Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchThe senior Swiss women who went to court over climate change, and won
This week, in a landmark case, the European court of human rights ruled that Switzerland’s weak climate policy had violated the rights of a group of …
2 years, 6 months ago
Remembering physicist Peter Higgs
The Nobel prize-winning British physicist Peter Higgs has died aged 94. The confirmation in 2012 of the existence of the Higgs boson particle, five d…
2 years, 6 months ago
Horny tortoises and solar mysteries: what scientists can learn from a total eclipse
For most people seeing a total solar eclipse is a once in a lifetime experience. But for scientists it can be a fleeting chance to understand somethi…
2 years, 6 months ago
The science of ‘weird shit’: why we believe in fate, ghosts and conspiracy theories
Psychologist Chris French has spent decades studying paranormal claims and mysterious experiences, from seemingly-impossible coincidences to painting…
2 years, 6 months ago
Hypermobility: a blessing or a curse?
Being more flexible than the average person can have its advantages, from being great at games such as Limbo to feeling smug in yoga class. But resea…
2 years, 6 months ago
The virus that infects almost everyone, and its link to cancer and MS
On 28 March it’s the 60th anniversary of the discovery of Epstein-Barr virus, the most common viral infection in humans. The virus was first discover…
2 years, 6 months ago
What could a severe solar storm do to Earth, and are we prepared?
The sun is currently ramping up to hit the peak of its 11-year activity cycle. In the past few days, powerful solar eruptions have sent a stream of p…
2 years, 6 months ago
Havana syndrome: will we ever understand what happened?
In late 2016, US officials in Cuba’s capital began experiencing a mysterious and often debilitating set of symptoms that came to be known as Havana s…
2 years, 7 months ago
Should forests have rights?
A growing movement of ecologists, lawyers and artists is arguing that nature should have legal rights. By recognising the rights of ecosystems and ot…
2 years, 7 months ago
A waterworld with a boiling ocean and the end of dark matter? The week in science
Ian Sample and science correspondent Hannah Devlin discuss some of the science stories that have made headlines this week, from a new theory challeng…
2 years, 7 months ago