PODCAST

Science Weekly

The Guardian

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

science

All Episodes

00:17:27

Summer picks: are we any closer to understanding long...

Science Weekly ·

2023/08/10

In this episode from March 2023, Ian Sample hears from Scotland’s Astronomer Royal, Prof Catherine Heymans, about her experience of long Covid and how it has affected her life. He also speaks to Prof Danny Altmann, an immunologist at Imperial College London, about the scientific understanding of the condition, and whether we’re any closer to a treatment. Help support our independent journalism at <a

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00:15:08

Summer picks: should we ban artificial grass?

Science Weekly ·

2023/08/08

Installing artificial grass is becoming an increasingly popular way to achieve a neat, green lawn without much effort. But with environmental and potential health costs associated with plastic turf, many campaigners and gardeners would like to see it banned. In this episode from April 2023, Madeleine Finlay speaks to Guardian feature writer Sam Wollaston and urban ecologist Prof Rob Francis about why people go for artificial grass, its environmental impact, and whether it’s time we rid ourselves of

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00:18:51

Summer picks: could the multiverse be real?

Science Weekly ·

2023/08/03

The film Everything Everywhere All at Once won the 2023 Academy Award for Best Picture. In this episode from March 2023, just before the Oscars, Ian Sample spoke to the theoretical physicist and philosopher Sean Carroll about why we seem to be drawn to the idea of multiple worlds, and what the science says about how the multiverse might actually work. Help support our independent journalism at <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod">theguardian.com/sciencepod</a>

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00:12:21

Summer picks: what’s the reality behind the ‘Love...

Science Weekly ·

2023/08/01

As the 10th series of the ITV show finishes, viewers may have noticed the perfectly straight, white teeth of the contestants. But are there risks associated with achieving a flawless smile? In this episode from January 2023, Madeleine Finlay speaks to dentist Paul Woodhouse about some of the dangers of dental tourism. Help support our independent journalism at <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod">theguardian.com/sciencepod</a>

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00:15:23

Canadian lake could mark the start of new geological...

Science Weekly ·

2023/07/27

Plutonium from nuclear weapons, industrial waste, and human activity more broadly have left such a mark on the Earth that a new epoch called the Anthropocene has been proposed. Scientists are debating the specific geological site to define this epoch, with the frontrunner being an unassuming lake in Canada: Crawford Lake. What is it about this spot that holds the secrets to this period of history? From hydrogen bombs to hens’ bones, how do we define the Anthropocene, the beginning of the human era

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00:14:19

What can doppelgangers tell us about nature v nurture?

Science Weekly ·

2023/07/25

The thing about doppelgangers is that despite looking almost identical, they aren’t biologically related. So, what makes them appear so similar? How do totally different people end up with the same face? And, can studying doppelgangers tell us anything about the age-old question of nature v nurture? Madeleine Finlay speaks to Dr Manel Esteller to find out. Help support our independent journalism at <a

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00:22:27

Extreme heat: what does it do to us and how can we...

Science Weekly ·

2023/07/20

As record temperatures spread across the world, Ian Sample sets out to understand what heat does to our bodies and what we can do to mitigate it without causing more damage to the environment. He visits Prof Lewis Halsey’s team at the University of Roehampton and learns first-hand about the body’s response to heat. He also hears from scientists Prof Jean Palutikof and Dr Aaron Bach about how we can adapt buildings and working conditions in a changing climate.. Help support our independent journalism

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00:18:09

What’s at stake if we mine the deep sea?

Science Weekly ·

2023/07/18

As the International Seabed Authority gathers in Jamaica to thrash out regulations for mining the deep sea, Chris Michael of the Guardian’s Seascape team gives Ian Sample the background to this highly contested decision. Ian also hears from the marine biologist Dr Diva Amon about why some scientists are sounding the alarm. Help support our independent journalism at <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod">theguardian.com/sciencepod</a>

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00:14:53

Has a 25-year-old bet taken us a step closer to...

Science Weekly ·

2023/07/13

Twenty-five years ago in a German bar, neuroscientist Christof Koch bet philosopher David Chalmers that we’d understand the neural basis for consciousness by 2023. Last month, the winner of the bet received a case of wine. Ian Sample talks to Christof and David about why they made the bet, who won, and where we are now in our understanding of this most fundamental aspect of existence.. Help support our independent journalism at <a

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00:18:07

The awe-inspiring intelligence of octopuses

Science Weekly ·

2023/07/11

Madeleine Finlay speaks to science correspondent Nicola Davis about why octopuses are more similar to us humans than we might believe. She also hears from Prof David Scheel about our increasing understanding of the sophistication of these cephalopods, and how that should influence our treatment of them. Help support our independent journalism at <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod">theguardian.com/sciencepod</a>

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00:19:59

Why inflammation matters, and what we can do to fight it

Science Weekly ·

2023/07/06

Ian Sample talks to Dr David Furman, an expert on inflammation and ageing at Stanford University. He explains how chronic inflammation is affecting our health and how lifestyle choices can help us fight it. This episode has been updated from an earlier version which stated that dairy is a cause of inflammation. Current scientific evidence suggests dairy has a negligible to marginally positive impact on inflammation in humans.. Help support our independent journalism at <a

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00:16:51

Why are windfarms turning record profits for the...

Science Weekly ·

2023/07/04

Madeleine Finlay speaks to the Guardian’s energy correspondent, Jillian Ambrose, about how offshore windfarms are generating record profits for the crown estate, and why King Charles has asked for the money to be used for the wider public good. She also hears from economist Guy Standing about how the seabed became a source of income for the crown and what it means for our view of the oceans as ‘commons’. Help support our independent journalism at <a

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00:18:26

Euclid: will the mission uncover the secrets of dark...

Science Weekly ·

2023/06/29

Ian Sample speaks to the cosmologist Dr Andrew Pontzen about the European Space Agency’s Euclid mission, which hopes to uncover more about two of the universe’s most baffling components: dark energy and dark matter. Pontzen explains what the probe will be looking for and how its findings will contribute to our understanding of the structure and evolution of the cosmos. Help support our independent journalism at <a

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00:18:37

Why are orcas attacking boats and is the behaviour...

Science Weekly ·

2023/06/27

Since 2020, orcas off the coast of Spain and Portugal have been ramming boats, biting rudders and, in a few cases, sinking entire vessels. Now it has been reported that a similar encounter has happened off Shetland. Madeleine Finlay speaks to marine biologist and orca expert Hanne Strager about what might be behind these incidents and where our fascination with orcas comes from This podcast was amended on 27 June 2023. An earlier version contained audio of the calls of a humpback whale, not an orca

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00:16:54

Synthetic human embryos: can the law keep pace with...

Science Weekly ·

2023/06/22

Scientists have created synthetic human embryos using stem cells in a groundbreaking advance that sidesteps the need for eggs or sperm. Madeleine Finlay speaks to science correspondent Hannah Devlin about her world exclusive story on this development, what it could mean for medical research, and whether the ethical and regulatory classifications of these embryos are keeping pace with the science. Help support our independent journalism at <a

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00:18:42

Cybercrime: what does psychology have to do with...

Science Weekly ·

2023/06/20

At the start of 2023, the UK postal service Royal Mail was hit with an ultimatum: pay $80m (£67m) or continue to have international shipments blocked. The demand came from Russian-linked hackers the LockBit group, who had infiltrated Royal Mail’s software. Royal Mail refused to pay and eventually reinstated its overseas deliveries, but the cyber-attack came at a huge cost to the company and others that depend on its service. Ransomware attacks like this one are on the rise. So too are phishing

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00:16:36

Will new treatments change the way we view cancer for...

Science Weekly ·

2023/06/15

Ian Sample speaks to the Guardian’s health editor, Andrew Gregory, and Dr Roy Herbst about the world’s biggest annual gathering of oncology professionals. Each year’s event features a mass of new research, and 2023 was no exception. What were the standout advances, and could they lead to permanent changes in the way we treat, think about and live with cancer?. Help support our independent journalism at <a

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00:16:57

Kakhovka dam destruction: why is Ukraine calling it...

Science Weekly ·

2023/06/13

Madeleine Finlay speaks to Doug Weir from the Conflict and Environment Observatory about why the collapse of the Kakhovka dam is likely to be so damaging for biodiversity, access to clean water and levels of pollution. He explains why the environment has become such a central part of the narrative and considers what this increased focus could mean for Ukraine’s eventual recovery. Help support our independent journalism at <a

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00:17:28

Why is Nasa looking into UFOs and what has it found...

Science Weekly ·

2023/06/08

Last week, Nasa held the first public meeting of a panel established to investigate sightings of UFOs. It came just before a whistleblower former intelligence official told the Debrief that the US government had ‘intact and partially intact’ craft of non-human origin. Ian Sample talks to Prof David Spergel, the independent chair of Nasa’s panel, about why this is happening now, what they hope to find and why there is so much stigma attached to this field. Help support our independent journalism at

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00:24:15

‘It’s taught me everything about living’: Rachel...

Science Weekly ·

2023/06/06

Ian Sample talks to Dr Rachel Clarke about her experience working in palliative care in the NHS and now with hospices in Ukraine. She tells him what dying can teach the living, what we can learn from the Covid pandemic, and reveals the anguish and defiance of trying to provide a dignified death in the midst of war. Help support our independent journalism at <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod">theguardian.com/sciencepod</a>

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