The World, the Universe and Us
New Scientist
From the evolution of intelligent life, to the mysteries of consciousness; from the threat of the climate crisis to the search for dark matter, The world, the universe and us is your essential weekly dose of science and wonder in an uncertain world. Hosted by journalists Dr Rowan Hooper and Dr Penny Sarchet and joined each week by expert scientists in the field, the show draws on New Scientist’s unparalleled depth of reporting to put the stories that matter into context. Feed your curiosity with the podcast that will restore your sense of optimism and nourish your brain.For more visit newscientist.com/podcasts
Episodes
Mentioned books
10 snips
Mar 27, 2026 • 19min
World’s First Antimatter Truck Carries Most Valuable And Volatile Substance on Earth
Alex Wilkins, a science reporter who toured CERN, gives vivid on-site accounts of the lab’s antimatter work. He describes the 92-antiproton truck test drive, how antimatter is produced and trapped, the engineering behind a shock‑proof transport box, and why researchers want to move antimatter to quieter labs for precision measurements.
7 snips
Mar 25, 2026 • 18min
Scientists Can Now Preserve a Brain After Death - What’s Next?
Thomas Lewton, science journalist on consciousness and ethics, and Alexandra Thompson, science editor who detailed Nectome’s pig-brain preservation protocol, explore a technique that preserves whole-brain structure. They discuss the preservation method, timing and technical hurdles. The conversation covers ethical questions around offering the procedure to terminally ill people and whether preserved brains could ever be revived or have minds reconstructed.
15 snips
Mar 23, 2026 • 17min
The Dangerous Bias Shaping the Future of AI
Catherine de Lange, Editor at New Scientist who attended a Royal Society conference, explains how AI is being shaped mostly by men. She highlights everyday design biases from crash test dummies to phones. Conversations cover AI neglecting women’s health and caregiving, funding and culture in tech, and whether current models must be rebuilt for fairness.
18 snips
Mar 21, 2026 • 51min
Rebecca Solnit On Why the Future Isn’t as Dark as It Looks
Rebecca Solnit, writer and activist known for books on feminism and environmental change, discusses resurfacing indigenous stories and shifting Western narratives. She explores science showing human-nature interconnectedness, climate politics and public will, technology’s mixed effects, and how incremental victories in rights and conservation add up to a quiet revolution.
11 snips
Mar 19, 2026 • 21min
Why The Iran War Is Speeding The End Of The Fossil Fuel Era
Alec Luhn, a climate reporter who analyzes energy markets and geopolitics, explores how the Iran conflict is reshaping global energy choices. He discusses Asia’s wake-up call on energy security. He highlights which countries are fast-tracking renewables and EVs. He examines oil price shocks, China’s role in solar exports, and the short-term coal rebound versus long-term clean transition.
24 snips
Mar 13, 2026 • 24min
Mathematics is Undergoing the Biggest Change in its History
Alex Wilkins, New Scientist reporter covering AI and mathematics, explains how AI is now cracking competition problems and research puzzles. He discusses why mathematicians feel threatened, how specialised models differ from chatbots, and the push to formalise proofs so machines can check them. The conversation also recalls AlphaGo’s creative legacy and what rapid AI progress means for the field.
23 snips
Mar 11, 2026 • 18min
The Radical Theory That Could Force Us To Rethink Alzheimer’s
Alice Klein, New Scientist reporter who covers research and investigations, explores a radical idea that Alzheimer’s might begin outside the brain. She outlines surprising genomic evidence, links to gum, lung and gut health, the role of inflammation and barrier tissues, and why amyloid and tau may not tell the whole story.
15 snips
Mar 9, 2026 • 25min
We Now Have Early Warning Signal Of Ocean Current Collapse
Alec Luhn, climate journalist who explains complex research for general readers, unpacks the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and Gulf Stream dynamics. He discusses evidence the AMOC is weakening. He describes high-resolution models that show a northward shift, a potential abrupt 200 km jump, and how a two-to-three-decade early warning could help policy and monitoring.
12 snips
Mar 5, 2026 • 19min
Two 'Extinct' Mammals Species Have Been Discovered in New Guinea
Tim Flannery, Australian palaeontologist and mammalogist who led the team confirming two marsupials alive in New Guinea. He recounts fossil clues and local sightings that proved survival. Hear about a newly identified glider with monogamous habits and tree gardening, and a pygmy long-fingered possum whose elongated digit extracts grubs. Conservation threats and Indigenous cultural ties are also discussed.
21 snips
Feb 27, 2026 • 20min
How Ukraine Became a Drone Factory - and Changed Warfare Forever
Serhii Andriev, a Ukrainian drone-regiment deputy commander with frontline drone combat experience, and Matt Sparkes, a technology reporter who toured drone factories and training centres. They talk about Ukraine scaling mass drone production, how factories and training turned soldiers into operators, the rise of ground robots and gamified kill systems, and rapid tech evolution and countermeasures.
