BBC Inside Science

Dr. Christopher Berry discusses the world's oldest forest fossils, revealing evolutionary secrets. Dr. Chris Thorogood talks about the quest to save Rafflesia plants. The podcast also covers gardening challenges, embracing slugs and snails, and the debate on bottled water vs. tap water. Plus, insights on microorganism survival in chlorinated water and fluoride in UK tap water.

Dr Stewart Husband from Sheffield University discusses water quality and microplastics, addressing water sterilization, filters, and chlorine smell. Bumblebees show social learning abilities in solving puzzles, shedding light on social insects. Geneticist Dr Bo Xia identifies the mutation that led humans to lose their tails, sparking a discussion on the benefits of being tail-less and the evolutionary implications.

Controversial topic of solar geoengineering discussed, including dimming the sun. Ban on donkey skin trade celebrated by animal welfare charities. Dr Katalin Karikó's memoir on mRNA research for COVID vaccines highlighted.

Meaty rice and synthetic meat, the advancements and doubts in lab-grown meat production. Intriguingly pregnant stingray raises questions. Unusual asteroid entering Earth’s atmosphere sparks curiosity. Personal encounters with nature: adopting goats, swimming with octopus, and more.

A study suggests the Gulf Stream could collapse, impacting global climate stability. Polar bears in Hudson Bay facing challenges with longer ice-free seasons. Updates on CERN's plans for a new particle accelerator. Concerns about the future of French cheeses due to lack of fungus diversity.

Machine learning deciphers ancient Roman scrolls, NASA's PACE satellite monitoring Earth, bird flu impacting penguin and seal populations, International Day of Women in Science celebrated with profile of Dr. Jess Wade

Neuralink's brain chips, enhancing rugby safety with smart technology, decoding chicken emotions, and improving chicken welfare are some fascinating topics discussed in this episode

Exploration of UK's largest hydrogen hub, humpback whales mystery singing patterns, hermit crabs using plastic bottle caps as homes, challenges of carbon storage and hydrogen use, and Japanese Space Agency's moon lander mission update.

Scientists discuss the recent volcanic activity in Iceland and advancements in predicting eruptions. A study reveals the vast amount of microorganisms in the ocean. The creation of a global catalog of ocean genes is explored. The possibility of a new species related to the Tyrannosaurus Rex is debated.

Learn about flood forecasting and the challenges of sending out flood alerts and warnings. Discover the potential habitability of Jupiter's moon, Europa, and the design of the Europa Clipper spacecraft. Explore the effects of exercise and video gaming on brain power and cognitive abilities. Dive into a study on the effects of immersive video games and the relationship between the body and the brain. Plus, find out the scientific explanation behind a viral video of a mouse tidying up objects in a shed.