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Monthly focus

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.

Researchers are finding new uses for diamonds in the lab. Image credit: Shutterstock/ Baloncici
monthly focus
05 January 2016

A researcher’s best friend?

Detecting diseases, removing CO2 from chemicals and uncovering the composition of the earth’s core: diamonds have many more uses than just decorating our hands. This January, Horizon talks to the researchers who are unearthing new ways of using one of nature’s most treasured materials.

Nerve cells have long tails called dendrites which transmit electrochemical stimulations. Credit: Creative Commons Attribution BY 2.5 / Hermann Cuntz
monthly focus
02 December 2015

On the edges of the mind

This December, Horizon talks to scientists who are drawing lines between free will and genetic disposition, differentiating between feeling and thinking, unlocking how our brains process placebo drugs, and even defining the grey area between consciousness and unconsciousness in comatose patients. 

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