Football, rugby… esports? At Countesthorpe Academy, a secondary school in the UK, students can step into a full esports arena packed with high-end gaming computers — but it’s about a lot more than just playing games.
The school is one of the first to offer an esports qualification, helping students explore how the gaming industry really works and what kinds of careers exist behind the screens.
Esports might feel like entertainment, but it’s also a fast-growing global industry. In fact, the video game industry is now worth several times more than both the music and movie industries combined.
Students studying esports look at everything from how games make money and the strategies players use, to teamwork, mental health, and building skills like focus and resilience — skills that matter in gaming and way beyond it.
Kids today can swipe before they can tie their shoes — but some teachers say all that screen time may be changing the way young children learn, talk, and handle emotions. One preschool is pushing back by focusing on hands-on play, conversation, creativity, and movement instead of tablets and videos. Teachers say they’re seeing more kids struggle to explain what they want, calm themselves down, or interact socially after spending hours watching screens instead of experiencing the real world firsthand. Experts recommend no screens at all for children under 2, and no more than 30 minutes a day for ages 2–5.
On one futuristic farm, robots do almost everything — feeding cows, cleaning barns, and even milking the animals with laser-guided machines. Farmers say the high-tech system is faster, cheaper, and more precise than human workers, helping produce more milk while lowering costs. But not everyone is impressed. Critics argue that cows are becoming part of an assembly line instead of living animals, since many never roam outside or eat fresh grass. As robots take over more jobs once done by humans, this farm raises a bigger question: when technology makes life more efficient, what might get lost along the way?
Imagine using your favorite game to help save the real world — that’s exactly what these students are doing! At Archbishop Temple School, kids are using Minecraft to recreate rising rivers and dangerous floods in their own town. Then, they design smart solutions like barriers and defenses to stop the water.
This isn’t just playtime — it’s serious problem-solving. By experimenting in a virtual world, students learn how flooding works and how to protect communities from climate change. One student said it best: they’re “learning while playing” and finding ways to help the planet.
Teachers love it too, because games like Minecraft make learning hands-on, fun, and meaningful. In this pilot project, kids aren’t just playing a game — they’re becoming real-life problem solvers who could help save cities in the future.
The article "Diners Enjoy World’s First Restaurant Meal Made From Lab-Grown Meat" from BBC's Science Focus details a historic event where Singapore's 1880 restaurant served cultured chicken developed by Eat Just. This milestone in the food industry showcased a sustainable alternative to traditional meat, aiming to reduce environmental impact and animal slaughter.
The article "The Women Who Helped Launch Apollo: The Unsung Heroes of the Moon Mission" from BBC's Science Focus reveals the overlooked contributions of women to the Apollo program. It recounts the vital roles played by female engineers, programmers, and seamstresses, such as JoAnn Morgan, Margaret Hamilton, and Judith Love Cohen, whose expertise helped make the Moon landing possible.
The article "5 Pioneering Women in Tech You Should Really Know About" from BBC's Science Focus highlights the achievements of five remarkable women in STEM. Ada Lovelace, Katherine Johnson, Dame Stephanie Shirley, Michelle Zatlyn, and Elizabeth Coulombe have made significant contributions to technology, computing, and environmental sustainability, inspiring future generations to pursue careers in STEM.
The article "How Technology Can Secure Future Elections From Hacking" from BBC's Science Focus explores the risks of election hacking and the technologies that could safeguard voting integrity.
The article "This Is the Strangest Weapon the U.S. Military Doesn't Want You to Know About" from BBC's Science Focus delves into the secretive nature of military innovations. It highlights Fogbank, a classified material used in nuclear warheads, and discusses how its manufacturing process was lost and later rediscovered.
Roblox has exploded into one of the most popular gaming platforms in the world, especially for kids ages 8–12. What started as a small company has grown into a massive online universe with more than 40 million user-created games and experiences — from obstacle courses and role-playing worlds to fashion shows and virtual adventures. In fact, Roblox now has more monthly users than Nintendo Switch and Sony PlayStation combined.
But with its huge popularity comes growing controversy. Critics say that because almost anyone can create a game on the platform, some content may not always be appropriate for younger users. That has raised questions from parents and safety experts about how well kids are protected online.
Roblox co-founder and CEO Dave Baszucki says the company takes safety seriously and has “no tolerance” for inappropriate content. The platform has introduced new protections, including limits on messaging for users under 13. Still, reports show that some kids can sometimes find ways around age restrictions, which keeps the debate going.
Baszucki also says millions of users are having positive, creative experiences on Roblox every day — and reminds parents that they ultimately decide whether it’s the right platform for their children.
In Tree Planters for a Greener Future, presenter and motorbike racer Grace Webb explores machines dedicated to reforesting areas where trees have been cut down. In a sustainable forest, she learns how these machines are loaded with saplings, which they plant and water to help regrow the forest. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Grace’s Amazing Machines, a children’s show that introduces kids to some of the biggest, fastest, and most amazing machines in the world.
The article "How science and technology help prevent and predict wildfires" from BBC's Science Focus explores how researchers are using cutting-edge technology to monitor and analyze controlled forest fires. Through computer models, drones, and laser scanning, scientists gather valuable data to improve wildfire predictions and create safer, more effective fire prevention strategies.
Football, rugby… esports? At Countesthorpe Academy, a secondary school in the UK, students can step into a full esports arena packed with high-end gaming computers — but it’s about a lot more than just playing games.
The school is one of the first to offer an esports qualification, helping students explore how the gaming industry really works and what kinds of careers exist behind the screens.
Esports might feel like entertainment, but it’s also a fast-growing global industry. In fact, the video game industry is now worth several times more than both the music and movie industries combined.
Students studying esports look at everything from how games make money and the strategies players use, to teamwork, mental health, and building skills like focus and resilience — skills that matter in gaming and way beyond it.
Kids today can swipe before they can tie their shoes — but some teachers say all that screen time may be changing the way young children learn, talk, and handle emotions. One preschool is pushing back by focusing on hands-on play, conversation, creativity, and movement instead of tablets and videos. Teachers say they’re seeing more kids struggle to explain what they want, calm themselves down, or interact socially after spending hours watching screens instead of experiencing the real world firsthand. Experts recommend no screens at all for children under 2, and no more than 30 minutes a day for ages 2–5.
On one futuristic farm, robots do almost everything — feeding cows, cleaning barns, and even milking the animals with laser-guided machines. Farmers say the high-tech system is faster, cheaper, and more precise than human workers, helping produce more milk while lowering costs. But not everyone is impressed. Critics argue that cows are becoming part of an assembly line instead of living animals, since many never roam outside or eat fresh grass. As robots take over more jobs once done by humans, this farm raises a bigger question: when technology makes life more efficient, what might get lost along the way?
Imagine using your favorite game to help save the real world — that’s exactly what these students are doing! At Archbishop Temple School, kids are using Minecraft to recreate rising rivers and dangerous floods in their own town. Then, they design smart solutions like barriers and defenses to stop the water.
This isn’t just playtime — it’s serious problem-solving. By experimenting in a virtual world, students learn how flooding works and how to protect communities from climate change. One student said it best: they’re “learning while playing” and finding ways to help the planet.
Teachers love it too, because games like Minecraft make learning hands-on, fun, and meaningful. In this pilot project, kids aren’t just playing a game — they’re becoming real-life problem solvers who could help save cities in the future.
The article "Diners Enjoy World’s First Restaurant Meal Made From Lab-Grown Meat" from BBC's Science Focus details a historic event where Singapore's 1880 restaurant served cultured chicken developed by Eat Just. This milestone in the food industry showcased a sustainable alternative to traditional meat, aiming to reduce environmental impact and animal slaughter.
The article "The Women Who Helped Launch Apollo: The Unsung Heroes of the Moon Mission" from BBC's Science Focus reveals the overlooked contributions of women to the Apollo program. It recounts the vital roles played by female engineers, programmers, and seamstresses, such as JoAnn Morgan, Margaret Hamilton, and Judith Love Cohen, whose expertise helped make the Moon landing possible.
The article "5 Pioneering Women in Tech You Should Really Know About" from BBC's Science Focus highlights the achievements of five remarkable women in STEM. Ada Lovelace, Katherine Johnson, Dame Stephanie Shirley, Michelle Zatlyn, and Elizabeth Coulombe have made significant contributions to technology, computing, and environmental sustainability, inspiring future generations to pursue careers in STEM.
The article "How Technology Can Secure Future Elections From Hacking" from BBC's Science Focus explores the risks of election hacking and the technologies that could safeguard voting integrity.
The article "This Is the Strangest Weapon the U.S. Military Doesn't Want You to Know About" from BBC's Science Focus delves into the secretive nature of military innovations. It highlights Fogbank, a classified material used in nuclear warheads, and discusses how its manufacturing process was lost and later rediscovered.
Roblox has exploded into one of the most popular gaming platforms in the world, especially for kids ages 8–12. What started as a small company has grown into a massive online universe with more than 40 million user-created games and experiences — from obstacle courses and role-playing worlds to fashion shows and virtual adventures. In fact, Roblox now has more monthly users than Nintendo Switch and Sony PlayStation combined.
But with its huge popularity comes growing controversy. Critics say that because almost anyone can create a game on the platform, some content may not always be appropriate for younger users. That has raised questions from parents and safety experts about how well kids are protected online.
Roblox co-founder and CEO Dave Baszucki says the company takes safety seriously and has “no tolerance” for inappropriate content. The platform has introduced new protections, including limits on messaging for users under 13. Still, reports show that some kids can sometimes find ways around age restrictions, which keeps the debate going.
Baszucki also says millions of users are having positive, creative experiences on Roblox every day — and reminds parents that they ultimately decide whether it’s the right platform for their children.
In Tree Planters for a Greener Future, presenter and motorbike racer Grace Webb explores machines dedicated to reforesting areas where trees have been cut down. In a sustainable forest, she learns how these machines are loaded with saplings, which they plant and water to help regrow the forest. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Grace’s Amazing Machines, a children’s show that introduces kids to some of the biggest, fastest, and most amazing machines in the world.
The article "How science and technology help prevent and predict wildfires" from BBC's Science Focus explores how researchers are using cutting-edge technology to monitor and analyze controlled forest fires. Through computer models, drones, and laser scanning, scientists gather valuable data to improve wildfire predictions and create safer, more effective fire prevention strategies.