Life Solved

In this episode, Professor Simon Stewart from the University of Portsmouth shares how the Covid-19 pandemic transformed the focus and impact of his sociology research, as he embarked on a project with a charity that changes the lives of people experiencing homelessness. You’ll hear true stories of tragedy and survival on the margins of society, as Professor Stewart shares the experiences of m...

What if I told you a new dinosaur species is discovered roughly every two weeks - and you could discover the next one?   Life Solved explores the unprecedented boom in dinosaur discoveries. Since 2003, more than 45 new species have been found every year. In 2025 alone, 44 new species were named. We're living through what scientists call the "golden age of palaeontology." But why now?   I...

What if I told you the Iranian revolution was predictable - and the clues were in what women were wearing? As we approach International Women’s Day, Life Solved welcomes back a past guest, Dr Mahsa Gaffari, a specialist in marketing at the University of Portsmouth, whose research suggests consumption acts as a "crystal ball of society". In 2023, Dr Gaffari explained how dress codes and shopping ch...

Countries are negotiating a Global Plastics Treaty to unite nations against plastic pollution, but progress has been significantly delayed. The process is under scrutiny, the Chair has recently stepped down, and while the next round of talks (INC-5.3) is scheduled for February 2026, the future of the treaty remains uncertain.  Even if consensus is achieved, ratification could take years. So w...

How similar are we to our closest living relatives? Closer than you might think - and the latest research is revealing just how much we share with chimpanzees and monkeys. In this episode of Life Solved, we speak to two experts from the University of Portsmouth's Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, who are passionate about the deep evolutionary roots of human intelligence. Dr Esthe...

In this episode we chat to Craig Jones MBE, founder of the charity Fighting with Pride, a University of Portsmouth alumnus, and a recent honorary graduate recipient. The Royal Navy veteran’s story is one of resilience, transformation and advocacy; from serving in silence under a ban on LGBTQ+ people in the armed forces, to starting a charity that’s changed lives and policy in the UK. It serves as...

In the first episode of Series 15 we meet Alice Hendy MBE, CEO and founder of R;pple Suicide Prevention and a recent University of Portsmouth honorary graduate. Alice set up the charity from scratch after losing her brother to suicide in November 2020. Drawing on her cybersecurity background, she created R;pple - an innovative digital tool that intercepts harmful online searches and guides individ...

This week Life Solved has a special one-off episode looking at INC-4. We unpack the fourth session of Global Plastics Treaty talks that recently took place in Canada - where global policymakers, charities, experts, and businesses sat down to work out how to end plastic pollution. In her opening address, United Nations Environment Programme Chief, Inger Andersen, said to stop plastic pollution, we...

In this episode we chat to two researchers who travelled to one of the most remote inhospitable regions on the planet, in the pursuit of science. Professor Fay Couceiro and Dr Clare Boston from the University of Portsmouth travelled 7,000 nautical miles onboard a Royal Navy ship during its annual trip to the frozen continent of Antarctica. We find out why they were there, what they saw, and what l...

Instead of keeping nature out, architects around the world are looking at innovative ways to work with environments to help reduce the planet’s carbon footprint. To mark World Earth Day (April 22), this episode explores the transformative power of design and the impact of architecture on building a safe and sustainable future. We’re joined by Dr Phevos Kallitsis, Associate Head of the Portsmouth S...

To mark UN English Language Day (23 April), we consider how English became one of the world’s most widely spoken languages. And we find out how a mathematical model developed at the University of Portsmouth might predict its future.  Dr Mario Saraceni, Associate Professor in English Language and Linguistics, explains how English spread and changed around the globe, and why speakers overseas i...

What does sport, science, the sea, and space all have in common? While this sounds like the start of a bad joke, the answer is actually the GB Row challenge. Using state-of-the-art equipment, rowers were able to gather incredible insights into the state of our ocean on their 2,000 mile journey. We've caught up with Maggie Hodge, one of the rowers from GB Row's all-women ⁠Team Ithaca⁠ , and ⁠Laura...

In this episode, we peer inside a place that most people want to be kept out of, but one University of Portsmouth researcher has worked hard to get into - prisons. Professor Francis Pakes from the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice purposefully incarcerated himself in an Icelandic prison for two weeks to find out what life on the inside is really like.  For Life Solved, he looks at ho...

EPISODE 01: What will happen when there’s no water left to drink? TX DATE: 21 March 2024 Water is our most precious resource; it underpins all aspects of life. But despite this, experts warn many of us around the world could be faced with the prospect of running out of fresh water. To mark World Water Day, in this episode we’ll be speaking to researchers from the University of Portsmouth, to find...

This is the time of year when the Christmas bills start arriving through the letterbox and with national economies continuing to struggle in many places of the world, January might be feeling something of a challenge for you. Dr Robert Gausden is a senior lecturer in the School of Accounting, Economics and Finance and Dr Joe Cox is Associate Professor of Digital Economy at the University of Portsm...

For many of us, January is the time for New Year’s resolutions, whether that be cutting out chocolate, carbs or coffee. But to what extent do our cravings come down to smell? In this episode, we explore the science of smells, and how our noses tell us more about the world than we often give them credit for. Dr Lorenzo Stafford is Associate Professor in Psychobiological Psychology at the University...

In this episode, we explore the concept of democracy – and ask whether it’s under threat. Leila Choukroune is Professor of International Law and Director of the Democratic Citizenship Thematic Area at the University of Portsmouth, whilst Daniel Bedford is Senior Lecturer and Programme Lead for the Law School. At a time when democracy seems particularly at risk, we take a look at its history, what...

In this episode, we discover how social media is increasingly a breeding ground for so-called ‘Incel’ content, perpetuating misinformation, misogyny, sexism and even violence – and increasingly accessible on mainstream platforms. Anda Solea is a PhD researcher and Teaching Fellow, and together with Dr Lisa Sugiura, Associate Professor in Cybercrime & Gender in the School of Criminology & J...

In this episode, whilst many of us talk about ‘UFOs’, we take a fresh look at the rebranded term ‘unidentified anomalous phenomena’ (UAPs). This comes as NASA investigates many years’ worth of seemingly out of this world sightings. Dr Chris Pattison is a research software engineer at the University of Portsmouth’s Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, and also hosts a popular YouTube channel dis...

In this episode, we take a look at seaside towns. Often portrayed in books and films as being a unique combination of pleasure and danger, the modern day coastal town carries a lot of its past alongside the challenges of the current day. Associate Professor, Dr Tom Sykes & Dr Louis Netter from the University of Portsmouth have collaborated to produce a book called ‘Coast Of Teeth’, exploring B...

In this episode, we explore the real risks of nuclear radiation – and how incorrect information can cause unnecessary concern. You might have read about Japan’s Fukushima power plant releasing its wastewater into the Pacific Ocean – and potentially some of the accusations or fears around the decision. But often it’s misinformation and lack of understanding that leads to negative news stories – wit...

To celebrate the start of season 13 of Life Solved, and as we record this just a few days before Halloween, we’re taking a deep dive into the world of horror. And what better way to record the episode, than at one of the most haunted places in Portsmouth, The New Theatre Royal.  Dr Rebecca Janicker, Senior Lecturer in Film and Media Studies at the University of Portsmouth, explores the histor...

AI and the likes of Chat GPT are possibly the biggest technological development of our age – and the subject of much discussion. But with artificial intelligence evolving at speed, this episode asks what the dangers and benefits are; both now and in the future? And if you’re still grappling with understanding what AI actually is, we tackle that too. From the creative arts to governments trying to...

In this episode, we take a look at something nearly all expectant parents do – the reading of self-help books – and ask whether the advice they’re picking up is actually teaching unattainable goals. Dr Lexie Scherer is a senior lecturer at the University of Portsmouth and her research has discovered that parenting manuals can lead to a parent-shaming culture, affecting mothers, fathers and often c...

In this episode, we take a look at something most of us take for granted – the two-day weekend. But are two days enough? Brad Beavan is a professor in social and cultural history at the University of Portsmouth. As you’ll hear, even the weekend as we know it is a relatively new development in the western world. So how did we get to where we are today, how likely is it that we’ll be enjoying a four...