Tech Life

Thousands of tonnes of excess sewage, manure, food waste and paper sludge are being pumped hundreds of meters underground in the USA, where it will stay for centuries, preventing greenhouse gases from being released. Microsoft is backing the method to help offset carbon emissions. We speak to the co-founder and CEO of Vaulted Deep. Also on Tech Life: We sound out some in the music industry about t...

We step inside a quantum computer lab to answer your questions about technology that promises to revolutionise everything from particle physics to fertiliser production. Also this week on Tech Life: lots of us upload and download large quantities of data, and the expectation is that the demand for data will only increase in the future. How will our current networks cope ? The solution travels at t...

This week on Tech Life, we speak to the company behind an AI safe driving device that's fitted to thousands of delivery vans and fleet vehicles around the world. Using cameras and an onboard AI system, it assesses how safely a vehicle is being driven. And it warns both the driver, and their manager, if it spots a serious safety risk inside or outside the vehicle. Also this week, we find out about...

The way the internet will operate in the future is being discussed at the moment. Will it remain as it is now, or could governments become more involved and take more control ? We speak to ICANN, one of the technical institutions which help to keep the internet functioning, about their concerns. Also this week: the man behind one of the most popular websites in the world talks to Tech Life. And we...

What are the advantages of creating a digital mirror of a city – or an entire island? We speak to a company making digital twins to create simulations of the real world. Then we hear from a real set of twins about their award-winning carbon capture project. And the company sending tiny satellites into space to help environmental researchers. Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Imran Rahman-Jones E...

This week on Tech Life, we're looking at the problems caused by illegal gold mining in Ghana. We'll hear how drones, AI and GPS trackers are being used to tackle the trade. Also this week, Meta goes to court as it battles ads for so-called Nudifying apps. Is "I don't know" the solution to AI chatbot hallucinations ? And the pay-as-you-cook stove that's winning awards and improving health in Africa...

We hear from inside China on the remarkably fast electric vehicle transition going on there, as the country moves away from petrol and diesel-powered cars and lorries. BBC Transport Correspondent Nick Marsh reports on the latest EV technology that's making Chinese brands popular and affordable. Also on Tech Life this week, who has the fastest computer in the world ? And what is it used for ? An ex...

What happens when a company we trust with our most personal data gets into financial trouble ? We hear from a woman who trusted a US company with her genetic information. Also on Tech Life this week, will there be enough electricity for the demands of artificial intelligence ? The International Energy Agency tells us about the challenges of powering the AI boom. And we find out how to grow an isla...

This week we're looking at a growing digital industry which allows people to interact - in a way - with the likeness or the voice of someone they care about who has passed away. It's not science fiction, and it does involve AI chatbots. Also on Tech Life this week, we'll be finding out about two tech solutions to the problem of food which goes to waste. Tech Life's Alasdair Keane explores the chal...

This week we're learning about patents - what they are, and who wants one. And by analysing the global demand for patents, we can see future trends in tech. Also in this edition of Tech Life, what are doctors and patients around the world saying about the use of artificial intelligence in hospitals ? And we'll be finding out about Google's latest injection of AI into online search. We enjoy readin...

An international study looks at the online experiences of young people from marginalised groups, including sex workers, gay and transgender people, and people living with HIV. It concludes they are facing a surge in online abuse. We speak to Phong from Vietnam about his experience, then hear about the study from the lead researcher. Also on Tech Life this week, find out how a drone company in Ghan...

Luckily much of what we see on social media is safe. But somewhere, somebody has to watch all the horrific content uploaded online in order to filter it out for the general public. We speak to a former moderator who worked on Meta platforms in Ghana. Plus, the community project in Puerto Rico with an innovative way of keeping its power on. And we say goodbye to video call program Skype. (Warning –...

A groundbreaking space mission will help scientists peer through dense jungle canopy to measure the difference the world's forests are making to climate change. We interview the expert who came up with the idea. Also on Tech Life: It's clicked billions of times a day, but do you know how it started in the first place ? We find out why the world gave a big thumbs up to the 'like' button. And digiti...

Do dolphins have their own language ? And could we 'speak' to them ? An AI large language model from Google, called DolphinGemma, is helping experts study dolphin communication. We interview Doctor Denise Herzing, the Research Director and founder of the Wild Dolphin Project, about her work and how it might bring benefits for humans and dolphins. Also in this edition, we find out how tech is chang...

This week we're looking at artificial intelligence and how it can discriminate against us, affecting our chances of getting work or being approved for a loan. What causes it ? On the flip side - could it be AI to the rescue ? We learn about a computer model that predicts the behaviour of people who go missing. Could it help emergency services find those lost in the wilderness ? And Tech Life's gam...

Tech Life looks at icebergs. Climate change means there are more of them in our oceans, breaking away and slowly melting. Scientists need to study them - but how ? We speak to an expert about robotic gliders, which are opening up new research opportunities. Also in this edition, can we trust artificial intelligence ? One of its problems is that it hallucinates, so we find out more about it. How ca...

Tech Life looks at satellite navigation and the increase in cases of signal interference. How could this affect shipping and aviation safety, and what can be done about it ? Also in this edition, what digital material of cultural significance should be stored for the future ? A volunteer project is improving Wikipedia's photographs. And we find out about efforts to harness the power of the moon on...

What is it like to live with a computer chip in your brain ? Noland Arbaugh became the first person to receive a device from Elon Musk's neurotechnology firm, Neuralink. Noland tells the BBC about his operation to implant the chip, how he can control a computer with his thoughts, and how it has improved his life. Also on Tech Life this week, we explore a crypto solution to an electricity problem i...

A former US Air Force engineer found articles about her were removed from the internet, on US government instructions. She tells us why she wants to archive them for the future. Then, we go inside Africa’s biggest tech market. Plus, the blind astronomer who listens to space. And quantum computers may be on the verge of a breakthrough. We explain why this matters. Tell us about the one bit of tech...

This week on Tech Life, we ask why online banking and payment outages happen, and find out what you can do to protect your data and money. The first Saudi Arabian woman to run an international body speaks to us about her life in tech, and her role in charge of the Digital Co-operation Organisation. And if you had to spend a long time on the Moon or Mars, what kind of base would you want to live in...

Live trials are under way in Ghana of holoportation 3D telemedicine tech. It allows a patient in a remote location to connect to a doctor many miles away, and be examined. We speak to the lead engineer involved in the project, as well as a patient and a doctor benefiting from the portable kit. Also on Tech Life, what happens when a country's leader decides the names of some places (or stretches of...

With Amazon now in charge of James Bond, how will they use data to shape the franchise. We speak to a company which analyses scripts using AI and suggests actors or story changes. Plus, the computer scientist who got her native language on to Google Translate, and the Indian village which became a YouTube sensation. We love hearing from you. Send us an email on techlife@bbc.co.uk or send a Whatsap...

Planet Earth's oceans remain relatively unexplored. Now one company has a bold plan to build habitats for humans to live and work underwater for long spells of time. We hear about the tech challenges of life on the seabed. Also on Tech Life, we speak to a Californian TikTok content creator, and a company benefiting from being on TikTok, as the future of the video-sharing platform in the United Sta...

Artificial intelligence can pick out the words we're typing from analysis of our brainwaves. Could it give a voice to those who can't speak because of brain injury or illness ? We interview an expert leading the research. Also on this week's edition of Tech Life, will AI and 3D printing revolutionise the shoe business ? And the hot and cold solution to keep fish fresh in Kenya. We are always keen...

As DeepSeek shocked the world, we speak to an AI expert who worked at a Chinese AI firm. We hear about a new battery exchange system for EVs in Addis Ababa. And imagine a world without potholes - we've got a scientist on who is working on self-healing roads. Get in touch by emailing techlife@bbc.co.uk or sending a Whatsapp to +44330 1230 320. Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Imran Rahman-Jones...