Rephonic
Artwork for BBC Inside Science

BBC Inside Science

BBC Radio 4
Climate Change
Artificial Intelligence
NASA
Lab-Grown Meat
Mars
Sustainability
Plastic Pollution
Mathematics
Covid-19 Inquiry
Alzheimer's Disease
Renewable Energy
Tidal Energy
Earthquake
Biodiversity
Neuroscience
Covid-19
Ivy Farm Technologies
Bird Flu
Board Games
Spacex

A weekly programme that illuminates the mysteries and challenges the controversies behind the science that's changing our world.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes668Founded13 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Science

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for BBC Inside Science

Latest Episodes

Reports about the impacts of datacentres, including carbon emissions, water usage and power consumption, vary drastically and the truth can be hard to decipher. Deborah Andrews, Emeritus Professor at London South Bank University, joins us for some my... more

This week Merck (known as MSD in Europe) and Moderna announced that a personalised cancer vaccine had significantly improved the outcomes of melanoma patients. Is the era of the cancer vaccine, at last, upon us? What does that mean? Anne Willis, a ca... more

The extreme possibilities of synthetic biology hit the headlines last week, when researchers at Stanford University in the US announced they had created new kinds of viruses designed by Artificial Intelligence. Roland Pease is joined by microbiologis... more

Large parts of Europe are in the grip of drought. According to the UK Meteorological Office, last week was the UK's driest July on record. Katie Field, professor of plant-soil processes at Sheffield University, joins us to discuss the state of our st... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Unexpected Elements
Unexpected ElementsBBC World Service
CrowdScience
CrowdScienceBBC World Service
Discovery
DiscoveryBBC World Service
More or Less
More or LessBBC Radio 4
Science Weekly
Science WeeklyThe Guardian

Recent Guests

Anne Willis
cancer cell biologist at the MRC
MRC
Episode: Is the era of the cancer vaccine upon us?
Simon Clarke
Microbiologist at Reading University
University of Reading
Episode: Should we be scared of AI viruses?
Joy Zhang
Professor of Sociology specializing in the ethics of biological research
University of Kent
Episode: Should we be scared of AI viruses?
Claire Cousins
Reader in the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
Episode: Should we be scared of AI viruses?
Katie Field
Professor of Plant Soil Processes, Sheffield University
University of Sheffield
Episode: The state of our substrate: What is drought doing to our soil?
Esther Bastida-Pertegaz
Project Engineer, European Space Agency
European Space Agency (ESA)
Episode: The state of our substrate: What is drought doing to our soil?
Lizzie Gibney
Writer for Nature Magazine
Nature
Episode: The state of our substrate: What is drought doing to our soil?
Lewis Dartnell
Astrobiologist at the University of Westminster
University of Westminster
Episode: Are we alone in the universe?
Sara Seagar
Astrophysicist and planetary scientist
MIT
Episode: Are we alone in the universe?

Hosts

Roland Pease
Host/Contributor with a focus on science policy and broad context, associated with the BBC World Service.
Tom Whipple
Host of Inside Science; primary presenter handling a range of science topics with hands-on explanations.
Gareth Mitchell
Science journalist and presenter providing broader perspective and context.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 2.4k ratings
  • Excellent podcast!

    The only reason it’s not 5/5 is because the lovely hosts are a little too lively. Giggly almost. If you could bring Roland Pease in for more segments, or make it more like Science in Action, I would be so grateful.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Luisa574278
    Canada2 months ago
  • Social media ban

    I agree with the ban I am 13 kids are on there phones and devices way too much social media is bad and most kids screen time is ridiculous

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    My opinion !!!
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • Pluto is a planet

    •EPISODE: “Should Pluto be a Planet Again?” In which the supposedly neutral BBC host advances his anti-Pluto biased personal slant seconds before pronouncing “Uranus” in the prudish American fashion.

    This propaganda slop makes “Crowd Science” look like the Nobel Institute.

    * Unscubscribe*

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    (Gibberer)
    Australia4 months ago
  • English competence and humour at it's best, always nice conversations

    Podcast Addict
    5
    joll
    5 months ago
  • Why am I listening ads? (paid subscriber)

    Title. What’s going on here? What’s the point of paying to remove ads and have ads not removed?

    Also: Tom Whipple makes this podcast hard to listen to. Guy just doesn’t have the vibe. Please bring Marnie Chesterton back.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    backslash-f
    Germany6 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some critiques note pacing or presentation style, with calls for more depth on certain topics.
Audience feedback highlights accessibility and engaging guest experts as key strengths.
There are recurring comments about ad experience and requests for transcriptions.
Listeners praise rigorous science coverage and broad topic range.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#126
United States/Science
Spotify
#20
United Kingdom/Science
Apple Podcasts
#12
United Kingdom/Science
Apple Podcasts
#47
Canada/Science
Spotify
#33
Australia/Science
Apple Podcasts
#34
Australia/Science

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How might we spot nukes in space?
Q: How could we detect such a weapon from another satellite, given the harsh space environment?
By looking for neutron signatures produced when heavy elements inside a weapon interact with high-energy protons in radiation-rich regions like the Van Allen belt, though distinguishing this signal from natural space radiation and doing so from a safe distance poses major challenges.
How might we spot nukes in space?
Q: Why would anyone want to put a nuclear weapon in space?
To disrupt satellite networks in a hypothetical conflict, leveling the strategic playing field by destroying or degrading large swacks of space-based assets, which would have significant military implications for modern warfare.
Finding the evidence for the social media ban
Q: What's the evidence so far?
There are evolving lines of evidence. Some studies show harm to individual young people while broader data suggest more mixed results, and researchers emphasize the need for careful, causal evidence such as randomized trials and well-designed cohort studies to determine impact and mechanisms.
Plankton's untapped potential
Q: How can plankton be utilized or cultivated in ways that might help address climate concerns, and what are the risks?
There is potential for leveraging plankton in carbon sequestration or bio-inspired technologies, but it requires careful science, strong governance, and consideration of unintended consequences before any large-scale deployment.
Plankton's untapped potential
Q: What exactly is the Plankton Manifesto addressing, and why is plankton so overlooked in biodiversity discussions?
Plankton is an umbrella term for a vast diversity of tiny organisms that drive the biological carbon pump and climate processes; they are essential for life but have been underrepresented in policy discussions compared to charismatic megafauna and reef organisms.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About BBC Inside Science

What is BBC Inside Science about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A weekly science-focused program covers a broad spectrum of current topics, from AI-driven biotechnology and space security to climate intervention and planetary science. Episodes weave technical explanations with ethical, policy, and societal implications, featuring a mix of scientists, engineers, journalists, and policy experts. Notable strengths include accessible explanations of cutting-edge research, thoughtful governance and ethics discussions, and a willingness to tackle controversial topics such as geoengineering, planetary classification, and AI in science. Listeners can expect a high-density science show with real-world relevance, hosted by veteran science communicators who balance depth with general audience understanding.

Where can I find podcast stats for BBC Inside Science?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for BBC Inside Science. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to BBC Inside Science and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does BBC Inside Science get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for BBC Inside Science, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for BBC Inside Science?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for BBC Inside Science, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does BBC Inside Science have?

To see how many followers or subscribers BBC Inside Science has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to BBC Inside Science?

These podcasts share a similar audience with BBC Inside Science:

1. Unexpected Elements
2. CrowdScience
3. Discovery
4. More or Less
5. Science Weekly

How many episodes of BBC Inside Science are there?

BBC Inside Science launched 13 years ago and published 668 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact BBC Inside Science?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for BBC Inside Science?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for BBC Inside Science from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for BBC Inside Science?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of BBC Inside Science. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on BBC Inside Science?

Recent guests on BBC Inside Science include:

1. Anne Willis
2. Simon Clarke
3. Joy Zhang
4. Claire Cousins
5. Katie Field
6. Esther Bastida-Pertegaz
7. Lizzie Gibney
8. Lewis Dartnell

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days