BBC Inside Science
A weekly programme that illuminates the mysteries and challenges the controversies behind the science that's changing our world.
Episodes (50)
Why wasn’t the Russia mega earthquake as damaging as previous ones?
A massive 8.8 magnitude mega earthquake off Russia's east coast sent tsunami waves into Japan, Hawaii and the US west coast this week. While more than two million people across the Pacific were...
The surprising culture of the animal kingdom
We discuss the incredible science of the animal kingdom, focusing on the latest fascinating research into animal culture, society and communication.Victoria Gill is joined by a panel of experts in...
How can we keep our homes cool in a changing climate?
After three UK heatwaves, we turn to science for solutions that could keep us safer, and cooler, in our homes. Professor of Zero Carbon Design at the University of Bath, David Coley, explains how our...
How can we reduce the impact of plastic on the environment?
Next month world leaders will again gather to focus on dealing with our global plastic problem. So this week we’re looking for solutions. Marnie Chesterton hears from Professor of Sustainable Chemical...
How do you turn facial expressions into music?
A microscopic water flea that could help monitor our waterways for pollution, turning both quantum circuits and facial expressions into music, and how animals use vibrations to sense the world around...
What happens when you bomb a uranium enrichment site?
All eyes have been on three of Iran’s nuclear facilities this week. The targets of an attack on Saturday by the United States. Marnie Chesterton asks Professor Simon Middleburgh, nuclear materials...
Are trees the answer to solving climate change?
As a new warning is released by scientists that trying to offset our carbon emissions by planting trees alone won’t work, we investigate the role the Earth’s forests are playing in the fight against...
What science is the UK government funding?
How do you plan for the scientific discoveries of the future? That’s the question Chancellor Rachel Reeves had to try to answer with this week’s Spending Review. She allocated more than 22 billion...
Can science save our oceans?
More than 2,000 marine scientists have come together at the One Ocean Science Congress in Nice, France. It is a gathering that will bring marine experts from all over the world together to share the...
Your science questions answered
We’ve been rummaging through the Inside Science mailbox to pick out a selection of the intriguing science questions you’ve been sending in, and assembled an expert panel to try to answer them. Marnie...
Does the pandemic agreement make the world safer?
The World Health Organisation has agreed a treaty looking at tackling the issue of future pandemics. It’s hoped it will help to avoid some of the disorganisation and competition for resources like...
Will the Hole in the Ozone Layer Close?
40 years ago scientists in Antarctica discovered a hole in the Ozone layer. The world acted quickly, phasing out harmful CFCs or chlorofluorocarbons. Evidence suggests the hole has been getting...
The mysteries of the ocean floor
It’s often said we know more about the surface of the Moon than we do about the Earth’s deep sea, and a new study is backing that up. Research from the Ocean Discovery League says just 0.001% of the...
How vulnerable is our power supply?
Severe power cuts hit Spain, Portugal and parts of France this week, cutting the lights and stopping flights, trains, and ATM machines in their tracks. The Spanish grid operator has said it’s ruled...
What would cuts to Nasa mean for space science?
Progress has been made in our search for alien life. So announced a team of scientists from Cambridge university last week who, using a powerful space telescope, have detected molecules which on Earth...
Answers to Your Science Questions
We’ve thrown open the airwaves to you. Marnie Chesterton puts your science questions to Penny Sarchet, Managing editor of New Scientist, Mark Maslin, Professor of Earth System Science at University...
How can science help us fight wildfires?
In the past few days, UK firefighters have been tackling wildfires across the UK. As global temperatures rise, fires are likely to increase in strength and number. We hear from Rory Hadden, Professor...
Is this finally the moment for UK tidal power?
Why does the UK, an island shaped by its strong tides, still not have any major tidal energy schemes? Plans for tidal barrages in the UK seem to be regularly discussed but never come to fruition, but...
Is everything we know about the universe wrong?
For the last week or so, the world of physics has had just one conversation.Have we found a new way of understanding the universe? And if so, what does this mean for our understanding of how we all...
Wild birds in crisis
Every species of wild bird in the UK is continuing to decline at a stark rate – according to the latest data. Guest presenter Ben Garrod wants to understand why wild birds are in trouble despite...
Are boys doing better than girls at maths and science?
There’s a big “gender gap” between boys and girls in maths and science - that’s according to a new report out this week. Boys in England in years five and nine are now “significantly” outperforming...
Better Than Gold: Critical Minerals
Critical minerals have hit the headlines of almost every news outlet this week as US President Donald Trump made his desires to mine them in Ukraine clear. These precious resources are a hot...
AI in Science: Promise and Peril
This week, Google has launched a new AI tool called Co-Scientist. We hear from one researcher who has tried it out with stunning results. But how much should we trust tools like this - and what are...
Biotech Risks and Asteroid Anxiety
Scientists gather this week to tackle emerging risks from cutting-edge biotech, echoing the landmark Asilomar conference that shaped genetic engineering safety 50 years ago. What new threats face us,...
US science in chaos
The United States is the world’s science superpower. But right now, much of its research community is in a state of confusion.In the past few weeks, the Trump administration has issued a huge number...
The World’s Biggest Iceberg
It’s the biggest story of recent weeks. Literally. Trillion-tonne iceberg A23a is on the move. But where is it headed and why – and what might it mean for the scientists and penguins in its path? And...
Is 1.5 still alive?
1.5C. It’s THE number we talk about when we talk about climate change. But what does 1.5C actually mean now – and as the world saw record-breaking heat last year, does it even matter anymore? Climate...
Next-gen batteries and 'dark oxygen'
Following a devastating fire at the world’s largest lithium-ion battery plant, Inside Science probes the present and future of a technology we rely on every day. Lithium-ion batteries were a...
UK AI & science-optimised pasta
Artificial intelligence is the big talking point of the week, with UK PM Sir Keir Starmer announcing a drive to unleash its full potential. It’s already being used in healthcare, but recent studies...
Science in 2025
How will science shape up in 2025? Marnie Chesterton is joined by a panel of science watchers to discuss what we can expect from the year ahead. We'll talk big science, small science - and the plain...
The Science of Laughter
Why do we laugh more when we’re with others? Are humans the only animals that laugh? Does ‘laughter yoga’ actually do anything? We're delving into the neurobiology, evolutionary history, and health...
Board Game Science
It’s that time of the year when many of us are at home with friends and family, losing track of time, eating leftovers, and, of course, playing games. This festive season, we look at the science of...
The Year in Science
We look back on 2024 in science, from billionaires in space, to record-breaking heat here on Earth, and the meteoric rise of new weight-loss drugs. From the biggest stories to the unsung and the plain...
The rising threat of bird flu
More species infected than ever, an uptick in human cases, and some concerning biological modifications. How close are we to a bird flu pandemic? We digest the last year of bird flu changes with...
Fact-checking the Bovaer backlash
Some social media users have been pouring milk down the drain and chucking their butter in the bin in protest over a new additive in cow feed that claims to reduce methane emissions. The online posts,...
Is flood forecasting failing?
The south Wales town of Pontypridd saw cars submerged, people bailing floodwater out of their homes using bins, and the beautiful park and lido transformed into a brown mess, as parts of the UK were...
The climate cost of war
As conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine continue to dominate the news, many Inside Science listeners have been in touch with the same question: What is the carbon footprint of war? How significant...
Nuclear medicine shortages and Jane Goodall on COP29
A shortage of medical isotopes used to detect cancer has experts concerned that the shortfall could be delaying diagnosis and could even be costing lives. Exactly what these nuclear medicines are and...
COP29: Are climate summits working?
This year is set to be the world’s hottest on record, likely shattering the aspiration to limit global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. So where does this leave COP29, the upcoming UN...
Spooky Science
It’s our Halloween special from a rain-soaked Jodrell Bank in Cheshire. We find out what you can see in a dark, dark Halloween night sky with space-watcher and Professor of astrophysics Tim O’Brien....
Whatever happened to graphene?
Twenty years ago this week two physicists at the University of Manchester published a ground-breaking paper describing the extraordinary qualities of graphene. The thinnest and strongest material...
Are our carbon sinks failing?
The Earth’s natural carbon sinks absorb half of our pollution. But now, they appear to be collapsing. Why is this happening – and will we be able to reach our climate goals without them?Also this...
Should we bring back extinct animals?
A woolly mammoth by 2028.That’s the bold claim from US company Colossal Biosciences, who say research is under way that will make this possible.But even if we have the technology to bring back a long...
Could coal shut-down mark new era for energy?
“That’s the end of coal in the UK for electricity.” The UK’s last coal-fired power station has closed, ending Britain's 142-year reliance on coal. But what difference will the closure of...
How green is space travel?
The images beamed back to Earth of the first civilian spacewalk have prompted a very pertinent question from one Inside Science listener: What effect is space travel having on our climate? We're used...
Is lab-grown meat the future of food?
Lab-grown meat, cultivated meat, cultured meat, in-vitro meat - whatever you call it, the industry claims it could be a game changer. Not just economically, but for feeding the planet in a sustainable...
The first civilian spacewalk
Today incredible images were beamed around the world of civilians walking in space – for the very first time. All eyes were on businessman Jared Isaacman and engineer Sarah Gillis as they ventured...
The Grenfell cladding
As the long-awaited final report into Grenfell Tower is made public, we look at the cladding that has been at the centre of the story for seven years. We ask Richard Hull, an expert in chemistry and...
Predicting everything
The Royal Society recently announced the shortlist for their annual Science Book Prize – and nominated is science writer and journalist Tom Chivers, author of the book Everything is Predictable. He...
Why aren’t we eating more insects?
We try some cricket tacos and ask what role insects might play in our future diets, in a special programme with a live audience at Green Man Festival in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park in Wales....
About this Podcast
Copyright
(C) BBC 2025
Language
en
Categories
Science