Mysteries of Science

Inspired by the Harry Potter series, hosts Stevie and Michael explore magic potions! They uncover the real-life inspiration behind Professor Snape, revealing that a real potions master named Henry Lloyd Snape existed in the late 19th century... We also meet illustrator Johnny Duddle and ask you for your own ideas for magical potions! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are insects in our diets the new sustainable food source? We're sharing parts of our talk from Cheltenham Science Festival plus chatting to exports like dairy farmer, Rich. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dan and Stevie break down some of the biggest mysteries around – as asked by you! Professor Brian Cox and a host of other special guests answer your questions on everything from the temperature of space to jellyfish stings.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dan and Michael explore the concept of altruism. From vampire bats who share food to prevent each other from starving, to giving money to charity: why are people kind? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dan and Michael are going down under to hunt for a thylacine. Also known as the tasmanian tiger or tasmanian wolf, could this supposedly extinct creature actually be secretly lurking in the nation's forests?  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael and Dan are back after a mid-season break to take on perhaps one of the strangest mysteries we’ve ever encountered… What’s being hidden in a top secret US military base, thousands of miles from anywhere, in the middle of a desert? Could it be aliens?  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the middle of the desert in Nevada, USA, sits a top-secret military base. You probably know it as Area 51. Today, Michael, Dan, and a team of top experts are peeking over the fence to see what they can spot...  Will they find mysterious alien spacecraft? And what's this about a strange airline? Or is the whole thing nothing more than a good story? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa...

This week we're investigating a mystery requested by one of our listeners – could dinosaurs still walk among us? These terrible lizards went extinct after an asteroid hit Earth 66 million years ago, but is there more the story? Join us and some expert guests as we find out whether or not we're walking with dinosaurs... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stevie and Michael dive into the topic of telepathy – the (supposed) strange ability to transmit thoughts or read minds! Joining the team to probe the psychic powers of the human mind are emeritus professor Chris French, and journalist and author Kathryn Hulick.  We chat about Elon Musk's futuristic Neuralink project, which claims to be able to harness the power of the brain, and hear the story of...

Hosts Dan and Michael kick off this new season of Mysteries of Science with a Big Bang: the theory that explains the origin of the universe. Fred Hoyle coined the term to mock a theory he didn't believe in. Now, expert guests Dr. Maggie Lieu and Ethan Siegel shed light on the Big Bang theory and its evidence – and what might happen next... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a Mysteries of Science season finale! In this episode, Michael and Dan tackle some of your biggest mysteries including ones about intelligent species and the first ever living organisms. We even have an answer from the one and only Professor Brian Cox! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're going under the sea and chatting to top tentacle geniuses in the form of Chris Packham and friends as we investigate the mystery of octopuses... There's something incredibly unique about these eight-legged creatures that's got us suckered. Can Dan and Michael get to the bottom of it? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jenny and Michael venture into the cosmos to unravel the secrets of dark matter. As astronomers observe stars and galaxies moving under the influence of an unseen force, we ask: What is dark matter? Why can't we see it? And just how much of the universe does it comprise? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're going back to the future in a brand new episode of Mysteries of Science, investigating the antikythera mechanism – a strange artefact from the past that looks like it could be made today! Plus, we're telling you how to add to the Fun Kids Time Capsule. Enter online at https://funkidslive.com/timemachine   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a Christmas special of Mysteries of Science! We're recapping the best bits of 2023 and diving into the archive, playing some previously unheard bits from past interviews. Thanks for spending the year with us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two hikers stumble upon something in the ice: a mummy. Over the next few days, the mummy's extracted and examined by experts. It turns out to be 5,000 years old. Who was this person? How did they get there? And what can we learn from the body in the ice?  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is it possible to live forever? Expert guests author Ross Welford and biologist María Pascual Torner unlock the secrets to turning back time. Could a jellyfish hold the key to anti-aging? What would the world be like if nobody died? We find out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cartoonist Dr. Jorge Cham and author Kathryn Hulick investigate the mystery of teleportation. Is it possible to travel somewhere else in the blink of an eye? Dan and Michael investigate what might be possible, from robots in other cities to 3D printing people and even ferrying information across the universe in a flash. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael, Jenny, and a team of top experts investigate one of the stickiest, gungiest mysteries we’ve ever explored: slime. From snails to slippery fish, the gang get to the bottom of this gooey, gloopy, natural puzzle.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael and Jenny sit down with top scientists to talk about some of the most mind-bending mysteries in the universe — quite literally. This time, we’re answering your most pressing space-themed questions, including what shape the space is, and whether aliens might be on Jupiter’s moon.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They look, sound, and might even move like someone you know – but they're not. Deepfakes are images, videos, and audio recordings that are increasingly used to trick people. Michael and Dan enter the mirror world and try to decipher what's real and what's deepfake. How can you tell the difference? And what does the future look (and sound) like in a world where we can't be sure of what's right in f...

Tales of a strange creature loping around the British countryside have existed for quite some time but is there any truth in them? Michael and Jenny investigate stories of a beast in Exmoor...  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The team behind Mysteries of Science present a very special episode, recorded live at Cheltenham Science Festival, all about magic and whether or not it's real!  You can watch some of the tricks featured in this episode at sciencenature.theweekjunior.co.uk/magic ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fun Kids, the UK's children's radio station, has a brand new series called The Space Programme ?  Life on the Isle of Lune is about to get out-of-this-world! It's a radio drama all about a brand new UK spaceport and the story of a soon-to-be child-astronaut. Hear The Space Programme every Friday from 4pm on Fun Kids, the UK's children's radio station, and as a podcast too.  Plus, Fun Kids Podcasts...

Knock, knock. Who's there? Another episode of Mysteries of Science! This week, Michael and Dan explore the mystery of laughter. Find out where laugher comes from and why it's surprisingly good for us. Plus, we're joined by top comedian Olaf Falafel. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.