The US supreme court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade will have a significant impact on the reproductive health and the safety of women who become pregnant in the US. Researchers have estimated it could increase maternal mortality in the count

What have fossil fuels got to do with the invasion of Ukraine?

1 Mar 3rd, 2022 16m 5s

As Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine, gas prices remain high around the world. Europe is dependent on Russia for about 40% of its natural gas supplies, and despite the expansion of renewable energy over the past two decades, that depende

The Y chromosome has finally been sequenced: here’s why it matters

1 Aug 24th, 2023 17m 57s

Twenty years after the first pass at sequencing the entire human genome, the Y chromosome has finally been fully decoded. Madeleine Finlay speaks to Mark Jobling, professor of genetics at the University of Leicester, about why it has proved so

Jaws made us scared of sharks but is a lack of sharks scarier?

1 Sep 16th, 2021 12m 44s

Last week, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) world conservation congress took place in Marseille. Guardian biodiversity reporter Phoebe Weston was there and heard about the latest updated ‘red list’ of threatened spe

Sporting super spikes: how do they work?

Jul 27th, 2021 16m 48s

In the lead-up to the athletics competitions at the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020, Shivani Dave takes look at how advances in running shoe technology are resulting in records being smashed. Talking to Geoff Burns, a postdoctoral research fellow at t

From birds, to cattle, to … us? Could bird flu be the next pandemic?

6 hours ago 18m 22s

As bird flu is confirmed in 33 cattle herds across eight US states, Ian Sample talks to virologist Dr Ed Hutchinson of Glasgow University about why this development has taken scientists by surprise, and how prepared we are for the possibility i

Hardwired to eat: what can our dogs teach us about obesity?

2 days ago 20m 5s

Labradors are known for being greedy dogs, and now scientists have come up with a theory about the genetic factors that might be behind their behaviour. Science correspondent and flat-coated retriever owner Nicola Davis visits Cambridge Univers

Who really wins if the Enhanced Games go ahead?

7 days ago 19m 20s

Billed as a rival to the Olympic Games, the Enhanced Games, set to take place in 2025, is a sporting event with a difference; athletes will be allowed to dope. Ian Sample talks to chief sports writer Barney Ronay about where the idea came from

Soundscape ecology: a window into a disappearing world

9 days ago 17m 44s

What can sound tell us about nature loss? Guardian biodiversity reporter Phoebe Weston tells Madeleine Finlay about her visit to Monks Wood in Cambridgeshire, where ecologist Richard Broughton has witnessed the decline of the marsh tit populati

The senior Swiss women who went to court over climate change, and won

14 days ago 15m 30s

This week, in a landmark case, the European court of human rights ruled that Switzerland’s weak climate policy had violated the rights of a group of older Swiss women to family life. Ian Sample talks to Europe environment correspondent Ajit Nir

Remembering physicist Peter Higgs

15 days ago 19m 50s

The Nobel prize-winning British physicist Peter Higgs has died aged 94. The confirmation in 2012 of the existence of the Higgs boson particle, five decades after Higgs had first theorised its existence, paved the way for his 2013 Nobel win. Nic

Horny tortoises and solar mysteries: what scientists can learn from a total eclipse

16 days ago 19m 26s

For most people seeing a total solar eclipse is a once in a lifetime experience. But for scientists it can be a fleeting chance to understand something deeper about their field of research. Madeleine Finlay meets solar scientist prof Huw Morgan

The science of ‘weird shit’: why we believe in fate, ghosts and conspiracy theories

21 days ago 20m 52s

Psychologist Chris French has spent decades studying paranormal claims and mysterious experiences, from seemingly-impossible coincidences to paintings that purportedly predict the future. Ian Sample sits down with French to explore why so many

Hypermobility: a blessing or a curse?

23 days ago 15m 1s

Being more flexible than the average person can have its advantages, from being great at games such as Limbo to feeling smug in yoga class. But researchers are coming to understand that being hypermobile can also be linked to pain in later life

The virus that infects almost everyone, and its link to cancer and MS

28 days ago 18m 52s

On 28 March it’s the 60th anniversary of the discovery of Epstein-Barr virus, the most common viral infection in humans. The virus was first discovered in association with a rare type of cancer located in Africa, but is now understood to be imp

What could a severe solar storm do to Earth, and are we prepared?

1 month ago 17m 34s

The sun is currently ramping up to hit the peak of its 11-year activity cycle. In the past few days, powerful solar eruptions have sent a stream of particles towards Earth which are set to produce spectacular auroras in both hemispheres. But th

Havana syndrome: will we ever understand what happened?

Mar 21st, 2024 17m 41s

In late 2016, US officials in Cuba’s capital began experiencing a mysterious and often debilitating set of symptoms that came to be known as Havana syndrome. As two new studies into the condition are published, Ian Sample speaks to the Guardian

Should forests have rights?

Mar 19th, 2024 16m 37s

A growing movement of ecologists, lawyers and artists is arguing that nature should have legal rights. By recognising the rights of ecosystems and other species, advocates hope that they can gain better protection. Madeleine Finlay speaks to th

A waterworld with a boiling ocean and the end of dark matter? The week in science

Mar 14th, 2024 22m 41s

Ian Sample and science correspondent Hannah Devlin discuss some of the science stories that have made headlines this week, from a new theory challenging the existence of dark matter to an alarming study about the possible impact of microplastic

Why do we lose our hair as we age, and what can we do about it? – podcast

Mar 12th, 2024 17m 55s

For some people, going bald or experiencing thinning hair can have a significant impact on mental wellbeing and self confidence. Madeleine Finlay speaks to Rudi Zygadlo about how it affected him and what he eventually did about it, and to consu

What’s behind the rapid rise of cancer in the under-50s?

Mar 7th, 2024 17m 54s

Ian Sample speaks to the Guardian’s health editor, Andrew Gregory, about the worrying global rise in cancers in under-50s, and hears from Yin Cao, an associate professor in surgery and medicine at Washington University in St Louis, who is part

Classic older child? What the science says about birth order and personality

Mar 5th, 2024 16m 34s

We all know the cliches about older siblings being responsible, younger ones being creative, and middle children being peacemakers. But is there any evidence our position in the family has an impact on our personality? Madeleine Finlay meets Dr

The Guardian’s new podcast series about AI: Black Box – prologue

Mar 2nd, 2024 15m 44s

We wanted to bring you this episode from our new series, Black Box. In it, Michael Safi explores seven stories and the thread that ties them together: artificial intelligence. In this prologue, Hannah (not her real name) has met Noah and he has

The debilitating impact of tinnitus, and how a new app could help

Feb 29th, 2024 21m 50s

It’s thought that about 15% of us are affected by tinnitus, and despite its potentially debilitating impact on mental health and quality of life, there isn’t any cure for the condition. Madeleine Finlay speaks to John, who has used CBT techniqu

How green are electric cars?

Feb 27th, 2024 18m 30s

Electric cars might seem like a no-brainer on a warming planet, but there are plenty of people who remain sceptical about everything from their battery life to their carbon impact and the environmental and human rights costs of their parts. Mad