BBC Focus - 09.2019

JULES

HOWARD

Zoologist,

sciencewriter

THIS ISSUE’S EXPERTS

DR CHRISTIAN

JARRETT

Neuroscientist,

science writer

DR ALASTAIR

GUNN

Astronomer,

astrophysicist

ALEX FRANKLIN-

CHEUNG

Environment/

climate expert

LUIS

VILLAZON

Science/tech

writer

PROF ROBERT

MATTHEWS

Physicist,

science writer

DR HELEN

SCALES

Oceans expert,

science writer

ALOM SHAHA

Science teacher,

author

CHARLOTTE

CORNEY

Zoo director,

conservationist

PROF ALICE

GREGORY

Psychologist,

sleep expert

DR HILARY

GUITE

Former GP,

science writer

DR EMMA

DAVIES

Chemistry expert,

science writer

Q

&

A

GETTY IMAGES

ALL YOUR

QUESTIONS

ANSWERED

STEVE GRANTHAM, PRESTON

WHAT’S THE MOST DANGEROUS SPORT?

This is surprisingly hard to answer, as it depends both on how the risk is measured – per

participant, say, or per event – and the availability of reliable data. But according to a 2014

analysis by Prof Sir David Spiegelhalter at Cambridge University, the UK’s leading

authority on risk, mountaineering is probably the most dangerous sport, carrying a risk of

death of around 1 per cent per climb. By comparison, running a marathon is around 1,000

times safer. RM