Discovery Podcast
Explorations in the world of science.
Episodes to download
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What is Quantum?
Last Monday
Marnie Chesterton travels to the birthplace of quantum theory armed with one question
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The Life Scientific: George Church
Mon 29 Dec 2025
Geneticist George Church on mapping the world's DNA and a mammoth 'de-extinction' project
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The Life Scientific: Mark O'Shea
Mon 8 Dec 2025
Mark O'Shea on how a boyhood interest in snakes paved the way for a globe-trotting career
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Waking up with a different voice
Mon 1 Dec 2025
What’s it like to wake up with a brand new voice? We investigate foreign accent syndrome
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The animal employment agency
Mon 24 Nov 2025
How ferrets, dogs and rats are being trained to perform niche jobs
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The Life Scientific: Kevin Fong
Mon 10 Nov 2025
Kevin Fong on pestering Nasa, medical planning for Mars and handling major A&E incidents.
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The Life Scientific: Dame Pratibha Gai
Mon 3 Nov 2025
Pratibha Gai on her microscope that brought chemical reactions into sharp focus.
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The Life Scientific: Catherine Heymans
Mon 27 Oct 2025
Astronomer Royal for Scotland Catherine Heymans talks telescopes, dark matter and comedy.
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The Life Scientific: Tim Coulson
Mon 20 Oct 2025
Professor Tim Coulson on how the wolves of Yellowstone National Park shape the ecosystem.
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The Life Scientific: Brian Schmidt
Mon 13 Oct 2025
Nobel Prize-winning astrophysicist Brian Schmidt talks supernovae studies and wine-making
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The Life Scientific: Jane Goodall
Mon 6 Oct 2025
Celebrated primatologist Jane Goodall reflects on her life and work.
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The Life Scientific: Jacqueline McKinley
Mon 29 Sep 2025
Jim Al-Khalili digs into the subterranean world of ancient bones with Jacqueline McKinley.
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The Life Scientific: Jonathan Shepherd
Mon 22 Sep 2025
Surgeon Jonathan Shepherd on developing the Cardiff Model of Violence Prevention.
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The Life Scientific: Doyne Farmer
Mon 15 Sep 2025
Doyne Farmer on how predict the future to help prevent climate change and win at roulette.
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The Life Scientific: Tori Herridge
Mon 8 Sep 2025
Dr Tori Herridge on her fascination with Ice Age elephants and their evolutionary story.
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The Life Scientific: Sir Magdi Yacoub
Mon 1 Sep 2025
Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub discusses his career at the cutting edge of transplant surgery
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The Life Scientific: Neil Lawrence
Mon 18 Aug 2025
Neil Lawrence on taking down the 'digital oligarchy' and why we shouldn't fear AI
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The Life Scientific: Liz Morris
Mon 11 Aug 2025
Liz Morris on Antarctic adventures and the melting polar ice sheets
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The Life Scientific: Anthony Fauci
Mon 4 Aug 2025
Anthony Fauci on a medical career navigating pandemics and presidents
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Tooth and Claw: Praying Mantises
Mon 28 Jul 2025
An insect known for eating its prey alive – including, at times, its own species!
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Tooth and Claw: Leopards
Mon 21 Jul 2025
An elusive big cat known for its tree climbing abilities, it stalks and ambushes its prey
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The Thirst for Water
Sat 19 Jul 2025
How is access to water (or lack of it) shaping our lives around the world?
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Tooth and Claw: Harpy Eagles
Mon 14 Jul 2025
Named after a mythological beast, this raptor is the apex predator of rainforest canopies
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Tooth and Claw: Killer Whales
Mon 7 Jul 2025
This black-and-white marine mammal is the undisputed apex predator of the sea
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The Life Scientific - Tim Peake
Mon 30 Jun 2025
Tim Peake on his journey to becoming an astronaut and science in space
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How does heat affect our health?
Tue 3 Jun 2025
Why is it so hard to understand the effects a warming world has on our health?
Space
The eclipses, spacecraft and astronauts changing our view of the Universe
The Curious Cases of Rutherford and Fry
A pair of scientific sleuths answer your perplexing questions. Ask them anything!
