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Unexpected Elements

BBC World Service
Climate Change
COP28
Black Worms
Cricket World Cup
Ecosystem Dynamics
Indigenous Rights
Nature
Virtual Meetings
Tunneling
Red Sea
Neuralink
Random Acts Of Kindness Day
Australia
India
Quantum Tunneling
Coral Conservation
Science Diplomacy
Microbiome
Biodiversity
Fruit Fly Brain Mapping

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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes317Founded13 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Science

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Artwork for Unexpected Elements

Latest Episodes

With this year’s Oscars on the horizon, and vampire film Sinners nominated for a record-breaking 16 awards, the Unexpected Elements team sinks their teeth into some blood-sucking science.

First, we discover that Vlad the Impaler, the Romanian prince... more

The Hindu festival of Holi has the Unexpected Elements team delving into the science of colour. First up, forget chicken and egg, we bring you a whole new controversy of which came first: colour or colour vision? Then, we learn how a new development ... more

A dip in global cocoa prices got the Unexpected Elements team wondering about chocolate science.

First, we look at how the microbial communities in cocoa beans fine tune the taste of chocolate. Also, could table sugar help us detect the missing bit... more

Identical twins on trial for murder in France have left forensic experts unable to answer the question of which one pulled the gun’s trigger. With both having the same DNA, it got the Unexpected Elements team thinking, when do identical twins cease t... more

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
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Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

CrowdScience
CrowdScienceBBC World Service
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Science WeeklyThe Guardian

Recent Guests

Naomi Ewald
Dr Naomi Ewald, Freshwater Habitats Trust in the UK
Freshwater Habitats Trust
Episode: Out for blood
Andrada Fiscutean
Tech journalist; Bucharest-based broadcaster
Romanian Academy/University context mentioned
Episode: The colour of science
Chhavi Sachdev
Journalist and broadcaster; Mumbai-based
Media
Episode: The colour of science
Roger Hanlon
Marine biologist and sensory ecologist
Marine Biology Research
Episode: The colour of science
Gemma Gould
Lecturer in optometry
University of Manchester
Episode: The colour of science
Charles Spence
Professor of Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
Episode: A sweet treat
Nancy Segal
Professor of Developmental Psychology and Director of the Twin Studies Center at California State University
California State University
Episode: Seeing double
Marco Bertini
Professor of Marketing
Asada Business School, Barcelona
Episode: Are you lucky?
Christoph Salzmann
Professor of Physical and Materials Chemistry
University College London
Episode: Let the games begin

Hosts

Marnie Chesterton
Host of Unexpected Elements, engaging with a variety of scientific and cultural topics.
Caroline Steel
Co-host and contributor to various discussions and insights on scientific topics.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 1.3k ratings
  • Love! Great tangents.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    bluestemowner
    a month ago
  • Pls do this

    Can you pls do a K-pop demon hunters episode ty

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Hananatet 29
    Australia6 months ago
  • Woman hour

    This should be a good program but with.altered narrative, very female view. I think woman’s hour around science with hint of anti men.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Tubbytum
    United Kingdom8 months ago
  • Perfect!!

    Not to quick!!

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Tobr13
    Italya year ago
  • Woman hour

    This should be a good program but as expected with. Most BBC let’s alter narrative, very female view. I think woman’s hour around science with hint of anti men

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Tubbytum
    United Kingdoma year ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate the variety of topics and engaging presentation style, often highlighting the informative nature of the discussions.
Some feedback points towards the audio quality being inconsistent, which can detract from the listening experience.
There's a noted enjoyment of unique perspectives and connections drawn between science and everyday life, making it a recommended listen for those interested in educational content.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#192
United States/Science
Apple Podcasts
#73
United Kingdom/Science
Apple Podcasts
#133
Canada/Science
Apple Podcasts
#93
Australia/Science
Apple Podcasts
#158
Italy/Science
Apple Podcasts
#186
France/Science

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The colour of science
Q: Why do some people have trouble reading light text on a dark background while others prefer it?
Differences in pupil size with lighting affect sharpness and afterimages; contrast settings on devices help people tailor readability.
Out for blood
Q: What is the current status of artificial blood and why hasn't it replaced real donor blood yet?
Artificial blood has shown promise by delivering oxygen using hemoglobin-based formulations or perfluorocarbon solutions, but clinical trials have not yet produced a product that matches all the performance, safety, and cost benchmarks of donor blood.
A sweet treat
Q: How does sugar get involved in dark matter detection?
Ordinary table sugar is suggested to be a detector for a type of dark matter called WIMPs.
A sweet treat
Q: Can the shape of a chocolate bar impact its flavour?
Yes, people tend to associate sweet things with round shapes and bitter things with angular shapes.
Seeing double
Q: How identical are identical twins?
Identical twins are not strictly identical due to prenatal mutations and environmental influences that can create differences.

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 Unexpected Elements

What is Unexpected Elements about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A unique exploration of science in everyday life, this podcast dives into a variety of captivating topics that challenge conventional narratives. Listeners can expect engaging discussions on diverse subjects, from the complexities of animal lifespans to the intersection of culture and science seen in Afronauts. Noteworthy episodes tackle themes such as the psychology behind arguments and the scientific implications of societal issues. This approach not only informs but also invites listeners to view the world through a scientific lens, making it a thought-provoking experience.

Where can I find podcast stats for Unexpected Elements?

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How many listeners does Unexpected Elements get?

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What are the audience demographics for Unexpected Elements?

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How many subscribers and views does Unexpected Elements have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Unexpected Elements 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 Unexpected Elements?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Unexpected Elements:

1. CrowdScience
2. BBC Inside Science
3. Discovery
4. The Life Scientific
5. Science Weekly

How many episodes of Unexpected Elements are there?

Unexpected Elements launched 13 years ago and published 317 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 Unexpected Elements?

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 Unexpected Elements?

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

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Unexpected Elements?

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What guests have appeared on Unexpected Elements?

Recent guests on Unexpected Elements include:

1. Naomi Ewald
2. Andrada Fiscutean
3. Chhavi Sachdev
4. Roger Hanlon
5. Gemma Gould
6. Charles Spence
7. Nancy Segal
8. Marco Bertini

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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