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Monthly focus

World leaders met in Paris, France, last year at COP21 and agreed to keep global warming under 2 degrees Celsius compared with pre-industrial times. Image credit: U.S. Department of State/ public domain
monthly focus
05 December 2016

One year on

This December marks one year on from the Paris agreement, where world governments agreed to keep global warming to within 2 degrees Celsius of the average pre-industrial temperature. To mark the occasion, Horizon takes stock of the situation and examines the challenges ahead. We speak to scientists who are mapping a pathway for governments to cut back on emissions, we host a debate on steel - one of Europe’s most polluting industries, and we look the progress of carbon capture and storage. We also interview Professor Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, founder of the Potsdam Institute in Germany, who was the first to propose that 2 degrees should be set as a limit for global warming.

Genetically altered photosynthetic bacteria can convert sunlight into fuel three times as effectively as plants. Image: ‘Clyndrospermum (Cyanobacteria)’ by Matthewjparker is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
monthly focus
01 November 2016

The power of bacteria

Bacteria may be some of the oldest organisms in the evolutionary tree, but, as Horizon discovers this month, they are inspiring new technologies, from turning sunlight into car fuel to creating building blocks that can repair themselves when cracked. We also hear from scientists using these single-celled organisms to heat our homes, and others who are using them to help trees clean up contaminated soil. 

Horizon takes a look at the biological clocks in people, animals and plants this October. Image credit: Flickr/ Ross2085
monthly focus
03 October 2016

The 24-hour rhythms that govern life

As the clocks go back this October, Horizon takes a moment to look at the 24-hour rhythms that govern life. We talk to scientists trying to alter the internal clocks of our cells to help fight obesity and diabetes, and others working out the best time for each patient to take medicines. We also learn how tobacco plants can change their body clocks in a last-ditch attempt to survive when they’re threatened by predators or food scarcity. 

2D materials are opening up a whole world of possibilities for scientists.
monthly focus
01 September 2016

Tales of the second dimension

This month, Horizon explores the weird and wonderful world of 2D materials. We talk to researchers revving up for a nano car race on a track the size of a flu virus, and others who are splicing atom-thick layers to create materials with on-demand properties. We find out how one scientist is bending and stretching 2D materials to create ultra-small sensors, and discover some of the other potential applications creating a buzz, including energy storage and high-power computing.

The Rio 2016 Olympic Games will run from 5 to 21 August. Image credit: Shutterstock/ lazyllama
monthly focus
01 August 2016

Science on the starting blocks

In August, we look at the social impact of mega events such as the Olympic Games, the links between sports and society, the benefits of high-intensity interval training, and how, one day, part of your football boots could have scored a winning goal at the World Cup, if shoemaker adidas gets its way.

Off-grid technology in Africa can help households access power after sunset. Image courtesy of Off:Grid:Electric
monthly focus
04 July 2016

Turning on the power, off the grid

This month Horizon looks at the latest technology to turn on power in places which are off the grid. We learn about solar power tech that's being used to clean water, bring internet to mobile phones and even sustain temporary housing pods after a disaster. We also hear from Michael Gera, who’s investing in off-grid energy companies in Africa, so that businesses can stay open and children can study after the sun goes down.

Researchers are creating a robot that can scour the ocean floor and swim like an octopus. Credit: Age of Robots, M. Brega
monthly focus
02 May 2016

Inspired by nature – made by science

This month, Horizon looks at the growing field of bio-inspired robotics to find out how nature is inspiring machine design. We investigate the surgical tools that mimic how octopus arms become flexible or stiff on demand, sensors based on the orientation ability of maggots, and marine robots inspired by lilypads, fish and mussels.

Can we can hack our brains to change how we think, act and feel? Image credit: Pixabay/ geralt
monthly focus
04 April 2016

Training the brain

In April, Horizon looks beyond the hype of smart drugs and brain stimulation to examine less extreme ways for people to sharpen their mental abilities. We find out about the wearable tech that can train police officers to make better decisions, discover how a videogame can stimulate empathy, and learn how meditation changes your brain.

This March, Horizon looks at some of the latest research on the fourth rock from the sun. Credit: Flickr/ mark justinecorea
monthly focus
01 March 2016

The Red Planet

As the European Space Agency’s ExoMars mission begins its six-month journey to the planet, we talk to its director-general Professor Jan Woerner about drilling into the Martian surface and pose the crucial question: is there life on Mars? We also find out how scientists are recycling historic data to create a virtual reality simulation of the planet’s terrain, and explore some of the obstacles to a crewed Martian mission.

Researchers are mapping out Europe's place in the global trade structure. Image credit: Getty
monthly focus
01 February 2016

Over the horizon

What are the latest techniques being developed to stop counterfeit drugs at the border? Why do countries still prefer bi- and multilateral agreements over global deals, and how does trade play into financial crises? This February, Horizon uncovers what’s setting the course for global trade.

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