Science Weekly
Episodes
Why inflammation matters, and what we can do to fight it
06 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ian Sample talks to Dr David Furman, an expert on inflammation and ageing at Stanford University. He explains how chronic inflammation is affecting ou...
Why are windfarms turning record profits for the crown estate?
04 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Madeleine Finlay speaks to the Guardian’s energy correspondent, Jillian Ambrose, about how offshore windfarms are generating record profits for the ...
Euclid: will the mission uncover the secrets of dark matter and dark energy?
29 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 th...
Why are orcas attacking boats and is the behaviour spreading?
27 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Synthetic human embryos: can the law keep pace with the science?
22 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Scientists have created synthetic human embryos using stem cells in a groundbreaking advance that sidesteps the need for eggs or sperm. Madeleine Finl...
Cybercrime: what does psychology have to do with phishing?
20 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Will new treatments change the way we view cancer for good?
15 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ian Sample speaks to the Guardian’s health editor, Andrew Gregory, and Dr Roy Herbst about the world’s biggest annual gathering of oncology profes...
Kakhovka dam destruction: why is Ukraine calling it ‘ecocide’?
13 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 damag...
Why is Nasa looking into UFOs and what has it found so far?
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Last week, Nasa held the first public meeting of a panel established to investigate sightings of UFOs. It came just before a whistleblower former inte...
‘It’s taught me everything about living’: Rachel Clarke on delivering palliative care from the NHS to Ukraine
06 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 d...
Why are food allergies on the rise and is a cure on the horizon?
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Food allergies appear to be increasing globally, but as scientific understanding improves, some experts believe we may one day be able to eliminate th...
Six months to Cop28: will the most vital summit yet make meaningful progress?
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Every year, the world’s leaders gather for the UN climate change conference. At Cop28, they will be faced with two stark warnings from scientists: w...
Japanese knotweed: why is it so damaging and can it be stopped?
25 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Since it was introduced to the UK in 1850, Japanese knotweed has gone from novel ornamental plant to rampant invasive species. Madeleine Finlay speaks...
What will we eat in a post-1.5C world?
23 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We now know that global temperatures are likely to temporarily rise by more than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels in the next five years. Breaching th...
Menopause: could a new brain-based treatment cure hot flushes?
18 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A first-of-its-kind non-hormonal drug to treat hot flushes has been approved in the US. Targeting connections in the brain that change during menopaus...
Is it the beginning of the end for scientific publishing?
16 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
More than 40 leading scientists have resigned en masse from the editorial board of a top science journal in protest at what they describe as the ‘gr...
First UK baby born with DNA from three people: what happens next?
11 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The pioneering IVF procedure known as mitochondrial donation therapy (MDT) could prevent children from being born with devastating mitochondrial disea...
Will psychedelic drugs transform mental health treatment?
09 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Psychedelic drugs have long been been used for their mind-altering effects. Now, they are making their way into western medicine as a treatment for me...
How AI is making non-invasive mind reading a reality
04 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For the first time, researchers have found a way to non-invasively translate a person’s thoughts into text. Using fMRI scans and an AI-based decoder...
Can cities help us fight climate change?
02 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As the planet warms, and intense heatwaves become the norm, our urban environments need a radical rethink to keep them habitable. So what do we want t...
Europe’s ‘carbon bomb’ petrochemical plant: can it be stopped?
27 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The environmental law charity ClientEarth and 13 other groups headed into a Flemish court this week in an effort to stop Ineos building a petrochemica...
Why are black women four times more likely to die from childbirth?
25 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Experts and campaigners have been pointing out the racial disparities in maternal healthcare for years. The latest report to highlight the issue comes...
How did ultra-processed foods take over, and what are they doing to us?
20 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sliced supermarket bread, ham, cheese, crisps, a fruit-flavoured yoghurt and a fizzy drink. If this sounds like a standard lunch, you’re not alone. ...
Could virtual reality gaming help people overcome anxiety?
18 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Madeleine Finlay speaks to science correspondent Linda Geddes about trying out a virtual reality game that challenges you to keep your heart-rate down...
Juice Mission: why has the search for alien life moved to Jupiter’s moons?
13 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The European Space Agency’s long-awaited Juice Mission is about to blast off for Jupiter’s moons. Its goal: to find out whether the oceans below t...
Should we ban artificial grass?
11 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Installing artificial grass is becoming an increasingly popular way to achieve a neat, green lawn without much effort. But with environmental and pote...
What’s feeding the 5,000-mile blob of seaweed growing in the Atlantic?
05 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A giant mass of seaweed is heading towards beaches in Mexico, Florida and the Caribbean, bringing with it toxic gases and a smell similar to rotting e...
Why does the UK government want to ban laughing gas?
04 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The UK government recently announced plans to make the possession of laughing gas for recreational use a criminal offence. Nitrous oxide, also known a...
Glass beads full of water on the moon: what does the discovery mean for space exploration?
30 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
More than half a century after humans last walked on the moon, researchers have made a discovery that makes lunar living an increasing possibility. Th...
Could faecal transplants be the next frontier in health?
28 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Madeleine Finlay hears from science correspondent Linda Geddes about her experience becoming a faecal transplant donor, how getting a dose of someone ...
Three years on: are we any closer to understanding long Covid?
23 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ian Sample hears from Scotland’s Astronomer Royal Catherine Heymans about her experience of long Covid and how it has impacted her life. He also spe...
Willow Project: what could the ‘carbon bomb’ mean for the environment?
21 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Madeleine Finlay speaks to Guardian West Coast reporter Maanvi Singh about the Biden administration’s approval of a controversial new oil drilling p...
How will gene editing change medicine and who will benefit?
16 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ian Sample speaks to Guardian science correspondent Hannah Devlin about the latest developments and debates about gene editing to emerge from a summit...
The Last of Us: could the next pandemic be fungal?
14 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Madeleine Finlay speaks to Guardian science correspondent Linda Geddes about the possibility of a fungal pandemic like the one depicted in apocalyptic...
Everything Everywhere All at Once: could the multiverse be real?
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The film Everything Everywhere All at Once has enjoyed critical acclaim and awards success. Ahead of the Oscars, where it’s tipped to sweep the boar...
Matt Hancock’s messages: how scientifically literate should our politicians be?
07 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ian Sample speaks to mathematical biologist Kit Yates about what Matt Hancock’s leaked WhatsApp messages reveal about scientific understanding at th...
What should we do about the rise in children vaping?
02 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Madeleine Finlay speaks to former Guardian health editor Sarah Boseley about the rise in vaping among under-18s and what can be done to discourage mor...
What are ‘forever chemicals’ and why are they causing alarm?
28 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Madeleine Finlay speaks to environmental journalist Rachel Salvidge about PFAS, also known as ‘forever chemicals’, which have been found at high l...
15-minute cities: mundane planning concept or global conspiracy?
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Madeleine Finlay speaks to the Guardian’s architecture and design critic, Oliver Wainwright, about why the relatively obscure concept of the 15-minu...