BBC Inside Science

Apr 10 2025 593 ep. 30 mins 95.3k

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A weekly programme that illuminates the mysteries and challenges the controversies behind the science that's changing our world.

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Are boys doing better than girls at maths and science?

Apr 10 2025 28 mins

There’s a big “gender gap” between boys and girls in maths and science - that’s according to a new report out this week. Boys in England in years five and nine are now “significantly” outperforming girls in both subjects, the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study suggests. Ben Garrod is joined by physicist Dr Jess Wade, from Imperial College London, and

Better Than Gold: Critical Minerals

Apr 03 2025 28 mins

Critical minerals have hit the headlines of almost every news outlet this week as US President Donald Trump made his desires to mine them in Ukraine clear. These precious resources are a hot geopolitical bargaining chip thanks to our reliance on them in everything from mobile phones to wind turbines. This week, Inside Science unearths everything you need to know about critical mine

AI in Science: Promise and Peril

Mar 27 2025 28 mins

This week, Google has launched a new AI tool called Co-Scientist. We hear from one researcher who has tried it out with stunning results. But how much should we trust tools like this - and what are the dangers?And what about the problem of AI generated text and images? We talk to an ‘image integrity analyst’ who hunts down fake or manipulated pictures in scientific papers. Fina

Biotech Risks and Asteroid Anxiety

Mar 20 2025 28 mins

Scientists gather this week to tackle emerging risks from cutting-edge biotech, echoing the landmark Asilomar conference that shaped genetic engineering safety 50 years ago. What new threats face us, and how can the scientific community stay ahead of them?Also in the programme: are you feeling asteroid anxiety? We take a closer look at the chances that ‘2024 YR4’ will hit us...

US science in chaos

Mar 13 2025 28 mins

The United States is the world’s science superpower. But right now, much of its research community is in a state of confusion.In the past few weeks, the Trump administration has issued a huge number of orders – amongst them, large funding cuts for scientific institutions. We unpick what the implications are for the country’s role on the global scientific stage.Also in the pro

The World’s Biggest Iceberg

Mar 06 2025 28 mins

It’s the biggest story of recent weeks. Literally. Trillion-tonne iceberg A23a is on the move. But where is it headed and why – and what might it mean for the scientists and penguins in its path? And from a giant ‘megaberg’ to a giant pile of highly radioactive material, we find out what locking away a load of radioactive waste has in common with baking a cake. And we’re

Is 1.5 still alive?

Feb 27 2025 28 mins

1.5C. It’s THE number we talk about when we talk about climate change. But what does 1.5C actually mean now – and as the world saw record-breaking heat last year, does it even matter anymore? Climate scientist Mark Maslin and environmental psychologist Lorraine Whitmarsh discuss. Also this week, new clues about how life may have begun from a dusty space rock called Bennu, and N

Next-gen batteries and 'dark oxygen'

Feb 20 2025 28 mins

Following a devastating fire at the world’s largest lithium-ion battery plant, Inside Science probes the present and future of a technology we rely on every day. Lithium-ion batteries were a technological breakthrough, powering everything from mobile phones to electric vehicles, but as funding is poured into researching alternatives, are we on the verge of something safer, faster

UK AI & science-optimised pasta

Feb 13 2025 28 mins

Artificial intelligence is the big talking point of the week, with UK PM Sir Keir Starmer announcing a drive to unleash its full potential. It’s already being used in healthcare, but recent studies have exposed both strengths and weaknesses. We’re joined by Dr James Kinross, a surgeon and researcher at Imperial College London, to discuss the positives and the pitfalls. Also thi

Science in 2025

Feb 06 2025 28 mins

How will science shape up in 2025? Marnie Chesterton is joined by a panel of science watchers to discuss what we can expect from the year ahead. We'll talk big science, small science - and the plain cool. What will science do for us in the coming year? On the Inside Science panel, we have: - Tom Whipple, science editor of The Times - Shaoni Bhattacharya, former acting science edit