Create the Future

The invention of timepieces was arguably more significant for humanity than the printing press or the wheel. So, how has timekeeping evolved over 40,000 years? How has it shaped society? And how will we keep track of time when our species starts to live on Mars? Do make time for this whistle-stop journey through the evolution of time-telling. Watchmaker and historian Rebecca Struthers , author of...

What innovations from F1 impact our daily lives? Just how far can engineers push race cars? Is the motorsport industry the fastest and most effective R&D lab in the world? Our podcast host George Imafidon is a Performance Engineer with Team X44, Sir Lewis Hamilton's electric race team, as well as a board member at The Hamilton Commission. Joining George for a pitstop and a chat are: Wavey Dyna...

Made exclusively with renewable power, green hydrogen is emerging as a promising alternative to polluting fossil fuels. Is green hydrogen the fuel of the future? And what are the potential pitfalls? Joining host George Imafidon are: Caroline Hargrove , CTO for Ceres Power, who were awarded the 2023  MacRobert Award  by the Royal Academy of Engineering for " ground-breaking fuel cell...

Is there a foolproof way of ensuring your checked baggage doesn't get lost in transit? How might drones revolutionise air travel? How long until the UK embraces Vertiports for electrical vertical take-off? Mohammad Taher aka Mo T aka The Airport Guy is an Aerodrome Systems Engineer at Heathrow. He discloses some airport secrets to host George Imafidon . Fasten your seatbelts, sit back, and enjoy t...

How does listening to the rhythms of a city improve urban design and planning? Is music as important a resource as clean water or electricity? And what exactly is a Musical City? Tuning-up for a fascinating conversation with host Roma Agrawal are: Shain Shapiro , founder of the nonprofit Center for Music Ecosystems, and author of 'This Must Be The Place: How Music Can Make Your City Better'. Dr Sa...

We often think of engineering as buildings, bridges, boats ... but what can the ordinary small objects that we put in our mouths teach us about an engineer's process? And why is breaking things just as important as making? British artist and materials engineer Zoe Laughlin opens up the doors to her Institute Of Making , a research club for those interested in the made world. Roma Agrawal M.B.E hos...

How should we re-engineer our coastlines and oceans to boost marine biodiversity? Dive into this deep discussion between host Roma Agrawal and Jaime Ascencio, Coastal Engineer and CEO of Reefy , a startup focused on innovations for the blue economy. Follow @QEPrize on Twitter , Instagram , and Facebook for more info. New episodes - conversations about how to rebuild the world better - every other...

What's the role of microbes in urban design? How can biology dictate buildings of the future? Should a city have senses? Avowed concrete lover Roma Agrawal constructs a fascinating conversation with two experts on Urban Ecology: Carlo Ratti is an architect, engineer, inventor, educator and activist. He's a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he directs his MIT Senseab...

Is there life on Mars? And why is it so vital for the future of humanity to find out the answer to that question? What are the ethical implications of the Mars Rover? Roma Agrawal hosts a rocket-fuelled conversation with two stellar experts: Dr. Jim Green , physicist and retired chief scientist for NASA. Abbie Hutty , who worked as lead structures engineer on the 2020 ExoMars rover, and was the yo...

How can engineering become more inclusive for disabled and neurodivergent people? And what are the engineering innovations that might make the workplace more accessible in the future? Lara Suzuki and Vint Cerf share their experiences and insights. Larissa Suzuki is a computer scientist, inventor, Chartered Engineer, and entrepreneur, who works with Google, NASA, UCL and the Queen Elizabeth Prize f...

What engineering solutions should we be using on water scarcity, flood, and drought? Do we value our water enough? What is the Slow Water Movement? Host Roma Agrawal hosts two H2O experts: Erica Geis , independent journalist and author of 'Water Always Wins: Thriving in an Age of Drought and Deluge' . Yewande Akinola , a chartered engineer who specialises in sustainable water supplies. Follow @QEP...

There has been an explosion of interest in ‘creative AI’, but does this mean that artists will be replaced by machines? What are the ethics of computer generated art? What are the exciting possibilities? George Imafidon - Young Engineer Of The Year 2022 - speaks to some real humans about artificial artistry: Michael A Osbourne is Professor of Machine Learning at Oxford University, and Briana Brown...

Might laboratory grown meats be the answer to cutting our greenhouse gas and energy emissions? If they are on the menu, will people choose to eat them? And what do these cultivated meats taste like anyway?! George Imafidon - Young Engineer Of The Year 2022 - host a meaty conversation with David Hunt from the Good Food Institute and Graihagh Jackson , host of The Climate Question on the BBC. New ep...

Believe it or not, the world of batteries is far more magical than you might imagine! George Imafidon - Young Engineer Of The Year 2022 - chairs his first edition of Create The Future to ask how powerful can the lithium-ion battery become, and what are the environmental and human costs involved in their manufacture? George's guests for this conversation are Dr. Samuel J Cooper of the  Dyson S...

How dangerous is Big Data? Should we be scared of the Internet Of Things? How much of our lives will we soon be handing over to smart technology? Roma Agrawal hosts a debate between two opposing views on this most contemporary of subjects: Mischa Dohler , VP Emerging Technologies at Ericsson versus Brett Frischmann , the Villanova University professor and author who specialises in Internet law, an...

Lord Browne puts forward some reasons to be cheerful in the face of discrimination, eco-anxiety, and gloomy predictions about the future of A.I. John Browne (Lord Browne of Madingley) is Chairman of climate growth equity venture BeyondNetZero, and former Chief Executive of energy company BP. He has been a global thought leader in climate change response since the nineties. He is also is Chair...

Summer's here! Time to get out in the garden. Join Roma Agrawal as she explores Sussex's wild botanical paradise Wakehurst (Kew Gardens) to discuss the science behind biodiversity, carbon capture, and the healing power of nature. Ed Ikin , Wakehurst's Director, and Lorraine Lecourtois, Head of Public Programmes, guide us around the 500 acres of diverse landscape, which houses the world's larg...

Do science differently! That's the message from Nobel Prize-winning geneticist Sir Paul Nurse , who believes that all the sciences should be more connected and respectful as we look to rebuild our world better. Nurse was co-awarded the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of protein molecules that control the division of cells. His recent book 'What Is Life?' illu...

How might engineering improve cancer outcomes in the next decade? What's the future of tech in hospitals? Why did fellow scientists laugh derisively when Moderna was developing their COVID-19 vaccine? Roma Agrawal hosts two engineers have been key in fighting back against the recent pandemic: Professor Rebecca Shipley , and Dr. Robert Langer , co-founder of Moderna and recipient of the Queen Eliza...

Engineering can be a force for good. It can build our homes, create energy efficient solutions, and improve our world in innumerable ways. But there's a darker side as well, from weapons manufacture to deforestation. To discuss the ethical quandaries that engineers encounter on a daily basis, Roma Agrawal hosts Dr. Stuart Parkinson , Executive Director at Scientists for Global Responsibility , and...

How should countries work together to solve global warming? How easily could the UK convert to solar energy ? If we already have all the tools we need, what is holding us back from embracing renewable energy systems? Throwing some light onto this hugely important topic are regular host Roma Agrawal with Professor Andrew Blakers , one of the 2023 winners of the Queen Elizabeth Prize For Engineering...

The QEPrize for Engineering is the world's leading award for engineers. The annual £500,000 prize promotes excellence and celebrates visionaries. But what goes on backstage? Roma Agrawal hears from the great and the good of engineering: Yewande Akinola Professor Andrew Blakers Professor Martin Green Dr. Nikita Hari Vinita Marwaha Madill Krystina Pearson-Rampeearee Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE Professor...

Is there a secret to beautiful design? How do you marry style and function? And what is the role of human emotion in this process? Designing the perfect conversation for this episode are regular host Roma Agrawal and architect-artist-designer Rebeca Ramos . New episodes of Create The Future - conversations about how to rebuild the world better - every other Friday. Follow Queen Elizabeth Prize For...

How is a Baked Alaska like a Space Shuttle? Can cakes teach us about engineering? What is 'Bakineering' anyway? Whipping up a treat of a conversation today are Roma Agrawal and Andrew Smyth , an aerospace engineer who reached the final of The Great British Bake Off in 2016. Sara Schonour , a contestant on Netflix show Baking Impossible, also joins the chat. New episodes of Create The Future - conv...

By 2050, two out of every three people are likely to be living in cities, according to the UN. Sustainable urban planning is therefore essential to the future of humanity. But how easy is it to create the dream city? "Mega badass engineer" Roma Agrawal hosts this discussion, covering the hot topic of The 15 Minute City and the question of how to bring joy back into our environments. Roma's guests...