Discovery

Earlier in the year, the reported remarks about 'the problem with girls' by British biologist and Nobel Laureate Professor Tim Hunt' brought the issues facing women scientists into public spotlight. Although there have been questions about the reports of what exactly happened and what was said during Hunt's talk in South Korea, the story has given female researchers the rare opportunity to air the problems of gender bias in science to a much wider audience.What are the factors holding back women in science? What can be done to improve gender equality in the lab? Claudia Hammond talks to women scientists in India, Nigeria, Bolivia, the US and the UK about their experiences and views. The programme features: ecologist Monica Moraes at the Universidad Mayor de San Andres in Bolivia; neuroscientist Jennifer Raymond in Stanford, California; psychologist Uta Frith at UCL in London; chemist Paul Walton of the University of York; and physicists Rabia Salihu Sa'id at Bayero University in northern Nigeria and Shobhana Narasimhan of the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research in Bangalore.Professor Narasimhan also organises career development workshops for women physicists in low-income countries at the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics.Producer: Andrew Luck-Baker

Dr Mark Porter is a family doctor in the UK and in his 50s. He’s tall and slim and thinks he’s fit and healthy – after all he goes to the gym several times a week. Mark meets experts who measure his weight, height and body fat to find out if he is as healthy as he seems. He begins by finding out his BMI, or body mass index, a term more and more people are using all over the world. It’s an indicator of whether he is too fat, too thin or just right. It’s relatively easy to work out with a calculator – he divides his weight in kilograms by the square of his height in metres. Mark compares his BMI against two other ways of measuring body fat, the true test of whether he is overweight or not. Is his BMI as accurate as the results of body fat calculations derived by measuring skin folds and an ultra accurate DEXA scan? (Photo: Overweight man measuring his waist. Credit: Science Photo Library)

Exploring the evolution of astronomical beliefs from a fixed universe to cosmic creation processes. Highlighting the controversy surrounding nebulae and the Nebular Hypothesis. Delving into the ambitious construction of the Leviathan telescope by the Earl of Rosse. Discussing religious opposition to evolution and the impact of telescopes on astronomical exploration.

Discover the accidental creation of a vibrant purple dye by William Perkin in 1856, sparking a fashion sensation in Victorian London. Learn how Perkin's serendipitous discovery led to innovative applications in various industries and the link between molecular structure and color properties. Explore the transformative impact of synthetic dyes on the chemical industry, revolutionizing chemistry and shaping the field of pharmaceuticals.

Delve into the life of Maurice Wilkins, a physicist crucial in the DNA structure discovery. Explore his transition to biology, early crystallography breakthroughs, Rosalind Franklin's contributions, meticulous validation processes, and Wilkins' overshadowed brilliance and humble approach to science.

Naomi Alderman tells the story of James Watt and the steam engine that nearly never got made. A breath of steam hits cold metal. It cools suddenly and becomes a drop of water. There an idea. But the designs for Watt’s radically more efficient steam engine laid on the shelf in his workshop for years. Watt, a depressive, cautious perfectionist had no interest in actually making engines. Had it not been for his friend, the businessmen Matthew Boulton driving him on, his engine might never have left the drawing board. Naomi talks to historian, Jenny Uglow about the five friends who kick started the industrial revolution. And, digital guru Bill Thompson talks about the scientific legacy of Watt’s obsession with getting a patent - an obsession which led to an Act of Parliament. Photo: James Watt. Credit: Hulton Archive)

Astrophysicist Prof Tim O'Brien discusses mesmerizing sounds of space exploration, life of stars, mysterious signals from deep space, pulsars, black holes, and Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation. Joined by Dr Lucie Green, Honor Harger, and Dr Andrew Pontzen.

The previously silent world of outer space is getting noisier. In this audio tour of the Solar System, Dr Lucie Green listens in to the Sounds of Space. You may have heard the famous ‘singing comet’ – the soundscape created using measurements taken by the Rosetta spacecraft. Now, we bring you more sounds that have come from our exploration of the cosmos.Some have been recorded by microphones on-board interplanetary spacecraft. Others have been sonified from space data, from lightning on Jupiter to vibrations inside the Sun. All of them reveal tantalising secrets that have inspired scientists, artists and musicians to help us understand the universe beyond.Joining Lucie Green on this sonic journey through space are: Prof Tim O'Brien, associate director of Jodrell Bank Observatory, Honor Harger, executive director of the ArtScience museum in Singapore, Dr Andrew Pontzen from the Cosmology Research Group, University College London.(Photo: Saturn By Voyager. Credit: Nasa)

Biology and marine research funding in Europe with Dr Iva Tolic and Veerle Huvenne. Discussing ERC's impact, deep sea exploration, and European science competitiveness. Featuring European Research Commissioner Carlos Moedas and debates on budget allocation and future progress in scientific funding.

Historian Tracey Logan dives into the Bone Wars, a fierce rivalry between paleontologists Cope and Marsh in the Wild West. The competition led to groundbreaking dinosaur discoveries like Stegosaurus and Triceratops, with underhanded tactics and scandals shaking the scientific community. Explore the motivations, intense rivalry, and legacy of this infamous feud.