Can a meat-and-offal-filled diet keep you ripped and healthy, as claimed by the Liver King?

75 Q&A