BBC Science Focus Magazine March 2022

There’s a certain genre of social media that sets my teeth on edge, and that’s celebrity routines. If you haven’t seen them, it’s when the rich and famous share what they do in a day. It turns out the secret to their success is actually a meticulously devised routine: hey wake up at 2:30am, play golf at 7:30am, and they’re in the cryo-chamber by 9:30am while the rest of us are still scratching around for coffee. For them, breakfast might be a nourishing Buddhist chant or perhaps an algal powder cocktail because they haven’t earned a meal yet. By the end of the day, the only way to really recharge is to sit in front of a Himalayan salt lamp for half an hour. If you can’t find one of…

Discovery: Tooth and Claw Pop culture gives hyenas a bad rap, when in fact, these creatures lead fascinating lives. Their intelligence is comparable to that of chimps, their laughs indicate social status and they’re matriarchal. Zoologist Adam Hart explores what we know about these incredible animals. Available now on BBC Sounds The Museums That Make Us “What are museums for in 2022?” That’s the question asked by art historian Neil MacGregor at the heart of this fascinating radio series. Join Neil as he tours the breadth of the UK to discover the ambitions of museums within local communities. BBC Radio 4 Starts Monday 7 March Fantastic Beasts: A Natural History If you think that unicorns and mermaids are the stuff of fiction, think again. Stephen Fry presents this documentary uncovering the ancestors of our favourite…

PROF BILL MAGUIRE A professor of geophysical and climate hazards at UCL, Bill looks back at a year of volcanic activity to explain what it’s taught us about Earth’s geology. →p44 DR KAELI SWIFT Crows are incredibly smart: they can learn, imitate sounds, and even carry out rituals for their dead. Bird expert Kaeli tells us more. →p66 HAYLEY BENNETT What if we could have spotted COVID-19 sooner? Science writer Hayley finds out whether it’s possible to create a system that could stop a pandemic in its tracks. →p72 PROF DANN MITCHELL Tornadoes, waterspouts, fire devils and snowspouts. Professor of climate science Dann gives us the lowdown on twisters and how they form. →p86 CONTACT US AdvertisingDavid.DSouza@ourmedia.co.uk0117 300 8110 Letters for publicationreply@sciencefocus.com Editorial enquirieseditorialenquiries@sciencefocus.com0117 300 8755 Subscriptionsbuysubscriptions.com/contactus03330 162 113* Other contactssciencefocus.com/contact…

Optimus wine CHANGI AIRPORT, SINGAPORE If you find yourself in Changi Airport, Singapore, this pair of robotic arms will offer you a free drink. Inside the airport’s duty-free shop, Toni the robot bartender can provide you with a sample from the selection of 150 bottles hanging from the ceiling. To kick things off you have to install the Makr Shakr app on your smartphone, and from there you can concoct your very own cocktail. The robotic arms, built by KUKA, have been spared from a life working on a factory floor and have a suite of laser scanners to pull off the delicate, precise movements required to handle glass and make a vodka martini (shaken, not stirred). In case you’re wondering, should any tipsy customer decide to lurch behind the bar, Toni comes to…

Peek-a-poo! I’ve been watching David Attenborough’s new series The Green Planet. There was a plant that made its seeds the same size and appearance as antelope poo – it even smells like it! The plant has done this to fool dung beetles into taking the seeds and burying them, in order to give them the best chance of germinating, as the favourite food of dung beetles in the area is antelope poo. My first thought was: “That’s amazing!” However, my second thought was: “But how does the plant know what antelope poo looks or smells like?” Then I must confess, my third thought was: “I bet someone at BBC Science Focus could tell me.” So here I am. I’m hoping that you can tell me as I’m intrigued. Kate Harris Thanks to evolution,…

reply@sciencefocus.com BBC Science Focus, Eagle House, Bristol, BS1 4ST @sciencefocus www.facebook.com/sciencefocus @bbcsciencefocus Pie in the sky? There are several drawbacks to the idea that air taxis are about to take off in a big way (January, p44). First, these flying machines require batteries to power their electric motors, so can supply and demand constraints limit their growth? Second, as the skies fill up with these machines, won’t this just lead to congestion? Third, what about the increased risks of collisions as the skies fill up? Fourth, these machines are likely to be expensive, so it is only the rich who are likely to benefit. No, I suspect this is just another pie-in-the-sky idea. Steve Jones Stay cool We have heard so much from Dr Michael Mosley on his Just One Thing podcast and in BBC Science Focus about cold…