Monthly focus

04 December 2017

The endocrine machine

Hormones are blamed for everything from weight gain to mood swings and this December, Horizon takes a closer look at these chemical regulators and their effects on our bodies and minds. We explore the impact of the so-called love hormone on the human-dog relationship and what it can tell us about social disorders. We find out what’s being done to neutralise the hormone-disrupting chemicals that are found in water and sewage, and we discover the importance of hormonal rhythms in tracking disorders that can lead to obesity, heart disease and osteoporosis.

This month, Horizon looks at how the natural ability of trees to absorb carbon dioxide impacts on climate change. Image credit – Shutterstock/ Pakhnyushchy

monthly focus

14 November 2017

Into the forest

Forests cover around 30 % of the Earth’s surface, are home to millions of species, capture and store carbon dioxide (CO2), influence the local climate and provide us with water. This month, Horizon examines how the health of the world’s forests impacts on climate change. We explore the link between deforestation, forest degradation and CO2 emissions, examine the push to combine farming and forestry for better land management, and find out how scientists are using tree rings and DNA to combat illegal logging.

Researchers are investigating how the adaptability of insects could be put to wider use. Image credit - Shutterstock/ kojihiranio

monthly focus

04 October 2017

The hidden world of insects

Did you know there are 200 million insects for each human on the planet? This October, Horizon delves into the mysteries of this diverse set of creatures and their seemingly infinite survival skills. We talk to researchers about why it's vital to maintain the diverse range of insect species, find out how robots and ants can work together to solve problems and explore how the superpowers of bugs could be put to use for humans.

Researchers are exploring different ways to protect your heart in an effort to reduce heart diseases. Image credit – Shutterstock/ anucha maneechote

monthly focus

04 September 2017

Love your heart

Heart disease kills almost two million people a year in the EU, so it is important to find different ways of keeping your heart healthy. This September, Horizon examines innovative ways of treating heart disease, including electric gene therapy to prevent heart attacks and a miniature heart implant. Plus, we look at how 4D imaging of mice and zebrafish can help regenerate human hearts.

Scientists are expanding their research into rare diseases, seeking to improve treatment and cheapen costs. Image credit - Shutterstock/Tonhom1009

monthly focus

03 August 2017

Uncommon solutions for rare diseases

Rare diseases are uncommon, but there are still thousands of different conditions which together affect between 27-36 million people in the EU. This month, Horizon examines the latest efforts to tackle rare diseases as well as new technology to better diagnose uncommon conditions and novel ways to reduce the socioeconomic burden of unusual disorders.

Virtual reality, hidden cameras and understanding the links between criminal networks and terrorists could help fight crime. Image credit – Shutterstock/ NEstudio

monthly focus

06 July 2017

Crime-fighting science

This July, Horizon goes on an investigation to find the latest in how science can catch the bad guys, from recreating crime scenes in virtual reality to hidden cameras that turn on when they spot crime in rural areas. Plus we hear how looking at organised crime could help track down terrorists, and how to keep your information safe, such as through a phone that could recognise the way you swipe.

This month Horizon looks at how robots can help medical professionals. Credit: Shutterstock/ ktsdesign

monthly focus

08 June 2017

Paging Dr Robot

Robots won’t replace doctors any day soon, but they can already help medical professionals do amazing things. This month, Horizon looks at how robots will someday perform remote physical and ultrasound examinations so doctors can make a diagnosis from a distance, and medical avatars for elderly people that help them stay fit and safe. Plus, we see how computer games could make young people lead healthier lifestyles and how to give self-help apps more scientific merit.

Agriculture makes up 10 % of total greenhouse gas emissions in the EU. Credit: Shutterstock/ FabrikaSimf

monthly focus

02 May 2017

Feeding the 9 billion

How will we have enough food to feed another 2 billion people by the middle of this century without destroying our planet? Agriculture is already one of the biggest contributors to climate change. This month, we hear from scientists designing disease-resistant crops using gene editing, packing more calcium into finger millet, and resurrecting ancient crop varieties to offset the sector’s environmental impact. Plus, we hear from Dr Manoj Dora about so-called lean agriculture, which is looking to make agriculture more sustainable by eliminating waste from the production process.

This month, Horizon looks at science underground and underwater. Image credit: Pixabay

monthly focus

03 April 2017

Under the surface

This month, Horizon goes underground and underwater to find out about the clean-energy promise of the world's longest well, pollution in the deepest place on earth, and how the noise of ships is turning harmony under the sea into a cacophony.

Artificial intelligence and behavioural analysis are helping to keep us safe from hackers. Credit: Pixabay/ StockSnap

monthly focus

02 March 2017

The next level of cyber defence

As our reliance on the internet continues to expand into every area of our lives, the threat from cyber attacks and hacking are never far from the headlines. This month, Horizon looks at how Europe can keep its digital borders intact. We find out how artificial intelligence is learning on the job to better detect security breaches and how the unique way that you interact with your phone or computer could be used to verify your digital identity. Plus, we find out what the EU is doing to protect critical infrastructure such as power grids from an increased threat of attack.