Podcast Episodes

Where did Earth’s water come from?

Here's a conundrum that has captivated scientists: when Earth formed 4.5 billion years ago, our planet was essentially a ball of molten rock. Any water that might have been present during the planet'…

Published on 2 months ago

Can we harness solar energy from other stars?

Listener Dickson Mukisa from Uganda has been gazing up at the stars. But he’s not making wishes. He wants to know whether we can harness their energy, in the same way we do with our OWN star – the su…

Published on 2 months, 1 week ago

Why are twins special?

No one really cares that CrowdScience listener Sam has a younger brother, but they do care about his sister. In fact, they’re fascinated by her. That’s because Sam and his sister are fraternal twins.…

Published on 2 months, 2 weeks ago

How can we persuade more people to cycle?

Cycling is good for our health, good for the planet, and it can be an efficient way of moving around busy cities. But despite all the rational arguments for it, in most cities the number of people wh…

Published on 2 months, 3 weeks ago

Was there an idyllic time before carnivores?

Was there ever a time when life on earth was peaceful? Free of violence? No predators, no prey, just... vibes? Or has nature always been 'Red in Tooth and Claw'?

Have we always been eating each othe…

Published on 2 months, 4 weeks ago

What’s that background hum I hear?

In the dead of night at his home in Machinjiri, Malawi, CrowdScience listener John can hear a small, but persistent, hum. Whenever it’s quiet enough, the hum is there – but what’s causing it? And is …

Published on 3 months ago

What on earth is quantum?

Listener Christine wants to understand one of the strangest phenomena in the universe. But to get to grips with it, she’ll need a crash course in the bizarre behaviour of the very small. Here, things…

Published on 3 months, 1 week ago

Can eating honey help save bees?

CrowdScience listener Saoirse is vegan and doesn’t eat honey. But she’s been wondering - might honey actually have environmental benefits, by giving bee populations a boost?

To find out, presenter An…

Published on 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Is my yoghurt really alive?

Bulgaria is famous for its yoghurt, a fermented milk food full of ‘good’ bacteria that has kept hungry Bulgarians healthy for over 4000 years.

Inspired by that, and a question from a CrowdScience lis…

Published on 3 months, 3 weeks ago

Is red sky at night really sailor’s delight?

You may have grown up hearing the saying “red sky at night, sailor’s delight, red sky in morning, sailor’s warning” - or maybe a variation of it. CrowdScience listener Alison, who sees many dazzling …

Published on 4 months ago