Technically Speaking | a science and engineering discussion

What is altruism and do we see it in nature?

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0100

Antonia, Ellie and Emma explore the nature of altruism from examples with mammals and insects, to human studies and the pop culture take on the term. Could donating a kidney be seen as an altruistic act or is there always some hidden benefit that makes even the most generous of gifts a tiny bit selfish?

Fact check:

Ants signal sickness to save others
Dolphins help lost whale
Chimpanzees help each other... some of the time
Are the brains of altruistic people different?

What's so unusual about how pigeons navigate?

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 11:00:00 +0100

New research has found an unusual link between immune cells in the liver and the ability of homing pigeons to navigate using the earth's magnetic field. Laura, Antonia and Ellie dive into the research and put themselves in the shoes of the scientist making this surprising discovery. They also ask how we can make use of this research and consider what might be discovered next.

Read the original research article at science.org or read a news summary in Scientific American.

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What did people in the recent past think would happen with climate change?

Thu, 28 May 2026 09:00:00 +0100

Antonia and Ellie discuss the first ever Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. We explore what lead to the report being created, what the predictions for climate change looked like in the 90s and whether the world has taken any steps to mitigate the effects suggested by the report.

Fact check:

First IPCC report 1990/1992
IPCC Reports over the years
Laws after the Paris agreement
USA leaves the Paris agreement

Why aren't maglev trains everywhere?

Thu, 07 May 2026 11:00:00 +0100

They're fast and floaty, but sadly we don't have them in the UK. Laura, Emma and Antonia look at the cool use of physics that makes them levitate and compare energy use and infrastructure requirements to other forms of transport.

Fact check:

Will We Go Back To The Moon?

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:00:00 +0100

Antonia, Ellie and Tom discuss the history of the Moon missions, including the Apollo programme that started it all and the past and future of the ISS. The team explores the media hype and the differences surrounding the Artemis missions in comparison to those first voyages to space over 50 years ago.

Fact check:

• The best photographs
• Records broken
• The capsule returns
• Meet the crew
• Things get nuts in space

Why do animals use tools?

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000

And how did they learn to do it? Ellie and Emma discuss what tool use actually is and the species that have adapted specific instruments to achieve a desired goal. From Veronika the cow to Jane Goodall we explore how far tool use has come and what the possibilities are for species and tools of the future.

Fact check:

Research about ravens
Evidence that humans are better than chimps at solving puzzles
News about Veronika the cow
An overview of animals using tools
News of wolves using tools too
A mason bee carrying objects as it flies
A video of fish doing stuff

Can we make cars lighter?

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000

The battery in electric vehicles makes them much heavier than traditional vehicles. Laura and Jasmin discuss how steel car components can be made lighter to offset this increased weight, what implications that has for other industries, and whether this would make the steel industry more sustainable.

Fact check:

Some ways that steel car components are made lighter
Stats about the Nissan Leaf and how it compares to a similar spec car with an internal combustion engine
How steel makers can use maths to understand how the microstructure affects mechanical properties
Research using AI to predict mechanical properties based on composition
More research using AI, this time looking at processing variables during manufacture
Different generations of high strength steel

What are the pros and cons of cold water therapy?

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Ellie, Antonia and Emma discuss their personal experiences with cold water and the science behind whether there is any benefit in dunking yourself in a chilly loch. They also discuss studies related to sauna usage, if cold showers make any difference, and if the Nordic countries have got the right idea 💡

Fact check:

Research shows that cold plunges can lead to heart attacks
A scientific review of winter swimming
Research on the ideal sauna temperature
A news article about Wimhoff breathing
A review of research on saunas and ageing showing that 4-7 saunas a week can decreased the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease

How can you tell the value of gems?

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Some gemstones are desired for their sparkle and rarity while others have practical applications in engineering and electronic components. Laura and Antonia look at different ways gems can be made in the lab, how valuable they are and consider how you could potentially make a lot of money from them.

Fact check:

The composition of sapphire and ruby
A list of valuable diamonds
The most expensive lab grow gems
News about growing bigger gems from small ones already used as jewellery
A research article on the same thing as above
Synthetic sapphire
More on synthetic sapphire
Yet more on synthetic sapphire, in a YouTube video

Why have scientists sent moss into space?

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Researchers were surprised to find that moss spores germinated after nine months hanging out on the outside of the International Space Station. Ellie and Laura dive into their research and go beyond it to look at why some things survive in space, the benefits of doing this sort of research and what it might mean for a more resilient ecosystem here on Earth.

Fact check:

News about the space moss
More news
The original research article on the space moss
The basics about radiation in space
Tardigrades can survive some types of UV radiation
How tardigrades have a genetic response to repair radiation damage
The BBC Future article Laura mentions about various experiments on tardigrades

What if all chemicals had been tested for safety from the start?

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Different nations have different approaches to testing and using chemicals to see how they can cause diseases. Antonia, Laura and Jasmin look at how chemicals are tested for toxicity, how harmful substances are controlled, and whether dose limits are important. They look at asbestos, radioactive substances, and more.

Fact check:

Manufactured chemicals have led to an increase in childhood disease and shouldn’t automatically be presumed safe
Safety data sheets for waterproofing spray and household bleach
A history of bioaccumulation of mercury in fish
News about banning and restricting sales of fish in some nations in relation to wastewater discharge from the Fukushima-Daichii site
Statistics on global deaths per year due to asbestos exposure
Statistics on deaths in the UK from asbestos exposure

What is agrovoltaics?

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000

And is it a good idea? Laura, Jasmin and Antonia look at various scientific studies on growing crops and raising livestock in fields of solar panels to see what the effects are. They also look at some solar farms that are used in arid regions and the benefits they can have for crops and the environment.

Fact check:

The random broccoli study
A study of crop growing in arid regions
One of the review articles/papers
The other review article, this one on small ruminants
The study that reported an improvement in the quality of sheep’s wool

What is aging?

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 16:06:34 +0100

And can we learn to live longer? Ellie, Jasmin and Emma discuss telomeres that form the ends of DNA strands, the long-lived members of the animal world, supplements and products to fight the signs of aging, and even the idea of living forever.

How is the safety of drugs determined?

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 11:00:00 +0100

It takes a long time for medicines to be developed. Looking at drugs used in women's health and more, Laura and Ellie look at what goes into their development, how the risks are weighed against the benefits, and how the known benefits of a drug can change as we learn more about them.

Fact check:

A review of paracetamol/Tylenol development
Statistics on drug development
How much paracetamol is consumed in the UK in a year
Thalidomide is still in use, but not for treating morning sickness
Quinine for leg cramps should maybe be a last resort
Statistics on use of the contraceptive pill
Side effects of the contraceptive pill

How does cloning improve diversity?

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 11:00:00 +0100

Saving endangered species is vital for a healthy planet and cloning individual animals can help. Ellie and Laura look at the black-footed ferret, discuss some other endangered species that cloning is helping to save, and look at the history and challenges of cloning.

Fact check:

What would we do with infinite research funding?

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 11:00:00 +0100

When you care about sustainability, you can bet that becomes your focus. Laura and Antonia look at how to solve climate change through social engineering and behavioural science that involves brain chemistry as well as solving the problem of having finite resources that create inequality.

Fact check:

Can we get smarter when it comes to constructing buildings?

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 11:00:00 +0100

We’re using more energy and in the UK a lot of this goes into heating or cooling our homes but can we use natural processes to make this happen? Laura, Rwayda and Antonia discuss how using traditional clay in the Caribbean keeps houses cool while a smart architect in India has used fundamental physics to achieve the same feat. In the UK, passive houses with thick insulation are a thing but could we use these smart ideas to work with natural processes, rather than against them?

Fact check:

Building houses out of clay in the Caribbean
The science behind why clay is cooler than concrete
Using thermodynamics and natural wind direction to keep a house in India cool
What makes a passive house

Are the seasons changing?

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 11:00:00 +0100

In the UK it feels like winters are getting warmer but the entire year is usually rainy. We remember things being a bit different when we were younger. Laura, Antonia and Ellie discuss evidence for changing of the seasons and look at the effect this has globally on extreme events such as wildfires, animal migration and plant growth. They also look at some research that identified new seasons and suggests humans should change their relationship with them.

Fact check:

Seasons on a social level
Summers getting hotter in the northern hemisphere
Wildfire season in California is almost all year round
New record high temperature in continental Europe
There is less difference between UK summers and winters now compared to the 1700s
Mouse-ear cress could be better adapted to warmer winters than we thought
Some crops need a cold spell
Some species of wales are altering their migration patterns
Trees lose their leaves because falling temperatures halt chlorophyll production

Why is a novel type of fertility treatment in the news?

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 11:00:00 +0100

A special type of in-vitro fertilisation, that uses material from three people, has made some interesting headlines recently. Laura and Ellie discuss the technique and consider some of the major advancements that went into in-vitro fertilisation, also known as creating test-tube babies, and uncover some surprising facts. Did you know that research began in the 19th century?

Fact check:

Recent news coverage with what we think is a sensible headline
News on the first baby born using the three-parent technique
What mitochondria do
The role of mitochondria during fertilisation
Some scientific background on eggs and the role of the cytoplasm
More information on the cytoplasm
The history of IVF
A journal publication summarising some of the advancements in IVF
Some more history of IVF
A blog about safety and ethics
Even more history of IVF
News on the latest research using IVF to save an extinct species

What are we doing to the oceans?

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 11:00:00 +0100

From unintentional acidification to fishing and conservation, there’s a lot going on. Antonia, Laura and Ellie talk about the link between greenhouse gas emissions and changing ocean chemistry which is affecting the delicate balance of marine life, speculate about what a rather nifty deep-sea research station could uncover as well as how biochemistry discovered in the deep sea has already proven useful, and discuss why trawling the sea bed for food is bad whereas marine conservation can actually be beneficial for the fishing industry.

Fact check:

An opinion piece about how the problem of acid rain was solved
Some details about removing nitrogen oxides from industrial process emissions
News about acid rain and PFAS (forever chemicals)
Specific news about clown fish
More news about clown fish, this time looking at their sense of smell
Another news article: deep sea exploration in the South China Sea
Information on cold seeps
Some novel discoveries from biochemistry in the deep sea that we’ve found a use for
More fishy news: Marine animals flee from trawlers
Even more news: Marine conservation can benefit the fishing industry

What amazing science has the international space station achieved?

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 11:00:00 +0100

It’s due to be retired on 2030 when it will crash back to Earth so was it worth it? Ellie, Antonia and Laura look at just some of the scientific discoveries it’s helped with, including the many processes involved in ageing, getting a clearer understanding of how plaques form in the brain, the fundamental physics of water boiling and some nifty science of scent molecules.

Fact check:

Cost of keeping the ISS alive
Low gravity water boiling
The NPR article Laura mentioned which gives an overview of the ISS
Research using bed rest as an alternative to microgravity
Research using random orientation machines to simulate microgravity
Research proposed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency to look at a straightforward partial explanation of how bone and muscle loss accelerates ageing
A study that mentions cells respond to mechanical forces
NASA’s 20 breakthroughs, which mentions research in to plaques that form in the brain

How do gut microbes affect our behaviour?

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 11:00:00 +0100

New research has found a startling link between types of bacteria that live in our gut and whether we become addicted to food. Laura, Jasmin and Emma discuss this, wonder about the connection between the gut and the brain which seems to provide two way communication, and speculate about the challenges of doing this research as well as what the future might hold.

Fact check:

The research that shows the correlation between gut microbe communities and addiction
A quick summary of some ways the gut and brain communicate
The gut-brain connection and some clinical trials that have shown probiotics can affect your mood
How your immune system is involved

Remember when we all had a particle accelerator in our homes?

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 11:00:00 +0100

Tech has advanced rapidly and the future hold exciting possibilities, even some of the stuff that’s now obsolete was pretty nifty. Ellie, Laura and Antonia start off by looking at cathode ray tubes, which are a pretty old way of generating moving pictures. They also look at the large hadron collider and consider what sort of technology we might have in the future, whether that is teleportation or autonomous plants.

Fact check:

How do you make T-rex leather?

Thu, 22 May 2025 11:00:00 +0100

Why would you do it and how does it compare to other alternatives to cow hide? Ellie, Laura and Antonia look at the process of growing skin in the lab to turn in to leather, so-called vegan alternatives, and what animal skins you can make leather from. They also consider ethics and sustainability. Are we better off continuing to make leather from livestock or should humanity pursue alternatives?

Fact check:

News about making T-rex leather because the collagen has endured for millions of years
A scientific journal review article about lab-grown leather
Vegan alternatives to leather
A journal article comparing the properties of alternatives to traditional leather
Leather as a by-product of the meat industry
Sustainable leather made from invasive fish
Historic walrus leather boats

Technical short: cow gut microbiome

Thu, 08 May 2025 11:00:00 +0100

Taking a deeper dive into the biology behind how cows produce methane, and the two methods being researched to reduce production. Jasmin and Laura discuss feed additives, the importance of hydrogen and the various ways it can be used to make things that aren't methane. They also review some genetics research that focusses on the microbiome and how hereditable traits of the cow can influence it. They draw on experience of chemical engineering to consider how the microbiome can be optimised for energy production in the same way that you'd optimise an anaerobic digestion plant.

Fact check:

An overview of the main biochemical pathways in the microbiome
Research into how to optimise the microbiome to utilise food more efficiently
Research showing that using a food suppliment that includes 3-NOP and fumarate is beneficial in reducing methane emissions
A quick summary of one research group's take on probiotics and why they're developing sensors to go inside a cow
Researchers in Scotland look at genetics of the microbiome to understand how its affected by the cow's own genetics

How much physics is there in engineering?

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0100

With an audience from the Engineering Development Trust’s virtual routes to STEM course, Laura, Emma, Antonia and Rwayda talk about their diverse careers in physics and engineering to find common ground. They talk about how they chose what to study at university and provide details on what some engineers do beyond applying scientific principles to solve a challenge.

Emma talks about how a degree in physics led her to study a doctorate in DNA and cancer, Antonia explains how chemical engineering led her to help companies make more sustainable energy choices and Rwayda talks about how a desire to build things led her to become a university lecturer in civil engineering. Laura talks about her varied career path that partly involved studying physics, becoming a nuclear scientist, working with engineers, supervising project management students in a civil engineering department at university, and working as a science communications specialist.

Should cows produce less methane?

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 11:00:00 +0100

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas which contributes to the climate emergency. Intensive farming can lead to cows contributing significantly to levels of this gas in the atmosphere. Antonia, Ellie and Jasmin discuss the latest research to reduce the amount of methane cows produce through burps and flatulence. They look at additives to cow feed, using seaweed as an alternative feed, and selectively breeding the cows. They consider whether people should eat less meat and look at cultural and geographical challenges to doing so.

Fact check:

Estimates of greenhouse gas emissions from livestock vary
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change shows that methane has 81 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide
Here’s how cows produce methane as part of their digestion
News about the Bovaera additive produced by Arla
News about Hilda the cow, selectively bred over 16 generations to produce less methane
Denmark’s plan to introduce a tax for cows
The article Ellie mentions in The Conversation

What’s the latest research into recycling clothing?

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 17:45:00 +0000

Most clothes are made of a mix of natural and synthetic fibres which makes them difficult to recycle back into clothing once they’re worn out. Antonia and Laura discuss an exciting new research project that has separated four different types of fibre from a single scrap of cloth using microwaves. They compare this to an alternative method which uses enzymes found in bacteria to recycle polyester and consider what these efforts might mean for a future circular economy where clothing is infinitely recyclable. Will we ditch cotton and start wearing completely synthetic fibres?

Fact check:

Research using microwaves, and a news article about it
The latest news on using enzymes to break down polyester (PET).
A perspective on using enzymes to recycle PET, published in a biochemistry journal
The pilot plant operated by Carbios, that Antonia mentions
News about mountains of clothing waste in the Atacama Desert

How do you build a tunnel underwater?

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 11:00:00 +0000

And what does it take to win an award for it? Ellie, Rwayda and Laura discuss the Dalian Bay Undersea Tunnel in China which won Global Project of the Year 2024 for its novel construction methods and use of first-of-a-kind technologies, including floating giant concrete tubes into the bay to submerge and then connect them, an on-site laboratory so that experiments can inform the construction, and use of sensors in the specially developed cement which is designed to last an impressive 100 years in the frigid water of the bay.

References:

Read about why it was awarded Global Project of the Year in Engineering News-Record
News coverage on chinadaily.com
More news coverage at ctgn.com
A journal article about testing the special design of cement which used the manufactured sand

Why are things like crab blood and scorpion venom so valuable?

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Science is always finding new ways to harness nature. Antonia, Ellie and Laura discuss what the blood from a certain type of sea creature is used for, and how scorpion venom is being studied for a whole host of medical research. They also look at Pangolin scales used to treat some ailments and a giant tuna which sold for a small fortune, but might not necessarily be worth their price tag.

Fact check:

The cost of crab blood
The news article from NPR about crab blood
Facts about bacterial toxins
News about scorpion venom
More news about scorpion venom
The journal article explaining the many potential uses of scorpion venom
Pangolin scales in the news
Some behavioural science used by the UK Government communications service to help change behaviours, which underscores Antonia and Laura's perspectives
Possibly the world's most expensive tuna

Are we all mutants?

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:00:00 +0000

And can natural genetic changes lead us to develop superpowers? Laura, Emma and Jasmin talk about different natural processes can lead to mutations, how our bodies detect and repair some mutations, and how some changes can lie hidden.

The article that inspired this episode: We are all genetic mosaics, from Knowable Magazine.

Fact check:
How many cells are in the adult human body
How long it takes for most cells in the human body to divide
Some more background on cell division
The DNA molecular clock
Repair mechanisms during normal cell function
Different types of DNA damage
Evidence for repairs taking less than a second, simple repairs taking minutes, and more complex taking hours as well as research that mentions why more complex repairs take longer.
Mutations you might want

Are glass bottles really better for the environment than plastic?

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 11:00:00 +0000

The UK has plans to change how drinks containers are collected from consumers for recycling, but recent news stories indicate that glass could be excluded from this scheme. Laura, Antonia and Jasmin discuss what responsibilities packaging producers have, how glass and plastic are currently recycled, and consider what changes need to be made.

There were a lot of references in this fact-filled episode:

Government target for recycling rates at gov.uk
Amounts of litter, from Keep Britain Tidy (2020)
Household recycling rates, from gov.uk
Amount that a deposit return scheme can reduce littering by, from Actions to Protect Rural Scotland
A report stating cost savings of a deposit return scheme, from DEFRA
Statistics on local authority costs, from gov.uk
Evidence from European Union countries on the deposit return scheme
News article about charges that could be applied to glass bottle producers, in The Chronicle
An overview of the Extended Producer Responsibility, from Ecoveritas
Potential fees to be paid by companies under the extended producer responsibility scheme, suggested by UK government
The main steps in plastic recycling using mechanical methods, from the British Plastics Federation
The journal article Laura mentions where sorting facilities were analysed, in the journal Waste Management
An overview of some chemical recycling method, from the British Plastics Federation
Some more information on chemical recycling, from CAS – a division of the American Chemical Society
Legislation on minimum recycled plastic content, from gov.uk
The journal article Jasmin refers to when considering glass recycling rates, in the journal Sustainable Futures
Articles explaining glass quality limitations from BBC Future and British Glass
The energy saving by using recycled glass to make new glass bottles, from the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Can you learn anything you want from the internet?

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Is the internet really a useful tool for learning or is it a place where you shouldn’t believe what you see or read? Laura, Antonia and Ellie discuss what they have learned online, from detailed scientific information to practical skills like fixing a bicycle, and what they struggle to find. Laura and Ellie also share their insight as professional science communicators while Antonia explains how she finds information in her job as an energy analyst where she focusses on sustainability. There's a lot of information out there, but how useful is it and is everything that humanity knows easy to find online?

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How can we protect ourselves from cybercrimes?

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 11:00:00 +0000

What is cyber hacking and what can we do about it? Jasmin, Ellie and Antonia explore the different types of cyber hacking, compare it to the movies, and consider whether it can ever be ethical or "good"? They also discuss the best ways to combat cyber-attacks personally, and what companies are doing to protect us and their client information.

Are there any alternative uses for nuclear power?

Thu, 28 Nov 2024 11:00:00 +0000

You might know that nuclear reactors are used along with turbines to generate electricity but what else could nuclear technology power? While battling brain fog brought on by fatigue, Laura and Antonia discuss future uses of high temperature heat to feed industrial clusters and look at two novel uses of nuclear power production that don't require reactors, but could be used to power space missions.

Read about heat requirements of smelting metals, power requirements of the experimental rig known as ALSEP as well as the fateful Apollo 13 mission to the moon and the fuel cells for the command module, and diamond batteries.

How can we tell if something is true?

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 11:40:25 +0000

How do we debunk myths and see through fake news? Ellie, Antonia and Emma come together to discuss common myths and how they resist change both in academia and in a general population. They also discuss the impact of social media, AI and how we can learn to look at things with a critical eye.

Watch the video from Münecat.

Read research about countering misinformation and how one research group has tackled misinformation in real time during a US presidential election.

Antonia mentioned research about mothers recognising the cry of a new born baby.

What is antibiotic resistance?

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 12:20:35 +0000

And how are researchers tackling it? Antonia, Emma and Ellie discuss how we got here and what might be done in the future to counteract these drug resistant bacterial strains. Plus we take a sneak peak into the life of PhD student Emma and explore how computational simulations could be helping develop the antibiotics of the future.

How does science shape a nation's policy?

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 11:00:00 +0100

We’ve seen how science can rapidly alter how nations respond to emergencies like a pandemic, but why is the response to the climate emergency so slow? Laura and Antonia discuss multiple ways that scientists can help shape national policy, how people’s beliefs and behaviours are accounted for, and how the general public can have a voice too.

A guide by the British Ecological society helps explain how policy relates to legislation. You can read more about how many civil servants we have in the UK, read a report from the House of Commons library about what led to the Climate Change Act 2008, and read about how research from universities influenced the UK’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

How successful are human interventions for helping wildlife?

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 11:00:00 +0100

Everything humanity does has an impact on the natural world, but we’re also highly dependent on it. Laura, Ellie and Jasmin discuss how panda populations have declined and then improved, the work of zoos, instances of adapting nature to live with us, and how research is uncovering complex way that wildlife, farming, fishing and garden birds interact with us.

Here’s the study that Ellie mentions about artificial reefs dramatically improving marine species numbers.

Read news of some specific studies into how feeders affect garden birds and statics on UK bird populations, both mentioned by Laura

Read news about squirrel train travel and contraception mentioned by Laura.

Should we mine the Moon?

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 11:00:00 +0100

Could mining on the Moon become a future industry? Ellie and Jasmin hold a "Dragons Den" style discussion in which the pros and cons and of course the financial details of what it would take to set up a Moon mining operation are discussed. They take a look at private space as it looks today and consider the legal implications. They even explore whether the mining practices could be expanded to other planets and asteroids in Solar System.

What are forever chemicals?

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 11:00:00 +0100

They come up in some surprising places and movies have been made about them but why should we care? Antonia, Jasmin, Laura and Soo-Mei talk about a type of forever chemical called PFAS, discuss the important aspect of their chemistry, talk about the environmental and health impacts, and make a decision about actions they will take.

What counts as a new invention?

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 11:00:00 +0100

Technology has changed a lot, but does it make our lives better? Ellie, Laura and Antonia discuss the differences between invention, product development and scientific discovery. They take a look at some technology we use today including the internet, music platforms, air conditioning and sewing machines. They also speculate about what we might have in the future based on current scientific discoveries including a tiny gallium person that can melt though bars (watch the video here), semi-transparent photovoltaic cells that could be used in windows while also generating electricity, and fundamental work using giant lasers to look at tiny crystal structures.

Antonia mentioned Simone Giertz video about why she spent three years working on a coat hanger.

This episode was recorded in front of a live audience from the Engineering Development Trust's Insight into University programme.

How do you get to be a gold-medal-winning athlete?

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 08:00:00 +0100

The Paris Olympic Games are well underway so of course we have questions! Ellie, Antonia and Jasmin debate whether skill or physical ability is more important and consider whether equipment, psychology, or other factors affect them.

Here’s the blog Antonia mentions about gymnasts getting older
A research article about the perfect age to compete
Jasmin’s guide to shoes for track and field
A news article based on research that controversially showed spikes on athletic shoes make runners faster
More research-based news: sleeping-in compared to early-bird athletes
A BBC blog about what makes Michael Phelps so special
Altitude training tips from wordathletics.org
The differences between track and road bikes
A BBC news article about banned marathon running shoes

Would you make friends with a shark?

Thu, 25 Jul 2024 11:00:00 +0100

They get a bad rap in the movies but just how dangerous are they really? Laura, Ellie and Jasmin compare human-shark interactions to other – seemingly less dangerous – activities, and talk about shark behaviour as well as their senses and evolutionary history to figure out their tactics for swimming with sharks.

London’s Natural History Museum for a selection of sharkey facts
NOAA fisheries for some more fun facts
The Australian Institute of Marine Science for data on shark attacks and deaths by falling coconuts
News from the BBC on cocaine sharks
Statistics from Florida museum about sharks attacking people
News from the Smithsonian about sharks being scared of orcas
News from IFL Science about sharks making friends

What's the latest medical research into fungus?

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 11:00:00 +0100

Did you know you have fungi living in your gut? Ellie and Laura share recent improvement in anti-fungal drugs, the relatively new discovery that fungi are found in many types of cancer and speculate on what this might mean for future cancer therapies. They also consider their own experiences with fungus and how they can bias a person's point of view.

Ellie mentions a book in relation to how fungi in the gut affect mental health: The Immune Mind by Dr. Monty Lyman.

Read more about antifungal drugs as well as fungi in cancer:

The podcast episode from the journal, Nature, which provides a transcript and excellent summary of antifungal drug development
A news story in The Guardian about lethal fungal infections
Well known research about fungi and pancreatic cancer from 2019
Research from 2022 which surveyed 35 different types of cancer and found evidence of fungi in all of them
Research from 2023 that replicated the study from 2019 but found no evidence of fungi causing cancer
An in-depth summary from BBC Future about the effects of bacteria and fungi in cancer

What's exciting about hydrogen?

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 11:00:00 +0100

As the world tries to wean itself of fossil fuels, alternative ways of producing and storing energy are being developed. Antonia, Jasmin and Sophie talk about how hydrogen can be used to store energy, different ways it can be created, how developed the technology is, and what hydrogen is currently used for.

Is it easy to recover from an apocalypse-style event?

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 11:00:00 +0100

Ever wondered what society would look like if we lose our entire infrastructure? Antonia, Jasmin and Ellie discuss how they might survive based on their own science and engineering knowledge combined with inspiration from film and TV. They discuss movies such as Water World, consider where they would look for information if the internet were affected, and examine how global society could be rebuilt in the absence of modern infrastructure that many of us take for granted. It turns out there isn’t a lot of science or engineering to learn from fiction so, perhaps consider this a review of how not to rebuild society.

Are metals vital for modern life?

Thu, 30 May 2024 11:00:00 +0100

Do you ever think about how technology like your smartphone has improved with time and wonder how science made it happen? In this episode with an audience from the Engineering Development Trust, Antonia, Laura and Jasmin talk about metals needed in clean energy technology as well other technologies such as hard disk drives and display screens. They debate whether we're replacing fossil fuels with other finite resources and consider efforts to start mining on the moon.

Antonia refers to a report from the International Energy Agency. Laura mentions critical elements identified by the American Chemical Society and by Birmingham University.

Read more about ruthenium used to increase data storage density at Science Daily, Tanaka Precious Metals and a metals trading company. For other uses, see Johnson Matthey's excellent overview,

For uses of indium, see the Royal Society of Chemistry, an overview from a coatings company, and research published in the journals ACS Nano and Nature Electronics.

To find out more about yttrium, read research published in the journal Nanoscale Advances.

Technical short: nanoparticles

Thu, 16 May 2024 11:00:00 +0100

They're used in lots of things but you don't often hear about it. Antonia, Laura and Emma discuss their use in medicine for radiation therapy, electronics and sun screen. They also explain why these tiny particles are so interesting to scientists.

References:

The study about zinc nanoparticles and lung cells was summarised for the media in 2012 but advice from experts explains why you should wwar suncreen.

The Antibacterial Mechanism of Silver Nanoparticles and Its Application in Dentistry, published in the International Journal of Nanomedicine in 2020

The fascinating world of nanoparticle research, published in Materials Today in 2013

Nanoparticle-based radiosensitization strategies for improving radiation therapy, published in Frontiers In Pharmacology in 2023

A review on nanoparticles: characteristics, synthesis, applications, and challenges, published in Frontiers in Microbiology in 2023

Gold Nanoparticles as Radiosensitizers in Cancer Radiotherapy, published in the International Journal of Nanomedicine in 2020

Biological mechanisms of gold nanoparticle radiosensitization, published in Cancer Nanotechnology in 2017

Do rebellions benefit from science?

Thu, 02 May 2024 11:00:00 +0100

Do you find activists like Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil annoying or do you support their fervour? Laura, Antonia and Jasmin discuss whether there is any evidence that their disruptive tactics will convince companies and governments to take more drastic action to curb the climate emergency. They look at why people might join a cause and whether facts or emotion are the most powerful tool an activist can use to persuade.

The team mention a report from the Tyndall Centre for Friends of the Earth which shows that plans for expansion of air travel contradicted targets for greenhouse gas emissions and became the basis for a peer-reviewed journal publication and was also used by protestors at the Heathrow Airport Climate Camp in 2007.

They also mention expert insight from social scientists shared in a news article, a commentary in a journal and analysis of the anti-vaccination movement as well as how celebrities like Joe Lycett hold organisations to account.

Is the world really running out of sand?

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 11:34:32 +0100

We've seen lots of news stories about a global sand shortage but what's really going on? Ellie, Antonia and Laura (joined by Ellie's cat Sparkles) analyse the facts, look at what sand is used for, discuss the effect that sand supplies have on people and the environment and speculate on what should be done next.

Read some of the news coverage, digest some sandy facts explained using handy graphics, read the most recent report from the United Nations, or read the research that uncovers how sand mining is affecting porpoise.

What can experiments on rats tell us?

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 11:00:00 +0100

Many breakthroughs in medicine have been made from studying rats. Antonia, Laura and Ellie discuss several studies of rat behaviour that have mapped how parts of the brain work and discuss how the results could be applied to humans to develop prosthetic limbs or help recover memory after a brain injury. They look at studies where rats are tickled until they laugh, learn to drive cars, navigate virtual reality and perform a Jedi mind trick.

What is explosive?

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Ever watch an action movie where someone is hurled across the screen during an explosion and wondered how likely that is? Antonia, Laura, Nick and Ellie talk about movie portrayals, nuclear weapons, disaster investigations, and exploding animals.

Technical short: Apex predators, asteroids and couch potatoes

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 11:00:00 +0000

In an earlier episode on apex predators we had a bit of a tech fail! Here's a big chunk of speculative conversation from Antonia, Ellie and Jasmin that that follows some sort of weird logic but somehow arrives at a sensible conclusion.

How good is direct air capture?

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 11:00:00 +0000

To help tackle the climate crisis, we'll need a lot of new technology to reduce the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Ellie, Jasmin and Laura share a load of facts about the chemicals, energy requirements and land use involved in technology to capture carbon dioxide from the air. They also look at how planting trees compares to this technology and answer questions from a live audience from the Engineering Development Trust about Taylor Swift's private jet and why we're spending money on projects that aren't tackling the climate emergency.

Read the review article that Laura mentions in the journal MRS Energy & Sustainability.

Can we live forever?

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 11:00:00 +0000

If you could take a pill to halt ageing and become immortal, would you? Laura, Jasmin and Ellie take a look at some long-lived species, discuss just some of the science behind ageing and decide, if they could, whether they'd want to stay in their biological bodies forever or upload themselves to live digitally.

Read more about the science stories they discuss:

Read some of the books they've read:

Are humans an apex predator?

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 11:00:00 +0000

We've been around for a while and we have a lot of influence over our environment but are we really better than a lion or an orca? Antonia, Jasmin and Ellie discuss whether humans the top of the food chain or whether nature still does it better than we do.

What does it take to find a new species of animal?

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 11:00:00 +0000

You might be surprised to know that new species are discovered pretty much every day. Laura and Ellie talk about how these discoveries are made and debate whether it's easier to find an exctinct, fossilised species or one that's still alive.

You can send your spare pennies to our ko-fi fund to support the podcast here.

Read about the discoveries that Ellie and the team at IFL Science have reported on including the Carlsberg beetle, a dinosaur in Utah, a dinosaur hand, the golden mole, a fossilised baby turtle that was mistaken for a plant, and Attenborough's rediscovered echidna.

The Natural History Museum publishes annual stats on discoveries.

The article from Scientific American that Laura mentions is What Makes Us Different.

How are vaccines developed?

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 19:50:50 +0000

The COVID pandemic led to rapid development of vaccines. Laura, Emma and Antonia look at the history of vaccine development, the rapid development of the mRNA vaccine, and speculate on whether future vaccines could be so quickly developed.

Read about how viruses are weakened to be used as vaccines, some mechanisms of vaccination, how smallpox vaccines were developed in the 18th century, whether mRNA vaccines could be used to fight HIV, and the recent Nobel prize for the mRNA vaccine used against SARS-COV-2.

How well is radiation portrayed in the movies?

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 11:00:00 +0000

We may not know it, but pop culture is pretty good at influencing our views. Antonia and Laura discuss several action films that rely on radiation for plot points and discuss whether these plot points could be backed-up by science. They talk about using radiation to trace chemical leaks, environmental changes and to find things in the human body. Is there any way of using radiation to trace money the way thta Batman does? Can injecting yourself with a substance protect you from radiation like they do in Star Trek? Is there any way you could use a spray to neutralise radiation like they do in Die Hard 5?

Read about some uses of radiation to trace aspects of engineering projects in this report by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Read about uses in medicine and more.

Read about the use of radioiodine in medicine.

How important is methane?

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 11:00:00 +0000

It's contributing to the climate emergency but you don't usually hear about it. Laura, Jasmin and Antonia discuss where it comes from, why it's important, and what can be done to reduce emission of this gas into the atmosphere.

Jasmin's research involves methane. Check out her research profile at Imperial College London.

Antonia mentions the gates of hell firepit in Turkmenistan.

What will advances in artificial intelligence mean for life in the future?

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 11:00:00 +0100

AI is rapidly evolving and we want to know what will happen next. Antonia, Ellie and Jasmin discuss their experience of AI, what intelligence actually means, how AI works, and how it could affect their individual careers as zoologists, science communicators and analysts.

Jasmin talks about her experience with chatbots and references a study on whether people trust them.

Antonia references some opinions of experts shared by Pew Research Centre, The World Economic Forum and AI Experts as well as a video from Answers in Progress.

Ellie mentions a bot that was trained to discover new supernovae.

Are bioplastics better than fossil-fuel based ones?

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 11:00:00 +0100

Like it or not, plastic is a big part of our lives. Laura, Jasmin and Antonia discuss how different plastics are made, how bioplastics are different to ones made from fossil fuels, what is really meant by biodegradable plastics, and whether plastic can be sustainable. The discussion is also peppered with more weird offshoots than normal as real-life examples add to the conversation. Did you know that lots of clothes include plastic fibres? Ever wondered how easy it is to recycle them? Are you better off just burning them for energy? And what does the great British tradition of bonfire night have to do with it?

To find out a little bit more about the market for different types of plastic, check out this article on European-bioplastics.org.

What was the Cambrian explosion and why is it so exciting for palaeontologists?

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 11:00:00 +0100

The dinosaurs might take all the glory but well before they existed there was a very important period. Laura and Ellie discuss the 'explosion' in animal biodiversity that started around 541 million years ago and how we know it happened. They also speculate on what sort of animal might be missing from the fossil record and somehow come to the strange conclusion that balloon animals might have been real.

Sources of information for the factual stuff:

Rocks (iron) absorbed free oxygen from britannica.com
The study suggesting that animals left the seas as their eyes evolved and got bigger was reported on quantamagazine.com
The study on the oldest animal (the floppy sea-dwelling bath mat) was reported on inverse.com

What can we use data science for?

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 11:00:00 +0100

Whether you're a scientist or engineer you'll probably handle a lot of data. Laura, Emma and Antonia discuss how they use various data analysis techniques in their different disciplines of energy analysis and physics. They highly recommend towards data science as a resource to learn more and discus a specific example of principal component analysis (the rotating graph) from builtin.com.

What can we learn from nesting habits of birds?

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 11:00:00 +0100

A lot of effort goes in to studying birds and their habits. Laura, Ellie and Antonia talk about nesting habits, what we can learn from them and why it’s important for scientists to know about them. They also talk about what you can do at home to help birds survive as climate and their environment changes.

How did university shape our careers in the energy industry?

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 11:00:00 +0100

An audience from the Engineering Development Trust's Insights to University course quizzes Antonia, Jasmin, Alasdair and Sophie about how they chose their degree course, what sort of research they worked on, if they got to choose modules about climate change, and whether it’s better to do undergraduate masters or a bachelor’s degree. They also discuss how their individual choices led each of them to work in different aspects of the energy industry and whether they would change anything about how they got there.

Is industrial-scale carbon capture really feasible?

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 11:00:00 +0100

Although carbon capture technology is in use now, there are quite a few hurdles to jump before it becomes widely used. Laura, Jasmin and Antonia are joined by a live audience from the Engineering Development Trust's Routes to STEM course to talk about industrial applications of carbon capture in various industries. They field questions from the audience about the wider energy industry, discuss how options for storage compare to using the gas in a circular carbon economy and consider whether planting trees really can make a company carbon negative.

They mention several other episodes during the conversation, possibly more than ever before (because everything is connected!):

How can biophysics help develop drugs?

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 11:00:00 +0100

It’s a weird mash-up of biology and physics and it really is useful. Antonia, Emma and Laura talk about how to simulate biology on a computer, how physics is involved, and speculate on how artificial intelligence could help improve the simulations and lead to speedier, cheaper drug development.

What astounds us about science?

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 11:00:00 +0100

It’s not often you hear about a new discovery of theory in science that makes you say 'wow!' Laura and Antonia talk about some of their moments of astonishment when they've learned something about black holes or dinosaurs.

How do you know if you’ve found a meterorite?

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 11:00:00 +0100

Meteor showers are well worth staying up late for but how often do heavenly bodies fall to Earth and what do they look like? Ellie and Laura discuss this, what to do if you find one, how they compare to terrestrial objects like gold, and discuss whether they're valuable. They also get interrupted by various animals and can't help mention rewilding.

How could artificial intelligence affect healthcare?

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 11:00:00 +0100

Could artificial intelligence take some of the most highly skilled jobs? Would you want to see an AI for healthcare and get a diagnosis? Would you trust it more than a real life person? Laura, Antonia and Sarah discuss all this and more. Sarah uses her considerable experience as a medical doctor and teaching of surgery to guide us through the pros and cons of AI in healthcare and the team speculate on what the future might hold. Ever thought about what you'd want your ideal doctor to act like?

Does 3D printing help engineering?

Thu, 18 May 2023 11:00:00 +0100

The technology to print in 3D has been around for a while and it’s used to do some really cool stuff. Laura and Rwayda discuss an amazing new type of material that can be given different properties simply by turning tiny mechanical gears which could be used to make robots and more. They look at how houses can be printed out of concrete to create visually appealing designs that can outlast traditional construction techniques and they speculate on what the future might hold. Could we use artificial intelligence to help print new materials?

What are eFuels?

Thu, 04 May 2023 11:00:00 +0100

Hydrocarbons have been really helpful to humankind and some technology relies so heavily on them that we'll not stop using them any time soon. Antonia, Jasmin, Sophie and Alasdair discuss eFuels which are a new source of hydrocarbons that could replace fossil fuels. Sophie and Alasdair talk about the company they have founded called Carbon Neutral Fuels which aims to suck carbon dioxide out of the environment and turn it into fuel for airplanes. The team discusses the different technologies to do this as well as what else it could be used for.

They also touch on TRLs (Technology Readiness Levels - a way of describing how mature a technology is) and explain some of the terminology used in this new and fast-growing industry.

What is chaos theory?

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 11:00:00 +0100

We've seen it used a lot in the movies so Antonia, Laura and Emma discuss what chaos theory menas to physicists along with uses in weather prediction, biochemistry, economics and more. They also have a bit of wild speculation about how it could be used to produce some uplifting storylines.

What’s the beef with collagen?

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 11:00:00 +0100

Recent news has reported that the sale of collagen supplements is making a huge contribution to deforestation. Antonia, Ellie and Laura talk about what collagen is, why we need it, how our bodies make it and whether supplements can help. They also dive into the news articles that link this beauty product to deforestation and question just how big the link is.

Heart of Glass: Societal implications of nuclear glass

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Nuclear waste is hugely important for society; the UK has used nuclear power for decades and now we need to safely and responsibly dispose of the waste. Laura talks to Penny Harvey and Petra Tjitske Kalshoven, two anthropologists at the University of Manchester and part of The BEAM research network. They discuss how nuclear waste can be locked away deep underground in a specially engineered facility, the process to find a site for the facility, and how communities can learn more about this process. They also talk about glass as art and its use in other practical applications, and our relationship with this material.

Heart of Glass is an exhibition at Florence Arts Centre in Egremont, West Cumbria, UK. The exhibition is on 24th March to 30th June and features images taken at a microscopic scale of nuclear waste glass.

The exhibition is supported by The University of Manchester and involves The BEAM nuclear and social research network.

Heart of Glass: Creativity in art and science

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 11:00:00 +0000

You may not realise it but scientists are just as creative as artists. Laura is joined by Tamas Zagyva, a research associate at Imperial College London, and Bridget Kennedy, an artist and lecturer in fine art at Newcastle University, to talk about how they find inspiration, what sort of emotions their work evokes, and what sort of skills are required in their respective disciplines.

The exhibition is supported by The University of Manchester and involves The BEAM nuclear and social research network.

Heart of Glass: The science of vitrification

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Vitrification – the process of making glass – is used to immobilise nuclear waste and also happens naturally in the earth. Laura talks to Tracey Taylor from the UK’s National Nuclear Laboratory about the glass making process and to Brian O’Driscoll, a geologist from the University of Ottawa in Canada, about natural glass and why researching this material is so important.

The exhibition is supported by The University of Manchester and involves The BEAM nuclear and social research network.

Hot news!

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 11:00:00 +0000

We're part of an exhibition where science becomes art!

The exhibition is supported by The University of Manchester and involves The BEAM nuclear and social research network.

How does materials science affect our lives?

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 11:00:00 +0000

It may not be a very well-known discipline but materials science is really important. Laura, Jasmin and Emma discuss how graphene is made, what makes it a wonder material, what it can be used for and how it can contribute to making environmentally friendly products. They also talk about a much more mature material which influenced the second industrial revolution: steel. This alloy might be old technology but it’s vital for modern life.

This episode was recorded with an audience from the Engineering Development Trust's Routes to STEM course.

What is the next industrial revolution?

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 11:00:00 +0000

There’s a technology boom (!) and loads of buzzwords surround it including I4.0, big data, and digital twin. Laura and Antonia are joined by special guest Matt, from the Nuclear Institute, to talk about what these things really mean and to try and define them. They also talk about how the nuclear industry is starting to embrace these new technologies, ushering a renaissance of nuclear power that builds on the vast expertise gained since the original reactors were built in 1950s and combines it with cutting edge technology.

How do we account for the risks of climate change in future infrastructure?

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 11:00:00 +0000

To mark our 50th episode we're revisiting the topic of our first ever episode with a fresh perspective. Laura, Antonia, Rwayda and Jasmin talk about how much the climate will change, how we can have confidence in the climate models, and what civil engineers must do to adapt infrastrucutre like roads and buildings to minimise future risks from the changed climate. They also discuss the perception of risk and how this can influence the decisions that are made.

How does fake meat compare to the real thing?

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Loads of alternatives to meat are appearing but what's in them and how are they made? Laura, Ellie and Jasmin discuss their preferences, look at how minced beef is made, compare nutritional factors and speculate on what the future might hold. They also ask existential questions like what is meat anyway and when is a sausage not a sausage?

Laura did way more research than the team could include in this episode. Read it here.

How do you bring science to life through film?

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Ever wondered what it’s like to work on a documentary? Antonia asks Ellie and Laura about their experiences of working on TV or as a consultant science communicator. They talk about how they got into science communication, what their role was on the various shows they’ve worked on, and how you tell a compelling story.

Is importing wood for electricity production sustainable?

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Some power stations in the UK that originally burned coal have switched to burning wood pellets. These are usually imported and of course, cutting down forests can lead to loss of habitat. Laura, Antonia and Jasmin discuss greenhouse gas emissions from burning wood and coal, talk about responsible forest management, and discuss how important biomass is for the UK's electricity supply. These discussion points, and more, were inspired by a recent BBC Panorama documentary, "The Green Energy Scandal Exposed".

Read a summary of this episode here.

Should we bring back extinct species?

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 11:00:00 +0000

The TIGRR lab in Melbourne has recently announced plans to use genetic material from an extinct animal – the thylacine or Tasmanian tiger – to bring this species back while some crime fighting organisations are investing in genetic technology that could bring back the woolly mammoth. Weird right? Antonia, Ellie and Laura discuss extinction, climate change, and habitat loss while also debating whether this genetic research is a good idea or whether efforts should focus on saving the species that are about to go extinct. Just why is the FBI investing in genetics research?

Ellie mentions the IUCN: the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Antonia mentions the IPCC: the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Laura mentions COP26: the Conference of the Parties 26th annual climate change conference.

Technical Short: The Nobel Peace Prize

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 11:00:00 +0000

In the last episode Antonia mentioned that some champions of sustainability have been awarded the Nobel Prize. The team got a bit distracted by this so here's the raw, unedited snippet of the conversation that didn't make the final cut for the episode.

What makes a Nobel Prize winner?

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 11:00:00 +0100

It's possibly the most well known prize that a scientist can be awarded! Ellie, Laura, Antonia and Emma disucss how the nominations and awards are made, what the award means and how science has changed since the first Nobel Prizes were awarded over 100 years ago. They also talk about some of their favorite Nobel Prize wining discoveries and whether they would give out extra awards in the future. They focus on prizes in physics and chemistry and briefly mention Nobel Prizes in peace, literature, physiology/medicine and the Nobel Memorial Prize in economic science.

Is there evidence for the multiverse?

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 11:00:00 +0100

We see it a lot in films where someone's life splits into two timelines and it features in the Marvel universe, but is the mutiverse real? Laura and Emma T. talk about quantum physics and the various theories that predict the multiverse as well as discussing practical applications of concepts related to physics such as finding probabilities and quantum entanglement. They also talk about some of the ways that multiverses are represented in the movies and whether they match with what physics predicts.

How can you predict a volcanic eruption?

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 11:00:00 +0100

At least twenty volcanoes are erupting as you read this but for many, it's not something we often think about. Laura, Antonia and Ellie discuss animals that live near volcanoes, what you would need to know to predict a volcanic eruption, how likely one is to erupt and whether we'd like to live near one. Just how does the galapagos land iguana sense that their volcano is about to blow?

What is toxic?

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 11:00:00 +0100

There are loads of things that we eat and drink that can be harmful if you have too much, and lots of ways that plants and animals protect themselves using toxins. Laura, Ellie and Priyanka discuss venomous snakes, and how they differ to poisonous creatures, and talk about what exactly happens in our bodies. What’s the difference between a neurotoxin and chemotherapy? Are apple pips really poisonous? What happens if a venomous snake bites itself? Listen in to find out.

What is the future of driving?

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 11:00:00 +0100

Trends show that an increasing number of people would prefer to drive cars with an automatic gear box. Is that because they're better to drive or because everyone will be driving electric cars which don't tend to need to change gears? Laura, Rwayda and Antonia discuss current advances in car technology, share their own experience of driving, and speculate about what the future might hold. Will we all be using flying cars in the future? What about self driving cars? And why do cars even need gearboxes anyway?

Want to learn more about electric motors and internal combusion engines? Read on to learn about how they work, what the gears really do for a car with an internal combusion engine, and why torque is so important.

What is cryptocurrency?

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 11:00:00 +0100

You hear a lot about it, but what is cryptocurrency, how do you get hold of it and what's it useful for? Laura finds out from Aneeqa and Jennifer what things like blockchain and mining bitcoin are about and how you can own a non-fungible token (NFT). They also discuss whether this decentralised currency is sustainable or if its all really a pyramid scheme.

Read more about this in Laura's article.

Is science or engineering better?

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 11:00:00 +0100

Ever thought about changing your career path? Are you just starting your career journey? Wondering what the difference is between science and engineering? Antonia, Rwayda and Ellie talk about their careers in these different disciplines, how they got started and whether they've changed their mind about what they want to do. They share the highs and lows of exam results days and how they recovered from what seemed, at the time, to be a setback.

Recorded with a live audience from the Engineering Development Trust's Insight into University programme, this discussion definitely was not biased towards the host's own disciplines. Ellie does a great job of flying the flag for science while Antonia explains how her engineering experience helps her as a consultant in the energy industry and Rwayda reveals a childhood passion for architecture that led her to civil engineering.

Is space travel worth it?

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 11:00:00 +0100

With the expense of the James Webb Space Telescope and the ever worrying climate emergency, we're wondering what the benefit of space travel and space exploration is. Ellie, Antonia, Laura and Emma discuss this from the point of view of climate science, discovery, collaboration, what inspired us to become scientists, and space tourism. We talk about what the future might hold. What would you do if you were in charge of a planet's space programme?

Read a summary of this episode here.

Can we learn from the hunting strategies of animals?

Thu, 07 Jul 2022 11:59:06 +0100

We're finding out more about the natural world all the time! Laura, Ellie and Aneeqa are joined by Katya from Drunk on Porpoise to talk about hunting strategies used by animals, how zoologists have discovered these strategies, and how we could use this knowledge to engineer a better world.

Technical Short: Sustainability

Thu, 23 Jun 2022 11:00:00 +0100

A stripped down version of our episode 'what is sustainability?' that provides a clear explanation of the topic without any of the distractions.

Technical Short: Electrocution and energy harvesting

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 11:00:00 +0100

Our research for the episode on a house that stores electricity involved some kinda weird-yet-strangely-compelling conversation and we've pulled the best bits together! Antonia and Chris discuss many reasons why a cement-based battery is safe to handle, review research into wearable devices and energy harvesting, and question what the future might hold.

Can you build a house that stores electricity?

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 11:23:11 +0100

A recent discovery got the team speculating about the future. Laura, Antonia and Rwayda take a look at research where cement is made to store electricity and wonder whether this material could be used to build our future homes. How much electricity can it store and what can it power? Is there a futuristic way of using that power without the need for cables? What's next for this laboratory discovery?

Read about this episode here.

What is sustainability?

Thu, 19 May 2022 11:00:00 +0100

It's a buzzword that comes up a lot in food, transport, energy, and other industries. Laura and Antonia discuss what sustainability means and why its not so easy to decide whether something really is sustainable. Although some aspects of sustainability can be measured, others are more of a philosophy which depend on the society and environment you're working in. The team digs into a real-life example that compares digital books to printed ones to illustrate how challenging it is to demonstrate sustainability.

This special episode might also have a record number of references to previous episodes. How many can you spot?

read a short summary of this episode here.

Are there any benefits of ionising radiation?

Thu, 05 May 2022 11:00:00 +0100

Radiation is all around us; we're all slightly radioactive! Ellie, Emma S, Laura and Priyanka talk about how radiation is used in medicine to treat cancer and how the body can repair damage to healthy cells. They also discuss how it's used in materials science, how it can help control mosquito populations and preserve food. Some wild speculation also considers how we could all become X-men and develop useful characteristics of animals.

Read about some specific examples of radiation in medicine.

How do we deal with invasive species and repopulation in the natural world?

Thu, 21 Apr 2022 11:00:00 +0100

Humans have been shaping the environment for decades, and so have other species. When humans do it, it often has some negative, unintended consequences. Laura, Ellie and Antonia discuss some invasive species that were intriduced to Australia and what was done to try and manage the effects along with the battle of grey versus red squirrels in Victorian England and the lasting effect that it has had. Conversely, where a species has been completely removed from an environment, the team also discusses how they can be carefully reintroduces and the consequences that beavers could have as environmental engineers. It sounds like we want beavers to use smart phones but We're not quite sure that's what we mean. Why not judge for yourself?

What can materials science learn from nature?

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 11:00:00 +0100

The natural world has evolved to give us some really cool stuff, stuff that inspires us to make better materials. Laura and Ellie discuss some of their favorite materials that mimic something from nature as well as some machines and other devices that are inspired by nature. They also speculate on what adaptations they might want, including retractable claws and something inspired by the Aliens movies.

The team discussed adaptable thermal insulation that is inspired by squid skin. Read abut this here.

Are solar cells the future for electricity generation?

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Following on from the episode about the electricity grid, Aneeqa, Jennifer and Laura discuss how two types of solar cells, also known as photovoltaics, are made and how they work. The ability of these devices to convert sunlight into electricity should mean they're perfect for tackling climate change so the team also asks how sustainable they are to make and recycle, how long they last, and whether they produce enough electricity for our needs.

The points made in this conversation helped Laura decide whether she would get solar panels and you can read all about it.

What don’t we understand about electricity?

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 11:00:00 +0000

The UK's electricty grid started development about 100 years ago and originally accommodated steam driven turbines that are controlled by people. Ghalia, Antonia and Laura discuss whether the electricity grid can work with electricity generated from intermittent sources (like wind and solar) alone and what adaptations are being developed. They also struggle to remember lessons from high school about electricity, and provide insight from their careers which involve water engineering, energy analysis and particle accelerators.

Claim your T-shirt or bag and be part of our team's anniversary celebration. Take a look at our Twitter feed to see what these limited edition, exclusive items are like.

This episode was recorded as part of British Science Week and released a few days after International Women's Day. Read an article inspired by this episode.

Should we control the weather or get better at predicting it?

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 11:00:00 +0000

The UK has been severly affected by storms Dudley, Eunice and Franklin in less than seven days, which were predicted with startling accuracy for much of the UK. The weather forecast isn't always so accurate though. Ghalia, Aneeqa, Jennifer and Antonia discuss what weather predictions mean for transport, heating and air conditioning (AC) and why it may not always be accurate. Ghalia explains how the water industry needs to forecast the weather decades into the future so that agriculture and sanitation can be supported while Antonia references how renewable sources of electricity are dependent on wind and gas. The team also discuss how geoengineering can be used to control the weather and climate, and debate whether such control is good for humans and the environment.

Read about this episode here.

What’s so great about thermodynamics?

Thu, 10 Feb 2022 11:00:00 +0000

It's more than just the transfer of heat, thermodynamics explains a lot of things about life as we know it and leads to advances in technology that change society. Laura, Ghinwa, Antonia and Emma talk about how this fundamental set of principles influence their understanding of the world, and use their diverse backgrounds to illustrate these principles. They discuss heat pumps and refrigeration (aided by a diagram), hot potatoes and eggs, why we sweat, Captain America, probability, and a mind-bending movie about the arrow of time. The incredible importance of the Gibbs free energy (ΔG=ΔH-TΔS) for predicting things like what happens inside futuristic Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) is explained. A handy guide to statistical mechanics also helped them out.

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How do you build a skyscraper?

Thu, 27 Jan 2022 11:51:00 +0000

Modern skyscrapers often reach heights taller than some mountains and some are built in places that are technically challenging. Laura and Rwayda discuss how it's possible to build such tall structures and why they are built. They also touch on future trends for building materials that are climate friendly and sustainable, and speculate on what the future might hold. The notable buildings that they mention are the Empire State Building in New York, the Buri Kalifa in Dubai, Taipei 101 and Voll Arkitekter’s Mjøstårne in Norway. They also discuss how to make a building that could withstand King Kong, and talk about 'Spook Central' from Ghostbusters.

You can now find the team on Instagram: technicallyspeaking.podcast

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How is fusion energy portrayed in Spider-man?

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 14:49:14 +0000

The fusion of atoms to create energy is actively being researched as a future, low carbon technology. It also features in the Spider-man films. Antonia, Laura and Aneeqa discuss the portayal of this technology in the movies and how this compares to real life. Aneeqa explains what a self-sustaining fusion reaction is and what the challenges are to achieving one. The team also discusses the scale of the technology and how the very energetic neutrons (14 MeV means they're moving at about 17% of the speed of light) that are produced as a by-product of the fusion reaction can lead to extra challenges for this, ahem, hot topic.

Read an article based on this episode which sumarises the conversation and gives some extra information.

What are nanobots for?

Thu, 25 Nov 2021 11:51:00 +0000

The last James Bond film to star Daniel Craig centred around the villain using nanobots to harm very specific people. Scary stuff! Although the film made them seem terrifying they can be used in medicine to do loads of helpful things. Emma S, Hara and Priyanka share their knowledge of biochemistry and pharmaceutical production with Aneeqa to explain what this technology is and what it can do for us.

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How easy is it to learn to code?

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 13:50:28 +0000

Coding helps make so many complex tasks in science and engineering easy. Laura, and Ghinwa are joined by Emma and Clea from The University of Manchester's society for Women in Science and Engineering to talk about how they learned to code. They discuss some coding skills as well as how they use coding in chemical engineering, computational chemistry, physics and robotics. They also discuss how coding gave them confidence in their work, how they built up their own confidence in coding, and how it helped them in their careers.

Read an article based on this episode by Laura Leay on medium.com

What could happen at COP26?

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 11:33:00 +0100

Decades of climate science have led to a critical moment where decisions must be made at COP26. Laura and Rwayda are joined by Rebecca, who will be an official observer at the conference. Rebecca explains how COP26 will run, and how it is influenced by science and engineering as well as by society, politics and economics. The team also talks about how science might feature in the negotiations, how it can be part of the actions that are agreed at the climate conference, and how you can become an influencer too.

Read a brilliant summary of this conversation on medium.com

Is plastic a good thing?

Thu, 14 Oct 2021 16:04:23 +0100

We've heard a lot about single use plastic and pollution from microplastics but are there any benefits to this material? Laura, Ghalia, Antonia and Ghinwa discuss plastic in the water industry, some chemistry and plastic engineering, and recycling.

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Questions? Comments? Email us techspeak.podcast@gmail.com

Why can’t we suck carbon dioxide out of the air?

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 16:43:33 +0100

We may have stopped hearing about the carbon dioxide shortage, but its not gone away and its curiously at odds with what we hear about having too much of it in the atmosphere. Laura, Antonia and Ghinwa discuss some chemistry behind separating carbon dioxide from other gases, some industries that produce carbon dioxide and why they don't make use of it, buses that run on methane, home-brewed beer and popping candy(!)

Read an article based on this episode, by Laura Leay on medium.

Can we engineer a future of zero waste (part two)?

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 10:00:00 +0100

Continuing from the previous episode, Laura, Cara and Antonia discuss zero waste as one idea behind a concept known as the circular economy. The discussion dives straight into what might happen to a product once its no longer useful and then broadens out to talk about the need for a profound shift in how we do things. Are businesses and policy makers asking the right questions of scientists and engineers?

Read an article based on this two part episode on medium.com

Can we engineer a future of zero waste (part one)?

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 12:00:00 +0100

In a ideal world, everything that is no longer useful is given a new life. Laura, Cara and Antonia discuss this as one idea behind a concept known as the circular economy. In this two part episode, we introduce some ways in which we see waste being repurposed and talk about the first two stages in the life of a product: manufacture (and resource gathering), and; product use by the consumer. Can something be infinitely recycled? What is recyling anyway? How is our behaviour as consumers influenced by design, marketing, and science?

Read an article based on this two part episode on medium.com

How do we talk about things we can’t see?

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 09:29:54 +0100

Why should you believe a scientist when they talk about climate or sustainability and how should they convey their expertise in a way that makes sense to you? Laura, Aneeqa and Rwayda discuss some aspects of science and engineering that you can't see with your own eyes and therefore can be difficult to describe.

Recorded over zoom with an audience from The University Of Manchester's Dalton Nuclear Institute supplying comments via the chat function, the team also come up with some ideas for how science communication could be improved. They don't have all of the answers, but its an interesting conversation.

Read the article based on this conversation on medium.com

How has science and engineering changed our lives?

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 10:00:00 +0100

Transport has shaped society, and society has shaped how we travel and connect with each other. In this chicken-and-egg story Laura, Rwayda, Amina, Cara and Antonia share stories about what transport means to them and look at how our transport options have evolved since ancient times. They look at some history and decision making, how atoms feature in materials science and engineering, and consider the future of space travel.

This special episode was recorded with an audience from the Engineering Development Trust's Insight into University summer programme.

Read a summary of this conversation on medium.com

How do you build a bridge that lasts a long time?

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 09:46:12 +0100

Movies often use bridges to represent something, and they're often destroyed in the process. Antonia, Laura, Rwayda and Alex discuss the engineering behind some of the most iconic bridges as well as some of their favourite movie scenes featuring bridges: Spiderman, Indiana Jones and Shrek.

We explain how engineers consider the dynamic forces acting on a bridge and we mention this video of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, an example of what happens when the forces aren't fully taken into account.

Read the article that's based on this conversation on medium.com

Alex also produces her own podcast - Embracing Diversity: Diversity Diaries - all about how diverse engineering can be, how you can be an ally for diversity and celebrate our differences.

Continue the conversation with Technically Speaking on Twitter @TechnicallySp11

What‘s the science behind fire safety?

Thu, 08 Jul 2021 10:36:12 +0100

How are building materials chosen and what makes some materials fire-resistant? Aneeqa, Laura and Rwayda discuss some aspects of fire engineering and share a few personal stories where they have used science to their advantange. True to form, they also throw in some pop-culture references; hello Vin Diesel!

Read an excellent summary of this episode on medium.com

Is battery technology ready for widespread use in electric cars?

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 14:11:26 +0100

Have you ever thought about where we get the lithium from for Li-ion batteries? Laura, Antonia, Aneeqa and Amina discuss trends in car ownership, where we get lithium from, how difficult it is to recycle these batteries, what the ethical implications of lithium mining are, and how this fits in with UK government plans to tackle the climate emergency.

Read about this episode on medium.com

Celebrating International Women in Engineering Day 2021

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 09:39:38 +0100

The team share stories about their individual career paths, talk about the women that inspire us, and what engineering means to us.

Does story-telling affect our understanding of scientific findings?

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 12:46:31 +0100

Do you ever think about how your own background or the stories you read in the media influence your own view of the world? Amina, Aneeqa, Cara and Antonia discuss what we mean by scientific findings and talk about some ways where science has been used to provide a biased narrative. Using examples from veganism, nutrition, climate change and the car emissions scandal, they also discuss whether there can be benefit to focussing the story in this way or whether being too focused can be detrimental.

Read a summary of this episode on medium.com

Should we care about the carbon footprint of our internet use?

Wed, 26 May 2021 14:27:36 +0100

Sparked by an article that Ghalia saw in the news, she is joined by Laura, Antonia and Aneeqa to discuss just how big our carbon footprint is, how it compares to other things and how difficult is can be to calculate it.

Read a great summary of this episode on medium.com

How has the water industry adapted to sudden social change?

Thu, 13 May 2021 16:39:22 +0100

Did you know that the change in habits brought about by the pandemic had a huge impact on our water supply? Or how about how the water industry helped track the pandemic? Amina, Ghalia, Laura and Rwayda talk about how their use of water changed because of the pandemic and the wider effect of sudden, national changes in water use on the industry, while also thinking about the link to other utilities.

Read about this episode on medium.com

What‘s so difficult about communicating science?

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 18:18:15 +0100

Laura, Rwayda, Aneeqa, Ellie, Amina, Ghalia and Antonia talk about their passion of, and some frustrations with, how science is communicated to non-experts. In this wide ranging episode we ask: What do pineapples have to do with nuclear fusion? Can you trust wildlife documentaries or reports about carbon offsetting? How does science keep us safe?

Want to continue the conversation? Find us on twitter @TechnicallySp11

Read a brilliant summary of this episode, and more, on medium.com

What are we doing with nuclear waste?

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 13:51:35 +0100

Amina, Cara, Antonia and Laura share what they know about nuclear waste generated in the UK and speculate on what society might do with it in the future.

Comments? We're on twitter @TechnicallySp11

You can read an overview of this episode on medium.com

How can you make me care about concrete?

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 11:24:00 +0100

Aneeqa, Rwayda, Cara and Laura discuss using concrete to build a dream home as well as some iconic structures: the Renold Building at The University of Manchester, The Clackmannanshire bridge and a museum in Dundee.

You can read all about this episode on medium.com

How can nuclear power help beat climate change?

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 16:30:25 +0000

Aneeqa, Cara, Amina and Laura share their reasons for tackling climate change, speculate about what life would be like if fossil fuels weren't currently part of the UK energy mix, and talk about what they percieve to be the pros and cons of some zero carbon alternatives.

Read a summary of this episode on medium.com

What do you think you know about nuclear power?

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 13:22:54 +0000

Amina, Cara, Laura and Aneeqa intended to talk about how nuclear power can contribute to averting the climate emergency but never really got there! Instead, they shared their perspectives on what nuclear power is, what it does for people, and some of the challenges the industry faces as well as their own personal experiences. Rwayda joins in the conversation to offer a non-expert perspective.

You can reada great article based on this episode on medium.com

What does risk mean to us?

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 13:51:47 +0000

Laura and Aneeqa discuss what they mean by risk and how they deal with it as nuclear scientists.

We turned this episode into a very popular story on medium.com