Podcast appearances and mentions of alex lathbridge

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, 800 million people are going to bed hungry every night, but 2 billion people in the world are malnourished. Farmers across the globe produce enough food to feed 10 billion people, yet there are only 7.6 billion of us. We know there is enough food to go around, but filling tummies is only the start – we also need a varied diet. CrowdScience visits Nairobi during GGIAR Science Week, a hub for agricultural scientists. They are meeting to discuss the changes needed to get the right crops into the soil and the right food on the plates of those who need it. Presenters Anand Jagatia and Alex Lathbridge are joined by a live audience and a panel of experts Lindiwe Sibanda, Sieglinde Snapp and Alex Awiti. Together they explore questions from our listeners in Kenya and around the world: whether we can restore natural habitats whilst promoting food security; why human waste isn't used more commonly as a fertiliser; and what impact empowering women in agriculture will have on our ability to feed the world. Recorded at CGIAR Science Week at the UN headquarters in Nairobi. Image: Drone view of tractor ploughing a field Image Credit: Justin Paget via Getty Images Presenters: Anand Jagatia & Alex Lathbridge Producer: Harrison Lewis Editors: Martin Smith & Cathy Edwards Production Co-ordinators: Ishmael Soriano & Josie Hardy Studio Managers: Gayl Gordon, Andrew Garratt & Sarah Hockley

Did you know that flies fly in rectangles, fish hide by lighting themselves up and the moon is lifting the ground underneath your feet? Anand Jagatia quizzes members of the CrowdScience team on the moments from the past year that had them scratching their heads in amazement. We hear Dr Erica McAlister's attempts to calculate how many flies have ever existed, and about flies' mating choreography, courtesy of Prof Jochen Zeil. We learn how to tell a mosquito's sex thanks to Eggrey Aisha Kambewa and Dr Steve Gowelo. Astronomer Dr Darren Baskill describes tides not of water but of land; Dr Edie Widder paints a vivid picture of a camouflaged creature of the deep; and we explore starfishes' five-fold symmetry with Dr Imran Rahman. Khimlal Gautam, Mountaineer and Chief Survey Officer for the Government of Nepal, tells us of the near-death experience he had when checking the height of Mount Everest. And finally, axolotl expert Dr Elly Tanaka is astonished at the dedication of CrowdScience presenter Alex Lathbridge to the subject of her research. Presenter: Anand Jagatia Producer: Ben Motley Editor: Cathy Edwards Production Co-ordinator: Ishmael Soriano Studio Managers: Donald MacDonald and Giles Aspen(Photo: Lost in formulas Credit: Cimmerian via Getty Images)

These days, over a trillion semiconductor microchips are made and shipped each year. The industry is worth eye-watering amounts, and since the 2020-2023 global shortage, nearly all governments are trying to get a slice of the industrial wafer.But what was it like just 40 years ago trying to get yourself a home computer when your communist leaders didn't approve, and there were nowhere enough devices to go round anyway? Andrada Fiscutean spoke to some of the bootleggers.These days, not only are computing devices in just about everyone's hands, they are mostly interconnected to vast arrays of machines collectively forming “the cloud”, which provides so much of our economic and scientific infrastructure. It is no longer about stand alone computing. But just maybe the deep future of computing lies in using individual atoms and photons as information-bearing digits. This is the basis of “quantum computing” which could use the properties and mechanics of the quantum scale to perform hugely complicated calculations in fractions of a second. Prof David Lucas of Oxford University physics department and colleagues are building some key demonstrators of the techniques we need to master. And just recently, they built an impressive manifestation of “Blind Quantum Computing”, which just might enable something like the quantum cloud of the future.Also, we have a look at an app for modern motorists that adjusts a piece of music to react to the movement of the car. Developed by Mercedes-AMG and the rapper Will.i.am, Christine Yohannes has been thinking about drivers becoming the musical maestros of their own journeys. Presented by Alex Lathbridge, with Andrada Fiscutean and Christine Yohannes. Produced by Alex Mansfield, with Harrison Lewis and Tom Bonnett.

In a year when billions of people have been to the ballot box, what do stickleback fish have to do with it? Alex Lathbridge, Tristan Ahtone and Candice Bailey discuss some unexpected elements of electoral studies.Can ancient geology really map election outcomes? What has machine learning done for polling? Psychologist Sandra Obradović drops in to share some of her expertise in the psychology of voting with the team.Plus, what does a solar eclipse have to do with dragons?Presenter: Alex Lathbridge, with Tristan Ahtone and Candice Bailey Producer: Katie Tomsett, with Harrison Lewis, Alex Mansfield and Phil Sansom

Have you ever been through a romantic break up, unable to shift the ex from your thoughts? You are, obviously, not alone…Listener Elkin, experienced just that. But rather than wallowing in self-pity, he sought out an explanation. Where better to get it, than from CrowdScience. Now, Alex Lathbridge is putting on his thinking cap to find out why we daydream?Presenter: Alex Lathbridge Producer: Harrison Lewis Editor: Martin Smith Production: Jonathan HarrisFeaturing:Giulia Poerio, Lecturer in Psychology, University of Sussex. Karina Christoff, Professor of Psychology, University of British Columbia. Eli Sommer, Israeli Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Haifa. Sophie Forster, Reader in Psychology, University of Sussex(Photo: Man daydreaming surrounded by clouds. Credit: jacquesdurocher / Getty Images)

After 41 Indian miners were happily rescued last week, Unexpected Elements takes a look at how our futures might lie below the surface.As climate change suggests more of our infrastructures need to be buried safely, and even living spaces could be cooler down there, we discuss future technologies for digging tunnels more safely and cleanly. But tunnelling and boring could go back a long way - more evidence suggests species of dinosaurs used to to live semi-subterranean lives.Tunnelling also happens at the very smallest scales and lowest temperatures, as observed this year by physicists at Innsbruck University. Dr Robert Wild of Innsbruck University in Austria describes quantum tunnelling - a crucial process that belies most chemistry and even the fusion of hydrogen in the sun, and which is increasingly becoming part of our electronic devices.Also, a new technique for monitoring the rapid evolution of the malaria parasite, your correspondence including obscure sports and asteroid fantasies, and a discussion of the difficulties of hiring a panda. Presenter: Caroline Steel, with Philistiah Mwatee and Alex Lathbridge

In our final podcast episode on this deep dive into air quality, we are joined by Dr. Sean Beevers, School of Public Health, and Professor Steve Arnold, Atmospheric Composition, University of Leeds. Both experts give insights into the connections between climate change and air quality, explain what co-benefits and trade-offs mean regarding air quality, and share their research which gives hope for improving our air around the world.Hosted by Dr. Alex Lathbridge.Produced by Hiren Joshi. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why is there an increase in wildfires around the world? How does this impact air quality? Are wildfires affecting our health? Joining our host, Dr. Alex Lathbridge, today is Dr. Emily Fischer, Atmospheric Scientist at Colorado State University. Dr. Emily shares her research and insights around wildfires, their impact on our health, and the chemistry climate interactions that happen during and after a wildfire. Dr. Emily also goes into detail about her research interests, sharing key information on both field-based and modeling approaches to investigate the sources of atmospheric trace gases to remote environments.If you want to know more about Emily's work around climate science then visit her YouTube channel: @ScienceMomsHosted by Dr. Alex Lathbridge. Produced by Hiren Joshi, Hannah Macdonald, Lizzy Ratcliffe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is ULEZ? Why is it important for public health in London? What is the data telling us about the recent expansion? Joining us in part two of our discussion around air quality policies is Deputy Mayor of London, Shirley Rodrigues, who helps us deep-dive into what ULEZ is, the positive impacts it has on our health & the environment, as well us sharing the motivations of the Mayoral office for improving London's air quality. We then have a conversation with WHO Ambassador, and founder of the Ella Roberta Foundation, Rosamund Adoo Kissi-Debrah, about her experience with London's air pollution, and the inspirational work she has been doing to help improve London's air quality.Hosted by Dr. Alex Lathbridge. Produced by Hiren Joshi and Lizzy Ratcliffe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To mark UN World Toilet Day on Nov 19th, Alex Lathbridge discusses all things toilet related with Andrada Fiscutean and Tristan Ahtone, as they attempt to lift the lid on our collective taboo of discussing sanitary matters. In 2020, 3.6 billion people – nearly half the global population – lacked access to safely managed sanitation. Diseases such as cholera, typhoid, dysentery, and diarrhoea can spread amongst populations who still practice open defecation. And lack of access to a functioning toilet disproportionately affects women. But even if you do have access to a flushing toilet, do you always close the lid? Researchers have measured the invisible aerosol plumes that rise up from the pan of an uncovered toilet flush, potentially spreading other communicable diseases including respiratory infections including even SARS-CoV2. But flushing toilets are resource heavy. A normal flush can use 5l of water. Could they be re-conceived? Prof Shannon Yee of Georgia Tech swings my to give us the latest on the “Reinventing the Toilet” project. Next March they hope to unveil the production model of the second generation reinvented toilet (“G2RT”). Much like other household appliances, it could run from a domestic power source, yet turn a family's faecal matter and urine into clean water and a small amount of ash, with out the need for the grand and expensive sewage infrastructure required by more normal flushing cisterns. In the black sea meanwhile, AI is being deployed to track the dwindling populations of the beluga sturgeon, from whom the luxury food caviar is harvested. We discuss sightings of cryptids (mythical or scarcely believable animals) you have sent us, and finish with a consideration – after the announcement of the re-discovery of a rare echidna species in Indonesia – of how conservation and natural history expeditions have changed over the course of the broadcasting career of Sir David Attenborough. Presented by Alex Lathbridge, with Andrada Fiscutean and Tristan Ahtone. Produced by Alex Mansfield, with Margaret Sessa Hawkins, Dan Welsh and Ben Motley.

How bad is London's air quality compared to other cities? How do we measure the success of policies such as ULEZ? Are 15 minute cities the future solutions for improving our health and environment?In part 1 of our discussion around air quality policies, we speak with Dr. Audrey de Nazelle, a Senior Lecturer at the Centre of Environmental Policy. Audrey is also co-chair of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology. Covering a variety of nuances around the subject of air quality policy, Dr. Audrey, and host Dr. Alex Lathbridge, explore air pollution management, changing citizens health behaviour, and the critical role of urban planning when improving air quality.Hosted by Dr. Alex Lathbridge. Produced by Hiren Joshi, Lizzy Ratcliffe, Hannah Macdonald. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How can we improve our indoor air quality? Should we stop frying meats in our kitchens? Is your air fryer out to get you? In this episode we speak about all things indoor air quality, from the importance of ventilation, to the behaviour of outdoor air particulates when they come into our homes.Joining us to share their expertise are Professor Cath Noakes, mechanical engineer and Professor of Environmental Engineering for Buildings at the University of Leeds, and Professor Nicola Carslaw, Professor of Indoor Air Chemistry at the University of York.Hosted by Dr. Alex Lathbridge.Produced by Hiren Joshi, Lizzy Ratcliffee and Hannah Macdonald. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is air pollution? How does it impact our health? How does the science help us improve this environmental and health issue?In this episode of Brought to you by Chemistry, UKRI Clean Air Champion, Dr. Suzanne Bartington, and Atmospheric Chemist & Editor-in-Chief of RSC Environmental Science: Atmosphere, Dr. Neil Donahue give us their expert answers about all things air quality.Hosted by Dr. Alex Lathbridge.Produced by Hiren Joshi, Elisabeth Ratcliffe, and Hannah Macdonald. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We all enjoy a deep-fried Mars bar with french fries from time to time, but why do we crave these unhealthy foods instead of healthy things like spinach or broccoli? And what is a food craving? The answers lie in a complex blend of our psychology, physiology, and even sociology. BBC CrowdScience presenter Alex Lathbridge savours a mystery-meat crocket with the experts on a quest to discover the hidden sources and sauces of our food cravings. Presenter: Alex Lathbridge Producer: Richard Walker Editor: Richard Collings Production co-ordinator: Jonathan Harris (Image: Stack of cheeseburgers and French fries. Credit: Dominic Lipinski/PA)

34 days after it first formed at the far end of the Indian Ocean, record-breaking Cyclone Freddy made a repeat landfall on Mozambique as well as passing over Malawi, causing extensive damage and loss of life. Climate scientists Liz Stephens and Izidine Pinto join Roland to give an update on the destruction and explain how Cyclone Freddy kept going for an exceptionally long time. At the Third International Human Genome Summit in London last week, Professor Katsuhiko Hayashi announced he had created baby mice from eggs formed by male mouse cells. Dr Nitzan Gonen explains the underlying science, whilst Professor Hank Greely discusses the ethics and future prospects. And from one rodent story to another, SARS-CoV-2 has been detected in brown rats scurrying around New York sewers. Dr Thomas DeLiberto from the US Department of Agriculture gives Roland the details. When imagining a robot, a hard-edged, boxy, humanoid figure may spring to mind. But that is about to change. CrowdScience presenter Alex Lathbridge is on a mission to meet the robots that bend the rules of conventionality. Inspired by how creatures like us have evolved to move, some roboticists are looking to nature to design the next generation of machines. And that means making them softer. But just how soft can a robot really be? Join Alex as he goes on a wild adventure to answer this question from listener Sarah. He begins his quest at the ‘Hello, Robot' Exhibition at the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, Germany to define what a robot actually is. Amelie Klein, the exhibition curator, states anything can be a robot as long as three specific criteria are met (including a cute cuddly baby seal). With this in mind, Alex meets Professor Andrew Conn from the Bristol Robotics Lab who demonstrates how soft materials like rubber are perfect contenders for machine design as they are tough to break and - importantly for our listener's question - bendy. Alex is then thrown into a world of robots that completely change his idea of what machines are. He is shown how conventionally ‘hard' machines are being modified with touches of softness to totally upgrade what they can do, including flexible ‘muscles' for robot skeletons and silicon-joined human-like hands at the Soft Robotics Lab run by Professor Robert Katzschmann at ETH Zurich. He is then introduced to robots that are completely soft. Based on natural structures like elephant trunks and slithering snakes, these designs give robots completely new functions, such as the ability to delicately pick fruit and assist with search and rescue operations after earthquakes. Finally, Alex is presented with the idea that, in the future, a robot could be made of materials that are so soft, no trace of machine would remain after its use... Image credit: Jack McBrams/Getty Images Producer: Roland Pease Assistant Producer: Sophie Ormiston

When imagining a robot, a hard-edged, boxy, humanoid figure may spring to mind. But that is about to change. CrowdScience presenter Alex Lathbridge is on a mission to meet the robots that bend the rules of conventionality. Inspired by how creatures like us have evolved to move, some roboticists are looking to nature to design the next generation of machines. And that means making them softer. But just how soft can a robot really be? Join Alex as he goes on a wild adventure to answer this question from listener Sarah. He begins his quest at the ‘Hello, Robot' Exhibition at the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, Germany to define what a robot actually is. Amelie Klein, the exhibition curator, states anything can be a robot as long as three specific criteria are met (including a cute cuddly baby seal). With this in mind, Alex meets Professor Andrew Conn from the Bristol Robotics Lab who demonstrates how soft materials like rubber are perfect contenders for machine design as they are tough to break and - importantly for our listener's question - bendy. Alex is then thrown into a world of robots that completely change his idea of what machines are. He is shown how conventionally ‘hard' machines are being modified with touches of softness to totally upgrade what they can do, including flexible ‘muscles' for robot skeletons and silicon-joined human-like hands at the Soft Robotics Lab run by Professor Robert Katzschmann at ETH Zurich. He is then introduced to robots that are completely soft. Based on natural structures like elephant trunks and slithering snakes, these designs give robots completely new functions, such as the ability to delicately pick fruit and assist with search and rescue operations after earthquakes. Finally, Alex is presented with the idea that, in the future, a robot could be made of materials that are so soft, no trace of machine would remain after its use... Presenter: Alex Lathbridge Producer: Julia Ravey Image: RoBoa in action on a rooftop in Zurich. Credit: Julia Ravey.

In a perfect world, what should governments be doing to help prevent AMR? What are the political obstacles in the way of tackling AMR?In our final episode of the series, we speak to Professor Dame Sally Davies, Former UK Chief Medical Officer, Dr Eduardo Samo Gudo, Deputy Director General of the National Institute of Health in Mozambique. We also go around the world and speak with a variety of international experts to gain holistic insight into the challenges we face with AMR globally. From Government officials to academic experts, how can humanity come together to find solutions to antimicrobial resistance?Hosted by Dr. Alex Lathbridge.Produced by Hiren Joshi, Lizzy Ratcliffe, and Dr. Hannah Macdonald. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do we avoid getting to the point of needing to use so many antibiotics?Professor Morgan Alexander, Professor of Biomaterials at the University of Nottingham and Dr Lena Ciric, who leads the Healthy Infrastructure Research Group at University College London, join us for this episode on infection prevention and control. We learn about how diseases spread, especially through buildings and on surfaces, and how scientists are innovating to combat these mechanisms.Hosted by Dr. Alex Lathbridge.Produced by Hiren Joshi, Lizzy Ratcliffe, and Dr. Hannah Macdonald. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why should we care about antibiotics being in the environment? How does it impact us? And what do we mean by "One Health"?In this episode, we talk to Professor Barbara Kasprzyk, a researcher from the University of Bath, Kurt Arden from the Royal Veterinary College and University College London, and Professor David Graham, Professor of Ecosystems Engineering at Newcastle University, who talks us through how antimicrobials get into the environment via our livestock and agriculture sectors, and why this is a problem.Hosted by Dr. Alex Lathbridge.Produced by Hiren Joshi, Lizzy Ratcliffe, and Dr. Hannah Macdonald. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why is accurate diagnosis of patients so crucial in the fight against AMR? How do diagnostics work now and what is the best-case scenario in the future? What innovative technologies are being developed?Diagnostics is a key area in the fight against AMR since it's only through accurately diagnosing patients that the most targeted treatment can be chosen. Without accurate diagnostics, overprescription of antibiotics becomes inevitable. Professor Tina Joshi, Professor of Microbiology at Plymouth University, and Dr. Kaamini Walia of the India Council for Medical Research talk us through this important topic.This episode also features presenter and doctor, Dr. Hilary Jones, with a fascinating insight into the challenges faced by GPs when prescribing antibiotics, and a deep-dive into the relationship between patients and medicine.Hosted by Dr. Alex Lathbridge.Produced by Hiren Joshi, Lizzy Ratcliffe, and Dr. Hannah Macdonald. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do we develop drugs like antibiotics? How long does it take for such a drug to go from its inception in a research lab to use in a hospital, for example? And what people and processes are involved?In this episode, we speak to microbiologist Dr. Vicky Savage, from INFEX Therapeutics, and Professor Colm Leonard at NICE. We look at every step of the drug development process, including drug procurements, applications, and the variety of uses within the healthcare system.Hosted by Dr. Alex Lathbridge.Produced by Hiren Joshi, Lizzy Ratcliffe, and Dr. Hannah Macdonald. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is AMR and why is it such an urgent challenge? What are researchers and governments doing to address it and what needs to done?In this episode, host Dr. Alex Lathbridge explores these questions with Professor Alison Holmes – president of the International Society for Infectious Diseases and researcher at Imperial College London, and Dr. Gerry Wright – researcher at McMasters University.Hosted by Dr. Alex Lathbridge.Produced by Hiren Joshi, Lizzy Ratcliffe, and Dr. Hannah Macdonald. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic began, scientists studying the virus have become targets of online harassment, and more recently, death threats. Roland speaks to Dr Angela Rasmussen, virologist at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization at the University of Saskatchewan, about her experiences. Spyros Lytras, PhD candidate at the University of Glasgow, talks Roland through the evolutionary history of the virus that causes Covid-19 and how there isn't just one ancestor, but several. Anti-Asian sentiment has seen a big increase since the pandemic. Dr Qian He, Postdoctoral Research Associate at Princeton University, looked into how US-China relations have influenced how Americans view Chinese today. And we hear from scientists on board the RRS Discovery, which is currently located near St Helena and Ascension Island, surveying the health of the surrounding ocean. On board documentary filmmaker Lawrence Eagling talks to Shona Murray, pelagic ecologist from the University of Western Australia, and Gareth Flint, mechanical engineer at British Antarctic Survey, about their work and findings. Why don't we fall out of bed when we're asleep? That's the question that's been keeping CrowdScience listener Isaac in Ghana awake, and presenter Alex Lathbridge is determined to settle down with some experts and find an answer. Once our sleep experts are bedded in, we'll also be wondering why some people laugh in their sleep, why others snore and how some people can remember their dreams. And Alex takes a trip to the zoo to meet some animals that have very different sleep patterns to humans. It's his dream assignment. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Why don't we fall out of bed when we're asleep? That's the question that's been keeping CrowdScience listener Isaac in Ghana awake, so presenter Alex Lathbridge snuggles up with some experts to find the answer. We get a lot of emails about sleep, so we've gathered together some of our favourite questions and put them to academics working on the science of snoozing. We're wondering why some people laugh in their sleep, why some people remember their dreams and not others, and why we need to sleep at all - can't we just rest? Our slumber scholars tell us about how our bodies continue to gather information while we're asleep, how the tired brain is more likely to remember negative experiences, how we mimic other people in our sleep, and how sleep makes you more attractive to other people. And Alex takes a trip to the zzzzoo to meet some animals that have very different sleep patterns to humans. It's his dream assignment. Contributors: Vanessa Hill, University of Central Queensland Professor Russell Foster, University of Oxford Mark Kenward, Drusillas Zoo Park Presented by Alex Lathbridge Produced by Ben Motley for the BBC World Service [Image: Man Falling into bed. Credit: Getty Images]

The first license of its kind has been granted for deep-sea mining. It will be used to run early tests to see whether the seabed could be good place to harvest rare earth materials in the future. These earth minerals are what powers much of our modern technology, and the demand is growing year on year. The license raises ethical questions about whether anyone has ownership over the seabed, and whether we could be disrupting ecosystems under the sea in doing so. We have two experts joining us to discuss the scientific implications. They are marine biologist, Dr Helen Scales and Bramley Murton from the National Oceanographic Centre, Southampton University. Also on the programme, we build on last week's discussion about growing opportunities for researchers on the African continent. We look at how programmes of genomic sequencing are offering opportunities for Africa-based researchers, that haven't been available before. We talk to Thilo Kreuger, a PhD student at Curtin University, Western Australia, who's behind the discovery of a whole new species of carnivorous plants. We discuss what it's like fulfilling a lifelong dream to discover more about these spectacular plant species. Crowdscience listener Alix has a burning question - what's actually happening inside the flames of a campfire to make it glow? And why do some materials burn easily, while others refuse to light at all? Why don't some things burn? Alex Lathbridge travels to the Fire Research Centre at the University of Edinburgh to (safely) set various things ablaze. He learns about the fundamentals of fire and why things react differently to heat. He then heads to archives of the Royal Institution of London, to see an invention from the 19th century that can stop a fireball in its tracks: the miner's safety lamp, which saved countless lives. And he speaks to a chemist about the science of flame retardants, and how even though they can make products less flammable, they may also have unintended consequences. (Image: The Metals Company plans to mine the seafloor for these nodules containing nickel, cobalt, and manganese in the Clarion Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Crowdscience listener Alix has a burning question - what's actually happening inside the flames of a campfire to make it glow? And why do some materials burn easily, while others refuse to light at all? To find out, Alex Lathbridge travels to the Fire Research Centre at the University of Edinburgh to (safely) set various things ablaze. He learns about the fundamentals of fire and why things react differently to heat. He then heads to archives of the Royal Institution of London, to see an invention from the 19th century that can stop a fireball in its tracks: the miner's safety lamp, which saved countless lives. And he speaks to a chemist about the science of flame retardants, and how even though they can make products less flammable, they may also have unintended consequences. Presenter: Alex Lathbridge Producer: Anand Jagatia Contributors: Dr Rory Hadden, University of Edinburgh Charlotte New, Royal Institution Dan Plane, Royal Institution Professor Richard Hull, University of Central Lancashire

What would happen if everyone switched to electric vehicles tomorrow? What's the future of electric vehicles, and will they ever become more affordable for people? And how is battery design for these vehicles evolving?Claire Miller from Octopus Electric Vehicles joined us to share her knowledge on electric vehicles from the perspective of an electricity provider. She tells us about the broader applications for electric vehicles, and how developments in this area are likely to affect our daily lives in the near future. We also hear from James Kelloway at the National Grid, and Professor Volker Presser, Head Energy Materials.Hosted by Dr. Alex Lathbridge. Produced by Hiren Joshi and Elisabeth Ratcliffe. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Thirty years ago, world leaders met at the United Nations Earth Summit in Rio and appeared to commit to action to tackle two of the world's greatest environmental threats. The Earth Summit launched the UN Climate Change Convention and the Convention on Biological Diversity. Science in Action assesses their success by talking to atmospheric scientist Sir Bob Watson, a former chair of the International Panel of Climate Change, and to Tom Oliver, professor of applied ecology at the University of Reading. Arctic zoologist Kristin Laidre tells us about the identification of an unique population of polar bears in Southeast Greenland. The bears' unusual habitat and means of survival may make them more resilient to the loss of sea ice as the Arctic region continues to warm. Finally, archaeo-geneticist Maria Spyrou talks about her team's detective work which points to an area of Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia as the likely source of the 14th Century Black Death pandemic. What is a quantum computer? Every year, new computers are being developed that are faster and smarter than ever before. But if you really want to take things to the next level, you have got to go quantum. CrowdScience listener Atikah in Hungary likes the sound of a quantum computer but wants to know what exactly is it, what can it do that a normal computer cannot, and how soon can he get hold of one? The digital devices in our everyday lives - from laptop computers to smartphones - are all based on 0s and 1s: so-called ‘bits'. But quantum computers are based on ‘qubits' - the quantum 0s and 1s that are altogether stranger, but also more powerful. CrowdScience presenter Alex Lathbridge picks the brains of quantum scientists to find out how these ‘qubits' allow computers to perform calculations millions of times faster than normal - and discovers how much of the theory is being used in reality. While quantum computers do exist, they are not yet big enough or stable enough to be really useful. Alex visits a working quantum computer to understand what they can do right now, and why it's so incredibly difficult to scale them up. He hears from the engineers racing to overcome the obstacles and unlock the potential of these mega-powerful systems. But once the engineering problems are solved, what then? What should we do when the first really powerful quantum computer comes online? We explore the exciting range of possible applications - from helping create new drugs, to making electric batteries much more efficient and maybe even helping farmers fertilize their crops for a fraction of the price. Presenters: Roland Pease and Alex Lathbridge Producers: Andrew Luck-Baker and Cathy Edwards (Photo: Earth Summit In Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, 2 June, 1992 Credit: Antonio Ribeiro/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images)

Every year, new computers are being developed that are faster and smarter than ever before. But if you really want to take things to the next level, you've got to go quantum. CrowdScience listener Atikah in Hungary likes the sound of a quantum computer but wants to know: what exactly is it, what can it do that a normal computer can't, and how soon can she get hold of one? The digital devices in our everyday lives - from laptop computers to smartphones - are all based on 0s and 1s: so-called ‘bits'. But quantum computers are based on ‘qubits' - the quantum 0s and 1s that are altogether stranger, but also more powerful. With the help of quantum computing researcher Jessica Pointing and a spinning doughnut, presenter Alex Lathbridge learns how these ‘qubits' allow computers to perform calculations millions of times faster than normal. While quantum computers do exist, it turns out they're not yet big enough or stable enough to be really useful. Alex visits Professor Winfried Hensinger and his prototype quantum computer at the University of Sussex to understand what they can do right now, and why it's so incredibly difficult to scale them up. He hears from the engineers racing to overcome the obstacles and unlock the potential of these mega-powerful systems. But once the engineering problems are solved, what then? Professor Shohini Ghose opens our eyes to the exciting range of possible applications - from helping create new drugs, to making electric batteries much more efficient and maybe even helping farmers fertilise their crops for a fraction of the price. Contributors - Jessica Pointing, Professor Winfried Hensinger, Professor Shohini Ghose Presenter - Alex Lathbridge Producer - Ilan Goodman Sound Design - Jon Nicholls [Image: Winfried Hensinger in his lab at the University of Sussex, Credit: Universal Quantum]

Wuhan's Huanan Seafood Market is associated with many of the first cases or Covid- 19, but data on precisely how and from where the virus might have first spread has been difficult to find. However a re-examination of the earliest samples collected from the market seem to pinpoint where the virus first showed itself. Sydney University virologist Eddie Holmes says this evidence will be crucial in determining which animals may have initially passed the virus to humans. Humans are known to have passed the Sars-Cov-2 virus to other animals, including cats, mink and deer. Canadian researchers have recorded the first incident of a modified form of the virus passing back from deer to humans. Virologist Samira Mubareka from the University of Toronto explains the implications. Chernobyl, the site of the worlds worst nuclear accident is back in the news as the Russian invasion of Ukraine led to a stirring up of nuclear material when troops entered the site. Ukraine has a number of nuclear reactors, Claire Corkhill, professor of nuclear materials at Sheffield University explains the potential risks from the current conflict and safeguards in place. And we hear from Svitlana Krakovska Ukraine's representative on the Intergovernmental panel on Climate Change, on her thoughts on the prospects for climate action and scientific progress in The Ukraine. Also, If you took a fly into a really tall elevator and let it out at the top, would it still be able to fly? And what's the absolute highest an insect could possibly go? It's a question that's been bugging CrowdScience listener Chee for a while, but presenter Alex Lathbridge is on the case. He discovers that when they're not buzzing around your lunch, insects can be routinely found flying high up in the atmosphere travelling from A to B. There are also ground-dwelling bumblebees living in the mountains of Sichuan, China that have demonstrated an ability to fly at altitudes higher than the highest point on the planet. But leaving aside how high insects DO fly, how high COULD they fly if given the chance? Alex explores the theoretical limits of insect flight with the help of a bit of biomechanics – before contemplating the ultimate heights of the International Space Station where the mystery of whether a fruit fly will fly in zero gravity is finally answered. Image: Disinfection Work At Wuhan Huanan Wholesale Seafood Market, China 4 March 2020. Credit: Zhang Chang / China News Service via Getty Images.

If you took a fly into a really tall elevator and let it out at the top, would it still be able to fly? And what's the absolute highest an insect could possibly go? It's a question that's been bugging CrowdScience listener Chee for a while, but presenter Alex Lathbridge is on the case. He discovers that when they're not buzzing around your lunch, insects can be routinely found flying high up in the atmosphere travelling from A to B. There are also ground-dwelling bumblebees living in the mountains of Sichuan, China that have demonstrated an ability to fly at altitudes higher than the highest point on the planet. But leaving aside how high insects DO fly, how high COULD they fly if given the chance? Alex explores the theoretical limits of insect flight with the help of a bit of biomechanics – before contemplating the ultimate heights of the International Space Station where the mystery of whether a fruit fly will fly in zero gravity is finally answered. Contributors: Jason Chapman, University of Exeter Inés Dawson, science youtuber and expert in insect flight biomechanics Michael Dillon, University of Wyoming Wes Shaw, Head Gardener, Sky Garden Sharmila Bhattacharya, NASA Presented by Alex Lathbridge Produced by Ben Motley for the BBC World Service [Photop credit: Getty Images]

Scientist and comedian Alex Lathbridge is the co-host and creator of Why Aren't You A Doctor Yet? A comedy series that mixes science, tech journalism and pop culture. Listen to Why Aren't You A Doctor Yet? wherever you get your podcasts. Follow Alex:Twitter: https://twitter.com/thermoflynamicsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thermoflynamicsWebsite: https://www.alexlathbridge.comFollow Why Aren't You A Doctor Yet?Twitter: https://twitter.com/whynotadocInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whynotadocFollow Podcaster:Twitter: https://twitter.com/PodcasterPodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/podcasterpod/ Produced by The Chancer Collectivehttp://thechancercollective.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_chancer_collective/Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChancerCollect Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discover programmes from BBC Radio 4's Day of The Scientist and beyond! With Introductions by Dr. Alex Lathbridge.

Speaking to Dr Alex Lathbridge is a joy. We talk about ghosts and hobbies, but more seriously we ask the questions about genetic and ancestry tests for the Black community, whether they are safe and what we should be looking out for. Also, are you interested in taking a Ph.D.? This might encourage you. Not one to miss! Go deeper: • Subscribe to the Heart To Heart Letters • Follow me on Instagram and VERO. Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe. Credits: Website: alexholmes.co Executive Produced: Alex Holmes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Anna Ploszajski talks to Steph Couturier about stained glass.Check out Steph's work in her Etsy shop, website and on Instagram. Anna's book Handmade: A Scientist's Search for Meaning Through Making is out now, and you can buy it here or wherever you buy books.Support the podcast with a one-time donation here. Thanks for helping keep us going :)Thanks to Alex Lathbridge for the music mix.Follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter, follow Anna Ploszajski on Instagram and Twitter.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/handmade. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Pioneering physicist and inventor Nikolas Tesla dreamt of connecting the world up through wireless communication and power. Despite demonstrating he could transfer power short distances his longer distance experiments were considerably less successful. But CrowdScience listener, George from Ghana, wants to know if now - more than one hundred years after Tesla's demonstrations - his dream of wireless power is closer to becoming a reality. In countries where rugged landscapes make laying traditional power lines difficult and costly, could wireless electricity help connect those communities who are without mains power? CrowdScience presenter Melanie Brown beams to reporters around the world who visit scientists now using state of the art technology to reimagine Tesla's dream. Alex Lathbridge is in Ghana and after meeting listener George he gently doorsteps a local electrical engineering lecturer to find out how electricity can ‘jump' between two coils. Reporter Stacy Knott visits start-up company EMROD in New Zealand who are developing ‘beamable' electricity. She hears an electric guitar being powered from 36 metres away with no wires and finds out how they are using lasers to make sure they don't harm any wildlife that might wander into the beam. We then hear how wireless electricity could help fulfil the power demands of a growing electric vehicle market. Reporter John Ryan visits the town of Wenatchee where it has been electrifying its' bus fleet and putting wireless chargers into the tarmac at bus-stops so that the busses can trickle charge as passengers get on and off. Finally, we ask whether one day, the tangled knot of wires spilling out of our electronic devices will be but a thing of the past. Presented and Produced by Melanie Brown with additional reporting from; Alex Lathbridge, John Ryan and Stacey Knott With contributions from; Prof. Bernard Carlson, Dr Samuel Afoakwa, Ray Simkin, Greg Kushnier, Andy Daga and Richard DeRock (Photo credit: Getty Images)

As consumers we only see a small fraction of the life cycle of a product, and we're often very concerned about where it goes after we've used it, but what happens before that point? How is the product made, how is it transported, and what impact does all of that have on the environment?Research Fellow Charnett Chau is an expert in Life Cycle Assessment. She talks us through how scientific techniques can help us assess the overall impact of a material on the environment. Meanwhile, Ruth Strange from Ethical Consumer magazine explains how the magazine determines which products to recommend to their readers.Hosted by Alex Lathbridge.Produced by Elisabeth Ratcliffe, Kathy Page and Hiren Joshi. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What would a world without plastics look like? Should we get rid of them all OR is there a place for plastics in a future society? To debate this sustainability issue is Tom Welton, Professor of Sustainable Chemistry at Imperial College London, and wildlife & natural history presenter Liz Bonnin.Hosted by Dr. Alex Lathbridge.Produced by Elisabeth Ratcliffe, Kathy Page and Hiren Joshi. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Anna Ploszajski talks to Sam Underwood about making modular mechanical musical instruments.Check out Sam's work on Twitter and his website. Anna's book Handmade: A Scientist's Search for Meaning Through Making is out now, and you can buy it here or wherever you buy books.Support the podcast with a one-time donation here. Thanks for helping keep us going :)Thanks to Alex Lathbridge for the music mix.Follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter, follow Anna Ploszajski on Instagram and Twitter.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/handmade. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Anna Ploszajski talks to costume-maker and burlesque performer Hester Hamilton.Anna's book Handmade: A Scientist's Search for Meaning Through Making is out now, and you can buy it here or wherever you buy books.Support the podcast with a one-time donation here. Thanks for helping keep us going :)Thanks to Alex Lathbridge for the music mix.Follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter, follow Anna Ploszajski on Instagram and Twitter.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/handmade. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Anna Ploszajski talks to artist Scott Eichler about portraits and mixed media.Check out Scott on Instagram and his works on the platform Let's Curate.Anna's book Handmade: A Scientist's Search for Meaning Through Making is out now, and you can buy it here or wherever you buy books.Support the podcast with a one-time donation here. Thanks for helping keep us going :)Thanks to Alex Lathbridge for the music mix.Follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter, follow Anna Ploszajski on Instagram and Twitter.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/handmade. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

July 2021 saw temperatures in the western US and Canada smash previous records by 5 degrees. And that's what we should expect, according to a study prepared much earlier but published, coincidentally, just a few days later. A hallmark of rapid climate change, says author Erich Fischer of ETH Zurich, will be an accelerating number of record-shattering, and socially disruptive, events. A large new study on communications and hierarchy across a large range of our ape and monkey relatives has just been published. Lead author Katie Slocombe of the University of York explains the findings: like us, the primates live socially in groups, and there are leaders, but the more tolerant ones are also the more communicative ones. In species with ‘despotic' leaders, order seems to be maintained with more menacing silence. The double helix of all DNA on earth twists in one direction. But researchers at Tsinghua University in China have made some important steps towards making mirror life, in which the DNA twists in the opposite direction. Chemistry journalist Mark Peplow discusses the significance of this discovery with Roland Pease. One of the benefits of science's ability to read normal DNA has been to compare human genomes from across the globe – for example in the Human Genome Diversity Project –for what they reveal about both our health – and our past. But sequences from the Middle East have been sadly lacking. The Sanger Institute's Mohamed Almarri and colleagues have just rectified that, saying that the Middle East played such a key role in the human story. Today, up to 3 billion people around the world play video games, from candy-based mobile puzzles to virtual battlegrounds filled with weapons. Many people have turned to gaming during the pandemic as a way of staying connected – but what does science really say about the impact of gaming? Does playing violent video games lead to violence in the real world? Do brain training apps really work? How much gaming is too much – can video games really be addictive? And how can video games help us to explore difficult issues like death, grief and loss? Alex Lathbridge and Anand Jagatia look at the evidence and play some games along the way, speaking to psychologists, doctors and game designers about the power of video games to change us - for better or worse. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Today, up to 3 billion people around the world play video games, from candy based mobile puzzles to virtual battlegrounds filled with weapons. Many people have turned to gaming during the pandemic as a way of staying connected – but what does science really say about the impact of gaming? Does playing violent video games lead to violence in the real world? Do brain training apps really work? How much gaming is too much – can videogames really be addictive? And how can videogames help us to explore difficult issues like death, grief and loss? Alex Lathbridge and Anand Jagatia look at the evidence and play some games along the way, speaking to psychologists, doctors and game designers about the power of video games to change us - for better or worse. With Adrian Hon, Professor Andrew Przybylski, Professor Pete Etchells, Professor Henrietta Bowden-Jones and Dr Sabine Harrer

In this episode, Anna Ploszajski talks to Richard Wheater, founder of Neon Workshops.Check out Neon Workshops on their website, Twitter and Instagram.Anna's book Handmade: A Scientist's Search for Meaning Through Making is out now, and you can buy it here or wherever you buy books.Support the podcast with a one-time donation here. Thanks for helping keep us going :)Thanks to Alex Lathbridge for the music mix.Follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter, follow Anna Ploszajski on Instagram and Twitter.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/handmade. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Anna Ploszajski talks to Sophie Cotterill about her craft of weaving.Follow Sophie's business Wallflower Weavings on Instagram and check out her website.Anna's book Handmade: A Scientist's Search for Meaning Through Making is out now, and you can buy it here or wherever you buy books.Support the podcast with a one-time donation here. Thanks for helping keep us going :)Thanks to Alex Lathbridge for the music mix.Follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter, follow Anna Ploszajski on Instagram and Twitter.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/handmade. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Anna Ploszajski talks to artist and designer Frances Priest about her work with ceramics.Follow Frances on Instagram and check out her website.Anna's book Handmade: A Scientist's Search for Meaning Through Making is out now, and you can buy it here or wherever you buy books.Support the podcast with a one-time donation here. Thanks for helping keep us going :)Thanks to Alex Lathbridge for the music mix.Follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter, follow Anna Ploszajski on Instagram and Twitter.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/handmade. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Anna Ploszajski talks to Shannon Nicley about synthetic diamond.Follow Shannon on Twitter here.Anna's book Handmade: A Scientist's Search for Meaning Through Making is out now, and you can buy it here or wherever you buy books.Support the podcast with a one-time donation here. Thanks for helping keep us going :)Thanks to Alex Lathbridge for the music mix.Follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter, follow Anna Ploszajski on Instagram and Twitter.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/handmade. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Anna Ploszajski talks to Daniel Durnin about craft and his making philosophy.Anna's book Handmade: A Scientist's Search for Meaning Through Making is out now, and you can buy it here or wherever you buy books.Support the podcast with a one-time donation here. Thanks for helping keep us going :)Thanks to Alex Lathbridge for the music mix.Follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter, follow Anna Ploszajski on Instagram and Twitter.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/handmade. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Hana Ayoob talks to Anna Ploszajski about her new book, Handmade: A Scientist's Search for Meaning Through Making.The book is out on 13th May, and you can buy it here or wherever you buy books.Support the podcast with a one-time donation here. Thanks for helping keep us going :)Thanks to Alex Lathbridge for the music mix.Follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter, follow Anna Ploszajski on Instagram and Twitter.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/handmade. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

  A bonus, bumper episode bursting with banter and alliteration! Apologies for the late release of this one - we had a few logistical issues recording and editing, but all in the past now. Simon and Dan are joined by Alex Lathbridge, noted scientist/comedian/weightlifter to discuss poppadoms, racism, music, books, haircuts, and highways. --------   - Alex on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thermoflynamics  - Why Aren't You A Doctor Yet?: https://wayady.podbean.com/  - Simon's goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/53209373-simon-clark  - The Good Immigrant: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Immigrant-Nikesh-Shukla/dp/1783523956/  - Why I'm No Longer Talking To White People About Race: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Longer-Talking-White-People-About/dp/140887055X  -------- Email us at: spongyelectric@gmail.com Follow us on Twitter: @DanielJMaw @simonoxfphys and use #Wikicast This week's article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highways_numbered_221  Our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TheWikicast/  Fan facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/268878873600832/  Fan discord channel: https://discordapp.com/invite/XdjYwex