The head of Ofcom has defended the UK’s new Online Safety Act, calling it “very ambitious” in tackling harmful content - but campaigners say it doesn’t go far enough. Plus - new data shows the expansion of ULEZ has improved London’s air quality, but it hasn’t reduced traffic levels . City Hall and Transport Editor Ross Lydall spoke to Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan about the latest stats. Also in this episode: The UK government faces pressure to introduce stronger AI regulations, ensuring humans stay at t...
Mar 10, 2025•10 min
SpaceX’s latest Starship test flight has ended in flames- marking the eighth failed attempt for Elon Musk’s deep-space rocket . Meanwhile, the Athena lander has successfully touched down on the Moon, but engineers fear it may have tipped over. We hear from CMO of Castrol Nicola Buck about how the British oil company is helping to keep the AstroAnt micro robot going as part of the mission. Plus, scientists have created a woolly mouse - a small step towards reviving the woolly mammoth. We heard fr...
Mar 07, 2025•9 min
This is a replay preview of our sister podcast Brave New World. What is biohacking and are you already doing it without realising? Evgeny Lebedev spends a day with the ‘world’s fittest man’, Ben Greenfield, to learn how exercise, diet and light contribute to wellness. To hear the whole episode search 'Brave New World Evening Standard' in your podcast provider. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 06, 2025•19 min
Hearing that an illness is ‘all in your head’ can have a damaging effect on self-worth and self-esteem. That’s according to new research from the University of Cambridge that has revealed the impact of chronic diseases being misdiagnosed as psychosomatic. The study showed that patients whose symptoms were dismissed were more likely to experience high levels of depression, anxiety and lower mental wellbeing. In this special episode, Rachelle Abbott talks to lead author of the study Dr Melanie Slo...
Mar 04, 2025•10 min
A Belfast factory is set to supply 5,000 air defence missiles to Ukraine. TikTok is one of several social media platforms being investigated by the Information Commissioner’s Office. Suze Cooper talks to the ICO’s deputy commissioner for regulatory policy Emily Keaney about the investigation. Also in this episode: Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost spacecraft lands on the Moon. OpenAI’s Sora video tool is coming to ChatGPT, alongside the launch of GPT-4.5. Microsoft announces the end of Skype, as it...
Mar 03, 2025•8 min
Apple’s latest iPhone 16e hits UK shelves today, boasting high-end features for an affordable price. We asked Alice from Apple about all the new and important additions. South Korean officials are in California this week and signed a $35 billion agreement to fund the world’s largest AI data centre, 'to rival Microsoft and Google'. We’re joined by the co-founders of the new data centre, Stock Farm Road, Brian Koo and Dr. Amin Badr-El-Din, who explain why South Korea is investing so heavily in AI ...
Feb 28, 2025•8 min
This is a replay of a preview taken from our sister podcast, Brave New World. Evgeny meets ‘anti-ageing poster boy’ Bryan Johnson, the entrepreneur whose ‘Project Blueprint’ aims to extend the human lifespan. He also talks to the 46-year-old’s doctor Oliver Zolman, who details how they’re approaching a controversial area of emerging science. To hear the whole episode search 'Brave New World Evening Standard' in your podcast provider. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 27, 2025•16 min
Apple’s rolling out a bug fix after an iPhone glitch where saying ‘racist’ briefly flashes an image of Donald Trump on screen. MPs warn Meta’s decision to scrap third-party fact-checkers could allow misinformation to spread unchecked. How are London scientists decoding brain signals to make robotic limbs feel more natural? We hear from Imperial College London Research Associate Dr Deren Barsakcioglu. Also in this episode: The UK government announces its Digital Inclusion Action Plan to close the...
Feb 26, 2025•9 min
Breast cancer deaths and cases are set to rise dramatically by 2050, according to latest figures from the World Health Organisation. But what’s driving the increase? Why has Bitcoin dropped to its lowest price since November? How researchers are using X-Ray vision to improve Formula 1. We’re joined by Dr. Chu Lun Alex Leung an Associate Professor in Advanced Manufacturing at UCL. Also in this episode: Why have Kate Bush, Annie Lennox and Damon Albarn dropped a completely silent new album? Anthro...
Feb 25, 2025•8 min
More than 100 schools across Barnet will go ‘smartphone-free’ from September . This isn’t the first time smartphones have been banned in London and comes as the Safer Phones Bill continues to gain momentum. Joining us to explain is The London Standard's chief political correspondent, Rachael Burford. We're also joined by Clare Fernyhough, founding partner of Smartphone Free Childhood, who explains the negative impacts smartphones have on children. Get in touch with us at podcasts@standard.co.uk ...
Feb 21, 2025•9 min
After almost 20 years in development Microsoft’s Majorana 1 chip has been unveiled. Experts are seeing it as a leap towards quantum computing but what is that? And what does it mean? Elsewhere, researchers at Imperial College London and Google have been testing an AI co-scientist to see how it might contribute to advanced experiments. Dr Tiago Costa, who co-led the experimental work tells us how they challenged the tech and what they learnt from collaborating with AI. Also in this episode: Micro...
Feb 20, 2025•7 min
This is a replay of a preview episode from our sister podcast Brave New World. Could psychedelics be used to help tackle mental health issues like depression and addiction? Evgeny Lebedev speaks to Professor David Nutt, one the leading researchers in this controversial field. He also speaks to Buzzfeed journalist Lara Parker who used ketamine assisted therapy to treat clinical depression. To hear the whole interview, including additional interviews with pioneers Robin Carhart-Harris and Amanda F...
Feb 18, 2025•18 min
The scent of ancient Egyptian mummies has been unlocked thanks to pioneering smell analysis. We hear from UCL’s Dr Cecilia Bembibre about the research conducted on nine mummified bodies that could allow museum visitors to experience the aromas of the past through "smellscapes." Also in this episode: South Korea halts downloads of DeepSeek over security fears. The Royal Society faces pressure over Elon Musk’s fellowship. Cambridge researchers develop a brain implant that could revolutionise Parki...
Feb 17, 2025•8 min
Apple and Google have been assured there won’t be penalties for allowing TikTok downloads from their app stores - although the ban is still set to be enforced in April. Plus, scientists have discovered how cancer cells break away from tumours and spread through the body . We hear from Victoria Sanz Moreno, professor of cancer cell and metastasis at the Institute of Cancer Research about what the research means for future cancer diagnosis and treatment. Also in this episode: A cooling system insp...
Feb 14, 2025•8 min
Rachelle Abbott sits down with science and technology editor Will Hosie to explore US President Donald Trump’s vision for space exploration. They discuss his relationship with Elon Musk and SpaceX, the challenges of reaching Mars, and whether Trump can put humans on the Red Planet before anyone else. Will shares insights from his latest article in The London Standard , "Why Donald Trump and Elon Musk Could Fall Out Over SpaceX." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 13, 2025•12 min
This is a replay of a preview taken from our sister podcast Brave New World. Is it possible to live forever – and would you even want to? Evgeny Lebedev is joined by David Walliams to explore the science and ethics of age reversal. He also meets longevity pioneer Dr David Sinclair, who gives advice on how to extend lifespans - and tells David Walliams how to reverse his biological clock. To hear the whole episode search 'Brave New World Evening Standard' on your podcast provider. Hosted on Acast...
Feb 12, 2025•18 min
Professor of neuroscience at University College London, Sonja Hofer, explains how researchers made the fascinating discovery, with hopes it can one day support PTSD and anxiety treatments. We head back to Paris for the AI Action Summit, with Andrew Strait, associate director at the Ada Lovelace Institute and former ethics researcher at Google’s DeepMind AI project. Why the moon has been placed on a heritage protection watchlist, with John Darlington, director of projects at the World Monum...
Feb 11, 2025•12 min
Imperial College London’s Professor David Shrier on key discussion topics at France’s first global AI conference . Professor Shrier was among experts advising on the European’s Union’s AI act. Also in this episode: OpenAi’s $14m Super Bowl ad celebrating human invention Rare ‘Einstein ring’ captured in a galaxy far away. Sri Lankan government blames monkey for national power cut Bryan Adams Australia gig axed over sewer fatberg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 10, 2025•9 min
This is a replay of a preview of our sister podcast, Brave New World. Evgeny Lebedev joins Dr Gabor Maté, a renowned physician and best-selling author recognised for his ground-breaking work in the fields of addiction and mental health. They discuss: Trauma and resilience Self-limiting beliefs and how to overcome them Are Western children being raised in a ‘toxic culture’? To hear the full interview, just search Brave New World Evening Standard. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in...
Feb 08, 2025•18 min
Research by Oxford Economics and hardware-maker IBM claims quantum computing could boost economic productivity by over eight per cent in the coming decades - but concerns remain about the ultra-powerful tech’s environmental impact. Record hot January was 1.75C above pre-industrial era. Mummification of pharaohs unwrapped at London hologram show - we speak with Egyptologist Nacho Ares, who is curator of Tutankhamun: The Immersive Exhibition. Also in this episode: Cyber-warrior recruits sought for...
Feb 06, 2025•8 min
Rachelle Abbott joins London GP Dr Sonia Adesara, who explains the ‘wild west’ culture of online weight-loss jab prescriptions. Plus Louise Edwards, chief strategy officer & deputy registrar at the General Pharmaceutical Council, on tougher new rules to combat unregistered online pharmacies. Endangered Darwin’s froglets , the size of a grain of rice, born at London Zoo - with Dr Ben Tapley, ZSL’s curator of amphibians and reptiles. How AI helped The Beatles secure their eighth Grammy Award. ...
Feb 04, 2025•9 min
Donald Trump says he “might” hit Britain with trade tariffs and warned of American levies on EU imports “pretty soon” - we discover how such restrictions might impact with UK tech and services, Dr Ashok Kumar, associate professor at Birkbeck University of London and supply chain expert. Health officials announce 12 new mpox vaccination sites have opened across England. Stranded Nasa astronaut Sunita Williams reveals she’s not walked, sat or laid down for two-thirds of a year while stuck on the I...
Feb 03, 2025•9 min
Questions continue to grow about air safety in the US capital. We hear from Graham Braithwaite, professor of safety and accident investigation, at Cranfield University. Crispr designed gene cutting therapy for some patients with severe sickle cell disease, approved for NHS use. The ‘godfather of artificial intelligence’ issues stark warning that the technology could one day replace humans. Also in this episode: Dr Ashley King, from the Department of Earth Sciences at London’s Natural History Mus...
Jan 31, 2025•9 min
We’re joined by tech entrepreneur Ahti Heinla, the Skype co-founder who went on to run AI-powered robot delivery firm Starship Technologies. Heinla is calling on the Starmer government to improve regulation for automated technology. Asteroid alert: football pitch-sized space rock under watch. Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg shrugs off DeepSeek fears. Also in this episode Jenny Halpern Prince, co-founder of The Lady Garden Foundation, debunks myths surrounding vital smear tests and the charity’s poll r...
Jan 30, 2025•10 min
We explore the groundbreaking DeepSeek- R1 model with Dr Mark Kennedy, who leads Imperial College London’s Data Science Institute. What is DeepSeek, and how has this small team from China revolutionised AI technology? We also discuss any implications of this model for the future of AI, the potential “wake-up call” for existing tech giants, and the significance of having more players in the field. Plus, could this all be a positive step for small business leaders? This episode includes a look bac...
Jan 28, 2025•18 min
Surging popularity of Chinese discount AI software DeepSeek appears to have wobbled investors’ faith in the profitability of AI and the sector’s demand for expensive high-tech chips. How London’s black cabbies outsmart AI, with Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience Hugo Spiers, from University College London’s department of Psychology & Language Sciences. Also in this episode: From Storm Eowyn to Storm Herminia : bad weather brings more disruption to UK transport services US woman ‘feels lik...
Jan 27, 2025•7 min
Storm Eowyn smashed into the British Isles bringing record gusts of over 110mph . But what is the cyclone, and how did it form? Met Office meteorologist Alex Deakin explains. Why Trump wants to evaluate US crypto stockpile in ‘digital assets’ appraisal. New twist in mystery of dinosaurs’ origins, with PhD student Joel Heath of UCL Earth Sciences and London’s Natural History Museum. Also in this episode: Could camel’s milk be a good swap from traditional dairy drinks? Meta denies claims users hav...
Jan 24, 2025•8 min
Samsung's Annika Bizon on their latest Galaxy S25 AI smartphones . Tornado warning for London as Storm Eowyn is predicted to batter the UK with 100mph winds amid ‘danger to life warning’. Royal Shakespeare Company debuts first video game called ‘Lili’. Also in this episode: Is Meta trying to poach US TikTok influencers with bonuses? What is cushing syndrome? Actress Amy Schumer reveals diagnosis after trolls target her appearance. Lime bike rival Forest launches pay-as-you-go bike with child sea...
Jan 23, 2025•8 min
Scientists discover giant mounds dating back billions of years. Why is this significant? We ask lead researcher Dr Joe McNeil from London’s Natural History Museum. Samsung prepares for Unpacked event . Apple CEO Tim Cook reacts on X about OK Go’s latest iPhone music video, following in The Weeknd’s footsteps. Also in this episode: Brits to be infected with malaria in vaccines test Storm Eowyn set to bring the UK winds of up to 95mph ‘Artificial intelligence’ and ‘kindness’ voted as children’s wo...
Jan 22, 2025•8 min
Just 24 hours before Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration day, TikTok came back online after going dark amid a US ban over data security fears. To discuss Big Tech’s influence and direction of policy for Trump’s White House 2.0 , Tech & Science Daily is joined by Dr Thomas Gift, Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of the Centre on US Politics, and The London Standard’s science and technology editor Will Hosie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jan 20, 2025•9 min
