International Jazz Day takes place on Sunday (30 April), and in this episode of Life Solved Robyn Montague speaks with George Burrows , Professor of Music and Theatre at the University of Portsmouth, about a band leader who moved to his own rhythm, decades before the 1960s pop revolution. Find out more about how the swing band, ‘Andy Kirk and his Clouds of Joy’, helped place popular music at the centre of cultural change in the 1920s and 1930s, and how echoes of early 20th century jazz continues...
Apr 27, 2023•20 min•Season 11Ep. 2
Life Solved is back for its 11th series – and as it’s International Dark Skies Week in this first episode, John Worsey speaks with Dr Jen Gupta, Dr Lucy King & Dr Chris Pattison from the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation at the University of Portsmouth. They explore some of the biggest mistakes made in space research. From Apollo 13 to Elon Musk, when things go wrong it’s often headline news. But what if those ‘fails’ are exactly what’s needed to progress? T...
Apr 20, 2023•17 min•Season 11Ep. 1
Stroke patients have been benefiting from recuperation thanks to cutting-edge research in robotics and biomechanics. In this episode of Life Solved we meet Amy Wright, who takes us through how biomechanical data informs artificial intelligence and robotics to help people recover the use of their limbs. Amy explains how far rehab has come in just 20 years, thanks to motion capture techniques like those used in the entertainment industry. That means that in spite of an increasing num...
Mar 16, 2023•15 min•Season 10Ep. 11
Professor Deborah Shaw says the film and TV industry is falling short of being inclusive, and that’s reflected in ceremonies like the Oscars, which takes place next week. In this episode of the Life Solved podcast, she explores how the route to equality lies in representation both on screen and off. She shares insights from her research into Latin American and Spanish film as well as gender and sexuality in cinema. Deborah also touches on how social media can highlight issues, advo...
Mar 09, 2023•17 min•Season 10Ep. 10
As Iran experiences a period of heightened unrest, the conflict between civil rights and an authoritarian state continues to play out in public and private life. Dr. Mahsa Ghaffari is a specialist in marketing, and in this episode of Life Solved she explores how dress codes and shopping choices are allowing women to subtly subvert state oppression through clothing and consumer choices in Iran. She explains how Iran’s history has previously navigated these tensions and how social me...
Mar 02, 2023•18 min•Season 10Ep. 9
One of the UK’s most commonly faced crimes is now fraud and it’s costing us billions of pounds. From text scams to fake websites and identity theft using deepfake technology, this kind of crime takes many forms and crosses national borders so policing it can be a challenge. But before you give up using the internet altogether, have a listen to this episode with Professor Mark Button, who shares his tips for staying safe online, and the scams he thinks we need to be mindful of in the future. Mark...
Feb 23, 2023•28 min•Season 10Ep. 8
What do intimacy and sex look like in cyberspace, and how will this inform relationships of the future? Thanks to technology, humans have more ways to engage intimately with each other and themselves in cyberspace. The University of Portsmouth’s Dr Trudy Barber has been exploring how the body can become ‘multi-mediated’ with technology and virtual reality since her 1980s art student days. In this episode she explains how the digital age is evolving sexual identity and community. &n...
Feb 16, 2023•19 min•Season 10Ep. 7
Why do burglars commit crimes and what kinds of decisions do they make when carrying out a crime? The answer could help us reduce the number of burglaries taking place. More than 192,000 burglaries were reported between 2021 and 2022 across England and Wales. The impact upon victims goes beyond lost possessions and can have a longer-term impact on their sense of security in their own homes. But Matthew Talbot thinks that some alterations in our behaviour, as well as embracing the t...
Feb 09, 2023•17 min•Season 10Ep. 6
Dr Claire Bailey-Ross explains how virtual, augmented and extended reality techniques are enhancing our learning experiences in museums, galleries and online in this episode of Life Solved. From virtually exploring the culture of UK cities to immersive experiences of wartime history and former nightclubs, the projects Claire works on in her digital heritage role are diverse! She explains how colleagues at the Centre for Creative and Immersive Extended Reality at the University of P...
Feb 02, 2023•23 min•Season 10Ep. 5
From last summer’s hosepipe bans to burst pipes in winter and seasonal flooding, the UK’s water systems are far from predictable in the face of climate change and development. So what can research do to solve a growing crisis in the supply and management of water here? Dr Peter Cruddas is a Senior Lecturer in Water Environmental Engineering at the University of Portsmouth. In this episode of Life Solved he discusses our aged infrastructure and what needs to be done in the face of droughts, drawi...
Jan 26, 2023•18 min•Season 10Ep. 4
Escaping from reality with a favourite TV show, book or movie is a great move at this time of year, but how did the stories we love become massive money-making franchises? In this episode of Life Solved, Professor Lincoln Geraghty takes us through a history of the film franchise, and explores how they’re keeping our imaginations and the film industry alive today. From fan-based communities that seek to do good for the planet, to sub-cultures and groups where people can unite over the shared valu...
Jan 19, 2023•34 min•Season 10Ep. 3
In this episode of Life Solved, Dr Fay Couceiro shares the latest on an exciting partnership between the University of Portsmouth and a 2,000 mile competitive rowing event! In the Summer of 2022, GB Row participants set out to row the length of the UK coastline in a gruelling endurance event, but not only that, they were gathering data to help study and map the health of our oceans. Braving waves, extremes of weather and turbulent conditions, the teams took samples along the way, with specially ...
Jan 12, 2023•19 min•Season 10Ep. 2
If you’re starting the new year with some aspirations to live a better life, you might be wondering what you can do to make a better planet too. Chris Jones is a Reader in Applied Psychology at the University of Portsmouth and he’s sharing his insights into how public perception and psychology can play a role in tackling one of our world’s critical problems: climate change. He says there are more effective ways of getting people to engage with energy tech to reduce their carb...
Jan 05, 2023•18 min•Season 10Ep. 1
In this special festive episode of Life Solved, Robyn Montague speaks with Dr Karen Middleton about her research into the social power of advertising. If you’re currently overwhelmed by festive advertising, you might also have noticed some subtle shifts in the way brand and organisations are positioning their products and values. Brands have long sought to gain our trust and loyalty through emotive and provocative campaigns, but today are more likely to be called out on their mistakes and mis-st...
Dec 22, 2022•26 min
The railways are part of our country’s heritage – and for many of us, a regular part of our lives. What can we learn from the past to ensure train travel is safer than ever in the 21st century? In the last in the current series of Life Solved, Dr Mike Esbester explains how a growing historical database of railway accidents, going back over 150 years, could create safer journeys and be a useful resource for those exploring their family’s past. With 21,000 cases documented so far, th...
Nov 10, 2022•19 min•Season 9Ep. 10
University of Portsmouth researchers are using techniques, normally reserved for athletes, to help aid weight loss and address the challenges of diabetes. In the latest episode of Life Solved, Dr Ant Shepherd takes us through a unique project to investigate how altitude and temperature could be of benefit to millions of people in the UK. The project is currently taking place in the 'Extreme Environments Laboratory' at the University Of Portsmouth, using both state-of-the-art techniques but also ...
Nov 03, 2022•13 min•Season 9Ep. 9
University of Portsmouth researchers are using the latest digital technology to help more of us uncover the secrets of our seas. In the latest episode of Life Solved, Dr Ann Coats takes us through a cutting-edge project to investigate shipwrecks around the UK coastline and reveal more about our maritime past. By drawing together research from across different disciplines, the Unpath’d Waters Project (UNPATH for short) has been working with museums and exhibitions such as Portsmouth’s Mary Rose, ...
Oct 27, 2022•19 min•Season 9Ep. 8
It’s possible there’s a fifth form of matter out there, and you might be using it right now. University of Portsmouth research stretches across the disciplines to help us understand our world better. And in today’s episode of Life Solved we hear from one academic who might be about to transform our concept of reality! Dr Melvin Vopson thinks he might have found the missing piece to understanding matter in our universe, and he’s planning an experiment to find out if “information” is the fifth for...
Oct 20, 2022•17 min•Season 9Ep. 7
You might not give a second thought to a well-fitting piece of sports clothing, but when your kit isn’t up to scratch, it can be a real disadvantage to your game. That’s what Dr Jenny Burbage and her team have been addressing through their innovative research in breast health and biomechanics here at the University of Portsmouth. In this episode of Life Solved Jenny shares how inconsistent products, sizing systems and a lack of historic research has left many women wearing the wrong bra for...
Oct 13, 2022•16 min•Season 9Ep. 6
How can a background in mapping cause you to end up tracking illegal gold miners, and using drones to assist in humanitarian crises? Professor Richard Teeuw is a geomorphologist and remote sensing scientist at the University of Portsmouth. In this episode of Life Solved he explains how his work in geoinformatics and disaster risk reduction has led him to work on tackling challenges here on earth. Thanks to revolutionary modern technology, Richard’s helping more and more organisations embrace map...
Oct 06, 2022•14 min•Season 9Ep. 5
In a special edition of Life Solved, we’re celebrating the work of researchers across the University of Portsmouth, by chatting to some of the brilliant minds featured in the new edition of SOLVE magazine. Our magazine shares in-depth articles and research highlights from across campus and in this episode Dr Nils Niederstrasser explains the link between chronic pain and physical activity and how we can use these insights for health and wellbeing later in life. We catch up with Professor Adrian H...
Sep 29, 2022•31 min•Season 9Ep. 4
Every year in the UK alone, 155,000 people go missing. Why do they go missing and how can we protect our vulnerable loved ones better? There are many misconceptions about what it means when a person goes missing, and how you should respond and report this. But one research group from the University of Portsmouth is working to reshape public knowledge and support the services that all play a part in looking after missing persons and their families. Professor Karen Shalev-Green works in the School...
Sep 22, 2022•17 min•Season 9Ep. 3
If you thought VR was just for computer games, then think again! A groundbreaking new centre here at the University of Portsmouth is helping businesses and organisations from every sector transform the way they work. From defence training to medicine, construction and even curing spider phobias, the University’s Centre for Creative and Immersive Extended Reality (CCIXR) is enabling more people to embrace exciting technology and inspiring the next generation of talent. Pippa Bostock is the Busine...
Sep 15, 2022•21 min•Season 9Ep. 2
Life Solved is back this Autumn with a brand new series, and to kick us off, we unpick the complex world of nuclear power plants. As we look to a future of renewable energy options, nuclear energy is back on the table for discussion. Its low carbon footprint presents a greener alternative to fossil fuels, but how does it measure up to wind and solar power when you’re looking at costs, waste and environmental impact? Professor Victor Becerra worked for a power generation company earlier in his ca...
Sep 08, 2022•17 min•Season 9Ep. 1
Have you heard of the Blue Economy? What has the sea got to do with national economies? What does the ocean mean to different nations? And how does the deep, blue sea hold the key to solving some of the most important issues facing our planet today? In the final episode of the series we meet up with Professor Steve Fletcher to explore a step-change in the way we’re thinking about the oceans as a natural resource. Steve explains how human activity has accelerated changes in these epic ecosystems ...
Jun 14, 2022•23 min•Season 8Ep. 8
This time, hear how one researcher here at Portsmouth is taking a closer look at a pathogen that might be doing some mysterious good in our ecosystems. Christina Scott had a career in water testing before returning to Portsmouth to study bacteria. Her background in marine biology and interest in the environment has caused her to ask the question: why is Legionella in our environment? We may all be familiar with the bad it can do, via Legionnaires’ disease, but Christina has be...
Jun 07, 2022•21 min•Season 8Ep. 7
It’s now 4 decades since the rapid escalation and resolution of the Falklands War, where over 900 soldiers were lost through sea, air and land conflict in the South Atlantic Ocean. In this episode, top historians and researchers from the University of Portsmouth discuss the pattern of events of 1982 and ask whether such a conflict could happen again. Ben, Matthew and Melanie share their take on changes in British defence policy and naval capabilities, as well as the cultural legacy and social im...
May 31, 2022•21 min•Season 8Ep. 6
The UK Space Sector is experiencing one of its most exciting periods in history as businesses, technology and industry seize upon the opportunities presented by science. Professor Adam Amara shares an inspirational chat about why he loves astronomy, from dark matter to pub-table debates and discovering planets. He’s passionate about sharing space science with everyone, and helping everyone turn their brilliant ideas into experiments. He also explains why the South of England is such an exciting ...
May 24, 2022•27 min•Season 8Ep. 5
January 2022 brought a very exciting moment for interwar historians – professional and amateur alike. The 1921 Census includes a survey of 38 million people living in England and Wales. This period followed a global pandemic and saw economic instability between two world wars. A team of hundreds of conservators have been working to conserve and digitise these 30,000 bound volumes of documents. Now they’re available to us all online. This time on Life Solved, Glenn Harris chats with Deborah ...
May 17, 2022•40 min•Season 8Ep. 4
Cybercrime is now one of the most prevalent and due to its international scope, can be difficult to track and prosecute for. So how vulnerable are individuals and businesses from attacks? And is cyber crime also being used in warfare and state-backed activity? In this episode of Life Solved, hear insights from Professor Vasileios Karagiannopoulos, a Reader in Cybercrime and Cybersecurity on how governments and laws are adapting to crime in the complex and evolving digital world. And find o...
May 10, 2022•25 min•Season 8Ep. 3
