BBC Science Focus

8 hours ago | sciencefocus.com | Hatty Willmoth

Ginger cats are the result of a bizarre genetic mutation that doesn’t occur in any other species – at least, as far as scientists know. That’s according to a study, recently published in Current Biology, which found orangeness occurred because of the rogue expression of a gene called Arhgap36 – a gene that had never before been connected to making mammals ginger. Interestingly, this gene is located on the X chromosome, which explains why orange cats are predominantly male.

1 day ago | sciencefocus.com | Tom Howarth

Mars once had vast oceans on its surface – then its magnetic field weakened, its atmosphere thinned, and its water vanished. But the numbers don’t add up: for the Red Planet to have transformed from a watery world into the red dust bowl we know today, all that water had to end up somewhere. So where did it go?

2 days ago | sciencefocus.com | Hatty Willmoth

Creative thinking may feel totally original, but a new study suggests that imagination has more to do with your memory than you might think. A new study suggests that people who remember small, seemingly unimportant details are actually better at coming up with creative ideas. “This means that creative thinkers view and interpret our world differently,” Dr Felix Chan, an assistant professor at the University of Birmingham, told BBC Science Focus. Chan was not involved in this research.

2 days ago | sciencefocus.com | Hatty Willmoth

It doesn’t matter whether you get eight hours of sleep or six and a half – as long as that’s normal for where you live. At least, that’s according to a new study by researchers at the University of Victoria and the University of British Columbia, in Canada. The paper argues that cultural norms shape your sleep needs, so recommendations should be tailored to each country – rather than following a universal eight-hour rule.

6 days ago | sciencefocus.com | Hatty Willmoth

Wild chimpanzees are natural drummers who tap out rhythms on their surroundings, according to a recent study. A large international collaboration between researchers in Europe, Africa and America concluded that chimpanzees drum with deliberate rhythm and timing, hitting tree trunks and roots as they travel and hoot. These findings give scientists insights into the possible origins of human musicality.