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PODCAST

IFLScience - The Big Questions

From saving the planet to understanding ourselves, this podcast sees experts discuss the major topics of our times. Hosted by IFLScience’s Dr Alfredo Carpineti, Rachael Funnell, and Eleanor Higgs.

science astronomy

All Episodes

29:37

Can We Make Dogs Live Longer?

IFLScience - The Big Questions ·

2024/08/08

Hinging our happiness on animals known to have a significantly shorter lifespan than our own was, in hindsight, a bad idea. Saying goodbye to a pet is an incredibly painful time in a person’s life, but what if there were a way we could help our pets live longer, better lives?That’s exactly what Celine Halioua has been exploring as CEO and founder of Loyal, a biotech startup developing drugs to extend dog lifespan. Join host Rachael Funnell as she finds out if science really can help dogs live

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34:28

Is Evolutionary Biology Sexist?

IFLScience - The Big Questions ·

2024/07/25

Science can’t be sexist, we hear you cry, it’s methodical, rational. And yet science is carried out by humans who are often a product of the time and place they operate in, struggling to overcome intrinsic biases and outside influence.Host Katy Evans is joined by zoologist and presenter Lucy Cooke, author of Bitch: A Revolutionary Guide to Sex, Evolution and the Female Animal, to discuss how these biases have affected – and sometimes prevented – what we know about animal biology in some truly

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39:11

How Is Climate Change Impacting Our Health?

IFLScience - The Big Questions ·

2024/07/11

It’s no secret that the planet is getting warmer, but how are our bodies responding to increased exposure to extreme conditions? From record-breaking temperatures to an uptick in severe weather warnings, the consequences of the climate crisis are all around – so how is climate change impacting our health?This is The Big Question host Rachael Funnell put to author and neuroscientist Clayton Aldern. Author of The Weight of Nature: How a Changing Climate Changes Our Minds, Brains and Bodies, Aldern is

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28:31

Why Are We The Only Surviving Human Species?

IFLScience - The Big Questions ·

2024/06/26

Homo sapiens – us – are the only surviving human species. The question, and it is a big one, is why? Who were the species that came before us, or lived alongside us, and what happened to them?Host Dr Alfredo Carpineti is joined by Professor Chris Stringer, human evolution research lead at the Natural History Museum, London, to explore the journey that we and the other human species took to end up here.

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02:29

IFLScience - Break It Down

IFLScience - The Big Questions ·

2024/02/14

Here is a little teaser for our brand new podcast: Break It Down! Coming soon to a podcast app near you...

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33:55

Would You Eat Plant-Based Meat For Christmas Dinner?

IFLScience - The Big Questions ·

2023/12/22

During the holiday season, many of us will be tucking into delicious meals which may well include a whole host of meats. But have you ever thought about going meat-free this time of year? With concerns over the impact of meat consumption on the planet, thoughts are turning to the future of the industry and how the tastes and textures that many people enjoy can be replicated in meat-free alternatives.In a bonus holiday episode of IFLScience The Big Questions, available on all platforms, host Eleanor

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23:02

Are We Ready For The Next Massive Solar Flare?

IFLScience - The Big Questions ·

2023/10/12

Solar activity goes through cycles. The main one is about 11 years long and its maximum is marked by powerful eruptions of electromagnetic radiation known as solar flares, as well as releases of plasma known as coronal mass ejections. The most powerful known flare happened in 1859 and led to telegraph stations catching fire across the US, and Northern and Southern Lights becoming visible in the tropics. Host Dr Alfredo Carpineti spoke with Dr Ryan French, astronomer at the National Solar Observatory

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13:29

How Are Glaciers Changing In A Warming World?

IFLScience - The Big Questions ·

2023/09/28

The climate crisis is affecting glaciers across the world in myriad ways. Dramatic melting, steep declines, and overall reduction in mass are some of the changes seen in both polar glaciers and the mountainous peaks of every continent. Understanding these changes requires understanding how we monitor these enormous ice masses. The health of glaciers affects the well-being of the populations living near them, but they have far-reaching consequences, such as global sea level rise. Host Dr Alfredo

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34:46

Are E-fuels The Future Of Aviation?

IFLScience - The Big Questions ·

2023/09/14

As much as everyone enjoys flying abroad for their holidays, the cost of the climate impact might be making people think twice. So what can we do? Aside from paying to offset the carbon, the emergence of a new industry is hoping to change the way we fly. Sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) or e-fuels are looking to replace traditional fuels as a much greener alternative, but there’s still a long way to go. Host Eleanor Higgs spoke with Sophie Zienkiewicz and Alasdair Lumsden, co-founders of Carbon

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11:22

What Is Ancient Ice Telling Us About The Future?

IFLScience - The Big Questions ·

2023/08/31

There are many methods that allow us to look back into Earth’s past and study its climate, including the collection of ice cores. Extracting ancient ice from deep inside some of the most remote glaciers can reveal how our planet has changed over millions of years. But it’s not just about the past: what is ancient ice telling us about the future? Host Dr Alfredo Carpineti spoke with Dr Liz Thomas of the Ice Core Research Group at the British Antarctic Survey to discuss how understanding Earth’s

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15:37

What Is Space Weather And How Does It Affect Us?

IFLScience - The Big Questions ·

2023/08/17

The Sun shapes what goes on in space around our planet. Plasma from our star is continuously thrown at Earth in the form of solar winds or coronal mass ejections, changing the shape of the magnetic field, and affecting the atmosphere and anything in it, like the satellites that we depend on. These changes are part of what we call space weather. Host Dr Alfredo Carpineti spoke to Dr Nigel Meredith of the British Antarctic Survey about what space weather actually is and how it affects us. We even have

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32:50

How Does A Quantum Computer Work And How Will They...

IFLScience - The Big Questions ·

2023/08/03

The path beyond the limits of regular computers, even the most powerful supercomputer, lies with the theory of quantum mechanics. Quantum computing promises to change the world, but how do quantum computers work, and how close are we to this fabled new approach to computation? Host Dr Alfredo Carpineti spoke with Professor Winfried Hensinger, Professor of Quantum Technology at the University of Sussex, to discuss why we need quantum computers, what they would be used for, and why it's taking so long

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25:19

Can We Save A Species On The Very Brink Of Extinction?

IFLScience - The Big Questions ·

2023/07/20

In this age of climate change, habitat loss, and destruction of the natural world, we take an in-depth look at one endangered species in particular: the northern white rhino. Just two females remain in the world and neither are capable of carrying a pregnancy. With such constraints in place, we ask the experts if it's possible to save a species on the very brink of extinction. Host Eleanor Higgs spoke with Dr Susanne Holtze from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research to discuss if and

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10:35

Why Is Space Junk Such A Big Deal?

IFLScience - The Big Questions ·

2023/07/07

Space junk is a problem and it’s only set to get worse. In 2018, there were over 2,000 satellites in orbit. Now, thanks to mega-constellations like Starlink, there are 9,000 satellites, and by the end of the decade, this number is expected to reach 60,000. A crowded space environment runs the risk of Kessler Syndrome, where there is so much pollution in orbit that collisions between objects become inevitable, and produce even more space junk. Host Dr Alfredo Carpineti spoke with space

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16:12

How Is Climate Change Affecting Polar Bear Populations?

IFLScience - The Big Questions ·

2023/06/22

Polar bears have long been the poster animal and early warning system for all things climate change. We asked experts what is really going on with the “white hairy canaries” of the Arctic. Host Eleanor Higgs spoke with Alysa McCall, Polar Bears International Staff Scientist and Director of Conservation Outreach, on the polar bear monster truck to find out all about the Hudson Bay polar bear population, how “bear-dar” AI is used to protect communities, and to answer the question: How Is Climate

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19:19

Is Jurassic Park Possible?

IFLScience - The Big Questions ·

2023/06/09

In the 30 years since the Spielberg movie came out, people from all walks of life have wondered if bringing back dinosaurs is possible, and we couldn’t let the anniversary pass without asking scientists working on dinosaurs and cloning if such a feat is feasible. IFLScience’s Digital Content Producer Rachael Funnell spoke with Dr. Susie Maidment from the Natural History Museum London and Ben Lamm from Colossal Biosciences to ask a question 66 million 30 years in the making: Is Jurassic Park

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12:34

What Do Alcohol and Drugs Do To The Brain?

IFLScience - The Big Questions ·

2022/12/02

For as long as humans have walked this Earth, we have been using chemicals to alter our state of mind. Drugs and alcohol have been used in rituals and medication, for inspiration and escapism, as well as a way to cope with the world. Only in more recent decades have we begun to appreciate the physiological effects that substances have on our brains through science. Host Dr Alfredo Carpineti spoke to neuropsychopharmacologist Professor David Nutt about these effects and a new approach to

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25:07

What Are The Limits Of Computers And Supercomputers?

IFLScience - The Big Questions ·

2022/11/18

Computers and supercomputers, whether we like them or not, run our lives. They have revolutionized every aspect of society and we rely on their technology to push beyond our limits. But what about their limits? What are they, when will we reach them, and can we avoid them? Host Dr Alfredo Carpineti is joined by Professor Mazhar Ali of the Delft University of Technology, whose team has developed a one-way superconductor with exciting applications in computing, to discuss this and more.

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30:54

How Does Your Diet Impact The Body’s Ability To Fight...

IFLScience - The Big Questions ·

2022/11/04

What and how we eat plays a huge role in keeping us healthy. The role of diet in helping us when we are fighting off diseases is also enormous, but not discussed often enough. Dr Alfredo Carpineti sat down with Dr William Li to talk about cutting-edge research on how diet helps us stay healthy, and the role it plays in supporting medical treatments. Dr Li is a physician, scientist, president, and medical director of the Angiogenesis Foundation, and author of Eat To Beat Disease: The New Science of

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14:08

Is Math The Greatest Subject In The World?

IFLScience - The Big Questions ·

2022/10/21

In school, math is one of those polarizing subjects that people either love or hate. For each person complaining they will never use Pythagoras theorem outside of class, there is somebody else pointing out that math is actually about learning skills like problem-solving. In this episode, host Dr Alfredo Carpineti asks a controversial Big Question: "Is math the greatest subject in the world?" To make the case is British mathematician Professor Nira Chamberlain, listed by the Science Council as “one

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