Colonel Chris Hadfield is a former fighter pilot who became an astronaut and served as a commander of the International Space Station (ISS). While in orbit he became a social media star, posting breath-taking pictures of earth, as well as videos demonstrating practical science and playing his guitar. These days, the Canadian invests in businesses and has written several best-selling fiction and non-fiction books. In this programme, Chris Hadfield tells Russell Padmore how he was influenced by St...
Nov 08, 2024•17 min
They’re the kind of mega vessels which only a handful of people on the planet can afford. We go to the Netherlands, where building and maintaining the most expensive yachts in the world is big business. We visit Dutch yacht builder Heesen to look at the intricate design of these vessels, their opulence, and the huge amounts of money involved in building and selling them. Plus we hear from those who actually help put the boats together. And we get an expert view on the importance of the Superyach...
Nov 07, 2024•17 min
It's a familiar feature of our oceans and beaches and yet its environmental impact has largely been overlooked. Now supporters say seaweed can help us address climate change by reducing our reliance on fertilisers, and by reducing the methane emissions produced by cows. On top of that, proponents say a new material produced from the sugars in seaweed could provide a biodegradable alternative to the millions of tonnes of single-use plastic we throw away each year. No wonder the World Bank is pred...
Nov 06, 2024•17 min
We explore the largest infrastructure project in the history of the Baltic states - a new high-speed line connecting Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania with their Western allies. The project is supposed to be an economic boost to the region, and yet getting it on track hasn't been straightforward. We speak to those in charge of the project, and to businesses in the cities en-route. Produced and presented by Lisa Louis. (Image: The partly-built Rail Baltica Riga central hub in Riga, Latvia, in June 20...
Nov 05, 2024•17 min
In this programme, we look at some of the key issues for voters in the crucial, so-called ‘swing states’ in the 2024 US Presidential Election. From Pennsylvania and the battle for blue-collar workers’ votes in Pittsburgh, to the cost of living in Nevada and the auto industry in Michigan. While for voters in Georgia, housing is proving to be a key issue. We hear from people in each of these states about what matters to them and what could bring in those crucial votes for each candidate. Presenter...
Nov 04, 2024•17 min
On the character's 50th birthday, we hear from the boss of the Japanese company which created her. Sanrio CEO Tomokuni Tsuji took over from his grandfather who founded the company in Japan. The company struggled to be profitable for years - we find out how under the leadership of Tomokuni Tsuji, the brand has grown to a trillion yen company, and speak about some of the challenges around counterfeits. Produced and presented by Mariko Oi (Image: A woman poses with Hello Kitty plushies at the exhib...
Nov 01, 2024•17 min
Once difficult to find outside of Japan, the green tea has made it onto the menus of major coffee chains. The matcha tea industry is projected to reach US$5bn in revenue by 2031. We look at the role TikTok, celebrity and wellness endorsements have played, and ask whether the matcha we drink in the west is healthy. Plus we hear from producers who say the industry needs regulation. Presented and produced by Megan Lawton (Image: Matcha tea in a cup. Credit: Getty Images)...
Oct 31, 2024•18 min
They’re the interactive games where players race against the clock to solve puzzles and break free. And now major brands are tapping into the trend. Companies are investing in escape rooms to enhance internal communications and team-building, and they’re now being seen as a powerful external communication tool too. And we learn how escape rooms are being used to engage customers and showcase their products, crafting unusual marketing experiences. Presented and produced by Deborah Weitzmann...
Oct 31, 2024•17 min
It has already inspired the hit HBO television series Succession, but now Rupert Murdoch’s family drama is playing out in real life in a courtroom in the US state of Nevada. The 93-year-old media mogul is trying to change the terms of a family trust he made years ago that states that after his death, his four eldest children should get equal voting rights in his empire. Murdoch wants to alter it to give his eldest son Lachlan greater control. We hear from outside the courtroom, look back at Murd...
Oct 29, 2024•17 min
We look at how some leaders in the battleground state of Pennsylvania are fighting for the approval of a deal for a Japanese company to purchase US Steel Corporation. That’s despite strong opposition from the unions and both presidential candidates. (Picture: Edgar Thompson Plant in Braddock, PA. Credit: Getty Images/Washington Post) Presented and produced by Monica Miller
Oct 28, 2024•17 min
From growing up as a refugee to leading the most recognised sustainability label in the world, Sandra Uwera talks about the challenges she's faced, and her drive to improve the lives of around two million farmers and workers around the world, through Fairtrade International. (Picture: Sandra Uwera. Credit: Fairtrade International) Presented and produced by Devina Gupta
Oct 24, 2024•17 min
In today’s episode we look at some ingenious solutions to water related problems. We start our aquatic journey by going on a tour of one of Victorian England’s most important feats of engineering. We discover a cheap and easy way to test for water quality, and learn about one of the biggest and most ambitious flood defence and general infrastructure projects in the world. And we hear how a water and sanitation engineer in Nairobi, Kenya, is trying to prevent huge volumes of H2O being wasted in l...
Oct 23, 2024•17 min
In the second of a two-part series, we travel to the US-Canada border to find out what people, businesses and industries are thinking ahead of the US election. From one of North America’s busiest border crossings, to Canada’s energy capital, we hear from those who might be impacted by November’s result. South of the border, in Mexico, we hear how tension with China is benefitting America’s closest neighbours. Presenter: Sam Gruet Producer: Megan Lawton (Photo:: A road sign in Fort Erie, Ontario ...
Oct 22, 2024•17 min
The US presidential election on 5 November 2024 will have major consequences for its neighbours, Canada and Mexico. Trade, immigration, and diplomatic relations all hinge on the election's outcome. This episode explores how the two countries are preparing for either a Donald Trump or Kamala Harris presidency. From business owners and farmers to international trade specialists, we learn what is at stake for North America’s economies. Presenter: Sam Gruet Production: Sam Gruet and Megan Lawton (Ph...
Oct 21, 2024•17 min
Theo Leggett reports on the latest trends and concerns preoccupying the automobile industry at this year’s Paris Motor Show. Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers have established that they can manufacture vehicles more cheaply than their European counterparts, and now they are looking to move into that market. Theo hears from Chinese and French car manufacturers about what this will mean for consumers. China is not the only country selling EVs to European consumers, a big American name is revi...
Oct 20, 2024•18 min
We meet the Team Principal at Williams Racing - who says he's determined to restore one of Formula 1’s most historic teams to its former glory. From facing rejection early in his career to working with Honda, Brawn GP and Mercedes, James Vowles recounts his journey in the sport. He is now focussed on transforming Williams, who have not claimed a championship since the late 1990’s. Presenter: Theo Leggett Producer: Amber Mehmood (Image: James Vowles at Williams Racing HQ in Oxfordshire. Credit: A...
Oct 17, 2024•18 min
We look at a growing trend using artificial intelligence (AI) to 'connect' people to loved ones who have died. The grief tech sector, also called "death tech", is now valued at more than £100bn globally, according to tech news website TechRound. We hear from the people using technology, from the businesses building it, and we find out about the ethical challenges they face. Is it going too far? Produced and presented by Isabel Woodford (Image: Woman looking at her phone in the dark. Credit: Gett...
Oct 16, 2024•17 min
We get the views of three American retailers - how do they see the economy and what do they want from the next US president? We hear from a department store owner in Indiana, a bookshop owner in Texas and a snack company based in New York City. Produced and presented by Ed Butler Additional production by Matt Lines (Image: A shop owner holding an open sign. Credit: Getty Images)
Oct 15, 2024•18 min
We look into the implications of what has been described as sport's 'trial of the century' If Manchester City are found guilty of breaching the English Premier League's financial rules - allegations Manchester City and the club strongly deny - the team could face relegation, while the Premier League risks serious reputational damage. Produced and presented by Alex Capstick (Manchester City celebrate winning the 2023/24 Premier League title. Credit: Getty Images)
Oct 14, 2024•18 min
People have been participating in mass rallies in India seeking justice for a young medical trainee who was raped and murdered in a hospital. It’s put a spotlight once again on women’s safety at work - particularly for those women doing night shifts. There are laws to protect women from sexual harassment in the workplace, but campaigners say it can be slow to get justice. So what more can be done to improve women's safety and encourage female participation in the workforce? We talk to some night...
Oct 13, 2024•17 min
Ruth Alexander talks to Nagi Maehashi, founder of the hit food site, RecipeTin Eats. Back in 2014, Nagi gave up a high-flying job in corporate finance to start her blog. The gamble paid off and her blog now gets half a billion hits a year. She is also the author of two cookery books. Nagi tells Ruth what those early days were like, how she built the business, and what mistakes she made along the way. Plus - we hear about the crucial role of the blog's co-star Dozer, Nagi's much-loved Golden Retr...
Oct 10, 2024•24 min
We look at the impact of a new 10 year deal with Madrid - does it mean one of the longest-serving venues - Barcelona - will lose out? We speak to businesses and hotels in Barcelona who are looking to the future. Is it really sustainable for one country to host two F1 events each year? Produced and presented by Ashish Sharma. (Image: Max Verstappen drives by the crowd during the 2024 Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit De Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain. Image: Getty Images)...
Oct 09, 2024•17 min
The minimalist, flat-packed furniture company has revolutionised living spaces globally. Originating from a small Swedish farm in the 1940s, it quickly grew and gained household recognition in the 1970s and 1980s. Today, Ikea stands as the world's largest furniture retailer. We speak to CEO Jesper Brodin to explore Ikea's brand evolution and its ability to adapt to consumer trends over the span of eight decades. And how realistic are its sustainability targets? Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer Am...
Oct 08, 2024•17 min
Islands around the world rely on ships as their lifeline service - for everything from their domestic supplies, to making hospital visits, as well as supporting vital industries like tourism. When the services go down, for weather or technical reasons, these remote communities are cut off from the mainland, with no back-up option. We hear from opposite sides of the world - Scotland and New Zealand - where unreliable car ferries disrupt the daily lives of residents and visitors. And we hear from ...
Oct 07, 2024•18 min
Is selling off abandoned homes for a dollar or a pound the answer to invigorating a city? We meet some of the people in the port cities of Baltimore in the US and Liverpool in the UK who have taken part in similar housing revival schemes. Is it an easy win, or is solving a city's problems more complicated? (Picture: Maxine Sharples, who bought a house in Liverpool for a £1, holding a photo showing her undertaking renovation work in her home.) Presented and produced by Rowan Bridge...
Oct 06, 2024•20 min
Carl Allen is a multi-millionaire former businessman who ran a trash bag company in the US. He's now the owner of an island in the Bahamas, a philanthropist and deep-sea treasure hunter, scouring the seabed for sunken Spanish galleons, slave ships and long-lost treasure. He tells us about his relentless search for one Spanish galleon that’s fired his imagination for the past 40 years. We discuss the ethics of treasure hunting and his belief that the best way to bring up relics from the bottom of...
Oct 03, 2024•17 min
There are more than three million vessels on the world's sea beds, and plenty of explorers looking for them. But if they find something valuable, do they get to keep it? We talk to an arbitration lawyer about the laws governing the sea, and hear from maritime archaeologists about the perils of rummaging around on the ocean floor, disturbing long-sunken wrecks that offer a priceless glimpse into history. Some say we should leave these ships be, especially when they’re graveyards. Others say we sh...
Oct 02, 2024•17 min
In the first of our three part series looking at the money behind shipwrecks, we start with what's been called "the most valuable shipwreck in the world". The San José is a Spanish galleon sunk by the British off the Colombian coast more than 300 years ago. The treasure onboard is estimated to be worth $18bn, which means plenty of people are looking for it, and trying to lay claim to it. A salvage company, the Colombians, the Spanish and a Bolivian indigenous community all say the shipwreck and ...
Oct 01, 2024•17 min
It’s the second largest landmass in the world, famous for its lakes and spectacular forests, yet Canada’s travel industry has faced challenges since the Covid pandemic hit in 2020. International visitor numbers still haven't recovered, and extreme weather events like wildfires have destroyed some of its best-known resorts. Plus difficult diplomatic relations have meant a reduction in tourists from a key market - China. But Canada’s government says it has a plan for the sector which is worth $38b...
Sep 30, 2024•18 min
As the world gradually adopts 5G, there’s already talk of the next generation. It’ll be around 2030 before 6G arrives, but network operators in Japan and South Korea are gearing up. Meanwhile, some predict that 6G will render smartphones obsolete within a decade. Devices like sensors, displays, drones and electronics in vehicles will spontaneously create their own networks, sending and receiving at super-fast data rates and low latency. So, why the early excitement over 6G? How should businesses...
Sep 29, 2024•17 min
