Science Weekly

The Guardian

Twice a week, the Guardian brings you the latest science and environment news

  • 16 minutes 45 seconds
    Secrets of happiness: the happiness hacks backed up by science
    At a moment when the world feels like a particularly unsettling place, Science Weekly is asking what it is that makes humans happy – and how we can bring more happiness into our lives. In episode two, Ian Sample asks which happiness strategies are backed up by science. He hears from Elizabeth Dunn, a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia, who recently scrutinised a whole lot of happiness research to work out which recommendations are most reliable. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
    14 November 2024, 5:00 am
  • 18 minutes 18 seconds
    Secrets of happiness: what makes a country happy?
    At a moment when the world feels like a particularly unsettling place, Science Weekly is asking what it is that makes humans happy – and how can we bring more happiness into our lives? In episode one, Ian Sample asks what makes a country happy? Johannes Eichstaedt, assistant professor of psychology and human-centred AI at Stanford University, explains why the Nordic countries often rank highly in the annual World Happiness Report, and what we can learn if we look beyond them. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
    12 November 2024, 12:05 am
  • 17 minutes 43 seconds
    What will Trump 2.0 mean for science?
    Madeleine Finlay talks to science editor and podcast co-host Ian Sample about how Donald Trump approached science when in office last time, and what his second term is likely to mean for the environment, health and scientific research. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
    6 November 2024, 7:31 pm
  • 21 minutes 25 seconds
    Could we really live on Mars?
    Space-settling enthusiasts have long had an eye on Mars, and now they have the backing of the world’s richest man. Elon Musk recently claimed that humans could be on the planet by 2030 and be living there in a self-sustaining city within 20 years. But is it really that simple? Madeleine Finlay heads to Imperial College London where Prof Sanjeev Gupta gives her a tour of the red planet, and meets Kelly Weinersmith who, along with her husband, Zach, recently won the Royal Society Trivedi science book prize for their book A City on Mars. She explains why life on Mars may not be the idyll some would have us believe. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
    5 November 2024, 5:00 am
  • 15 minutes 35 seconds
    Love motels and gridlocked talks: all the news from Cop16
    Biodiversity correspondent Phoebe Weston takes Madeleine Finlay through the news from the UN Cop16 biodiversity summit in Cali, Colombia. Countries are wrangling over funding to protect nature and who should profit from the natural resources of the world’s least developed nations. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
    31 October 2024, 5:00 am
  • 19 minutes 43 seconds
    The US tech startup promising smarter babies
    A startup company, Heliospect Genomics, is offering to help wealthy couples screen their embryos for IQ using controversial technology that raises questions about the ethics of genetic enhancement. Science correspondent Hannah Devlin tells Madeleine Finlay about the joint investigation into the company by the Guardian and the campaign group Hope Not Hate. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
    29 October 2024, 5:00 am
  • 16 minutes 29 seconds
    What’s at stake for the climate if Trump wins?
    With less than two weeks until the US election, Madeleine Finlay speaks to climate activist and author Bill McKibben to find out what a win for Donald Trump could mean for the environment and the world’s climate goals. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
    24 October 2024, 4:00 am
  • 16 minutes 26 seconds
    How the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs made ants into farmers
    Madeleine Finlay hears from Ted Schultz, curator of ants at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, about his recent study into the origins of fungi farming in ants. He tells Madeleine about the incredibly complex way that ants cultivate and protect their fungi gardens, and how the asteroid that hit Earth 66 million years ago could have kickstarted it all. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
    22 October 2024, 4:00 am
  • 17 minutes 23 seconds
    Is sleep perfectionism making us more exhausted?
    As the sleep tracking industry booms, some worry that it could be driving orthosomnia, the medical term for an unhealthy obsession with attaining perfect sleep, usually driven by a wearable device. Madeleine Finlay speaks to consultant neurologist and sleep physician Dr Guy Leschziner to find out whether this tech is helping or hindering our chances of maximising sleep’s health benefits. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
    17 October 2024, 6:10 am
  • 15 minutes 22 seconds
    What Milton and Helene reveal about the future of hurricanes
    Ian Sample speaks to Bernadette Woods Placky, chief meteorologist at nonprofit Climate Central, about the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season so far, and what it tells us about how hurricanes will behave in future. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
    15 October 2024, 4:00 am
  • 23 minutes 49 seconds
    All the news and science from the 2024 Nobel prizes
    With awards for the discovery of microRNA and the creation of new proteins, plus recognition for artificial intelligence via the physics and chemistry prizes, Madeleine Finlay hears from the Guardian science team – Nicola Davis, Ian Sample and Hannah Devlin – as they break down the news, science and surprises from this year’s Nobels. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
    9 October 2024, 8:06 pm
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