The World, the Universe and Us

How Ukraine Became a Drone Factory - and Changed Warfare Forever

The world is running out of water - can cloud-seeding save us?; Why some people get stuck in grief; Is our black hole actually a clump of dark matter?

How ancient humans crossed the vast ocean; Brain training for dementia; Life of science legend Maggie Aderin

Why Elon Musk plans to put 1 million satellites in orbit; Should we be giving sleep drugs to kids?; Why global pesticide risk is not improving

Mini human brain grows blood vessels; The geoengineering risk of termination shock; Trove of ancient fossils discovered

The 5 worst ideas of the 21st century – and how they went wrong

The podcast episode critically examines ideas from the 21st century that initially seemed promising but have proven detrimental. Social media is debated for its addictive nature and influence on elections, with the suggestion of removing profit incentives. Bitcoin is scrutinized for its environmental impact due to ener...

Rutger Bregman on the crisis of moral ambition; Why primates have same-sex relationships; Living longer is easier than you think; Bizarre method to fight climate change

Why does America want Greenland?; Mystery of dark DNA; Ozempic weight rebound

Humans are finally heading back to the moon; Cheaper weight loss drugs are coming; Milestone for LSD trials; Promise of new carbon tax

The podcast previews major science news for 2026, focusing on space missions, weight loss drugs, the medicinal use of LSD, and a European carbon border tax. Artemis II's planned mission to loop around the moon is highlighted as a crucial step toward establishing a permanent lunar presence, though the feasibility of Art...

Best science TV, film and books of 2025 | The New Scientist culture review

Top Science Stories of 2025 | The New Scientist Features Special

Orcas and dolphins are now hunting together; Genetic root of psychiatric conditions; Black hole stars and cosmic ecology

How exercise shrinks tumours and starves cancer; Weird molecules found on comet 3I/ATLAS; Einstein v Bohr on the nature of light

The evolution of sperm and the enduring mystery of the scrotum; How our brain rewires itself 4 times in life; The (real) disaster scenarios of imminent climate breakdown

The origin and evolution of music: Steve Pretty plays the conch

New genome of ancient human; 95% of us have a dormant virus that causes disease; Formula E cars faster than F1; Bill Bryson joins the pod!

Why the claims about Hitler’s genome are misleading

COP30: The world's climate future hinges on this meeting

The collapse of America’s health data system; How sleep affects your focus; Life on Mars in liquid veins?

How mRNA vaccines teach your body to kill cancer; Grim state of climate action; Why birds sing the dawn chorus