Science In Action

BBC World Service

The BBC brings you all the week's science news.

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335 episodes
Updated Oct 30, 2025

Episodes335

Newest first

Nov 5, 2020 · 39 min
Coronavirus spreads from mink to humans
What does transmission of coronavirus from mink to humans mean for the future vaccine?
Oct 29, 2020 · 26 min
Osiris Rex stows asteroid material
Successful closure of lid on Osiris Rex spacecraft
Oct 22, 2020 · 33 min
Nasa probe Osiris Rex lands on asteroid
Osiris Rex probe touches asteroid Bennu to sample secrets of the early solar system
Oct 15, 2020 · 35 min
Covid-19 mortality
Why is there such a range in the number of deaths from Covid -19 between countries?
Oct 8, 2020 · 37 min
Do Covid–19 mutations matter?
Results from the most detailed investigation to date into SARS –CoV-2 virus mutations
Oct 1, 2020 · 37 min
Are children the biggest Covid-19 spreaders?
The world’s largest study of Covid-19 transmission shows children have a major role.
Sep 24, 2020 · 41 min
Why Covid -19 vaccines may not stop transmission
They are only designed to prevent disease developing, none have been tested against spread
Sep 17, 2020 · 30 min
Malaria resistance breakthrough
Discovered in East Africa, the finding holds promise for completely new treatments.
Sep 15, 2020 · 26 min
Monitoring Covid-19, harvests and space junk
Monitoring spread of Covid-19, harvests in Africa from space, and space junk
Sep 10, 2020 · 38 min
Covid -19 science versus politics
Are the politicians finally coming round to the scientist’s views on the way forward?
Sep 3, 2020 · 31 min
Nyiragongo - is Goma under threat?
More than 2 million people live around this volcano, which has become more active
Aug 27, 2020 · 38 min
Covid-19 therapy controversy
Is convalescent plasma really a ‘tremendous’ treatment for Covid-19?
Aug 20, 2020 · 32 min
Trouble in Greenland
Has the loss from Greenland’s vast ice sheet reached a tipping point?
Aug 13, 2020 · 37 min
Putin’s Covid-19 vaccine
Despite widespread alarm, Russia is not about to roll out an untested vaccine.
Aug 6, 2020 · 32 min
Counting the heat health threat from climate change
Huge death toll from rising temperatures projected for century’s end.
Jul 30, 2020 · 35 min
NASA rover heads for Mars ancient lake
NASA 2020 rover launched on fresh search for life on Mars
Jul 23, 2020 · 34 min
Making a Covid-19 vaccine for two billion people
The challenge of making two billion Covid-19 vaccine doses within the year.
Jul 16, 2020 · 34 min
How long do Covid-19 antibodies last?
New research on how long our defences against the coronavirus last.
Jul 9, 2020 · 30 min
Rwanda’s game changing coronavirus test
African scientists have developed a reliable, quicker and cheaper mass testing method
Jul 2, 2020 · 31 min
Covid -19 and Children
Why a minority become gravely ill is still a mystery