PODCAST

Science Weekly

The Guardian

Twice a week, the Guardian brings you the latest science and environment news

science

All Episodes

00:22:11

Best of 2023: Killing the Skydancer episode one,...

Science Weekly ·

2023/12/26

In this special Age of Extinction mini-series from Science Weekly, which first aired in August 2023, the Guardian’s biodiversity reporter, Phoebe Weston, explores the illegal killing of birds of prey on grouse moors and asks why it is so difficult to solve these crimes. In episode one, Phoebe hears about the case of Susie, a hen harrier whose chicks were killed while being monitored on camera. As she starts to investigate the case, she hears from conservationist Ruth Tingay about why hen harriers

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00:19:59

All the buzz and no hangover? The next generation of...

Science Weekly ·

2023/12/21

What with Christmas parties and work drinks, this time of year can feel like one long hangover. But a new generation of alcohol-free alternatives is emerging which claim to offer the fun of alcohol without the painful morning-after. Madeleine Finlay and Ian Sample are joined by science correspondent Hannah Devlin to sample some of these drinks and interrogate the science behind them. Help support our independent journalism at <a

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00:19:48

Can machines ever be like us? Prof Michael Wooldridge...

Science Weekly ·

2023/12/19

Prof Michael Wooldridge has been an AI researcher for more than 30 years, and in the year that AI was supercharged by ChatGPT, he is giving the Royal Institution’s Christmas lectures on the truth about AI. The Guardian science correspondent Nicola Davis sat down with him to find out how he sees AI evolving, what makes human intelligence unique, and what really keeps him awake at night. Madeleine Finlay hears from them both in this Science Weekly Christmas special.. Help support our independent

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00:13:49

Cop28: what just happened?

Science Weekly ·

2023/12/13

A deal has been announced at Cop28 in Dubai, and depending who you talk to, it’s either a historic achievement or a weak and ineffectual agreement full of loopholes. Ian Sample speaks to the Guardian environment editor Damian Carrington, who explains what the deal on fossil fuels will mean in practice, how small island states have responded, and whether it will help us stay within the crucial limit of 1.5C of global heating. Help support our independent journalism at <a

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00:18:13

The incredible world of animal perception, and what...

Science Weekly ·

2023/12/12

Ian Sample meets Ed Yong, who recently won 2023’s Royal Society book prize for An Immense World, which delves into the incredible world of animal senses. From colours and sounds beyond our perception, to the weird and wonderful ways that animals grow new ears and experience smell, Ed explains why understanding how animals perceive the world can transform our own experience of life on Earth. Help support our independent journalism at <a

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00:16:42

All the drama from the first week of Cop28

Science Weekly ·

2023/12/07

Madeleine Finlay hears from the biodiversity and environment reporter Patrick Greenfield, who is reporting for the Guardian from Cop28 in Dubai. He describes the rollercoaster first week of highs and lows, which included an important agreement on loss and damage and a tetchy press conference from the summit president, Sultan Al Jaber. He also sets out what is still on the table as the second week of negotiations gets under way • This episode was amended on 7 December to reflect the fact that Sheikh

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00:16:45

Why are we still struggling to get contraception right?

Science Weekly ·

2023/12/05

As the pill becomes available over the counter and free of charge in England, Madeleine Finlay talks to science correspondent Nicola Davis about the problems women in the UK face in getting access to appropriate contraception, and how unwanted side-effects and lack of support have led to a rise in the popularity of fertility awareness-based methods. She also hears from Katie about her own journey trying to find the right contraception for her body. Help support our independent journalism at <a

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00:16:09

Everything you need to know about Cop28 as the summit...

Science Weekly ·

2023/11/30

Every year the world’s leaders gather for the UN climate change conference, and after a year of record temperatures, this year’s summit has been called the most vital yet. As Cop28 begins in Dubai, Ian Sample hears from Guardian environment editor and resident Cop expert Fiona Harvey. She explains why this summit proved controversial before it even began, what the main talking points will be, and how countries can still collaborate to meet the goals set out in 2015’s Paris agreement. Help support

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00:36:52

Weight of the world – the climate scientists who saw...

Science Weekly ·

2023/11/28

Science Weekly brings you episode one of a new mini-series from Full Story. Pioneering Australian scientists Graeme Pearman, Lesley Hughes and Ove Hoegh-Guldberg saw the climate crisis coming. Pearman predicted the increase of carbon dioxide levels, Hughes foresaw the alarming number of species extinctions and Hoegh-Guldberg forecast the mass coral bleaching events we’re seeing today. All three went on to become some of the country’s most respected experts in their fields, travelling the globe,

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00:15:31

What have we learned from the James Webb space...

Science Weekly ·

2023/11/23

Madeleine Finlay sits down with science correspondent Hannah Devlin to discuss the amazing discoveries the James Webb space telescope has made in the year since it became operational. From planets that rain sand, to distant galaxies, Hannah explains how some of these discoveries could fundamentally change our understanding of the universe. Help support our independent journalism at <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod">theguardian.com/sciencepod</a>

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00:18:57

Superyachts and private jets: the carbon impact of...

Science Weekly ·

2023/11/21

A new report from Oxfam has found that the extravagant carbon footprint of the 0.1% – from superyachts, private jets and mansions to space flights and doomsday bunkers – is 77 times higher than the upper level needed for global warming to peak at 1.5C. Madeleine Finlay hears from the Guardian’s Europe environment correspondent Ajit Niranjan, and from wealth correspondent Rupert Neate, about the highly polluting transport habits of the ultra-wealthy. Help support our independent journalism at <a

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00:18:11

The mysteries of volcanoes: what’s going on beneath...

Science Weekly ·

2023/11/16

As Iceland braces for a volcanic eruption, Madeleine Finlay hears from volcanologist Helga Torfadottir about how the country is preparing, and why this is happening now. She also speaks to Cambridge professor of volcanology Clive Oppenheimer about how scientists predict volcanic activity, and what it feels like to stare into a smouldering volcanic crater. Help support our independent journalism at <a

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00:14:16

CBD: what’s the science behind the wellness trend?

Science Weekly ·

2023/11/14

Last month the UK’s Food Standards Authority slashed the recommended safe daily intake of cannabidiol (CBD) from 70mg to 10mg. An estimated one in 10 people in the UK have used products containing CBD, and many users believe it can help with ailments such as insomnia, anxiety and pain. But is there any evidence for the supposed benefits, and what’s behind the FSA’s decision? Ian Sample talks to Dr Will Lawn of Kings College University, who has studied the health effects of CBD, to find out. Help

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00:16:49

Why is the Amazon rainforest drying up?

Science Weekly ·

2023/11/09

Ian Sample talks to Guardian global environment editor Jon Watts about the withering drought currently devastating the Amazon rainforest. Jon explains the complex mix of factors that are driving the drought, and considers whether it might be a catalyst for more concerted climate action in Brazil and beyond. Help support our independent journalism at <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod">theguardian.com/sciencepod</a>

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00:16:59

Understanding the science of addiction

Science Weekly ·

2023/11/07

After Matthew Perry’s death was announced, a clip of the actor debating the science of addiction on the BBC’s Newsnight programme went viral. To find out where we’ve got to in our understanding of addiction, Ian Sample talks to Dr Nora Volkow, director of the US National Institute on Drug Abuse. She explains how brain imaging has advanced our understanding of this chronic disease. Help support our independent journalism at <a

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00:18:06

Nuclear fusion, new drugs, better batteries: how AI...

Science Weekly ·

2023/11/02

As the UK hosts the first global AI safety summit, Guardian science editor Ian Sample joins Madeleine Finlay to look on the bright side and consider some of the huge benefits AI could bring to science. Madeleine also hears from Prof Mihaela van der Schaar, an expert in machine learning in medicine, about how she predicts AI will transform patient care. Help support our independent journalism at <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod">theguardian.com/sciencepod</a>

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00:16:05

What could near-death experiences teach us about...

Science Weekly ·

2023/10/31

Seeing a bright light, floating above your body, being guided by an angel. All of these are common elements of reported near-death experiences, but what’s really going on? Ian Sample meets Sam Parnia, an intensive care doctor and associate professor at NYU Grossman school of medicine in New York City who has spent his career exploring the boundary between life and death. He tells Ian how he believes these experiences can be explained and what medicine can learn from them. Help support our

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00:21:31

Black holes, but backwards: unlocking the mysteries...

Science Weekly ·

2023/10/26

Ian Sample meets the Italian physicist Carlo Rovelli to find out about his cutting-edge research into white holes. A white hole is essentially a time-reversed black hole: a region of spacetime where matter spontaneously appears and explodes outwards. At the moment they are hypothetical objects, so Rovelli explains why he thinks they are worth exploring and reveals how they could explain one of the greatest mysteries of physics. Help support our independent journalism at <a

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00:15:27

‘We’ve lost control’: what happens when the west...

Science Weekly ·

2023/10/24

Madeleine Finlay hears from environment editor Damian Carrington about a new study by the British Antarctic Survey, which shows Antarctic ice may be melting even faster than we thought. He also reflects on the life and career of former environment editor John Vidal, whose death was announced last week. Help support our independent journalism at <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod">theguardian.com/sciencepod</a>

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00:15:38

Could AI help diagnose schizophrenia?

Science Weekly ·

2023/10/19

Madeleine Finlay meets neuroscientist and psychiatrist Matthew Nour, whose research looks at how artificial intelligence could help doctors and scientists bring precision to diagnosis of psychiatric conditions. He describes his latest study looking at patients with schizophrenia, and explains how he thinks large language models such as ChatGPT could one day be used in the clinic. Help support our independent journalism at <a

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