New issue: Are we aliens?

New issue: Are we aliens?

Is there life elsewhere in the Universe? If you look at the deep-field images taken by the James Webb Space Telescope, it’s easy to believe there might be something. Those images capture a portion of the sky smaller than a grain of sand held at arm’s length, and yet, in them, you can see thousands of galaxies. Within each of the galaxies are billions of stars. In the face of those odds, it just feels implausible to think our little rock is the only one where life found a way. The more we study other-worldly materials, like meteorites from Mars and dust collected from asteroids, the more we find the type of ingredients needed for biological processes. The most compelling discovery of this kind came in January, when scientists declared they’d found 14 of the 20 amino acids that make up human proteins inside a sample returned from the asteroid Bennu. In fact, they found all five of the nucleotide bases that make up our DNA (adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine and uracil). So, what does it all mean? Could life be quite common in the cosmos? Did life on Earth come from another world? Jonathan O’Callaghan picks up the story in this issue.

Holly Spanner

Published: June 10, 2025 at 7:00 am
The front cover of BBC Science Focus magazine, issue 420

Walking With Dinosaurs

Explore behind the scenes of the BBC’s iconic new series and unearth a dinosaur treasure trove changing the story of prehistory.

Dogs

We all wish we could have more time with our dogs. Now, biotech firms are working on a way to increase the healthy lifespan of our pooches... and maybe also sniff out the secrets to human longevity, too.

How to build confidence

Confidence is about having self-belief. Psychologists say that it's something we can learn, and it's easier than you might think. Here’s how you can boost your self-belief, according to neuroscience.

Lower your Cholesterol

Can you reduce your cholesterol without resorting to statins? Turns out that you don’t need medication to improve cholesterol levels. A few simple dietary tweaks can make a serious difference.

Plus

  • Life at World's End: Harsh conditions and extreme isolation aren’t the only threats facing scientists working in the Antarctic. They also have to worry about the potential danger they may pose to each other. We take a glimpse of what life is like at the world’s most isolated research centres.
  • AI chatbots: People are using AI chatbots as psychotherapists, but how reliable is mental health support that has been generated by artificial intelligence? We asked an actual therapist if that’s a good idea.
  • Q&A: Your questions answered! This month: Why do we feel emotions in different parts of our bodies? Are receipts really covered in chemicals? What do mummies smell like? How does background radiation affect particle detectors? How much does the average human body cost? Are negative-calorie foods real? Do the tides of different seas affect each other? And more...

Issue 420 on sale Tuesday 10 June 2025

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Holly Spanner

Staff Writer, BBC Science Focus

Holly is the Staff Writer for BBC Science Focus and looks after the popular Q&A section. She holds an MSc (distinction) in Geoscience (Space and Climate Physics) from UCL, and specialises in astronomy and earth sciences. Before joining Our Media, she worked as a geoenvironmental consultant and engineer, informing on ground risk and remediation in the north of England, while hunting for exoplanets in her spare time. Alongside this, she was regional editor of a popular theatre website for nine years, and has a solid background in curating and developing content for the digital space. Holly is also an artist and illustrator, and regular contributor to the craft website, Gathered. She has previously worked with the RSPB, English Heritage, Disney, Pilot and Brother, as well as on BBC Good Food magazine, Home Style magazine, and Papercraft inspirations magazine. She enjoys photography and has a sustained interest in antiques.
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