
Tech and Science Daily | The Standard
Daily bulletins reporting the latest news from the world of science and technology, from the Standard. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Latest episodes

May 23, 2025 • 11min
Elden Ring is getting a film adaptation - but will it be any good?
…Fans of Elden Ring… The game is getting a film adaptation.The movie was first reported by InSneider, and will be released by A24 in partnership with Bandai Namco Entertainment.To tell us everything, we’re joined by The Standard’s culture writer and commissioning editor, Vicky Jessop.Also in this episode:-Scientists in China create night vision contact lenses.-A UK woman is preparing to sail a 10,000-mile loop of the Arctic Circle - which allegedly is only possible due to melting sea ice.-Verification for 'notable' users on Bluesky is here.-Netflix releases its first trailer for the documentary Titan: The OceanGate Disaster...This comes as the BBC released footage from their documentary Implosion: The Titanic Sub Disaster, showing the wife of Oceangate CEO Stockton Rush unknowingly reacting to the implosion back above water.-Could penguin poo save Antarctica from climate change? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 22, 2025 • 10min
A house is landing on the Moon for the first time
If you look up at the sky tonight, cast a good luck wish to a tiny red 3D-printed Swedish house travelling through space.The house is preparing to become the first house ever to land on the Moon.We caught up with creator of The Moonhouse, Swedish artist Mikael Genberg, and Emil Vinterhav, CEO of The Moonhouse AB and the technical leader for the Moonhouse mission.Also in this episode:-Google I/O 2025… and they’re doubling down on artificial intelligence -Sex offenders could face mandatory chemical castration as blueprint to ease jails crisis unveiled-New species of octopus discovered in a deep-sea canyon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 21, 2025 • 10min
Will the new global pandemic treaty work without America?
At this year’s annual World Health Assembly, World Health Organisation member countries have voted in favour of a global pandemic agreement. The US were not present at the assembly, as President Donald Trump intends to withdraw from WHO membership.To walk us through the treaty, its impact and if it’ll make a difference, we're joined by Clinical Assistant Professor Daniela Manno, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.Also in this episode:-Antidepressant withdrawal symptoms more common among long-term users -Millions of revolutionary bricks to be produced from recycled waste after achieving industry certification - interview with co-founder, Dr Sam Chapman from Herriot-Watt University-Rare hazel dormice given clean bill of health before wild release Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 19, 2025 • 10min
Legal aid cyber attack: what you should know
Cyber criminals have seized a “significant amount of personal data” of people who applied online to the Legal Aid Agency in the last 15 years, in a major attack on the UK’s justice system.Speaking from London’s Old Bailey, we’re joined by The London Standard’s courts correspondent, Tristan Kirk.To hear more, Tristan features more on this episode of The Standard.Also in this episode:Sir Elton John calls ministers’ AI copyright plans ‘thievery' Habitat in many estuaries at high risk of being ‘squeezed’ outDoctors rewrite DNA of infant with severe genetic disorderBungie confirms Marathon uses "unauthorised" artwork Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 16, 2025 • 10min
Dangerous nasal tanning sprays are taking over TikTok
Dangerous cancer-causing nasal tanning sprays are taking over TikTok.Richard Knight, The Chartered Trading Standards Institute’s Lead Officer for Cosmetics and Beauty, joins us to explain everything you need to know.The active ingredient, Melanotan2, originally developed as a drug for erectile dysfunction, is neither an authorised medicine in the UK nor regulated by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), and it does not fall under the definition of a cosmetic product.Also in this episode:Usutu virus: keep a lookout for UK blackbirdsScientists crack the code behind the mystery of why we have ginger catsTo mark the 50th anniversary of 'Jaws', why is Lewis Pugh swimming the 60-mile circumference of Martha’s Vineyard?8-year-old boy discovers a nearly 200-year-old ship with his metal detector Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 15, 2025 • 10min
Neuroscience discovery reveals how bad habits are formed
Neuroscientists in London have uncovered a second learning system in the brain that may redefine how we understand habit formation, with implications for battling addictions and Parkinson's disease. There's a push for stronger regulations on Big Tech, and we might have a title for the Super Mario Bros. sequel. Meanwhile, urban trees in London are suffering from climate change, and NASA reveals intriguing findings about the Moon's temperatures. Lastly, a brown bear named Boki makes a heartwarming recovery after surgery, reuniting with friends.

May 14, 2025 • 7min
'Simple’ MRI scan can spot heart disease 10 years early
Experts from the University of Dundee say that people at risk of cardiovascular disease could be identified through a simple MRI scan a decade before they have a heart attack or stroke.We’re joined by lead author Jill Belch, professor of Vascular Medicine at the University of Dundee.A government-built AI tool has been used for the first time to summarise public responses to a consultation, and is now set to be rolled out more widely.Greek authorities issued a temporary tsunami warning on Wednesday, following a 5.9 magnitude earthquake close to Crete.Also in this episode:-Engineers create a new tiny device that detects hand movement, stores memories and processes information like the human brain.-Belle and Sebastian frontman joins campaigners to call for urgent action on ME-The UK amphibians making ‘remarkable comeback’ in South Downs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 13, 2025 • 7min
I completed the first triathlon to the top of Everest - It’s 99% mindset
A dream inspired by a book he received aged 7 has been completed: the longest climb of Mount Everest, following a record-breaking triathlon from the shores of the UK.Mitch Hutchcraft, from Cambridgeshire, joins us down the line from base camp while he makes his recovery.Also in this episode:-The M&S cyber crisis deepens as it admits hackers stole customer data.To read the full report from our business editor Jonathan Prynn, click here.-Wegovy slashes the risk of heart disease ‘even before people shed weight’-For the first time in 3,000 years, European Elk could be reintroduced to the UK-Why a new snail species has been named after Pablo Picasso Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 9, 2025 • 10min
The online world goes wild for Pope Leo XIV
Pope Leo XIV made his first public appearance from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica in front of a packed St Peter’s Square on Thursday evening. But since he became pontiff, the revelation of his online footprint has captured the imagination of Gen Z. For more, we hear from The London Standard’s features writer and columnist, Maddy Mussen.A new environmentally friendly technique to extract tiny cellulose strands from cow dung and turn them into manufacturing-grade material has been developed by a team of UK researchers.You can find cellulose in everything from cling film to surgical masks.To tell us about their new ‘pressurised spinning’ technique, we caught up with the senior author of the study, UCL Professor Mohan Edirisinghe.Plus, two friends are found guilty of cutting down world-famous Sycamore Gap tree in act of 'mindless thuggery'Also in this episode:How a ‘simple selfie’ through AI tool can help predict patients’ cancer survivalCould this psoriasis treatment free patients from having to use multiple products?An “accordion worm” which contracts, like the instrument, is discovered off the Northwest coast of Spain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 8, 2025 • 8min
‘If we save the sea, we save our world’ – Attenborough urges ocean protection
A powerful rallying cry to protect the world's oceans has been issued from Sir David Attenborough.His message features in a new film, Ocean with David Attenborough, which opens in cinemas across the world today.Plus, Owkin has launched K Navigator, an AI-powered research co-pilot designed to revolutionise biomedical science.They say the technology is an “agentic playground” where researchers can explore, refine, and validate a theory, therefore accelerating the quality and pace of their discoveries.According to the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine, it takes around 12 years for a laboratory discovery to become an approved medicine. There is also a high failure rate.Tech and Science Daily spoke to Dr Ingo Ringshausen, a consultant at University College London Hospital who runs a research group for the Cancer Institute and—importantly—was also one of the first to test the technology.Also in this episode:Could Nasa switch up and launch to Mars as early as 2026?London NHS worker awarded £29,000 after being likened to Darth VaderIs Scotland home to the world’s oldest football pitch? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.