Alex Hughes
Alex is a staff writer at BBC Science Focus. He has worked for a number of brands covering technology and science with an interest in consumer tech, robotics, AI and the often generally wonderful and weird world of future technology.
Recent articles by Alex Hughes
The great multivitamin myth: Why the pills could be harming your immune system
There are plenty of companies claiming their vitamins can boost your immune system, but do you actually need them?
Why 10am is the perfect time to have your morning coffee
If you were to have just one cup of coffee today, the late morning is the best time according to your body’s natural rhythms.
Anti-ageing neuro-tech: The bold new devices built to keep your brain young
Sending shocks to the nervous system has a variety of health benefits. But is it a safe thing to do?
Your next cup of coffee could be made from these plant cells. Here's why
Making coffee is resource intensive and an ecological nightmare. So what’s the future? It could be coffee cells.
What is Sora AI? Everything to know about OpenAI’s text-to-video tool
Artificial intelligence can now create videos from your prompts, but how does it work?
Ageless brain: How this new supercomputer could help keep your mind young
The DeepSouth project aims to mimic the human brain.
Instant Genius Podcast | How the Placebo effect actually works
How people can be healed without actual treatment.
The 7 biggest myths about your coffee, debunked by a scientist
The world of coffee is flooded with myths and opinions on how to perfect the magical drink, but which ones are true?
This is what a near-death experience actually feels like
Near-death experiences are unique. Large portions of people have reported intense visions and increased happiness – but why?
Microscopic robots could soon float inside your liver to fight cancer
Canadian researchers are closing in on a novel approach to treat liver tumours using microrobots in a MRI device.
Instant Genius Podcast | How to get better at being bored
What boredom is actually signalling to your body, explained by a neuroscientist.
What is ImageFX? All you need to know about Google's new AI image generator
Like OpenAI’s Dall-E, ImageFX can create full images from just your prompts but is it any good and can you use it now?
Instant Genius Podcast | The strange science of why humans need laughter
The connection between laughter and your immune system, and what really happens when you get the giggles.
Black hole unbalances entire galaxy with massive tantrum
The XMM-Newton space observatory has spotted a black hole going full toddler.
Your inbox is a mess. These 5 research-backed steps will finally tame it
Keeping up with emails can be a nightmare. But there are some easy ways to do some digital housekeeping and keep the noise to a minimum.
Why everything you know about charisma is wrong
Want to become a more charismatic person? That could be harder than you might think.
These videos show (nearly) exactly how animals see the world
Thanks to open-source cameras, we can now see the natural world through the eyes of animals with over 90 per cent accuracy.
AI snore pillows and very cute robots: The 7 best trends from 2024’s biggest tech show
CES 2024 has come to an end, and these are the biggest trends from the event that are shaping the future.
Instant Genius Podcast | The science of the paranormal
Why we see ghosts, UFOs and visions of our past lives.
New app could drastically improve tinnitus symptoms
Tinnitus could be tackled through the use of a new app from a team of international researchers.
Google Gemini: Everything you need to know about new ChatGPT’s AI rival
Google Gemini is here to take on OpenAI's GPT-4, but how does it work and is this the future of AI?
17 absurdly brilliant (and bizarre) gadgets that defined 2023
2023 has been a great year for innovation. And while there have been thousands of amazing new gadgets, these were our favourites.
11 totally ridiculous high-tech gifts billionaires can buy this Christmas
From personal aircraft to sports teams, here’s what billionaires will be buying each other this Christmas (with some more modestly priced alternatives for the rest of us).
The 5 laws of making better home coffee, according to science
Social media is filled with expensive tools and fancy new coffee techniques, but most of these aren’t that helpful, these are the factors to focus on.