Unexpected Elements

BBC World Service

The news you know, the science you don’t. Unexpected Elements looks beyond everyday narratives to discover a goldmine of scientific stories and connections from around the globe. From Afronauts, to why we argue, to a deep dive on animal lifespans: see the world in a new way.

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27 episodes
weekly
Avg 49 min
English

Episodes 27

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Yesterday · 49 min
A distorted view
A new world map inspires a fresh look at our planet and beyond.
September 11 · 49 min
The phizz-whizzing science of Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl Day has us seeking out some phizz-whizzing science inspired by his stories.
September 4 · 49 min
The show must go on
Freddie Mercury’s 80th birthday has us under pressure to deliver a smash hit of a show.
August 28 · 49 min
A very dry episode
The ongoing droughts have us delving into the science of rivers, diseases and raisins
August 21 · 49 min
Fashionably late
An overdue library book sparks stories of late earthquakes, Martian meteorites and more
August 14 · 49 min
Light entertainment
This week’s solar eclipse has us investigating the science of blocking sunlight
August 7 · 49 min
Someone's always watching
Gen Z's new love of birdwatching has us on the lookout for some fascinating science.
July 31 · 49 min
Down The Rabbit Hole
As Disney’s Alice in Wonderland turns 75, we celebrate the science behind the story.
July 24 · 49 min
Bald caps, sparrow raps and lightning claps
A record at a Pitbull concert has us exploring baldness, fireballs, and rapping sparrows.
July 17 · 50 min
A scientific odyssey
A new film adaptation of the Greek epic poem sends us on our own unexpected journey
July 10 · 49 min
Everyone needs a hero
A Mexican vigilante nicknamed Batman has us exploring superhero science.
July 3 · 49 min
Stuck in a cycle
The removal of sales tax on period products in Pakistan has us talking biological cycles.
June 26 · 49 min
Dividing lines
A shifting border line in South Korea has us investigating all things boundaries.
June 19 · 49 min
Anyone for chips?
The rising cost of microchips has the team investigating chips of all descriptions.
June 12 · 49 min
The beautiful game
The Fifa Men’s World Cup has the Unexpected Elements team exploring all things football
June 5 · 51 min
Science bears fruit
A shortage of India’s prized ‘king of mangoes’ has us exploring some fruity science.
May 29 · 49 min
Celebrating science on Africa Day
From continental shifts to sky mountain, we explore the science across Africa
May 22 · 49 min
Unexpected enhancements
From cocaine salmon to peptides we look at performance enhancement
May 15 · 49 min
Hantavirus outbreak and what’s in a name
An outbreak of hantavirus has us looking at the unexpected science around the disease.
May 8 · 49 min
One hundred years of Sir David Attenborough
Sir David turns 100, but what’s the science behind achieving this significant birthday?

Showing 1–20 of 27 episodes