Episodes

  • What 40 years as Observer science editor has taught Robin McKie

    What 40 years as Observer science editor has taught Robin McKie
    Apr 15 2025
    Robin McKie reflects on his 40 years as science editor for the Observer and tells Madeleine Finlay about the game-changing discoveries and scientific controversies that he’s reported on during that time. He describes how the discovery of the structure of DNA revolutionised science, what he learned about misinformation from the HIV/AIDS pandemic and why cold fusion and the millennium bug failed to live up to their hype.. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
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    20 mins
  • Streams of medicines: how Switzerland cleaned up its act

    Streams of medicines: how Switzerland cleaned up its act
    Apr 10 2025
    Switzerland is leading the world in purifying its water of micropollutants, a concoction of chemicals often found in bodies of water that look crystal clear. They include common medicines like antidepressants and antihistamines, but have unknown and potentially damaging consequences for human and ecosystem health. In the second of a two-part series, Phoebe Weston travels to Geneva to find out how the country has transformed its rivers from sewage-filled health hazards to pristine swimming spots. She tells Madeleine Finlay how a public health disaster in the 1960s spurred the government to act, and what the UK could learn from the Swiss about taking care of a precious national asset.. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
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    16 mins
  • Streams of medicines: what’s hiding in the UK’s waterways?

    Streams of medicines: what’s hiding in the UK’s waterways?
    Apr 8 2025
    The UK is known for its national parks: areas of outstanding natural beauty with rolling hills and crystal-clear streams and lakes. But research has shown that England’s most protected rivers are full of pharmaceuticals. In episode one of a two-part series, biodiversity reporter Phoebe Weston tells Madeleine Finlay about the problem of chemical pollution in our waterways, and how it could be contributing to what the World Health Organization has described as ‘the silent pandemic’ – antimicrobial resistance.. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
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    16 mins
  • ‘Parasites should get more fame’: the nominees for world’s finest invertebrate

    ‘Parasites should get more fame’: the nominees for world’s finest invertebrate
    Apr 3 2025
    Invertebrates don’t get the attention lavished on cute pets or apex predators, but these unsung heroes are some of the most impressive and resilient creatures on the planet. So when the Guardian opened its poll to find the world’s finest invertebrate, readers got in touch in their droves. A dazzling array of nominations have flown in for insects, arachnids, snails, crustaceans, corals and many more obscure creatures. Patrick Barkham tells Madeleine Finlay why these tiny creatures deserve more recognition, and three readers, Sandy, Nina and Russell, make the case for their favourites. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
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    18 mins
  • Keto: what’s the science behind the diet?

    Keto: what’s the science behind the diet?
    Apr 1 2025
    While other diet fads come and go, the ultra low carbohydrate Keto diet seems to endure. But as scientists begin to understand how the diet works, more is also being discovered about its risks. To find out more, Madeleine Finlay speaks to Javier Gonzalez, professor in the department of health at the University of Bath, with a special interest in personal nutrition. He explains how the diet works, what it could be doing to our bodies and what could really be behind the weight loss people experience while on it. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
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    17 mins
  • The rise and fall of DNA testing company 23andMe

    The rise and fall of DNA testing company 23andMe
    Mar 27 2025
    The genetic testing firm 23andMe has filed for bankruptcy, another twist in the story of a company that promised a pioneering approach to precision health. Now users are scrambling to delete their personal data, with the future ownership of the firm uncertain. To understand the highs and lows of 23andMe’s journey, Madeleine Finlay hears from the Guardian US tech reporter and editor Johana Bhuiyan, and from Timothy Caulfield, a professor of law at the University of Alberta, who has a special interest in health and biotechnology. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
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    22 mins
  • Where do our early childhood memories go?

    Where do our early childhood memories go?
    Mar 25 2025
    It’s a mystery that has long puzzled researchers. Why can’t we remember our early childhood experiences? Freud called the phenomenon infantile amnesia, and for many years scientists have wondered whether it’s a result of failure to create memories or just a failure to retrieve them. Now new research appears to point to an answer. To find out more, Ian Sample talks to Nick Turk-Browne, a professor of psychology at Yale University.. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
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    19 mins
  • What a dark energy discovery means for the fate of the universe

    What a dark energy discovery means for the fate of the universe
    Mar 20 2025
    Dark energy, the mysterious force powering the expansion of the universe, appears to be weakening over time, according to a major cosmological survey that has thrown the laws of modern physics into doubt. Ian Sample tells Madeleine Finlay how this new finding could shed light on the ultimate fate of the cosmos, and Saul Perlmutter, who won a Nobel prize for his work proving the universe is expanding, describes how the new development could upend assumptions about how this mysterious force operates. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
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    16 mins