Science Weekly

Dr Christian Smorra, a CERN physicist who led the antimatter transport project, and Ian Sample, The Guardian science editor and reporter, discuss a world-first move of trapped antiprotons. They explain what antimatter is, why it must be moved for precision experiments, how a mobile Penning trap works, the careful transport operation and the surprising safety realities.

Michael Pollan, award-winning author known for books on food, plants and mind, talks about his new book A World Appears. He explores what makes subjective experience uniquely human. He contrasts inner thoughts and feelings, questions whether AI can truly feel, and warns about defending our minds in a tech-saturated world.

Marisol, Melissa and Stephen, close relatives of Alexander Villa, share first-person accounts and emotional testimony about his 2011 conviction. They describe their efforts to find lawyers, assemble transcripts and pursue an appeal. The conversation covers Alex’s neighborhood background, past encounters with police, and a startling whisper found in the case file.

Eliza Gil, a clinical lecturer in infectious disease at LSHTM, gives expert commentary on meningitis and outbreak response. She explains what meningitis is and how bacteria invade. She discusses why outbreaks hit students, the role of carriage and shared vaping, vaccine effectiveness and waning protection, current outbreak control steps, and when contacts should seek treatment.

Dr Anna Barnard, Imperial College researcher on peptide therapeutics, and Adrienne Matei, lifestyle journalist at The Guardian US, explore the rise of grey‑market injectable peptides. They trace who uses them and why. They outline where these products come from and what peptides do. They discuss potential therapeutic directions and the safety, cultural and regulatory debates driving the craze.

They discuss a trial linking intense exercise to spikes in BDNF and possible brain-imaging changes. They explore hedgehog hearing at ultrasonic frequencies and implications for conservation. They examine experiments showing biased AI autocomplete can subtly shift people’s attitudes.

Kelsey Davenport, director of non-proliferation policy at the Arms Control Association, is an expert on nuclear weapons and proliferation. She discusses Iran’s civil nuclear work versus true weapons intent. She explains technical limits of 60% enriched uranium. She assesses damage from recent strikes and how conflict might shape future proliferation risks.

Amy Hawkins, Beijing-based senior China correspondent on policy and energy security. Jillian Ambrose, energy correspondent tracking renewables and markets. They discuss China’s massive solar and renewables expansion. They cover coal’s lingering role for stability and jobs. They examine grid limits, supply-chain dominance and geopolitical consequences.

Chris Stokel-Walker, tech journalist and author on AI and policy, discusses the militarisation of artificial intelligence. He outlines Anthropic’s safeguards and the Pentagon split, the swift pivot to OpenAI, and how AI is reportedly shaping recent strikes. The conversation explores why this may mark a dangerous turning point for future conflicts.

Jason Hickel, political economist at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and degrowth advocate, and Nick Stern, LSE economist known for the Stern Review and green growth work, debate pathways for climate-safe societies. They discuss whether growth can be decoupled from emissions. They outline investments, policy shifts, taxation and systemic changes needed to meet climate goals.