CONTENTS

REGULARS

06 EYE OPENER

The best science images from around the world.

12 FEEDBACK

A selection of the physical and electronic mail that has arrived this month.

15 DISCOVERIES

All the month’s biggest news, including: Black hole’s tantrum unbalances an ent i re ga l a x y ; Scien t i s t s s ee colour s t hrough animals ’ eyes ; Water f ound bur ied on Mars ; The megalodon may not have been quite so mega; Breakthrough anti-ageing cell could help you stay younger for longer; AI analysis discovers fingerprints aren’t unique; And more…

26 DR KATIE MACK

Fast radio bursts from beyond the gala xy are striking Earth a thousand times a day. But what’s causing them?

46 SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

Get 3 i s sues f or £5 and have ever y i s sue deli vered to your door when you subscribe to BBC Science Focus.

28 DR DEAN BURNETT

Finding it diff icult to keep hitting the gym? You’re not la zy – it ’s your brain that’s to blame.

30 DR MICHELLE

GRIFFIN Scientists are on the brink of unravelling the mystery of morning sickness.

32 REALITY CHECK

The science behind the headlines: Can tongue scraping put an end to bad breath? ; I s your reus able water bottle harbouring dangerous bacteria?; And the high-tech solutions that could f ix the potholes in Britain’s roads.

39 INNOVATIONS

A roundup of the hottest tech trends that emerged f rom CE S 2024.

78 Q & A

Our experts answer your questions. This month: Why i s i t so di ff icul t to a sk for help? How many tentacles does an octopus have? Why do we pick favourites? And more…

89 CROSSWORD

Engage your grey matter!

89 NEXT MONTH

A sneak peek at the upcoming issue.

90 BETTER LIVING

THROUGH SCIENCE Should you shell out for a DIY test kit that could determine your risk of heart disease?

4

15

DISCOVERIES

32

REALITY CHECK

Astronomers spot a black hole in a distant gala xy throwing a truly epic wobbler.

You can banish bad breath by scraping your tongue, say TikTok influencers. Are they right?

78 Q&A