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PODCAST

Unexpected Elements

BBC World Service

The news you know, the science you don’t. Unexpected Elements looks beyond everyday narratives to discover a goldmine of scientific stories and connections from around the globe. From Afronauts, to why we argue, to a deep dive on animal lifespans: see the world in a new way.

science

All Episodes

49:30

The gift of science

Unexpected Elements ·

2025/12/26

This Boxing Day and holiday season, our present to you is the science of gifts.First, we investigate the health benefits of donating blood, and find out about the predator sharing a feast of food in the Arctic.We’re then joined in the studio by physicist Dr Krishma Singal from Rice University, who unravels the soft-matter physics and brilliant engineering potential of knitting.Next, we discuss the reputation of piranhas, enquire about the uniqueness of our sneezes, and break down how salting roads

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49:28

Why are we sad when television series end?

Unexpected Elements ·

2025/12/19

The end of Australian soap opera Neighbours has us wondering why a television series ending makes us sad. Also, what does science say about how to engage with screens while still protecting your vision?Also on the show, visual ecologist Daniel Hanley has created a camera to help us visualize the world animals see, and why are there green birds, green insects, but no green mammals?All that plus more Unexpected Elements.Presenter: Marnie ChestertonProducers: Margaret Sessa-Hawkins, Alice

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49:29

Chicken, with a side order of science

Unexpected Elements ·

2025/12/12

Over the Christmas season, it is estimated that some 3.6 million families in Japan will tuck into KFC over Christmas (other fried chicken is available), which inspired the Unexpected Elements team to chew over all things chicken! First, we discover that chicken may never have become domesticated if it wasn’t for rice farming. We also ponder whether the chicken or the egg came first. Next, we find out that humans are surprisingly smart at translating chicken chatter. We are by Dr Jingmai O’Connor,

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49:29

Some bear-y interesting space science

Unexpected Elements ·

2025/12/05

A teddy bear launched into the upper atmosphere as part of a school science project has gone missing! Inspired by this story, the Unexpected Elements team look into how bears could help improve astronauts’ health on long-term space flights. Next, how has a US Air Force site delivered an unexpected conservation win for an endangered species?We’re then joined by Justin Gregg, a professor of animal behaviour and cognition. He reveals why we anthropomorphise cuddly toys – such as teddy bears – and why

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49:29

The unexpected science behind Klimt's artwork

Unexpected Elements ·

2025/11/28

The Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer by Gustav Klimt has recently sold for $236m, making it the second-most expensive artwork ever sold at auction. Inspired by this headline, the Unexpected Elements team delve into the story of how microbiology may have influenced Klimt’s work.Speaking of microbiology, we find out that bacteria could help restore frescoes to their former glory. We also get on the line with Dr Siyakha Mguni, an archaeologist and senior lecturer at the University of Cape Town, who tells

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49:30

Some Beautiful Science

Unexpected Elements ·

2025/11/21

The Miss Universe pageant final has us considering the science of beauty. How much of our perception of beauty is genetic, and how much is down to personal experiences? We also look at the science behind competitions and the audience effect. Why do we sometimes perform better when we’re watched?Also on the show, Oxford professor Marcus du Sautoy explains why maths can be beautiful, and former Miss Universe Ireland and NASA datanaut Fig O’Reilly talks about balancing pageants and a career in science

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49:30

A keg of beer-based science

Unexpected Elements ·

2025/11/14

A 150-year-old bottle of Arctic Ale is being uncapped, which got the team talking about all things related to yeast, beer, and opening things. First, we hear about a rare condition where the body brews its own alcohol. Next up, we find out that small amounts of alcohol make male fruit flies more attractive. We’re then joined in the studio by food historian Pen Vogler, who helps us travel back in time to explore beer’s origins. Next, we discover how air pollution is affecting our brains, and delve

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49:29

A storm of science

Unexpected Elements ·

2025/11/07

As rescue and relief efforts in the Caribbean are ongoing after Hurricane Melissa, Unexpected Elements looks at the science of storms. We explore how AI might help us better predict the weather patterns, and whether it could act as an early warning signal to help us prepare for natural disasters, and we look at what a sinkhole off the Coast of Belize has helped reveal about 6000 years of storm history in the Caribbean. Giles Harrison, Professor of Atmospheric Physics at Reading University helps

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49:30

A science heist

Unexpected Elements ·

2025/10/31

The daylight robbery of precious crown jewels from the Louvre museum in Paris has us stealing your attention to inspect heists and crime scenes in science.We explore how stealthy spiders use tricks and deceit to rob precious prey from one another, and we look at how seagulls and other birds have the advantage when it comes to stealing food from humans. We also learn how our immunological security systems try to prevent bacteria from doing an iron-heist from our cells and blood.But what about

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49:30

How does biometric data work?

Unexpected Elements ·

2025/10/24

Europe has a new entry/exit system based on biometric data. But what exactly is the science behind biometric data, how can we ensure it’s used responsibly, and can it be cracked?We also look at how some animals use dung as biometric data with Dr. Adrian Shrader, how your walk can be used to ID you from Professor Mark Nixon, and why gold has its own special measurement. All that plus many more Unexpected Elements.Presenter: Marnie ChestertonProducers: Margaret Sessa-Hawkins with Lucy Davies and

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49:30

Why are gold prices so high?

Unexpected Elements ·

2025/10/17

Record high gold prices have us looking at the science of inflation, why gold is leaking from volcanoes, and entomologist Katy Price explains why shiny gold can be a good color for camoflague. Plus the dark science going on in a gold mine, whether we can move at the speed of light, and the debate around golden rice. All that, plus more unexpected elements.Presenter: Marnie ChestertonProducers: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, with Margaret Sessa-Hawkins, Robbie Wojciechowski and Lucy Davies.

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49:30

The strongest stuff in the Universe

Unexpected Elements ·

2025/10/10

Egyptian strongman Ashraf Mahrous recently pulled two ships totalling 1,150 tonnes with his teeth, setting his sights on the Guinness World Record. Inspired by this story, this week we’re tackling the science of all things strong. First, we find out about new research that could keep our muscles strong as we age. Next up, we discover why graphene is so strong and how it could help improve data storage. We're then joined down the line by Dr Matt Caplan, an astrophysicist from Illinois State

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49:30

Science inspired by Taylor Swift

Unexpected Elements ·

2025/10/03

The launch of Taylor Swift’s much-anticipated 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, has inspired this week’s episode of Unexpected Elements.First up, we hear how a Brazilian songbird courts its mate as part of a boyband. We then find out about the microbes that dance to survive in their extreme habitat. Next up, Professor Troy Magney, a forest ecophysiologist at the University of Montana, tells us about his TSWIFT machine and how it can assess the health of the planet’s forests. Also in the

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49:29

Two-hundred years of trains

Unexpected Elements ·

2025/09/26

This week marks 200 years since the first steam train pulled passengers over 26 miles of north-east England’s countryside, and started a revolution. Jump on board for show filled with train tales.We explore Mumbai’s lunch delivery system – train based, of course, which has the sort of error rate that delivery firms arounds the world can only dream of. We ask what it takes to run a railway on time, and look at how the bullet train changed Japan, with history professor Jessamyn Abel.Presenter: Marnie

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49:29

Pirate science ahoy!

Unexpected Elements ·

2025/09/19

For International Talk Like a Pirate Day on 19th September, we dig up a treasure chest full of pirate-inspired science.First up, we peer down our microscopes at a bacterium that takes its inspiration from a pirate warship. Next, we turn our attention to scurvy, the disease that plagued mariners and is now making a comeback in the modern age. We then get on the line with marine archaeologist Dr Sean Kingsley, who is about to set sail on a mission to survey the unexplored wrecks of Nassau. Plus, we

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49:29

Some dam awesome science

Unexpected Elements ·

2025/09/12

The inauguration of Africa’s largest hydroelectric dam has us looking at how we decide when, where, and even whether to build dams.But humans aren’t the only ones building dams – Loren Taylor of the Beaver Institute joins us to talk all about nature’s hydroengineers and the wide-spread benefits beavers (and their dams!) have on ecosystems. Also on the program, how close are we to clean energy from space, the science behind holding your breath for a really, really, really, REALLY long time, and how

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49:29

Punk rock science

Unexpected Elements ·

2025/09/05

A dinosaur with metre-long spikes has been discovered. The species, Spicomellus afer, is from the Jurassic Period and is the oldest example of a group of animals called ankylosaurs. The scientists behind the research have dubbed the new dinosaur the ‘punk rock dinosaur’, which led the Unexpected Elements team to go out searching for the science on all things punk, rock, and heavy metal.First up, we find out what other punks might be lurking in the fossil record. And meet a pair of unconventional

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49:29

Where do beaches come from?

Unexpected Elements ·

2025/08/29

It’s August, and in the northern hemisphere, many people are hitting the beach to escape the summer heat. And that inspired us to investigate bucketloads of beach-based science. First up, we find out about the forces that build and shape the seaside. Next, we discover that the waves from the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption reached the atmosphere. Speaking of waves, we’re joined by Dr Edward Hurme from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour, who tells us about his research into surfing bats

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49:29

Mountains of overtourism

Unexpected Elements ·

2025/08/22

As Nepal makes 97 peaks free to climb, we look at the science of overtourism – especially on mountains. How do so many visitors affect these environments, and what can be done? Plus, are mountains carbon sources, or carbon sinks? And why do we feel the drive to summit these peaks anyway? A psychologist specialising in thrill-seeking explains. Also on the show, we take your questions, read out your comments, and look at what it takes to physically measure the height of a peak like Everest.All that,

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49:29

Why do we follow trends?

Unexpected Elements ·

2025/08/18

What's got rabbit-like ears, huge eyes, nine teeth and a demonic grin? It’s Labubu! These ugly-cute toys have gone viral online, largely thanks to social media’s trending machine. Their fame was previously limited to China and parts of Asia, but since 2024 their popularity has grown and the dolls can now be purchased in more than 30 countries round the world. This week, the global demand for Labubu inspired us to play around with trend-based science. First up, we hear how the special sauce behind

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