Podcast Episodes

An eggciting episode

This week is the Christian celebration of Easter, which sent the Unexpected Elements team scrambling for egg-related stories.

First up, we find out a…

11 months, 1 week ago

Navigating northward

The Aurora Borealis – also known as the Northern Lights – won’t be at their peak activity much longer, and the Unexpected Elements team dreams of goi…

11 months, 2 weeks ago

Oh, Rats!

On World Rat Day, we’re getting ratty! We look at the biology behind the eternal struggle between rats and rat poison, and we hear about rat-on-rat w…

11 months, 3 weeks ago

Don’t be a fool!

April 1st is notorious across the globe. Renowned for being a day of practical jokes. And it’s no different here on the BBC World Service.

Mischievou…

11 months, 3 weeks ago

What’s that smell?

Five years ago, people around the world were enduring COVID lockdowns as we attempted to prevent the spread of the virus. Today, many of those who ca…

1 year ago

The fast and the curious

It’s the month of Ramadan, when Muslims across the world fast between dawn and sunset in the belief that it will bring them closer to Allah. And this…

1 year ago

Silent science

Sparked by a silent album released by 1,000 musicians in protest of the UK government’s planned changes to copyright law, Unexpected Elements hits th…

1 year ago

Topsy turvy

Unexpected Elements has a shake up looking into the topsy turvy world of science, all thanks to an upturned campervan in Western France.

Explore why s…

1 year ago

Standing on the shoulders of giants

Monty the giant schnauzer won best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. And rather than thinking of all things canine, this week the Unex…

1 year, 1 month ago

Let’s talk about love

Valentine’s Day is here - the one day of the year where you can be unashamedly romantic and splash out on posh dinners, flowers and chocolates for yo…

1 year, 1 month ago