Ri Science Podcast

Microorganisms are constantly adapting to evade human-made interventions such as antibiotics and sanitisers. One of these adaptations is to use their strength in numbers and form a biofilm. One bacteria in particular forms biofilms that we encounter in many situations in our everyday life - salmonella. But what do we know about how salmonella forms this biofilm, so that we know how to eliminate it...

The PLATO mission from the European Space Agency is set to launch next year, and is hoping to identify thousands of exoplanets in our galaxy which could have the right conditions to support life. Lead project scientist for the mission Ana Heras, and engineer Alistair Winton, join the podcast this month to explain the scientific aims of this mission. Discover the different methods that are used by...

For this month's From the Theatre episode, we explore how AI could actually be a force for good in the world of batteries. In collaboration with the Faraday Institution, we hear from three experts to understand how artificial intelligence could optimise the performance of batteries at every scale. Aaron Walsh (CuspAI / Imperial College London) explains how AI acts as a "digital alchemist" — simula...

Why have so many people died during the heatwaves spread across Europe this summer, and is it a direct result of climate change? And what technology is being developed to help us prevent damage from wildfires as they become more prevalent? Statisticians Clair Barnes and Gary Konstantinoudis, and entrepreneur Alisha Fuller-Armah feature on this month's episode to explore the science behind heatwave...

What is a solar eclipse? How is it safe to watch? And what other types of eclipses are there? This month, we revisit Frank Close's talk from the theatre where he explored what causes solar eclipses, and ahead of the first total solar eclipse visible from the UK since 1999. Frank Close a particle physicist, author and speaker. He is Professor of Physics at the University of Oxford. He was formerly...

Quantum physics has gone through two major revolutions over the past century, which has transformed how we understand and practise theoretical physics. But what has still been left unanswered through these revolutions? Theoretical physicist Ross Jenkinson joins us this month to explain the impact of both of these revolutions on quantum science, and specifically how quantum field theory and quantum...

Eline van der Kruk takes us on a journey to the world of biomechanics, a place where computer simulations and smart sensors are being developed to push the boundaries of human movement. The Karl Luyben Lecture is dedicated to rector magnificus emeritus Karel Luyben and is held once a year somewhere in the world outside of Delft, The Netherlands, and once a year in Delft.  This talk was record...

This pride month, we hear from two exceptional queer scientists about their research and journeys in STEM. Izzy Jayasinghe is the Head of Molecular Medicine at UNSW in Sydney, and her research investigates how cell signalling mechanisms impact cardiac health, and the microscopy methods used to observe these mechanisms. Alfredo Carpineti is an astrophysicist, science journalist, and founder of Prid...

This month we're bringing you an exploration of space science From the Theatre. In his talk back in 2024, Anu Ojha OBE from the UK Space Agency explores the discoveries made through applications of space science, climate change and engineering and how they have changed humanity's perspectives of our position in the universe, and ask what difference space, science and technology have made to our ev...

Neutrinos are the most important particle you were never taught about. They are created in radioactive decays in the sun, the centre of the Earth, supernovae, and even beer. Particle physicist Kirsty Duffy joins us this month to discuss the origins and properties of neutrinos, as well as her work on a research project that may hold the key to answering some of the most fundamental questions in phy...

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is offering a revolutionary new treatment option for a range of diseases, particularly cancers. By combining the skills of physicists and physicians, PDT uses light to kill living cells without damaging the structural integrity of the surrounding tissue. Stephen Bown is the founder of the National Medical Laser Centre, and has decades of experience both developing and im...

How are segments of DNA preserved from ancient viruses impacting the functioning of the placenta? And how does this lead to pregnancy complications? Jennifer Frost leads a team of researchers at Kings College London, investigating the role of transposons in the placenta which leads to pregnancy complications. She joins us this month to explore what transposons are, why the placenta is so susceptib...

From thin film coatings to drug delivery and even antimicrobial resistance, nanoparticles have a huge range of applications. In this month's From The Lab episode, chemist Ivan Parkin explores some of these applications pursued by his research group at UCL ahead of his Discourse in April. About 'From the Lab': This is the third of our new 'From the Lab' series, taking the place of our 'From the The...

The science of consciousness is a complex and constantly evolving field of research. Neuroscientists are still understanding how it originates in humans, but the question now arises of whether Artificial Intelligence could ever become conscious. Cognitive and computational neuroscientist Anil Seth discusses the current theories for consciousness, and the probability of AI ever becoming conscious,...

In this month's From the Lab episode, we discover the power of sound waves and how they can manipulate small objects with engineer Sriram Subramanian , ahead of his Discourse at the end of March. Sriram explains the science behind acoustic holography and levitation, and how we could see these concepts in practice in industries ranging from gaming to medicine. About 'From the Lab': This is the thir...

How can ancient DNA help us understand how diseases spread? This month, geneticist and pathogen genomics expert Pooja Swali explains how samples of DNA from the past can reveal how diseases have spread across the world over time. We explore the what, where, how, and why of ancient DNA research, and what doors these questions have opened for the future of the field. Pooja has worked extensively on...

Planets outside of our solar system can unlock an abundance of secrets about our Universe. But how do we study them? Astrophysicist Jonathan Tennyson discusses his own research into exoplanets, and how researchers can use the stars to learn more about planets. About 'From the Lab': This is the second of our new 'From the Lab' series, taking the place of our 'From the Theatre' episodes. UCL are cel...

Alzheimer’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disease caused by the excessive build-up of proteins in the brain. Neuroscientist Tomi Akingbade joins us this month to explain how inflammation could be playing a role in the progression of Alzheimer’s, and what this could mean for future research. Tomi is also the founder of the Black Women in Science (BWiS) network, and discusses th...

Medical research is continuously evolving with new technologies, but another key player in spurring this evolution is mathematics. Mathematician and healthcare engineering expert Becky Shipley joins us to discuss the role mathematics is playing in medical research, and some of the fascinating and innovative technologies she's been a part of developing. About 'From the Lab': This is the...

From the scientific mechanisms underlying ACL injuries, the application of computational fluid dynamics in the COVID-19 pandemic, and even the latest space mission on the way to Mercury, we've covered an enormous range of science on the Ri Science Podcast throughout 2025. In this year's Science Wrapped episode, we take a look back over our favourite moments from the past year to give you a...

We’re bringing you this month’s From the Theatre episode from the Space Park in Leicester, joined by Professor of Space Physics Suzie Imber . Suzie is a Co-Investigator on the Mercury Imaging X-Ray Spectrometer (MIXS) instrument onboard BepiColombo, the joint mission between ESA and JAXA currently on its way to Mercury. We explore the history of Mercury investigations, why it has been studied so m...

This December, space scientist and renowned science communicator Dame Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock will be presenting the CHRISTMAS LECTURES in their 200th year titled ‘Is there life beyond earth?’. Maggie joins us on the podcast this month to explore the history of space imaging and the huge number of projects she has worked on throughout her career, as well as her experiences navigating the scientifi...

In this month's 'From the Theatre' episode, we visited New Scientist Live at the Excel to explore what scientists are most excited about for 2026. From insects performing amputations to the latest developments at the Large Hadron Collider, discover what innovations are happening across a range of scientific disciplines. This episode was recorded on Sunday 19 October 2025. Presented and...

Mechanical engineer and broadcaster Shini Somara joins us this month to uncover some of the fascinating and often under-appreciated innovations in the world of engineering, ahead of her double bill of talks at the Ri on Saturday 1 November.   Shini discusses how computational fluid dynamics (CFD) transformed our understanding and management of Covid-19, and how the field has changed dramatically w...

In this month's From the Theatre episode, we revisit past Christmas Lecturer Hannah Fry's talk on the power of algorithms to continue celebrating our Discover200 campaign. Hannah Fry takes us on a tour of the good, the bad and the downright ugly of the algorithms that surround us. She lifts the lid on their inner workings, to demonstrate their power, expose their limitations, and examine whether t...