Science In Action

Dr Nadine Johnston discusses the mission and research of the RRS Sir David Attenborough in Antarctica. Professor Shahida Moosa and Jessica Jane Cormick talk about the need for better genetic databases for Africans. Simon Evans analyzes the responsibility for climate change and the impact of historical rule and colonialism. Professor Cory Zigler reveals the deaths caused by coal-fired power plants in the US.

Discussion on the recent fires in the Pantanal wetlands and their unprecedented severity. The importance of the Pansano wetlands in preserving endangered species and the challenges of restoration. Extreme weather conditions in South Brazil attributed to global warming and El Nino. Urgency of taking action on climate change and the discovery of a highly energetic particle. The possibility of detecting rare particles using bigger observatories and the efforts of the South African Astronomical Observatory's outreach team.

Increased tremors have been felt in Iceland, and concerns about an impending eruption have led to the evacuation of the town of Grindavik. Geophysicist Dr Freysteinn Sigmundsson reveals more about the events and whether this area of Iceland may be entering a new period of volcanic activity that could span centuries. Also, Google DeepMind’s new GraphCast system could revolutionise weather forecasting. Rémi Lam from Google DeepMind and Dr Matthew Chantry from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts explain how it works. Beyond warming our planet, climate change can have wide-ranging, unexpected impacts on people and the environment. Dr Christopher Trisos from the University of Cape Town has the lowdown. Finally, recreating ancient seawater in the laboratory has given Dr Rosalie Tostevin, a geochemist from the University of Cape Town, additional information about the metals used by early microbes. Presenter: Roland Pease Producer: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell Editor: Martin Smith Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth (Image: Emergency services worker walking near a crack cutting across the main road in Grindavik, southwestern Iceland following earthquakes. Credit: KJARTAN TORBJOERNSSON/AFP via Getty Images)

In this podcast, the hosts go on an adventure in Cape Town to search for fossil footprints. They also discuss the decline of African penguins and Sandcob's efforts to protect them. The challenges faced by a bird rehabilitation center and the importance of disease control are explored. The podcast also delves into the use of sounds in conservation and monitoring dolphins, and the abundance of bird species in the Cape.

Hurricane expert Kerry Emanual discusses the supercharging of hurricanes by global warming. Brazilian ecologist Erika Berenguer explains the destruction caused by drought in Amazonia. Climate scientists Chris Smith and Norman Loeb reveal the urgency of climate action and the higher sensitivity of the climate to greenhouse gases.

Bird flu reaches the Antarctic region, posing a threat to isolated bird populations. Mummified mice found on Andean volcanoes challenge assumptions about vertebrate survival in extreme conditions. Chimpanzees in Uganda are experiencing menopause, a phenomenon thought to be unique to humans and some whales. Geophysicist uses seismic activity on Mars to uncover the composition of its core.

Concerns rise as seismic tremors accelerate near Naples. AI used to decipher ancient scrolls and untangle rainforest biodiversity. Exploring volcanic activity and predictions in Campi Flegrei, Italy. Transcribing ancient texts and studying wildlife recovery with AI.

Lying atop a network of fault lines, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, Afghanistan is prone to earthquakes. However, the Herat area has not seen an event for almost 1000 years. As such, it was the least likely area to experience the series of devastating earthquakes and aftershocks which are reported to have killed thousands this week. Afghani seismologist Zekaria Shnizai discusses the factors which led to the disaster. After a couple of delays, NASA’s Psyche mission is due to launch this Friday. It will map Psyche, a metal-rich asteroid orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. Project leader Lindy Elkins-Tanton's excitement for the project is infectious. And can deep learning help us predict the next pandemic? Computational Biologist Debora Marks’ new tool, Evescape, can predict the most likely mutations a virus will gain under pressure. This could be a game changer. Presenter: Roland Pease Producer: Ella Hubber Editor: Martin Smith Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth (Image: An Afghan man sits amid the rubble after a massive 6.3 magnitude earthquake strikes the city of Herat. Credit: Esmatullah Habibian / Getty Images)

The 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Katalin Karikó and Drew Weismann for their contributions to developing the fundamentals that led to life saving mRNA vaccines. Although funding and support were not always assured on their road to the Nobel, Katalin Karikó tells Roland she used these setbacks to drive her towards success. On the other side of the coin, allegations of scientific misconduct over bold room temperature superconductivity claims. Earlier this year, eleven authors submitted a paper to Nature. Now, eight of them are calling for a retraction. Science journalist Dan Garisto covers the story. Also this week, NASA Ames researcher Jacob Kegerreis details how Saturn got its rings. Hint: It’s a smashing story. And, what is the most fear inducing sound in the world? Lions roaring? Gunshots? According to mammals in South Africa it is the human voice. Fear-ecologist Liana Zanette explains. Presenter: Roland Pease Producer: Ella Hubber Editor: Martin Smith Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth (Image: Katalin Karikó. Credit: Mark Makela / Getty Images)

What did a 465-million-year-old trilobite eat for dinner? And how can we possibly know? Archaeologist Per Ahlberg has used x-ray to peer into the guts of one ancient scuttling creature and worked out what it what was munching on in its final moments. From life in ancient earth rocks to potential life in space rocks, mineralogist and astrobiologist Bob Hazen has been training AI to spot signatures of life on Earth. He now hopes to use this tool on space samples. We also ask experimental particle physicist Jeffrey Hangst how antimatter, the last mystery of the universe, responds to gravity - was Einstein's theory of general relativity right? And the antiviral Covid medication, Molnupiravir, may be causing the virus to mutate. Theo Sanderson discusses how he figured this out and how concerned we should be. Presenter: Roland Pease Producer: Ella Hubber Editor: Martin Smith Production co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth (Image: Fig. 1: Bohemolichas incola (Barrande, 1872). Credit: Kraft et al)