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Technology

Tech Life discovers and explains the ways technology is changing our lives, wherever we are in the world. We meet the people with bright ideas for rethinking the way we work, learn and play, and get hands-on with the products they dream up. We hold tech giants to account for their huge power to affect our lives, and ask who wins, and who loses, in the technology transformation. Tech Life is your g... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes380Founded13 years ago
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Artwork for Tech Life

Latest Episodes

A week ago, few outside of the tech world had heard of PHP. Now, after vulnerabilities were discovered, it’s an acronym many more of us are familiar with. With the help of insiders, we tell the story of the PHP crisis. Plus, Tech Life speaks to a com... more

Shiona McCallum visits a semiconductor plant making super-thin and flexible chips. Canada's AI Minister talks to the BBC. And drone tech is monitoring fire-damaged landscapes. You can view Shiona's report on thermal drones here: www.youtube.c... more

Where should data centres be built? We talk to an entrepreneur hoping to build a virtual data centre in space, by using computing power that's already up there - in satellites.

Also this week: A Facebook whistleblower, whose story inspired a new mov... more

What exactly is a supercomputer for? How does it work? And who gets to use it? Tech Life spends the day at the UK’s national supercomputer to get the answers. We get a rare tour of one of the most powerful computers in the country, and speak to scien... 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

Ondřej Surý
Programmer who prepares and distributes PHP binary packages
Episode: The man who ‘saved the internet’
Louis Irwin
Chief operating officer of an online training company
YourHippo
Episode: The man who ‘saved the internet’
Mark Parsons
Director of EPCC, the National Supercomputer Centre at the University of Edinburgh
EPCC
Episode: The man who ‘saved the internet’
Olga Neymar
Comedian whose jokes were used by AI-generated avatars
Episode: The man who ‘saved the internet’
David Moore
CEO of Pragmatic Semiconductor
Pragmatic Semiconductor
Episode: Beyond silicon chips
Evan Solomon
Canada's Minister for AI and Digital Innovation
Government of Canada
Episode: Beyond silicon chips
Yasmine Morgan-Griffiths
BBC producer and Tech Now reporter covering technology and climate stories
BBC
Episode: Beyond silicon chips
Rama Afullo
Founder and chief executive of Satellite
Satellite
Episode: Virtual data centres in space
Frances Haugen
Data scientist, product manager and former Facebook whistleblower
null
Episode: Virtual data centres in space

Hosts

Chris Vallance
Host of Tech Life; BBC World Service contributor; long-standing technology journalist.
Shona McCallum
Co-host and journalist with a focus on tech life segments; experienced reporter within the program.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 468 ratings
  • Informative.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    markyman
    10 days ago
  • Ads are too loud

    Don’t mind ads but don’t understand why the volume increase when ads play , instead of just listening to the ads I skip them because of the annoyance. I enjoy the podcast but whoever manages the ad insertion need to fix the volume issue

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    mentesalertas
    United States3 months ago
  • Dreadful BBC drivel, shame.

    This podcast replaced Digital Planet which was very interesting and had great presenters until it started to push the BBC’s propaganda. Tech Life has taken over and it’s now just wall-to-wall boring chat with lifeless presenters. The BBC pushing their political views and dressing it up as a Tech show. Unsubscribed.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    colwright3
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • There's a real potential here based on the topics chosen, but sadly there is virtually no depth of analysis or questioning of the subject on the part of the hosts beyond the most perfunctory and introductory of levels.

    Most of the episodes are instead taken up by tangential personal stories from the presenters coupled with listener mail which is read to everyone with their thanks, but so far none has been actually investigated or answered.

    Podcast Addict
    3
    MCMH
    a year ago
  • Very poor journalism

    Disappointing from the BBC. Nothing new, no insights, no in depth reporting, just very basic tech stories that are either old or reported much better elsewhere. Recommend “Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast” instead.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Vilnius girl
    United Kingdom2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate concise, topical episodes with expert perspectives.
Discerning and practical tech coverage, with strong guest expertise.
Mixed audience sentiment around production quality and accessibility across platforms.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#42
United Kingdom/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#103
Canada/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#96
Italy/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#198
France/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#242
Australia/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#17
Poland/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The man who ‘saved the internet’
Q: Could the new supercomputer run on renewable power, and what happens to researchers when Archer II is switched off?
Mark Parsons says the new system is expected to use four or five times as much electricity but will run on renewable power. Researchers from Archer II have been allocated time on smaller National Compute Resources systems during the transition.
The man who ‘saved the internet’
Q: What happens to the heat generated by the supercomputer data centres?
EPCC is connecting its water loop to a nearby university energy centre so hot water can heat veterinary medicine buildings. It is also researching whether local mines could store heat for nearby communities.
Virtual data centres in space
Q: Are you worried about the AI sector kind of following in social media's footsteps or missteps?
Haugen worries that children may prefer idealized AI companions to human relationships, and says society should decide now what use is appropriate and safe.
Virtual data centres in space
Q: Why are people interested in putting data centres in space?
Afullo points to continuous access to solar energy and the potential for natural cooling, while noting that heat dissipation remains a challenge.
Beyond silicon chips
Q: Could I ask you about this race. Donald Trump says whoever wins the AI race wins. Is Canada in the race? And where are you?
Solomon says Canada is focused on safety and shared prosperity rather than treating AI development as a race, while building infrastructure and pursuing AI that reflects its values.

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 Tech Life

What is Tech Life about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Tech Life explores how technology reshapes work, learning, and daily life across the globe, featuring hands-on product stories, industry debates, and interviews with researchers, entrepreneurs, and practitioners. Episodes commonly cover emergent tech like AI, autonomous systems, health tech, and sustainable innovations, often pairing technical depth with practical implications for policy, business, and everyday users. A standout trait is bringing diverse expert perspectives—from academia, industry, and activist communities—into accessible conversations, sometimes spotlighting user-centered tech and ethical considerations. This mix makes it valuable for listeners who want timely tech context, actionable insights, and thoughtful discussions a... more

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How many listeners does Tech Life get?

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How many subscribers and views does Tech Life have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Tech Life 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 Tech Life?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Tech Life:

1. BBC Inside Science
2. CrowdScience
3. Discovery
4. Unexpected Elements
5. Business Daily

How many episodes of Tech Life are there?

Tech Life launched 13 years ago and published 380 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 Tech Life?

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 Tech Life?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Tech Life from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Tech Life?

Recent guests on Tech Life include:

1. Ondřej Surý
2. Louis Irwin
3. Mark Parsons
4. Olga Neymar
5. David Moore
6. Evan Solomon
7. Yasmine Morgan-Griffiths
8. Rama Afullo

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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