FROM THE EDITOR
It started with E.T. It’s the first film I can remember. My cousin sat me in front of a TV, slotted the tape into the VHS player and that was that: I fell in love with movies about aliens. Years later, a science teacher (who I now realise might have been feeling the after-effects of a big night out) darkened the room and put Independence Day on laser disc into the TV on wheels to silence a classroom full of 12-year-olds. It worked, and I realised then that aliens may not be so friendly after all. And then I watched Alien.
As any aficionado of extraterrestrials will tell you, it doesn’t tend to end well for us when we cross paths with beings from another planet. We usually end up eaten, enslaved or extinct. And, yet these warnings haven’t stopped scientists from seeking out ET. Maybe it’s because fiction tends to hold up a mirror to ourselves, revealing our own instincts and insecurities. Or, maybe it’s because the discovery of an alien signal would be the most profound moment in our entire history: it would mean Earth was not a one-off. Either way, whether you like to think of aliens as benevolent, waddling potato sacks, or invading, stabby insectoids, we are now scanning more of the cosmos with more sophisticated tech than ever before. The search for extraterrestrial intelligence has arguably never been so big.
So it begs the question: what would actually happen if we spotted an alien signal in the ether? Dr Stuart Clark digs into the drama over in our cover feature First Contact (which shares its title with the incredible BBC film that hits our screens this month – don’t miss it!).
Daniel Bennett, Editor
CONTRIBUTORS
DR KATIE MACK
Dark matter outweighs the visible stuff six to one, yet we still don’t know what it’s made of. Cosmologist Katie reveals why that doesn’t keep her up at night.
DR DEAN BURNETT
The UK grieved together over the death of the Queen. Neuroscientist Dean explains why national mourning is such a fundamental part of being human.
DR BRITTNEY BOROWIEC
Biologist and zoologist Brittney gets stuck in to the grisly world of vampirism, just in time for Halloween.
DR HELEN PILCHER
Did you know that, genetically, we’re more like fungi than plants? If not, then you might want to check out biologist Helen’s guide to the fungal world.
ON THE BBC THIS MONTH…
People Fixing The World: Sustainability In Death
We’re running out of space for the dead. Cremation releases hundreds of kilos of CO2 and traditional burials leach poisons into ground. The team explores the cutting-edge, sustainable alternatives out there.
BBC World Service 11 October, 3pm. Also available on BBC Sounds
Costing The Earth: The Prehistoric Hitchhiker’s Guide To Climate Change
How did early humans survive a changing climate? Eleanor Rosamund-Barraclough (pictured above) joins an archaeological dig in Malta to see whether there are lessons we can learn from our history.
BBC Radio 4 11 October, 3:30pm Also available on BBC Sounds
Frozen Planet II
If you can withstand the heartache, the new series will be available on iPlayer in its entirety. Just watch through your fingers when you see a baby seal on screen…
Available on iPlayer
CONTACT US
Advertising • David.Dsouza@ourmedia.co.uk 0117 300 8110
Letters for publication • reply@sciencefocus.com
Editorial enquiries • editorialenquiries@sciencefocus.com 0117 300 8755
Subscriptions • buysubscriptions.com/contactus 03330 162 113*
Other contacts • sciencefocus.com/contact
*UK calls will cost the same as other standard fixed line numbers (starting 01 or 02) and are included as part of any inclusive or free minutes allowances (if offered by your phone tariff). Outside of free call packages call charges from mobile phones will cost between 3p and 55p per minute. Lines are open Mon to Fri 9am-5pm. If calling from overseas, please call +44 1604 973721. BBC Science Focus (ISSN 0966-4270) (USPS 015-160) is published 14 times a year (monthly with a Summer issue in July and a New Year issue in December) by Our Media Company, Eagle House, Bristol, BS1 4ST. Distributed in the US by NPS Media Group, 2 Enterprise Drive, Suite 420, Shelton, CT 06484. Periodicals postage paid at Shelton, CT and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to BBC Science Focus, PO Box 37495, Boone, IA 50037-0495.