The 3 Best Science Weekly Podcast Episodes
1) Why do humans struggle to think of ourselves as animals?
The pandemic has demonstrated why humans are ultimately an impressive species. From monitoring the genetic evolution of Sars-CoV-2 to devising vaccines in record time, we have put our minds together t...Show More
2) Jaws made us scared of sharks but is a lack of sharks scarier?
Last week, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) world conservation congress took place in Marseille. Guardian biodiversity reporter Phoebe Weston was there and heard about the...Show More
3) Nasa’s new space telescope and its search for extraterrestrial life
On 22 December, if all goes to plan, the £7.5bn James Webb space telescope (JWST) will be blasted into space on top of a giant European Ariane 5 rocket. As it travels to its final destination – a poin...Show More
4) 100 years on Earth: celebrating David Attenborough’s birthday
To celebrate Sir David Attenborough’s centenary, Madeleine Finlay catches up with natural history writer Patrick Barkham, who has met the celebrated presenter. They explore how the natural world has c...Show More
5) Hantavirus explained: how does it spread and who is most at risk?
Three people have died after an outbreak of hantavirus onboard a cruise ship travelling from Argentina to Cape Verde. The World Health Organization says a total of seven cases – two confirmed by labor...Show More
6) ‘Historic breakthrough’: could the fossil fuel era be coming to an end?
The transition towards renewable energy received a boost last week when representatives from 57 countries met in Santa Marta, Colombia, for a world-first climate meeting aimed at bringing the fossil f...Show More
7) Sub-two-hour marathon, spooky houses explained and why is UK health in decline?
Madeleine Finlay sits down with co-host and Guardian science editor Ian Sample to talk through three eye-catching stories from the week, including the news that the number of years people in the UK ar...Show More
8) What is a food intolerance, and how do you know if you have one?
Social media is awash with content about food intolerances and the symptoms to look out for. But figuring out whether you actually have one, and what’s triggering it, is surprisingly difficult. One av...Show More
9) Muons, massive waves and restored sight: the winners at the ‘Oscars of science’
Madeleine Finlay sits down with science editor Ian Sample to hear about some of the winners of the Breakthrough Prize, which held its ceremony in LA last weekend. Each prize is worth $3m and they’re a...Show More
10) Mythos: are fears over new AI model panic or PR?
Earlier this month the AI company Anthropic said it had created a model so powerful that, out of a sense of responsibility, it was not going to release it to the public. Anthropic says the model, Myth...Show More