People Fixing the World

Irrigation pipes have been designed to double as mid-air walkways to help slow lorises cross open farmland in Indonesia; and a footbridge has been built for a rare breed of monkey in Brazil - the golden lion tamarin. These are just two examples of new infrastructure designed to help wild animals cope with human obstacles. Picture credit: Little Fireface Project

As many countries contemplate the best way to care for an ageing population, a common question is how to support the elderly to continue living in their own homes for as long as possible. One idea is to monitor their use of home appliances, such as kettles and ovens. Advocates say NILM – non-intrusive load monitoring – offers family and carers an insight into a person’s daily life without invading their privacy. It could even be used to track or help diagnose long-term health conditions. Reporter William Kremer road-tests the technology with his own parents and finds out about a NILM project in Japan. Picture: Getty Images

Is it possible to construct a new building, just by reusing materials from homes and offices that have been knocked down? That’s the dream of a pioneering Swiss architect Barbara Buser, who trains specialist treasure hunters to track down everything from window frames to steel beams for her buildings. People Fixing the World finds out about her latest project, which is made of 70% reused material. We ask whether Barbara’s approach, which has a much lower carbon footprint than building with new material, can take off around the world. Presenter and producer: Charlotte Horn Image: Barbara Buser’s building K118 (Copyright: Martin Zeller)

Togo has found a high-tech way to identify people who need financial help in the pandemic and send them emergency cash, using satellite photos and mobile phones.Computers search for clues in images, such as the density of buildings, roofing materials and road surfaces. They combine this with data collected before the pandemic to work out how wealthy different areas are and which ones may need financial support. Produced and Presented by Hannah Gelbart Picture: Getty Images

A greenhouse cooled and humidified by seawater and the wind is transforming arid land. In Somaliland, vegetables have been grown in a spot previously thought too hot and dry for farming. It works by creating a cool oasis that shields the plant from the heat. The designers believe if more were built, they could make Somaliland completely self-sufficient in fresh produce. Presenter Julie Ball Written and Produced by Nick Holland and Julie Ball Picture: Karl Fletcher, Seawater Greenhouse

The world generates more than two billion tonnes of rubbish every year. So we’re visiting companies in Sweden that want to make it easier to mend things when they break instead of replacing them – whether that’s clothes, bikes or washing machines. We also hear about the country’s tax breaks designed to give people a financial incentive to repair more.Produced and presented by Maddy Savage

Head injuries in sport can have a devastating effect on the brain, which is often only noticed later in life. So lots of people are investigating ways of making it safer to play sports such as American football, boxing and soccer. We look at new technology including smart mouth guards and innovative helmets, and we find out about the latest medical developments that are helping people to combat the risk of brain disease. Produced and presented by Ben Wyatt

A small team of Indian scientists think they’ve found a new way to kill superbugs. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are killing hundreds of thousands of people every year, and that number is going up fast. But one Bangalore-based biotech company thinks they might be on the verge of a breakthrough. Produced and presented by Jo Mathys Picture: Science Photo Library

Giant towers of building blocks rising into the sky and huge vats packed with volcanic rock or molten salt are being used as massive batteries. They are the latest ideas for storing energy generated by the sun and the wind – so you can keep the lights on when it’s dark or the wind isn’t blowing. We meet the entrepreneurs and scientists who are trying to harness the fundamental forces of physics to power the world. Presenter: Tom Colls Image: The Energy Vault tower (c/o Energy Vault)

A clever invention is saving the lives of hundreds of children.Pneumonia kills about 1.4 million children under five every year. Treatment with concentrated oxygen could save many of them, but the machines that provide it need a reliable source of electricity. Some hospitals have frequent power cuts though, which can be fatal.So scientists in Australia and Uganda came up with an innovative way to deliver oxygen when the electricity cuts out.Produced and presented by Ruth Evans.Repeat. This episode was first broadcast on 12 May 2020.