The Life Scientific

4.5 (217)
Science
Updated Weekly

Professor Jim Al-Khalili talks to leading scientists about their life and work, finding out what inspires and motivates them and asking what their discoveries might do for us in the future

Nov 24 • Subscriber Early Access

Adrian Crellin on pioneering smarter radiotherapy for treating cancer

Professor Adrian Crellin originally set out to be a forensic medic but a chance encounter with an oncologist set him on a path to work in radiotherapy. Whilst unfashionable at the time, it satisfied his latent desire to both work in high end physics along with helping patients on the hospital wards. As a result, he's been a cancer specialist for more than 40 years - during which time radiotherapy has undergone a dramatic transformation, now being used to treat nearly half of all cancer patients more quickly and safely than ever before. As NHS England’s Clinical Lead for Proton Beam Therapy, Adrian pioneered the introduction and use of this precise high-energy radiation treatment within the UK. It accurately targets tumours with less harm to surrounding healthy tissue compared to conventional radiotherapy. Alongside a detailed research programme, his work has transformed treatment of children and young adults with cancer, reducing long-term side effects and improving quality of life. But Adrian’s life has also transitioned from doctor to patient: in 2016, he received treatment for metastatic prostate cancer in the Bexley Wing at St James's Hospital in Leeds - the same centre which he had helped to launch. He’s since become an advocate for cancer research; and says we need to reshape how we describe life with incurable cancer, now that smarter, kinder treatments allow patients to live fulfilling lives alongside the disease. Presented by Jim Al-Khalili Produced by Adrian Washbourne A BBC Studios Production
Nov 17 • Subscriber Early Access

Tom Hart on Antarctic wildlife and the power of penguin poo

How do you keep tabs on millions of penguins in the most remote places on Earth, when there's nobody there to do the watching? Tom Hart is a Professor of Conservation and Ecology at Oxford Brookes University and self-described "penguinologist". He's pioneered the use of remote camera networks, drones and AI to monitor Antarctica's wildlife on an unprecedented scale. He's also a founder of the award-winning Penguin Watch citizen science project, which has harnessed the power of thousands of volunteers around to world, to help with analysing this data - the results of which are helping scientists to understand how penguins are responding to the rapidly changing world… Tom tells Professor Jim Al-Khalili about how he first "caught Antarctica", hitchhiking on tourist cruises and why it's worth paying attention to penguin poo. Presented by Jim Al-Khalili Produced by Lucy Taylor A BBC Studios production
Nov 10 • Subscriber Early Access

Asel Sartbaeva on protecting vaccines with a pinch of sand

Vaccines save millions of lives each year but, to work, most need to be kept cold throughout their journey, from the factory where they’re made to the clinic where they’re given. This relies on what’s known as the cold chain, a global network of fridges, freezers and icepacks. The chain is not only expensive to maintain, it’s incredibly vulnerable to breaking. In low- and middle- income countries, in particular, transport delays, power cuts and equipment failures often cause vaccines to spoil before they reach the people who need them. An urgent quest in public health has been to find a way to stabilise vaccines, at room temperature, so that they no longer need this cold chain. This occurred to Asel Sartbaeva, during a routine visit to the GP with her newborn daughter. Originally from Kyrgyzstan and now Associate Professor of Chemistry at Bath University, Asel investigates silica-based materials. Not a typical background for someone working on vaccines, but it gave her a fresh perspective. She wasn’t focussed on changing the vaccine itself, instead, she asked a different question: could she use her knowledge silica-based materials and coat the vaccine in a protective shell that would allow it to survive at room temperature, eliminating the need for refrigeration? Her solution? A perfectly tailored protective coat made silica, found in beach sand. If human trials are successful, she hopes that vaccines will travel to wherever they are needed by envelope and on drones. Presented by Jim Al-Khalili Produced by Beth Eastwood A BBC Studios production
Nov 3 • Subscriber Early Access

Robert Ballard on finding the Titanic and other deep-sea discoveries

Finding the wreck of the Titanic would be a career-defining achievement for most people. For oceanographer Robert Ballard, it's just one chapter in a life packed full of extraordinary marine exploration. Bob located the world-famous shipwreck in 1985, but even before that, he’d helped prove the existence of hydrothermal vents: underwater formations surrounded by ecosystems flourishing in the ocean’s depths - without sunlight; a discoveyr that revolutionised our understanding of where and how life can flourish... Over a career spanning six decades, Bob has pioneered revolutionary technologies, discovered some of history's most famous shipwrecks and inspired new generations of explorers. What's more, as he tells Professor Jim Al-Khalili, he's still exploring mysteries of the deep today... Presented by Jim Al-Khalili Produced by Lucy Taylor A BBC Studios production
13h ago

Gillian Forrester on gesturing gorillas, babbling babies and the origins of human language

What do the very first writhing movements of babies have in common with orangutans solving problems for food? Well, according to Gillian Forrester they may both offer clues about how we humans developed language. Working with her great ape colleagues, Gilly Forrester – Professor of Comparative Cognition at the University of Sussex – has dedicated her career to finding out how we became the talkative, tool-using troop we are today. Examining the link between movement, spoken language and social communication, Gilly’s research has looked at how brain organisation could affect the likelihood of being diagnosed with autism and ADHD, as well as how training dexterity may improve linguistic fluency in children. In conversation with Professor Jim Al-Khalili, Gilly reveals what she believes it really means to be human, and the pair discover that despite his PhD in nuclear physics, Jim might not be quite as smart as a chimp. Presented by Jim Al-Khalili Produced by Alex Rodway A BBC Studios production
Oct 20

David Canter on how psychology can save lives and catch killers

Although books and movies might suggest otherwise, catching criminals is of course less about hunches and gut instinct, and more about gruelling analysis of hard data - including when it comes to the psychological side. David Canter is an Emeritus Professor of Psychology at the University of Liverpool, who took exactly this approach in the 1980s when he was asked to help police track down a serial killer. David had built his reputation as an environmental psychologist, studying how people behave in emergency situations and even advising the government on how to prevent disasters in football stadiums. But when he was asked to apply his unique methodology to help track down a serial killer and rapist, he realised that data-driven analysis of a suspect's behavioural patterns could be invaluable to any investigation. David tells Jim Al-Khalili about how he founded the field of investigative psychology - and went on to advise on major criminal investigations, write award-winning books and even make time to pursue a parallel life as a composer. Presented by Jim Al-Khalili Produced by Lucy Taylor A BBC Studios production
Oct 13

Edith Heard on unravelling the mystery of X-chromosome inactivation

Imagine looking at a map of a city you thought you knew inside-out, only to discover a collection of tightly knit neighbourhoods that nobody had ever realised existed... Edith Heard has achieved something rather similar with DNA. Edith is a leading expert in epigenetics: put simply, the science around how our bodies can turn particular genes on or off without actually altering our DNA. She’s spent her career studying the mechanisms that make us who we are and transforming our understanding of how X chromosomes are expressed; notably, how female cells turn off the spare X chromosome. Talking to Professor Jim Al-Khalili, Edith discusses her journey from a shy and introverted youngster to the cutting edge of European science - including her latest role as Director of London’s prestigious Francis Crick Institute. Presented by Jim Al-Khalili Produced by Lucy Taylor A BBC Studios production
Oct 6

Ginger Kerrick on manning Nasa's Mission Control and getting to Mars

What do you do when your childhood dream of becoming an astronaut is grounded at the final hurdle? If you’re physicist Ginger Kerrick, you go on to help run the missions instead. After failing the medical of her astronaut application process, Ginger went on to become Nasa’s first non-astronaut CAPCOM and its first Hispanic female Flight Director. Across a remarkable three-decade career, she helped train the International Space Station’s first long-term crew, logged thousands of hours in Mission Control, and shaped future missions to the moon and Mars. All with her trademark determination and resilience – qualities forged through life experiences that might have derailed someone else entirely. In conversation with Professor Jim Al-Khalili, Ginger reveals the highs and lows of life at Nasa, and discusses the future of human spaceflight: from the potential of AI, to missions to Mars. Presented by Jim Al-Khalili Produced by Lucy Taylor A BBC Studios production

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The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

4.3 (6950)

Daily News
A world-class seminar, every week. In Our Time explores the ideas, people and discoveries that have shaped our world, spanning history, philosophy, religion, science, literature, art and culture. On Thursdays, hear brand-new episodes hosted by Misha Glenny and leading academics. On Mondays, discover Misha's Archive Picks: classic conversations from the In Our Time archive, originally presented by Melvyn Bragg. Recent episodes have featured topics as wide-ranging as the Roman Arena, Handel's Messiah, John Keats, On Liberty and the Mariana Trench, bringing expert insight to pivotal events, influential thinkers and remarkable discoveries. Throughout the archive, you can hear discussions on historical figures such as Marie Antoinette, Nefertiti, Mary Wollstonecraft, Karl Marx and Albert Einstein; explore great works of literature such as Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Nineteen Eighty-Four, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the poetry of John Donne; uncover the stories behind cultural masterpieces including Van Gogh's Sunflowers and Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel; or journey from Jupiter and the death of stars, to the theories of Plato and Aristotle. In Our Time celebrates the pursuit of knowledge and the enduring power of ideas.

4.6 (5244)

History
The comedy podcast that takes history seriously. In each episode of You’re Dead to Me from BBC Radio 4, Greg Jenner is joined by a comedian and an expert historian to learn and laugh about the past. History isn’t just about dates and textbooks – it’s about extraordinary characters, amazing stories, and some very questionable fashion choices. How long did it take to build an Egyptian pyramid? What does the Bayeux Tapestry reveal about medieval life? Why did it take nearly half a millennium for Joan of Arc to become a saint? And was Catherine the Great really all that great? Whether you want to explore ancient landmarks like Stonehenge and Machu Picchu, dance through the history of Broadway and Bollywood, or find out how the Tudors rose to power, Greg and his guests promise to teach you something new that you won’t have heard in history lessons. Previous episodes of You’re Dead To Me have covered everything from royals to revolutionaries, actors to activists and divas to dictators. Take a stroll through the history of high-heeled shoes or get the scoop on the history of ice cream. Maybe you’d like to paint like the cave artists of the Palaeolithic era, work out like a Victorian bodybuilder, or fight like a Spartan? We’ve even hosted a special, live episode with the BBC Concert Orchestra to explore the dramatic life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Whatever your historical interests, Greg and his guests make even the trickiest topics easy to follow. Join them for a history lesson that’s as entertaining as it is enlightening - with no homework required.

4.7 (3135)

History
Josh Baker enters a dangerous world of fear, greed and betrayal as he sets out to uncover the truth behind one of the biggest missing-person cases of our time - the abduction of American journalist Austin Tice. Josh - creator of two of the BBC's most award-winning and widely listened-to investigative podcasts, I'm Not a Monster and The Shamima Begum Story - returns for his most ambitious chapter yet, in a major new series from BBC Radio 4 and NPR's Embedded. This is not the retelling of a closed case. It is a real-time investigation into a disappearance that has remained unsolved for more than a decade, conducted in close contact with Austin's family. What started out as a personal effort to help a mother find her son has turned into a multi-year journalistic investigation stretching from the corridors of power in Washington DC to the depths of the Syrian security state. Austin Tice is a journalist, law student and former Marine officer, who vanished in Syria in 2012. Since then, competing stories have emerged about his fate. In some, he is alive - held in a cell and waiting to be rescued. In others, he was smuggled out of Syria and hidden away. In the darkest versions, he died long ago. His disappearance has reached the highest levels of power - from presidents to popes - yet remarkably little is known about what happened to him. Investigative journalists Josh Baker and Sara Obeidat begin following Austin's trail long before the fall of the Syrian regime. Then everything changes. The regime collapses, and the black box of Syria's intelligence state opens. Sources step forward, unprecedented leaks arrive and doors to secret bases that had been sealed for years open. Josh and Sara speak to spies, search secret prisons and track down alleged war criminals in hiding, uncovering information that has never been made public and making discoveries that generate international headlines. The audience follows every breakthrough as the investigation closes in on those who may know the truth - while Syria is transformed and powerful interests compete to shape what happens next. Some claim Austin was working for the CIA. Others say he was simply a young journalist trying to make his name in war reporting. His fate has become entangled in secret negotiations and geopolitical power struggles that are still unfolding. At the centre of it all is his mother, Debra Tice, who has never stopped searching for her son. There are people who know exactly what happened to Austin. Some of them do not want the truth to come out. So where is Austin Tice?

4.9 (3993)

Documentary
Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.

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Daily News
From ghostly phantoms to UFOs, Danny Robins investigates real-life stories of paranormal encounters. So, are you Team Believer or Team Sceptic? Written and presented by Danny Robins Editor and Sound Designer: Charlie Brandon-King Music: Evelyn Sykes Theme Music by Lanterns on the Lake Produced by Danny Robins and Simon Barnard A Bafflegab and Uncanny Media production for BBC Radio 4

4.7 (637)

Documentary

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Jim Al-Khalili

Host
Tom Hart

Guest
Asel Sartbaeva

Guest
Robert Ballard

Guest
Gillian Forrester

Guest
Edith Heard

Guest
Ginger Kerrick

Guest
Dr. Dean Lomax

Guest
Helen Hastie

Guest
Seth Berkley

Guest

4.5

out of 5

217 Ratings

Real Life Storytelling and Science

08/27/2024

Starred_Night

This podcast captivates, engages and teaches a vast spectrum of science through the lens of the people who know it best. It's fascinating and fantastic and inspiring. I learn a lot and enjoy doing so, thank you.
Great guests and excellent topics.

09/21/2023

Tim_MN

I really enjoy this podcast. The biographies are interesting to hear, and I learn a lot of fascinating science.
Learn about Science and the People Behind the Science

03/05/2021

Anon32589

Highly recommend for those interested in learning about science and scientists! The host, Professor Jim Al-Khalili, draws out from his guests--who are leading scientists from a wide range of fields--clear explanations of their research and why it is important. In addition, he also elicits stories of how the guests became interested in and pursued their work, which helps the audience understand and appreciate the people behind the science and the sometimes circuitous paths they take in their education and careers.
Insights and ideas

07/07/2020

Brit by the Bay

Beautifully done. Jim the physicist does an amazing job of making a wide range of science areas seem totally accessible, understandable and within reach of ordinary mortals! Love the mix of men, women and topics. Thanks BBC!

Professor Jim Al-Khalili talks to leading scientists about their life and work, finding out what inspires and motivates them and asking what their discoveries might do for us in the future