The world, the universe and us Best science TV, film and books of 2025 | The New Scientist culture review
29 snips
Dec 26, 2025 Join Alison Flood, a culture editor and journalist, and Bethan Ackley, a TV and film reviewer, as they dive into the must-watch films and must-read books of 2025. Alison recommends thought-provoking reads like 'Every Version of You' and 'The Last Neanderthal,' while Bethan praises the gritty maturity of 'Andor Season 2' and the breathtaking beauty of 'Ocean' with David Attenborough. Expect discussions on climate change narratives and how storytelling shapes our understanding of humanity!
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Oceans Can Recover If Given A Chance
- Ocean shows both the horrific damage of industrial fishing and the ocean's capacity to recover if given space to do so.
- The film balances bleak footage with a hopeful message and a memorable Stephen Price soundtrack.
Personal Take On Brain-Uploading Novel
- Alison Flood recommends Every Version of You as a relaxing, thought-provoking near-future SF about brain uploading in a climate-ravaged Australia.
- She recounts talking to author Grace Chan about whether they'd personally upload and both are ambivalent.
CO2 Is Both Life And Threat
- The Story of CO2 frames carbon dioxide as both the molecule of life and the villain of our era by tracing it across geological time.
- Rowan Hooper argues this geological lens makes today's emissions seem ephemeral and hauntingly unsustainable.
