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Science Weekly podcast

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Science Weekly

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  The Guardian  

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

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

 

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Progress

Duration

Release Date

#300

Transparent skin, bird flu, and why girls’ brains aged during Covid: 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 technique that uses food colouring to make skin transparent, to the first case of bird flu in a person with no known contact with sick animals, and a study looking at premature brain ageing in young people during Covid. Help support our independent journalism at [theguardian.com/sciencepod] (https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod) ... Read more

16 hrs Ago

16 MINS

16:37

16 hrs Ago

#299

Into the abyss beneath Greenland’s glaciers

Environment editor Damian Carrington tells Madeleine Finlay about his recent trip to Greenland on board a ship with a group of intrepid scientists. They were on a mission to explore the maelstrom beneath Greenland’s glaciers, an area that has never been studied before, and were hoping to find answers to one of the world’s most pressing questions – how quickly will sea levels rise?. Help support our independent journalism at [theguardian.com/sciencepod] (https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod) ... Read more

10 Sep 2024

15 MINS

15:58

10 Sep 2024

#298

The race to understand mpox

Last month the World Health Organization declared the recent mpox outbreak that began in the Democratic Republic of the Congo a public health emergency of international concern. As scientists race to find out more about the new strain, Ian Sample talks to Trudie Lang, professor of global health research and director of the global health network at the University of Oxford, to find out what we still need to learn in order to tackle and contain the virus. Help support our independent journalism at [theguardian.com/sciencepod] (https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod) ... Read more

05 Sep 2024

16 MINS

16:35

05 Sep 2024

#297

The arrest of Telegram’s founder, and what it means for social media

The arrest of Telegram’s founder and CEO in Paris last month has thrown the spotlight on the messaging app and its approach to content moderation. Madeleine Finlay hears from Russian affairs reporter Pjotr Sauer and technology journalist Alex Hern about how the case could influence how social media companies approach problematic content on their platforms. Help support our independent journalism at [theguardian.com/sciencepod] (https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod) ... Read more

03 Sep 2024

17 MINS

17:40

03 Sep 2024

#296

Summer picks: the science of ‘weird shit’

The psychologist Chris French has spent decades studying paranormal claims and mysterious experiences, from seemingly impossible coincidences to paintings that purportedly predict the future. In this episode from April 2024, Ian Sample sits down with French to explore why so many of us believe in what he terms ‘weird shit’, and what we can learn from understanding why we are drawn to mysterious and mystic phenomena. Help support our independent journalism at [theguardian.com/sciencepod] (https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod) ... Read more

29 Aug 2024

18 MINS

18:59

29 Aug 2024

#295

Summer picks: what can our dogs teach us about obesity?

Labradors are known for being greedy dogs, and now scientists have come up with a theory about the genetic factors that may be behind their behaviour. In this episode from April 2024, the Guardian’s science correspondent and flat-coated retriever owner Nicola Davis visits the University of Cambridge to meet Dr Eleanor Raffan and Prof Giles Yeo to find out how understanding this pathway could help treat the obesity crisis in humans. Help support our independent journalism at [theguardian.com/sciencepod] (https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod) ... Read more

27 Aug 2024

20 MINS

20:44

27 Aug 2024

#294

Summer picks: why are so many science papers being retracted?

A record 10,000 research papers were retracted in 2023. In this episode from February 2024, Ian Sample speaks to Ivan Oransky, whose organisation Retraction Watch has been monitoring the growing numbers of retractions for more than a decade, and hears from blogger Sholto David, who made headlines this year when he spotted mistakes in research from a leading US cancer institute. Help support our independent journalism at [theguardian.com/sciencepod] (https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod) ... Read more

22 Aug 2024

19 MINS

19:31

22 Aug 2024

#293

Summer picks: what does the science say about birth order and personality?

We all know the cliches about older siblings being responsible, younger ones creative, and middle children being peacemakers. But is there any evidence our position in the family affects our personality? In this episode from March 2024, Madeleine Finlay meets Dr Julia Rohrer, a personality psychologist at the University of Leipzig, to unpick the science behind birth order. Help support our independent journalism at [theguardian.com/sciencepod] (https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod) ... Read more

20 Aug 2024

16 MINS

16:01

20 Aug 2024

#292

What’s happened to all the butterflies?

Butterfly numbers in the UK appear to be at the lowest on record after a wet spring and summer dampened their chances of mating. This comes on top of a long and worrying trend of decline. To find out what’s going on and what we can all do to help butterflies cope with extreme weather patterns, Phoebe Weston speaks to Dr Richard Fox, the head of science for the charity Butterfly Conservation, and to Matthew Hayes, who is part of the Banking on Butterflies project, a collaboration between the Insect Ecology Group at the zoology department in Cambridge University and the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. Help support our independent journalism at [theguardian.com/sciencepod] (https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod) ... Read more

15 Aug 2024

16 MINS

16:31

15 Aug 2024

#291

Just how bad is alcohol for us?

For the regular drinker it is a source of great comfort: the fat pile of studies that say a daily tipple is better for a longer life than avoiding alcohol completely. But a new analysis challenges that thinking and says it was based on flawed research that compares drinkers with people who are sick and sober. Madeleine Finlay hears from the study’s lead author, Tim Stockwell, a scientist at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria, to find out why scientists (including him) were so convinced, and what the actual risks of alcohol are. Help support our independent journalism at [theguardian.com/sciencepod] (https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod) ... Read more

13 Aug 2024

16 MINS

16:32

13 Aug 2024

#290

How Team GB’s psychologist gets the athletes mentally ready

Jess Thom, lead psychologist for Team GB, tells Madeleine Finlay how she prepares athletes for failure and success – and the challenges that arise when the games are over and they have to return to normal life. Help support our independent journalism at [theguardian.com/sciencepod] (https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod) ... Read more

08 Aug 2024

16 MINS

16:11

08 Aug 2024

#289

Secrets of ageing: making our last years count

Humans have always been obsessed with getting old, or rather staying young, but now science is beginning to catch up. Longevity has become a hot topic, from university laboratories to Silicon Valley startups. In the final episode of a special Science Weekly three-part mini-series on ageing, Ian Sample meets Dr Rachel Broudy, medical director at Pioneer Valley Hospice and faculty lead of eldercare at Ariadne Labs, to find out how we can stop fearing our old age, and perhaps even make it fun.. Help support our independent journalism at [theguardian.com/sciencepod] (https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod) ... Read more

06 Aug 2024

18 MINS

18:59

06 Aug 2024

#288

Secrets of ageing: how long could I live?

Humans have always been obsessed with getting old, or rather staying young, and now science is beginning to catch up. Longevity has become a hot topic from university laboratories to Silicon Valley startups. In the second of a special Science Weekly three-part mini-series on ageing, Ian Sample talks to Venki Ramakrishnan, winner of the Nobel prize in chemistry and author of the book Why We Die. Venki outlines the most promising scientific advances in the field of longevity and discusses the more unusual ways that the wealthy are trying to extend their lives, from blood transfusions to cryonics. Help support our independent journalism at [theguardian.com/sciencepod] (https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod) ... Read more

01 Aug 2024

23 MINS

23:13

01 Aug 2024

#287

Secrets of ageing: what makes me age?

Humans have always been obsessed with getting old, or rather staying young, but now science is beginning to catch up. Longevity has become a hot topic, from university laboratories to Silicon Valley startups. In the first of a Science Weekly three-part miniseries on ageing, Ian Sample speaks to Richard Faragher, a professor of biogerontology at the University of Brighton, to discover what we know about the biological hallmarks of ageing in our bodies –and why we have evolved to have the lifespans we do. Help support our independent journalism at [theguardian.com/sciencepod] (https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod) ... Read more

30 Jul 2024

20 MINS

20:49

30 Jul 2024

#286

Trophy hunting: can killing and conservation go hand in hand?

A series of super tusker elephant killings has sparked a bitter international battle over trophy hunting and its controversial, often-counterintuitive role in conservation. Biodiversity reporter Phoebe Weston speaks to Amy Dickman, professor of wildlife conservation at the University of Oxford, about why this debate has become so divisive, and the complexities of allowing killing in conservation. Help support our independent journalism at [theguardian.com/sciencepod] (https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod) ... Read more

25 Jul 2024

15 MINS

15:59

25 Jul 2024

#285

George Monbiot on the record jail terms given to Just Stop Oil activists

Last week, five supporters of the Just Stop Oil climate campaign who conspired to cause gridlock on London’s orbital motorway were sentenced to lengthy jail terms by a judge who told them they had ‘crossed the line from concerned campaigner to fanatic’. Columnist and campaigner George Monbiot tells Ian Sample why the sentences are so significant, how they fit into a crackdown on protest in the UK in recent years, and what impact they could have on future climate activism in the UK. Help support our independent journalism at [theguardian.com/sciencepod] (https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod) ... Read more

23 Jul 2024

16 MINS

16:20

23 Jul 2024

#284

Is there any point in taking multivitamins?

Multivitamins are cheap, convenient, and provide a little bit of reassurance if our diet isn’t quite as healthy as we’d like. But a recent study of nearly 400,000 people spanning 20 years found they didn’t help users live longer, and in fact appeared to show a 4% increased mortality risk. Ian Sample hears from JoAnn Manson, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, to find out what the evidence tells us about the overall health benefits of multivitamins, and how consumers can navigate this large and sometimes confusing market. Help support our independent journalism at [theguardian.com/sciencepod] (https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod) ... Read more

18 Jul 2024

15 MINS

15:14

18 Jul 2024

#283

Can the climate survive AI’s thirst for energy?

Artificial intelligence companies have lofty ambitions for what the technology could achieve, from curing diseases to eliminating poverty. But the energy required to power these innovations is threatening critical environmental targets. Madeleine Finlay hears from the Guardian’s energy correspondent, Jillian Ambrose, and UK technology editor, Alex Hern, to find out how big AI’s energy problem is, and whether it can be solved before it is too late. Help support our independent journalism at [theguardian.com/sciencepod] (https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod) ... Read more

16 Jul 2024

18 MINS

18:08

16 Jul 2024

#282

‘Lesbian’ seagulls and ‘gay’ rams: the endless sexual diversity of nature

Same-sex sexual behaviours have been reported in a wide variety of species, and a new study suggests that, although animal scientists widely observe it, they seldom publish about same-sex sexual behaviour in primates and other mammals. To find out why and to hear about some of the examples of sexual diversity from the animal kingdom, Ian Sample hears from Josh Davis, a science writer at the Natural History Museum in London and author of the book A Little Gay Natural History. Help support our independent journalism at [theguardian.com/sciencepod] (https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod) ... Read more

11 Jul 2024

18 MINS

18:05

11 Jul 2024

#281

ZOE and personalised nutrition: does the evidence on glucose tracking add up?

You might have noticed that everyone has recently become a bit obsessed with blood sugar, or glucose. Wellness firms such as ZOE here in the UK – as well as Nutrisense, Levels and Signos – claim to offer insights into how our bodies process food based on monitoring our blood glucose, among other things. But many researchers have begun to question the science behind this. To find out what we know about blood glucose levels and our health, and whether the science is nailed down on personalised nutrition, Ian Sample hears from philosopher Julian Baggini, academic dietician Dr Nicola Guess of Oxford University and ZOE’s chief scientist, and associate professor at Kings College London, Dr Sarah Berry. Help support our independent journalism at [theguardian.com/sciencepod] (https://www.theguardian.com/sciencepod) ... Read more

09 Jul 2024

29 MINS

29:08

09 Jul 2024