There’s a big “gender gap” between boys and girls in maths and science - that’s according to a new report out this week. Boys in England in years five and nine are now “significantly” outperforming girls in both subjects, the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study suggests. Ben Garrod is joined by physicist Dr Jess Wade, from Imperial College London, and maths teacher and National Numeracy ambassador Bobby Seagull, to discuss the issue. Also this week, we discuss the mind-blowing ...
Apr 10, 2025•28 min
Critical minerals have hit the headlines of almost every news outlet this week as US President Donald Trump made his desires to mine them in Ukraine clear. These precious resources are a hot geopolitical bargaining chip thanks to our reliance on them in everything from mobile phones to wind turbines. This week, Inside Science unearths everything you need to know about critical minerals; what they are, why they’re critical, and what we do when there’s no more left to mine. Also this week, we come...
Apr 03, 2025•29 min
This week, Google has launched a new AI tool called Co-Scientist. We hear from one researcher who has tried it out with stunning results. But how much should we trust tools like this - and what are the dangers? And what about the problem of AI generated text and images? We talk to an ‘image integrity analyst’ who hunts down fake or manipulated pictures in scientific papers. Finally, the planets of the solar system are coming into an unusual alignment. Astronomer Royal for Scotland Catherine Heym...
Mar 27, 2025•28 min
Scientists gather this week to tackle emerging risks from cutting-edge biotech, echoing the landmark Asilomar conference that shaped genetic engineering safety 50 years ago. What new threats face us, and how can the scientific community stay ahead of them? Also in the programme: are you feeling asteroid anxiety? We take a closer look at the chances that ‘2024 YR4’ will hit us... We get the latest calculations on this space rock's potential collision course with Earth in 2032. And, as members of ...
Mar 20, 2025•28 min
The United States is the world’s science superpower. But right now, much of its research community is in a state of confusion. In the past few weeks, the Trump administration has issued a huge number of orders – amongst them, large funding cuts for scientific institutions. We unpick what the implications are for the country’s role on the global scientific stage. Also in the programme, we take another look at phone bans in schools. Why are the results of a recent study so different to the persona...
Mar 13, 2025•28 min
It’s the biggest story of recent weeks. Literally. Trillion-tonne iceberg A23a is on the move. But where is it headed and why – and what might it mean for the scientists and penguins in its path? And from a giant ‘megaberg’ to a giant pile of highly radioactive material, we find out what locking away a load of radioactive waste has in common with baking a cake. And we’re joined by science journalist Caroline Steel to guide us through this week’s science news. We’ll hear about the first study int...
Mar 06, 2025•28 min
1.5C. It’s THE number we talk about when we talk about climate change. But what does 1.5C actually mean now – and as the world saw record-breaking heat last year, does it even matter anymore? Climate scientist Mark Maslin and environmental psychologist Lorraine Whitmarsh discuss. Also this week, new clues about how life may have begun from a dusty space rock called Bennu, and New Scientist’s Graham Lawton brings us the science of the week, including AI’s ‘Sputnik moment’, the mice born with two ...
Feb 27, 2025•28 min
Following a devastating fire at the world’s largest lithium-ion battery plant, Inside Science probes the present and future of a technology we rely on every day. Lithium-ion batteries were a technological breakthrough, powering everything from mobile phones to electric vehicles, but as funding is poured into researching alternatives, are we on the verge of something safer, faster, and more efficient? Also this week, we learn about the “dark oxygen” potentially being produced in the deep ocean an...
Feb 20, 2025•28 min
Artificial intelligence is the big talking point of the week, with UK PM Sir Keir Starmer announcing a drive to unleash its full potential. It’s already being used in healthcare, but recent studies have exposed both strengths and weaknesses. We’re joined by Dr James Kinross, a surgeon and researcher at Imperial College London, to discuss the positives and the pitfalls. Also this week, we talk all about what a Trump presidency might mean for science; why powerful winds are driving the deadly fire...
Feb 13, 2025•28 min
How will science shape up in 2025? Marnie Chesterton is joined by a panel of science watchers to discuss what we can expect from the year ahead. We'll talk big science, small science - and the plain cool. What will science do for us in the coming year? On the Inside Science panel, we have: - Tom Whipple, science editor of The Times - Shaoni Bhattacharya, former acting science editor of The Observer & freelance editor at Research Professional News - Penny Sarchet, commissioning editor at New ...
Feb 06, 2025•28 min
Why do we laugh more when we’re with others? Are humans the only animals that laugh? Does ‘laughter yoga’ actually do anything? We're delving into the neurobiology, evolutionary history, and health effects of a good old chuckle. Live from the Hay Festival Winter Weekend, Marnie Chesterton is joined by laughter expert and neuroscientist, Professor Sophie Scott, and an expert in making people laugh, comedian Miles Jupp, in this side-splitting panel show. Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producer: Ella...
Jan 30, 2025•28 min
It’s that time of the year when many of us are at home with friends and family, losing track of time, eating leftovers, and, of course, playing games. This festive season, we look at the science of games and, of course, play some ourselves. It’s presenter Marnie Chesterton versus producer Florian Bohr at Marnie's kitchen table.... Who will win the Inside Science games special? Irving Finkel from the British Museum tells Marnie about the Royal Game of Ur, one of the most ancient board games which...
Jan 23, 2025•28 min
We look back on 2024 in science, from billionaires in space, to record-breaking heat here on Earth, and the meteoric rise of new weight-loss drugs. From the biggest stories to the unsung and the plain fun, Inside Science presenter Victoria Gill hosts a special panel, featuring: - Libby Jackson, head of space exploration at the UK Space Agency - Penny Sarchet, managing editor of New Scientist - Mark Miodownik, a materials scientist from University College London Presenter: Victoria Gill Producers...
Jan 16, 2025•28 min
More species infected than ever, an uptick in human cases, and some concerning biological modifications. How close are we to a bird flu pandemic? We digest the last year of bird flu changes with virologist Tom Peacock and public health journalist Melody Schreiber. Also this week, we address the absurd problem of transporting something that can't be touched, we find out how animals make their epic migratory journeys, and Victoria Gill visits a town which has learnt to ward off a fearsome predator...
Jan 09, 2025•28 min
Some social media users have been pouring milk down the drain and chucking their butter in the bin in protest over a new additive in cow feed that claims to reduce methane emissions. The online posts, attacking Arla Food’s trial of Bovaer with three big supermarkets and 30 farms in the UK, have had millions of views. So, what do we know – what is this additive and how is it going to tackle burpy cows? And what is the evidence it is safe? We interrogate the science with Sharon Huws, professor in ...
Jan 02, 2025•28 min
The south Wales town of Pontypridd saw cars submerged, people bailing floodwater out of their homes using bins, and the beautiful park and lido transformed into a brown mess, as parts of the UK were flooded. But, it's nothing new. Pontypridd was severely flooded just four and a half years ago – and these are scenes that play out around the UK every winter. So, is the way we warn people about floods failing? We’re going to unpick exactly how floods are forecast – and what went wrong – with natura...
Dec 26, 2024•28 min
As conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine continue to dominate the news, many Inside Science listeners have been in touch with the same question: What is the carbon footprint of war? How significant is the impact – and is it crass to even talk about it? We’re joined by Benjamin Neimark from Queen Mary University in London. Also this week, we chat to the incoming DG of Europe’s particle-smashing facility Cern, what have we learnt by defrosting an extinct big cat and, the beetle that could ruin ...
Dec 19, 2024•28 min
A shortage of medical isotopes used to detect cancer has experts concerned that the shortfall could be delaying diagnosis and could even be costing lives. Exactly what these nuclear medicines are and how they are made is key to understanding the national scarcity. So, we’re going back to basics and learning all about medical isotopes. We also speak to world-famous conservationist and primatologist Jane Goodall who, now aged 90, continues to travel the globe campaigning to protect the natural wor...
Dec 12, 2024•28 min
This year is set to be the world’s hottest on record, likely shattering the aspiration to limit global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. So where does this leave COP29, the upcoming UN climate conference in Azerbaijan? This week Inside Science is asking, are climate summits really working? What is the point of them - and are they doing enough? Joining Marnie Chesterton to discuss this are: - Joanna Depledge, expert on international climate negotiations at the University of Cambridge -...
Dec 05, 2024•28 min
It’s our Halloween special from a rain-soaked Jodrell Bank in Cheshire. We find out what you can see in a dark, dark Halloween night sky with space-watcher and Professor of astrophysics Tim O’Brien. Also this week, we meet some blood-sucking leeches, the horrors of pumpkin waste and could zombies ever be real? Presenter: Victoria Gill Producers: Ella Hubber, Sophie Ormiston & Gerry Holt Editor: Martin Smith Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth To discover more fascinating science...
Nov 28, 2024•28 min
Twenty years ago this week two physicists at the University of Manchester published a ground-breaking paper describing the extraordinary qualities of graphene. The thinnest and strongest material known to exist – and better at carrying electricity than any metal – its discovery was hailed as revolutionary. But two decades on, it doesn’t seem to have changed the world, or if it has, it is doing so very quietly. So, what happened? We go on the trail of graphene, meeting Nobel Prize winner and Godf...
Nov 21, 2024•28 min
The Earth’s natural carbon sinks absorb half of our pollution. But now, they appear to be collapsing. Why is this happening – and will we be able to reach our climate goals without them? Also this week, why a psychologist won the Nobel Prize in Physics, the culprit behind the second biggest mass extinction event, and does playing video games make you smarter? Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producers: Sophie Ormiston, Ella Hubber, Anna Charalambou Editor: Martin Smith Production Co-ordinator: Andre...
Nov 14, 2024•28 min
A woolly mammoth by 2028. That’s the bold claim from US company Colossal Biosciences, who say research is under way that will make this possible. But even if we have the technology to bring back a long dead species, should we? We hear the arguments for and against de-extinction. Also this week, what will Europa Clipper find when it heads to one of Jupiter’s icy moons and how to win a Nobel Prize. Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producers: Ella Hubber, Sophie Ormiston & Gerry Holt Editor: Martin...
Nov 07, 2024•28 min
“That’s the end of coal in the UK for electricity.” The UK’s last coal-fired power station has closed, ending Britain's 142-year reliance on coal. But what difference will the closure of Ratcliffe-on-Soar make – and could it mark a new dawn for clean energy? After 20 years of research into microplastics and headline upon headline on their potential harms, how much do we really know about these tiny particles? Also this week, Marnie turns lab rat for a navigation experiment, and why are we all so...
Oct 31, 2024•28 min
The images beamed back to Earth of the first civilian spacewalk have prompted a very pertinent question from one Inside Science listener: What effect is space travel having on our climate? We're used to delving into the carbon footprint of Earth-bound travel – so this week we’re going to explore the impact of the rapidly growing space industry on our climate. How does a rocket launch compare to a flight taking off? Do we even know the true cost yet – and if it’s significant, what might the solut...
Oct 24, 2024•28 min
Lab-grown meat, cultivated meat, cultured meat, in-vitro meat - whatever you call it, the industry claims it could be a game changer. Not just economically, but for feeding the planet in a sustainable way. But is it too good to be true? And will people even eat it? In this special episode of Inside Science, we take a deep-dive into lab-grown meat; visiting a production facility to see how it's made, hearing about the nuanced perspectives of British farmers, asking if this new industry can learn ...
Oct 17, 2024•28 min
Today incredible images were beamed around the world of civilians walking in space – for the very first time. All eyes were on businessman Jared Isaacman and engineer Sarah Gillis as they ventured outside a Space X capsule. But is this an historic space exploration milestone - or just a very exciting holiday for a billionaire? We'll find out more from the BBC’s own expert space-watcher Jonathan Amos. Also this week, we visit Sellafield which processes and stores more radioactive material per squ...
Oct 10, 2024•28 min
As the long-awaited final report into Grenfell Tower is made public, we look at the cladding that has been at the centre of the story for seven years. We ask Richard Hull, an expert in chemistry and fire science who’s been following the story, why it was used in the first place and what made it so dangerous. Also this week, the neuroscience of the Oasis queue, the technology powering Paralympic athletes and strange sounds from space... Presenter: Victoria Gill Producers: Sophie Ormiston, Ella Hu...
Oct 03, 2024•28 min
The Royal Society recently announced the shortlist for their annual Science Book Prize – and nominated is science writer and journalist Tom Chivers, author of the book Everything is Predictable. He tells us how statistics impact every aspect of our lives, and joins Marnie as a studio guest throughout the show. A drug – lecanemab – that can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease has recently been approved for use in the UK, but the healthcare regulator NICE has said that it won’t be availabl...
Sep 26, 2024•35 min
We try some cricket tacos and ask what role insects might play in our future diets, in a special programme with a live audience at Green Man Festival in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park in Wales. Our panellists: Peter Smithers, an entomologist and fellow of the Royal Entomological Society Aaron Thomas, co-founder of Yum Bug, which makes meat out of crickets Dr Emily Porter, a dietician and gut health specialist for the NHS and The Gut Health Clinic What else should we explore – and where els...
Sep 19, 2024•28 min
