BBC Inside Science

Caroline Steele, science reporter covering CERN antimatter moves and brain preservation news. Dr Harry Cliff, Cambridge particle physicist who traps and studies antiprotons. Dr Hannah Sargeant, planetary scientist working on nuclear electric propulsion for lunar and Mars missions. They discuss nuclear-powered space travel, how reactors drive electric thrusters, and the careful transport and trapping of antimatter.

Dr Rebecca Ingle, Associate Professor in Physical Chemistry at UCL, explains helium’s unique cryogenic role and fragile global supply. Richard Murray, CEO and co-founder of Orca Computing, outlines photonic quantum hardware and real-world applications. They discuss photonic qubits, system design that avoids extreme cooling, industry use-cases, and why quantum may be moving from labs into practical tech.

Kit Yates, mathematical biologist and science communicator, and Laura Wilcox, atmospheric scientist specializing in aerosol–climate interactions. They discuss new analyses that suggest recent warming has sped up. Short-term variability is separated from forced trends. Possible causes covered include cleaner air revealing greenhouse warming, rising methane, and cloud changes.

Jodie Howlett, who leads in-orbit manufacturing at the UK Space Agency, discusses making medicines and materials in microgravity. Everett Dolman, professor of space strategy and former Space Command member, explains how warfare in orbit could use jamming, lasers and non-kinetic attacks while avoiding debris. They talk risks to space infrastructure and practical paths for space-based manufacturing.

Michael Wooldridge, Oxford computer science professor and Faraday Prize lecturer, talks about why current AI favors plausibility over truth and the roots of hallucinations. Philip Ball, science writer specializing in chemistry and origins of life, explains tiny self-replicating RNAs and what they mean for origin theories. Short, clear conversations on AI limits and RNA clues to life’s beginnings.

Professor Clare Corkhill, a mineralogy and radioactive waste management expert at the University of Bristol, explains how radioactive waste forms and why it can remain hazardous for thousands to millions of years. She walks through the case for deep geological burial and natural analogues that show rock can contain waste. The show also explores Finland’s Onkalo repository and imaginative ways to warn far-future humans.

Libby Jackson, Science Museum space lead, outlines practical hurdles to living on the Moon and what a sustained lunar settlement would need. Christian Ruff, neuroeconomics professor, describes brain stimulation experiments that altered generosity in decision games. Roland Pease, science correspondent, reports on signs of ecological recovery from China’s Yangtze fishing ban.

Pat Sharples, GB Snowsports head coach, on how ski-wax chemistry and snow conditions shape Olympic racing. Roland Pease, science journalist, on puzzling JWST discoveries of early red objects. Gareth Mitchell, tech journalist, on tiny medical robots and traffic-tech innovations. Lucy Hart, Lancaster researcher, on ice-core evidence linking rising TFA and PFAS sources from refrigerant replacements.

Professor Tim Horbury, a space physicist studying solar magnetic fields, and Ramsey Faragher, a navigation expert on GNSS vulnerabilities. They discuss satellite navigation being vulnerable to jamming and spoofing. They also explore how solar storms and Solar Orbiter magnetometer data can disrupt systems and give early warnings. Short, urgent science on how we find our way and what might throw us off.

It’s exactly half a century since two Concorde jets took off from Paris and London respectively. The supersonic jet would come to define top end luxury travel. But Concorde has also been retired for nearly half that time, famously making its final flight to Bristol, UK where it was built, in 2003.What is Concorde’s engineering legacy? And will supersonic speeds ever be a reality for air travellers again?Tom Whipple is at Aerospace Bristol, back on-board Concorde which these days is stowed safely in its hangar. He meets Concorde’s former Chief Engineer John Britton. He also hears what it will take to overcome the engineering challenges of supersonic flight from Dr Kshitij Sabnis, lecturer in Aerospace Engineering at Queen Mary University of London. And speaks to founder and CEO of US start up Boom Supersonic Blake Scholl who wants to make supersonic air travel accessible to all.To discover more fascinating science content, head to bbc.co.uk, search for BBC Inside Science and follow the links to The Open University. Presenter: Tom Whipple Producer: Tim Dodd, Kate White, Clare Salisbury Editor: Martin Smith Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth