Tom Howarth
Tom is trends editor at BBC Science Focus. He obtained an MPhil degree in advanced chemical engineering from the University of Cambridge, where he conducted research into amyloid protein folding using fluorescent lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). Before joining BBC Science Focus, Tom worked as a science communicator at the European Southern Observatory and has previously written GreenBiz and Geographical Magazine too. Today, he covers all types of trending science stories, from ecology to epidemiology, chemistry to computer science.
Recent articles by Tom Howarth
The US military’s carbon footprint is mind-bogglingly big. Here’s how they could cut it
The world’s largest fighting force is also one of its biggest emitters
Prehistoric ‘dancefloor’ could reveal how dinosaurs flirted
Everybody walk the dinosaur…?
The first commercial space station is nearly here. And it could change space forever
Next year, a team of astronauts will enter a new kind of space station – not built by a nation, but by a startup
10 simple ways to keep your dogs safe and happy during a heatwave
Pro tips to keep your furry friend cool when it’s hot outside.
Killer whales filmed using tools for the first time – and scientists are stunned
Fancy a scrub?
Yes, even a mild UK heatwave feels much worse than in the US. Here's why
Paddling pool? Check. Ice cream? Check. Sweat patches? Check, check.
These are the worst ChatGPT prompts for the environment, study claims
Politeness costs nothing? Tell that to the planet
Electric vehicle boom could hit major roadblock in just 5 years, study claims
With sales skyrocketing, a shortage of this key critical material could halt progress
Polar bears are being poisoned by mercury dumped a century ago
Toxic tides are delivering the dangerous pollutant to animals and people at the top of the world
Hurricanes are getting so bad, we need a new category, expert warns
Nature’s fiercest phenomena are getting even more ferocious
Strange signals are reaching us from a dead galaxy. Here's what we know...
New discoveries are shaking up what little we thought we knew about fast radio bursts
A daily helping of this common pantry staple may lower your cholesterol, study finds
Beans, beans, good for your heart (you know the rest)
A 100 ft 'mega tsunami' could hit the US at any moment. And that’s only the beginning
This could be the biggest disaster in US history, and it just got a whole lot worse
6 brutal hurricanes could soon hit the US. Here's what that means
Deepening ocean heat, shifting Pacific patterns and atmospheric quirks are lining up to fuel a busy Atlantic storm season – and some of the fiercest hurricanes may strike late in the year
A vast hidden energy source is lurking beneath the US
It could meet 10 per cent of the country’s energy demand
Scientists finally solve bizarre 40-year-old sea monster mystery
This creature was unlike anything scientists had seen before. Now we know what it was
17 simple ways to lower your risk of stroke, dementia and depression all at once
Think of this like a menu for a long, healthy and happy life
Here’s what actually shapes your prostate cancer risk
Joe Biden’s diagnosis with aggressive prostate cancer has sparked a fresh wave of concern – and confusion. This is what the science really says
The mystery of this 10,000-dinosaur graveyard may have just been solved
Buried in the forests of Alberta, Canada, lies one of the densest dinosaur bone beds ever found
Something very strange is happening inside the Moon: 'Our team was genuinely puzzled'
Scientists have long wondered why the two sides of the Moon look so different. Now we know why
We may finally know what happened to the missing water on Mars
A new study may have uncovered the Red Planet’s long-lost water – and a fresh lead in the search for life
Billions of cicadas are emerging across the US. Will their pee be a problem?
These hummingbird-sized bugs can spray urine three times faster than a human
This is what you'd eat after the apocalypse, according to science
Scientists have figured out what we need to grow in the case of a global catastrophe
This adorable bopping sea lion can probably hold a beat better than you
Note to self: avoid dance-offs with sea lions