25 episodes

From saving the planet to understanding ourselves, this series will see experts discuss the major topics of our times.

IFLScience - The Big Questions IFLScience

    • Science
    • 3.8 • 14 Ratings

From saving the planet to understanding ourselves, this series will see experts discuss the major topics of our times.

    How Are Glaciers Changing In A Warming World?

    How Are Glaciers Changing In A Warming World?

    The climate crisis is affecting glaciers across the world in myriad ways. Dramatic melting, steep declines, and overall reduction in mass are some of the changes seen in both polar glaciers and the mountainous peaks of every continent. Understanding these changes requires understanding how we monitor these enormous ice masses. The health of glaciers affects the well-being of the populations living near them, but they have far-reaching consequences, such as global sea level rise. 
    Host Dr Alfredo Carpineti spoke with Dr Peter Davis from the British Antarctic Survey about Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica, otherwise known as the "Doomsday Glacier". Thwaites is Antarctica's most endangered glacier and studying it is of global importance. 

    • 13 min
    Are E-fuels The Future Of Aviation?

    Are E-fuels The Future Of Aviation?

    As much as everyone enjoys flying abroad for their holidays, the cost of the climate impact might be making people think twice. So what can we do? Aside from paying to offset the carbon, the emergence of a new industry is hoping to change the way we fly. Sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) or e-fuels are looking to replace traditional fuels as a much greener alternative, but there’s still a long way to go.
    Host Eleanor Higgs spoke with Sophie Zienkiewicz and Alasdair Lumsden, co-founders of Carbon Neutral Fuels, to find out if it might be possible to replace the fuel in our airplanes, capture carbon from the world around us, and provide a carbon-neutral alternative when we take to the sky.

    • 34 min
    What Is Ancient Ice Telling Us About The Future?

    What Is Ancient Ice Telling Us About The Future?

    There are many methods that allow us to look back into Earth’s past and study its climate, including the collection of ice cores. Extracting ancient ice from deep inside some of the most remote glaciers can reveal how our planet has changed over millions of years. But it’s not just about the past: what is ancient ice telling us about the future?
    Host Dr Alfredo Carpineti spoke with Dr Liz Thomas of the Ice Core Research Group at the British Antarctic Survey to discuss how understanding Earth’s changing climate helps refine our models for the future and how the natural world is responding to the unfolding climate crisis.

    • 11 min
    What Is Space Weather And How Does It Affect Us?

    What Is Space Weather And How Does It Affect Us?

    The Sun shapes what goes on in space around our planet. Plasma from our star is continuously thrown at Earth in the form of solar winds or coronal mass ejections, changing the shape of the magnetic field, and affecting the atmosphere and anything in it, like the satellites that we depend on. These changes are part of what we call space weather.
    Host Dr Alfredo Carpineti spoke to Dr Nigel Meredith of the British Antarctic Survey about what space weather actually is and how it affects us. We even have some incredible recordings of what these space weather events sound like! 

    • 15 min
    How Does A Quantum Computer Work And How Will They Change The World?

    How Does A Quantum Computer Work And How Will They Change The World?

    The path beyond the limits of regular computers, even the most powerful supercomputer, lies with the theory of quantum mechanics. Quantum computing promises to change the world, but how do quantum computers work, and how close are we to this fabled new approach to computation?
    Host Dr Alfredo Carpineti spoke with Professor Winfried Hensinger, Professor of Quantum Technology at the University of Sussex, to discuss why we need quantum computers, what they would be used for, and why it's taking so long to get them.   

    • 32 min
    Can We Save A Species On The Very Brink Of Extinction?

    Can We Save A Species On The Very Brink Of Extinction?

    In this age of climate change, habitat loss, and destruction of the natural world, we take an in-depth look at one endangered species in particular: the northern white rhino. Just two females remain in the world and neither are capable of carrying a pregnancy. With such constraints in place, we ask the experts if it's possible to save a species on the very brink of extinction.
    Host Eleanor Higgs spoke with Dr Susanne Holtze from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research to discuss if and how it might be possible to use genetics research to save the northern white rhino from extinction and whether we should even try.

    • 25 min

Customer Reviews

3.8 out of 5
14 Ratings

14 Ratings

Ichegoya ,

Love the content but

The sound quality is terrible. The hosts don’t really engage with the guests and it seems awkward. Too many frontloaded ads. But the Content as I said, is good.

DreaLove90 ,

Interesting but could be better

This show is good. I like the concept, but I wish the interviewer was more confident. I felt like the people being interviewed were constantly repeating their statements. The all the umms were hard to listen to.

Damang Gao ,

Wonderful!

I like this podcast by IFLscience, it's great!

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