Science Weekly
Alok Jha and the Guardian's science team bring you the best analysis and interviews from the worlds of science and technology.
Tricky taxonomy: the problems with naming new species – Science Weekly podcast
Species are hard to define, as they don’t fit neatly into the categories that science wants to put them into. But increasingly, people are naming new species without enough evidence to suggest they are indeed a separate taxon. Graihagh Jackson investigates why so-called taxonomic vandalism is on the rise and…
In vitro fertilisation: 40 years on – Science Weekly podcast
This week, the world’s first IVF baby turned 40. The procedure has come a long way since 1978, and more than 6 million IVF babies have now been born. But should we be concerned about the rising numbers of fertility treatments? And are we becoming less fertile? Hannah Devlin investigates
The dark side of happiness – Science Weekly podcast
Happiness means something different to all of us, be it contentment, pleasure or joy. But could pursuing it leave us sad instead? Nicola Davis explores the science and psychology of happiness
From Ebola to Nipah: are we ready for the next epidemic? – Science Weekly podcast
The 2014 Ebola outbreak killed over 10,000 people before it was eventually brought under control. As new infectious diseases appear around the world, what can we learn from past outbreaks to better prepare ourselves?
Did dinosaurs stop to smell the flowers? – Science Weekly podcast
Is it true that dinosaurs had a role to play in the emergence of flowers? Nicola Davis investigates whether herbivores caused plants to blossom
Slice of PIE: a linguistic common ancestor – Science Weekly podcast
Nicola Davis explores Proto-Indo-European, the hypothetical common ancestor of modern Indo-European languages and asks, where did it come from? How and why did it spread? And do languages evolve like genes?
Gene-edited pigs: can we engineer immunity? – Science Weekly podcast
Pigs have been rendered immune to a disease that has cost billions. Hannah Devlin questions whether this could be the future of eliminating debilitating and costly viruses in livestock
Soundscape ecology with Bernie Krause – Science Weekly podcast
Do you know what noise a hungry sea anemone makes? Soundscape ecologist Bernie Krause does. Armed with over 5,000 hours of recordings, he takes Ian Sample on a journey through the natural world and demonstrates why sound is such a powerful tool for conservation
Childhood cancer survivors: a unique perspective – Science Weekly podcast
What does later life look like for the growing population of childhood cancer survivors? And how might their experiences change the way we treat this group of diseases?
The cybercrime arms race: fighting back against the hackers - Science Weekly podcast
Nicola Davis speaks with two experts on the frontline of cybercrime to find out how the changing digital landscape is leaving us all vulnerable to cyber attacks
Statistical vigilantes: the war on scientific fraud – Science Weekly podcast
Hannah Devlin delves into the case of a shamed Japanese scientist to explore how statistical malpractice is damaging science - whether employed knowingly or not
The grey zone: reaching out to patients with disorders of consciousness
In this edition of Science Weekly, Ian Sample explores whether it is possible to communicate with those in a ‘vegetative’ state – and what are the ethical and legal ramifications?
Being human in the age of artificial intelligence - Science Weekly podcast
Ian Sample speaks with Prof Max Tegmark about the advance of AI, the future of life on Earth, and what happens if and when a ‘superintelligence’ arrives
Cross Section: Dame Stephanie Shirley – Science Weekly podcast
Hannah Devlin speaks with the IT pioneer about her life as a woman in tech, having a son with autism, and how it all led to her later role as a philanthropist
Editing the embryo: removing harmful gene mutations - Science Weekly podcast
Hannah Devlin explores the science and ethics behind a landmark study that successfully edited the genomes of developing embryos. How did they do it? What did they hope to achieve? And, further down the line, what kind of doors might research like this open?
A peek behind the cosmic curtain: Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw answer your questions
Science Weekly hosts the authors of Universal: a guide to the cosmos for a special live recording answering questions about the big bang, the multiverse and more
Science Weekly live: call for listener's questions - Science Weekly podcast
This Thursday, we’ll be recording a very special Q&A episode with Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw and we want your questions!
A history of human creativity: the good, the bad, and the ugly – Science Weekly podcast
Ian Sample delves into our evolutionary past to explore the role creativity and collaboration may have played in early human societies
Cross section: Athene Donald – Science Weekly podcast
Hannah Devlin sits down with experimental physicist Athene Donald to explore her work in polymers and role as an advocate for gender equality in science
Face value: the science of first impressions – Science Weekly podcast
Hannah Devlin delves into the world of human faces and asks: how does the brain process them? And how do faces affect our ideas about people?