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
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
Deepfakes just got even harder to detect: Now they have heartbeats
A new leap in AI-generated content means deepfake detectors could be falling dangerously behind
This massive 'zombie' volcano might not be so dead after all
This sleeping giant has plenty going on beneath the surface. Should we be worried?
Massive star-forming cloud found strangely close to Earth
Don’t expect a second Sun anytime soon, though
Inside the mission that captured the first-ever video of a colossal squid
How a remote expedition to one of the most isolated places on Earth led to a once-in-a-century sighting
The surprising way your body fat sabotages intermittent fasting
A study in mice reveals that obesity could change how our bodies respond to periods of fasting
Videos reveal lax biosecurity in New York poultry markets amid bird flu outbreaks
As bird flu cases mount at inner city poultry markets, footage obtained by BBC Science Focus shows workers and the public exposed without recommended biosecurity measures
The new ‘Bone Collector’ caterpillar wears the remains of its prey – and we have the footage to prove it
A newly discovered caterpillar species has a macabre fashion sense, to say the least
This (creepy) Roman skeleton offers first proof of a gladiator fighting a lion – and losing
Bite marks from a Roman skeleton found in England have revealed the first physical evidence that gladiators fought with big cats. The results were not pretty
Scientists analysed 8 million US speeches – and uncovered a surprising trend
Machine learning has revealed how US political rhetoric shifted from evidence to emotion over the past 140 years