Life Solved

University of Portsmouth

LIFE SOLVED lifts the lid on the latest ideas and discoveries that look set to change our lives.   Every week we’ll bring you a fresh episode featuring cutting-edge research. Find out how this is set to revolutionise the way our world works. We’ll explain how technology and community go hand in hand with the natural world, and how industry and sustainable environments can connect for the benefit of society. Real research. Real world change.   From your subconscious political behaviour on social media to how we can use tech to get swift diagnosis and treatment for common medical problems, the big ideas are here.   Subscribe for a new episode every week, and share the big idea #lifesolved   You can find out more about research taking place at the University of Portsmouth at port.ac.uk/life-solved. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. MAY 20

    Deliberately invisible: true stories from migrants experiencing homelessness

    In this episode, Professor Simon Stewart from the University of Portsmouth shares how the Covid-19 pandemic transformed the focus and impact of his sociology research, as he embarked on a project with a charity that changes the lives of people experiencing homelessness. You’ll hear true stories of tragedy and survival on the margins of society, as Professor Stewart shares the experiences of migrants who live without homes in the UK. He reveals an invisible world that exists all around us, populated by those who hide in plain sight to protect themselves from a hostile environment.  You’ll discover the strategies people adopt to cultivate invisibility – and the potential this research has to change not just our understanding of homeless lives, but also the ways in which we could make homelessness itself a thing of the past.  Production team: John Worsey Raechelle Jackson  Robyn Austin-Montague Music:  Calm Uplifting Business Presentation – Tricky Two Audio Majestic Deep Documentary Meditative – Nice City Beats Ambient Piano – Black Trend Music Serene Melancholy – The Music Works Thoughtful – Ashot Danielyan Calm Reflection and Whispers of Love – Black Trend Music The Long Journey Home – Adigold Learn more links: Researching migrant homelessness at the University of Portsmouth.  Professor Simon Stewart biography and research links.  Centre for European and International Studies Research, directed by Professor Stewart.  St Mungo’s homeless charity.  Sociology BSc (Hons) at Portsmouth.  Sociology MSc at Portsmouth. Sociology PhD and MPhil at Portsmouth.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    30 min

  2. MAR 19

    The golden age of dinosaur discovery: Why we're finding a new species nearly every week

    What if I told you a new dinosaur species is discovered roughly every two weeks - and you could discover the next one?   Life Solved explores the unprecedented boom in dinosaur discoveries. Since 2003, more than 45 new species have been found every year. In 2025 alone, 44 new species were named. We're living through what scientists call the "golden age of palaeontology." But why now?   In this episode, we meet Dr Jeremy Lockwood, a former GP who, at age 57, left medicine to pursue a PhD in palaeontology at the University of Portsmouth. In the years since, he's discovered not one, but three entirely new species of dinosaur - all found on the Isle of Wight, just across the water from Portsmouth.   This episode examines the factors driving this golden age, what remains to be discovered, and why it's never too late to chase your childhood dreams - even if they involve creatures that died out 66 million years ago. Production team: Robyn Austin-Montague John Worsey Jaelithe Swan Music:  To Documentary by BrightNotesSounds Learn more links: Friends of Dinosaur Isle: HomeFriends of Dinosaur Isle Palaeontology BSc (Hons) Retired GP discovers three new dinosaur species on the Isle of Wight and proves you’re never too old to do a PhD  ‘Striking sail' may have helped dinosaurs find mates, new fossil suggests Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    32 min

  3. FEB 19

    How women's clothing choices in Iran predicted the revolution years before it happened

    What if I told you the Iranian revolution was predictable - and the clues were in what women were wearing? As we approach International Women’s Day, Life Solved welcomes back a past guest, Dr Mahsa Gaffari, a specialist in marketing at the University of Portsmouth, whose research suggests consumption acts as a "crystal ball of society". In 2023, Dr Gaffari explained how dress codes and shopping choices allow women to subtly subvert state oppression through clothing and consumer choices in Iran. Two years on, a new wave of mass protests have erupted in the country, making international headlines due to the level of violence. In this episode we unpack the signals that indicated political change was on the horizon. Production team: Robyn Austin-Montague Lauren Harrison Music: Exiled by PhilLarson Learn more links: Dr Mahsa Ghaffari Iran protests are not just about economics – they’re a full-blown ideological crisis Exploiting institutional plasticity in Iranian advertising Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    17 min

  4. JAN 22

    Plastic Politics: What happens if the Global Plastics Treaty fails?

    Countries are negotiating a Global Plastics Treaty to unite nations against plastic pollution, but progress has been significantly delayed. The process is under scrutiny, the Chair has recently stepped down, and while the next round of talks (INC-5.3) is scheduled for February 2026, the future of the treaty remains uncertain.  Even if consensus is achieved, ratification could take years. So what happens in the meantime? In this episode, we explore how governments, businesses, and civil society can maintain momentum without a treaty, and whether the UK can seize a leadership role.  Speaking to Dr Antaya March from the University of Portsmouth’s Global Plastics Policy Centre, we uncover practical steps, innovative policies, and grassroots actions that could make a difference now. Production team: Robyn Austin-Montague Caroline Meech Music: Ambient Emotional Cinematic by ColourFilmMusic Learn more links: Global Plastics Policy Centre Scientists urge governments not to wait for global plastics treaty as pollution continues to grow | University of Portsmouth Leaders gather at UK Parliament to strengthen national and global action on plastic pollution | University of Portsmouth   Revolution Plastics Institute | University of Portsmouth  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    27 min

  5. 11/27/2025

    The secret social lives of primates: What chimps and monkeys reveal about human nature

    How similar are we to our closest living relatives? Closer than you might think - and the latest research is revealing just how much we share with chimpanzees and monkeys. In this episode of Life Solved, we speak to two experts from the University of Portsmouth's Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, who are passionate about the deep evolutionary roots of human intelligence. Dr Esther Herrmann and Dr Marine Joly explain how studying our closest evolutionary cousins helps us understand what makes us human, why complex social groups drive cognitive evolution, and what our responsibility is to protect these remarkable, intelligent creatures. Production team: Robyn Austin-Montague Lauren Harrison Jaelithe Swan Music: Music bed by Korolkov Production Wildlife sounds captured by Dr Jerome Micheletta Learn more links: Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology | University of Portsmouth Dr Esther Herrmann's chimpanzee rationality study Dr Marine Joly's macaque impulse control research Science is Wonderful EU Event Many Primates Project Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    25 min

  6. 10/14/2025

    The power of Fighting with Pride to make change happen

    In this episode we chat to Craig Jones MBE, founder of the charity Fighting with Pride, a University of Portsmouth alumnus, and a recent honorary graduate recipient. The Royal Navy veteran’s story is one of resilience, transformation and advocacy; from serving in silence under a ban on LGBTQ+ people in the armed forces, to starting a charity that’s changed lives and policy in the UK. It serves as a powerful reminder of what courage and commitment can achieve. Production team: Raechelle Jackson Robyn Austin-Montague Music: Calm Inspiring by trickytwoaudio Inspiring Corporate by Ultra_Music Upbeat and Inspiring Corporate by WavebeatsMusic Learn more links: Fighting With Pride | RAF Benevolent Fund Alumni spotlight | University of Portsmouth Craig Jones MBE | University of Portsmouth Honorary Degree Awards Nominations | University of Portsmouth Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    25 min
  7. The R;pple effect: How personal loss led to life-saving tech

    09/17/2025

    The R;pple effect: How personal loss led to life-saving tech

    In the first episode of Series 15 we meet Alice Hendy MBE, CEO and founder of R;pple Suicide Prevention and a recent University of Portsmouth honorary graduate. Alice set up the charity from scratch after losing her brother to suicide in November 2020. Drawing on her cybersecurity background, she created R;pple - an innovative digital tool that intercepts harmful online searches and guides individuals to free mental health support. This episode explores how personal experience can drive innovation, the power of refusing to accept that things cannot be better, and how one person's determination to prevent other families from experiencing their loss has created a global safety net for those in crisis. Content note: This episode deals with suicide and may not be suitable for all listeners. Support resources are available here: Get Support | Helplines and Resources | R;pple Production team: Robyn Austin-Montague Lauren Harrison Music: Emotional and Uplifting by bdProductions Learn more: R;pple: Crisis Intervention | Suicide Prevention & Mental Health Alumni spotlight | University of Portsmouth Alice Hendy MBE | University of Portsmouth Honorary Degree Awards Nominations | University of Portsmouth Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    20 min

  8. 05/22/2024

    What happened during the fourth session of the Global Plastics Treaty?

    This week Life Solved has a special one-off episode looking at INC-4. We unpack the fourth session of Global Plastics Treaty talks that recently took place in Canada - where global policymakers, charities, experts, and businesses sat down to work out how to end plastic pollution. In her opening address, United Nations Environment Programme Chief, Inger Andersen, said to stop plastic pollution, we need to start at the start and end at the end. Sounds simple, but many fear these meetings create more barriers than solutions. To give us a unique glimpse into what happens at these negotiations, we have three experts from the University of Portsmouth's Revolution Plastics Institute who were at INC-4 themselves. We’d love you to be part of the discussion, too. Email your questions on this episode or ideas for future episodes to lifesolved@port.ac.uk. If you’ve been inspired by this episode, and want to support our research then head to port.ac.uk/lifesolved to find out how. You can also find out how to work or study with us. USEFUL LINKS Professor Steve Fletcher: https://www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/steve-fletcher The world has a chance to end plastic pollution – the petrochemical giants mustn’t spoil it: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/apr/29/world-plastic-pollution-petrochemical-giants-un-treaty-2015-paris-lobbyists Dr Cressida Bowyer: https://researchportal.port.ac.uk/en/persons/cressida-bowyer Dr Erika Hughes: https://researchportal.port.ac.uk/en/persons/erika-hughes Revolution Plastics: https://www.port.ac.uk/news-events-and-blogs/events/the-revolution-continues Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    30 min
See All (136)

Trailers

About

LIFE SOLVED lifts the lid on the latest ideas and discoveries that look set to change our lives.   Every week we’ll bring you a fresh episode featuring cutting-edge research. Find out how this is set to revolutionise the way our world works. We’ll explain how technology and community go hand in hand with the natural world, and how industry and sustainable environments can connect for the benefit of society. Real research. Real world change.   From your subconscious political behaviour on social media to how we can use tech to get swift diagnosis and treatment for common medical problems, the big ideas are here.   Subscribe for a new episode every week, and share the big idea #lifesolved   You can find out more about research taking place at the University of Portsmouth at port.ac.uk/life-solved. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    University of Portsmouth
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    136
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © University of Portsmouth
  • Show Website
    Life Solved