Author Oliver Kirk

Oliver Kirk

Recent articles by Oliver Kirk

6 of the most extreme jobs in science

From crocodile behaviourist to faecal transplant technician, we look at some of the most extraordinary jobs in science.
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How fast are the Voyager spacecrafts travelling? © NASA

Mission timeline: Voyager’s landmark moments

From its launch in 1977 to becoming the first man-made object to leave the Solar System, the Voyager probes have made some incredible discoveries along their journey through space.
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Top tips on how to photograph the Perseid meteor shower

BBC Sky At Night Magazine and Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomer Tom Kerss share their top tips on taking beautiful photos of the Perseids.
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The theoretical physicist's life in pictures

He was one of the world's most famous and important scientists, changing the way we understand the Universe, all while living most of his life with motor neurone disease - here’s the renowned theoretical physicist's life in pictures.
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Inside The Dinosaur's Mind

How brains, not brawn, helped T. rex conquer the planet.
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Through The Wormhole

We find out if we could take a shortcut into another galaxy by plunging through a black hole.
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How Emotions Trick Your Brain

Lisa Feldman Barrett reveals why happiness and sadness are just an illusion.
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Stephen Hawking: a mind without limits

Find out what the world's greatest scientist taught us in the new special edition from the makers of BBC Focus and BBC History Magazine.
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The Hunt For Earth’s Sister

How one photo, snapped by Project Blue, could change our view of the Universe.
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You Are Not Alone

Why is loneliness reaching epic proportions?
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Beautiful winners from the Underwater Photographer of the Year 2018 competition

The winning photos from UPY2018 have been announced, with stunning images from around the world of the waters below.
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Why The End Isn’t Nigh

We meet four enterprising scientists who are tackling the world’s biggest problems.
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How to break your mobile phone addiction

Five tips from Prof Mark Griffiths, psychologist and behavioural addiction expert at Nottingham Trent University on how to live well without your phone.
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Mission Into The Sun

Our star defies the laws of nature. It’s time to find out why.
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© SSPL/Getty Images

John Young: the astronaut's life in pictures

US astronaut John Young, who walked on the Moon and commanded the first Space Shuttle mission, has died aged 87 - we look back at his life and achievements.
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Unlocking The Secrets Of The Brain

What laboratory-grown ‘mini brains’ can tell us about our own grey matter and the diseases that afflict it..
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A Future Without Illness

Why personalised medicine is coming, and how it’s going to help us beat disease.
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How does the honeybee's body work?

These little bees are the perfect honey machines.
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Heart-breaking image of a black rhino tops Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 winners

Every year the WPY competition brings us some of the best wildlife photography around, and 2017 competition is no different – check out the incredible whales, beautiful birds, and this year’s harrowing overall winner.
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Something's Wrong With Gravity

What if the force that holds the Universe together doesn’t exist?
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20 bizarre and beautiful winners from Nikon Small World 2017

Photomicrography picks out details in the world around us that are invisible to the naked eye, and every year NSW picks out the best of a brilliant bunch – check out this year’s winners.
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Never Be Tired Again

Can’t crawl out of bed in the morning? Our expert tips will help you get your spark back.
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Mind-blowing things we learned watching the new Voyager film The Farthest

The Voyager missions has made an incredible impact on our understanding of the Solar System, but also on the hearts and minds of the people involved in the mission. This is wonderfully expressed in the new movie The Farthest – here are some of the amazing things we discovered.
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Voyager: Beyond our Solar System

What secrets can NASA’s Voyager probes reveal about interstellar space?
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