Hatty Willmoth

Hatty Willmoth

Trends editor

Hatty Willmoth is a trends editor at BBC Science Focus. She has previously written for Newsweek, the Independent and Live Science, among others, and has a background writing about health, nutrition and food. Hatty has an NCTJ from News Associates and an MA in History from the University of Cambridge.

Recent articles by Hatty Willmoth
Peruvian pelican

Bird poop powered one of the Americas’ greatest ancient kingdoms, study finds

Archaeological analysis of items from a South American kingdom reveals their prosperity was built on bird poop
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A woman standing in the dark, surrounded by blurry water droplets

Here’s what your sexual fantasies say about your personality, study claims

Your sexual inner world could be linked with a host of physical and mental conditions
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A bowl of porridge with orange segments

Eating oats could lower your cholesterol in just two days, study suggests

The health benefits of a two-day porridge diet lasted for weeks afterwards
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White pills in a yellow background

The weight-loss pill everyone wants is finally here

Experts say weight-loss drugs in pill form may become much more widely available – for better and for worse
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A banana on a purple background

Scientists asked 800 people to compare penis sizes. Here’s what they found

The study aimed to investigate why humans have larger appendages than other primates
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Blocked artery concept and human blood vessel as a disease with cholesterol fat buildup clogging. Clogged arteries, Cholesterol plaque in the artery. 3D Rendering

How to spot high cholesterol early and lower your levels fast

They’re behind millions of deaths every year – but fatty build-ups in our arteries often slip by unseen. How can we spot them before it’s too late?
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A bottle of vegetable oil in a supermarket.

Seed oils vs butter: Here's what’s actually healthier, according to doctors

With droves of wellness warriors choosing butter over seed oils, scientists weigh in on their favourite fats
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The Pompeii baths

The ancient baths of Pompeii were outrageously filthy, study finds

The pre-Roman baths of Pompeii would have been seriously grotty, according to an analysis of mineral deposits
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Ozempic made rapid weight loss easier. But here’s when keeping body fat is healthier, according to doctors

We tend to see weight loss as aspirational, but having a bit of extra fat isn’t always bad for us
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A hand grips a red sheet

Scientists studied the orgasms of 86 women. Here's what they found

Spoiler: it involves sneezing, crying and nosebleeds
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Bored businesswoman at work

We’ve finally found the mental ‘brake’ behind procrastination

A pesky “motivation brake” may control when we can be bothered to do something, and when we’d rather put it off
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A young tricolour border collie outdoors

Your dog might be eavesdropping on your conversations – and learning words from them

Certain dogs can learn words like human toddlers, by listening to family members’ conversations
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Woman falling through clouds.

I learned how to control my dreams to better my mental health. Here’s how

These dreaming techniques could help conquer nightmares, improve mental health and fine-tune athletic performance
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A man wearing a suit adjusts his tie in a mirror

These are the most narcissistic countries in the world, study suggests

Plus, why some groups are more likely to be self-obsessed, no matter their nationality
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Photo of a bowl full of granola, fruit and porridge.

The diet change everyone should make to lower their cholesterol

We all know fibre helps digestion. But doctors now say it could be just as powerful for managing your cholesterol levels and heart health
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A man and a woman drink coffee in a cafe together.

Why giving up alcohol may be the key to slowing down ageing

Giving up alcohol could add years to your life by slowing down your biological clock
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Illustration of person running.

Exercise won’t help you lose much fat. Changing this will

Groundbreaking research is rewriting the science of how we use energy – and why effort alone won’t shift the scales
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A woman sitting on a sofa, holding her belly

How to tell the difference between bloating and belly fat

The simple signs – and what to do about each
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A brain is split into blue and pink, with many smaller brains in the blue or pink zones

Men’s brains may age faster than women’s, suggests major new study

Brain ageing is the biggest risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease
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A mother and baby elephant

New study reveals salt to blame for missing mega-herbivores

Elephants, rhinos and giraffes might be limited by the availability of this kitchen ingredient
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Digital generated image of abstract sliced multicoloured head with swirl spline connections inside. Technology and AI concept.

This ‘digital brain’ could soon simulate ethically forbidden experiments

This very complicated computer model was designed to help teach us about our own brains
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3d rendering of pills, Healthcare and medicine concept.

The real reason men still don’t have a contraceptive pill

Ever wondered why the contraceptive landscape is so female-centric?
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A woman holds her face, with a pink background

This is the easiest natural way to improve your skin, suggests study

A new study has shown that eating more of an essential nutrient can improve collagen production and skin health
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A happy dog lying on a bed

Humans are absolutely terrible at reading dog emotions, study finds

Our emotions can play a big part in how we respond to our furry friends – but not in the way you might think
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