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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
Covid-19
Neuroscience
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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes670Founded13 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Science

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for BBC Inside Science

Latest Episodes

Nuclear fusion energy, the idea of copying the sun’s heat source on earth to make limitless commercial energy is famously always 30 years away. This month, the UK and US have agreed to combine the brains of their nuclear fusion supercomputers in an a... more

Is AI really plotting against us? In a week where an Anthropic researcher believes there is more than a 10% chance AI 'could kill all humans' we're delving deeper into the capabilities of AI agents. Tom Whipple is joined by Alex Mallen, from Redwood ... more

The quest for Dark Matter just got interesting. Researchers on an international project called the Lux-Zeplin (LZ) Dark Matter Experiment reported they may have discovered the signature of a bit of Dark Matter passing through an underground mine in S... more

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

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Tim Bestwick
Interim Chief Executive Officer, UK Atomic Energy Authority
UKAEA
Episode: AI to solve the energy crisis?
Deborah Cohen
Author; researcher on health and social media impacts
Royal Society Trivedi Book Prize shortlisted author
Episode: AI to solve the energy crisis?
Steve Ramirez
Author, How to Change a Memory
Open University (via interview)
Episode: AI to solve the energy crisis?
Alex Mallen
Member of the Inside Science team with access to AI transcripts
Redwood
Episode: What AI agents talk about behind your back
Stuart Russell
AI expert from UC Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
Episode: What AI agents talk about behind your back
Jingmai O'Connor
Bird fossil expert
Field Museum of Natural History
Episode: What AI agents talk about behind your back
Kimberly Palladino
Professor of Physics at Oxford and LZ collaborator
Oxford University; LZ collaboration
Episode: The quest for dark matter
Erika Santoro
Microbiologist turned ecologist
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Episode: The quest for dark matter
Fred Pearce
Veteran environmental journalist
Independent commentator
Episode: The quest for dark matter

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
  • Adverts in the middle of words

    Come on BBC, I pay my licence fee, stop dumping adverts for other content in the middle of the show!

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Dave 123456
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • 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
    Canada3 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 Kingdom3 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
    6 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
#138
United States/Science
Spotify
#17
United Kingdom/Science
Apple Podcasts
#11
United Kingdom/Science
Apple Podcasts
#61
Canada/Science
Spotify
#32
Australia/Science
Apple Podcasts
#18
Italy/Science

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The day of the datacentres
Q: What is the lifecycle and end-of-life outlook for data-center equipment?
There is a push to design for repair, reuse, upgrade, and easier recycling of components to recover materials at end of life.
The day of the datacentres
Q: What are the main water-related challenges in cooling data centers?
Cooling uses significant water, with trade-offs between open-loop and closed-loop systems; energy efficiency can reduce power use but may raise water consumption unless managed carefully.
The day of the datacentres
Q: Why are data centers suddenly a hot topic now?
Because AI and data-heavy services are expanding rapidly, increasing demand for energy and water, and prompting scrutiny of where centers are located and how they are powered and cooled.
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.

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.

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How many listeners does BBC Inside Science get?

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

How many episodes of BBC Inside Science are there?

BBC Inside Science launched 13 years ago and published 670 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?

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What guests have appeared on BBC Inside Science?

Recent guests on BBC Inside Science include:

1. Tim Bestwick
2. Deborah Cohen
3. Steve Ramirez
4. Alex Mallen
5. Stuart Russell
6. Jingmai O'Connor
7. Kimberly Palladino
8. Erika Santoro

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.

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