Talking of Science

What happens when snake venom meets supercomputers? Quite a lot, actually.In this special live episode of Talking of Science, recorded in front of an audience at Copenhagen's Rain Dogs as part of the Danish Festival of Research, Helen and Dr C tackle a question we've all asked ourselves at some point: What should you do if you get bitten by a snake?Joining them is Dr Timothy Jenkins, a protein scientist whose research combines venom biology, artificial intelligence and protein design. Along the way, the conversation slithers its way through venomous snakes, horse blood, scorpions, machine learning, space travel, and the mind-boggling ways scientists are learning to design entirely new proteins from scratch. Tim explains the massive global burden of snake bites (and that it's never really the snakes' fault), what a protein actually is, and how positively archaic the current gold-standard treatment for snake bites is.The live audience also enjoyed appearances from the famous Danish comedian and podcaster Jasper Ritz, we hear the first ever on-mic appearance of the infamous Nilesh, and perhaps the calmest (but least audio-friendly) guest ever to join the podcast: Nagini, a very well-behaved ball python who spent much of the evening wrapped around the speakers. Big thanks to everyone who joined us on the night, and to the Ministry of Higher Education and Research for the support.Can't get enough of live podcast recordings combining science, giggles and great atmosphere? Join us for another live recording at Rain Dogs on 19th November! Sign up at talkingofscience.dk/eventsTo learn more about Tim's research or get in touch, visit Timothy Patrick Jenkins - Welcome to DTU Research Database or email [email protected] a question for the show? We're always curious about the weird, wonderful and unexpected things you've been wondering about lately. Let us know and maybe we'll feature it in a future episode.Email us at [email protected]

Have you ever been part of an experiment? Maybe you have, without even realising it.In fact, you almost certainly have.When most people think of experiments, they imagine laboratories, test tubes and volunteers following carefully designed instructions. But sometimes scientists can learn just as much from real-world events over which they have no control.In this episode of Talking of Science, Dr C and Helen are joined by health economist and researcher Frederik Plesner Lyngse to explore the fascinating world of natural experiments.From tracking the spread of COVID-19 between households to studying a Danish lottery that determines where newly qualified doctors begin their careers, Frederik explains how researchers use real-life situations to answer questions that could never be investigated through conventional experiments. Along the way, we discover how evidence from natural experiments can help policymakers make difficult decisions when there is no perfect solution.Expect pandemics, minks, statistics, politicians, randomisation, rural hospitals, personal data archives, career-defining lotteries, and some surprisingly deep discussion about whether dividing a chocolate scone equally between two siblings is always the fairest option.Along the way, Dr C challenges a few economic assumptions, wonders whether politicians have something to do with pollen, and discovers that chance plays a bigger role in our lives than we might like to think.To learn more about Frederik's research or get in touch, visit his website: Frederik Plesner LyngseGot a question for the show? We're always curious about the weird, wonderful and unexpected things you've been wondering about lately. Let us know and maybe we'll feature it in a future episode.Email us at [email protected]

Urgh!! The dreaded task of brushing a set of teeth sitting inside an uncooperative little mouth. Not once, but twice. Every day. And for two whole minutes!In this episode, Dr C asks a question most children, and probably plenty of adults, have wondered about: “Why do I have to brush my teeth?” To help us answer it, we are joined by dental hygienist and author Carina Løvstad.Together, we explore what cavities actually are, how bacteria and sugar team up to damage enamel, why some parts of our teeth are much harder to clean than others, and what role fluoride plays in toothpaste.Expect cavities, plaque, fluoride, electric toothbrushes, miswak sticks, wobbly teeth, bleeding gums, shark teeth and some brutally honest discussion about who is actually better at brushing Dr C’s teeth: Dr C herself or her mother, Helen, the show’s two co-hosts. To contact Carina, you can email her at [email protected], or follow and message her on Instagram at @smaabisser.Got a question for the show? We chomping at the bit to know what fascinating questions you’ve been pondering lately. Let us know and maybe we’ll feature it on a future episode. Email us at [email protected] 

Paintings crack; we can't visit the famous Lascaux cave paintings; and people put WHAT into artwork?In this episode Dr C asks a characteristically profound question: "Why does everything get destroyed?"To help us answer it, we're joined by Associate Professor Michela Gambino, conservation scientist and microbiologist. Together we explore the hidden battle being fought to preserve everything from cave paintings and ancient papyri to gravestones, galleries and family keepsakes.Along the way we discover how moulds, algae, fungi and insects slowly break down the objects we value, why humidity keeps conservators awake at night, and what happened when thousands of priceless books were submerged during the devastating 1966 Florence flood.Expect cave paintings, Viking ships, marble tombstones, museum disasters, UNESCO sites, conservation ethics, and some unexpectedly emotional conversations about what humanity chooses to save for future generations.To contact Michela Gambino, who is a conservation scientist and microbiologist at the Royal Danish Academy's Institute of Conservation, email [email protected] a question for the show?We want to know what fascinating questions you've been pondering lately. Let us know and maybe we'll feature it on a future episode. Email us at [email protected]

They say no one is busier than a kid at bedtime - and how better to stall at bedtime than the age-old technique of asking a big question?In this episode, Dr C and Helen are exploring Slumberland with sleep and health complexity expert Professor Naja Hulvej Rod. They unpack what happens in our bodies and brains during sleep, why good sleep is essential for learning, mood and long-term health, and how routines shape our sleep patterns.The conversation also dives into the impact of smartphones, sleep trackers and wearable technology, examining how they can disrupt rest and influence our relationship with sleep. Along the way, we discover fascinating insights into sleep cycles, teenagers' sleep needs, and practical tips for getting a more ZZZZs.To get in touch with Naja Hulvej Rod, email [email protected] you have a funny, unexpected, or slightly ridiculous science question you'd like us to answer in Series 3?Send your questions to:📧 [email protected]'d love to hear the strange things your kids ask, the conversations that stop you in your tracks, or the science mysteries you've always wondered about. Your question could inspire a future episode!

If germs are everywhere, why aren't we sick all the time? And where do the really nasty bugs come from in the first place?In this episode, Dr C asks a question that feels simple but turns out to have a surprisingly complicated answer. Together with evolutionary scientist David Duchene, we explore the hidden world of microbes, germs, viruses and other microscopic hitchhikers that live all around us, on us, and inside us.Along the way we discover why some germs are actually essential for good health, how petting zoos can become accidental meeting places for microbes from completely different worlds, what bats have to do with pandemics, why life in modern cities is changing the diseases we encounter, and how over-cleaning can sometimes create entirely new problems.Expect alpacas, guinea pigs, cows, capybaras, immune systems, antibiotics, pandemics, and at least one very questionable attempt at a "moo-achoo" joke. To get in touch with David Duchene, email [email protected] you have a funny, unexpected, or slightly ridiculous science question you'd like us to answer in Series 3?Send your questions to:📧 [email protected]'d love to hear the strange things your kids ask, the conversations that stop you in your tracks, or the science mysteries you've always wondered about. Your question could inspire a future episode!

This month we'll experience a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse, the peak of the Perseid meteor shower and learn more about what happened to the rocket which seems to have crashed into the moon. In honour of these big sky events, Dr C was joined by Little Brother to introduce this very special throwback episode!Hear how excited they are about all things lunar, and listen back to the fascinating world of the moon from our discussion with Tina Ibsen.Don't miss all the events happening in the sky this month!To hear even more from Tina, check out her show RumSnak wherever you get your podcasts (www.rumsnak.dk) or email [email protected] get in touch with us at Talking of Science, email [email protected]

Artificial intelligence is not new. In fact, its origins go back to ideas that emerged even before the first modern computers. But what we have today seems nothing short of magical.AI chatbots can answer questions, write stories, help doctors detect diseases, perform a wide range of tasks, and even suggest what you should have for dinner.But do they actually understand what they're saying? Or are they simply recognising patterns and generating responses that sound convincingly human?In this episode of Talking of Science, Helen and Dr C are joined by machine learning engineer Kübra Altinel to unpack one of the biggest technological questions of our time: How can intelligence be artificial?Together, they explore what AI actually is, how chatbots like ChatGPT generate answers, why they sometimes "hallucinate" information, and what makes them seem so convincingly human. Along the way, Kübra explains why AI is less like a person who understands the world and more like someone who has read millions of books but never stepped out of their home.The conversation also explores how AI is already helping scientists and doctors, why probability lies at the heart of every chatbot response, and why healthy scepticism is one of the most important skills we can develop as AI becomes part of everyday life.As always, Dr C's curiosity steers the discussion into unexpected places, proving that any complex topic can be understood through simple examples and analogies involving cakes, cookies, phone books, and grandmas.To get in contact with us at Talking of Science, email [email protected] connect with Kübra Altinel, find her on LinkedIn.

What a head-scratcher!Animals probably don't speak our language, but they are constantly communicating through movement, sound, smell, behaviour, and choices. The challenge is learning how to read those signals without assuming they think exactly like us.In this episode of Talking of Science, Helen and Dr C are joined by Mads Frost Bertelsen, Zoological Director at Copenhagen Zoo, who shares what (more than) two decades of working with zoo animals has taught him about animal behaviour, welfare, communication, training and care.While we might not exactly answer this episode's key question, the conversation takes us from dogs and elephants to polar bears, lions, crocodiles, chimpanzees, and octopuses, revealing just how differently animals experience the world around them, and what we might be able to interpret about what's going on in their minds.Along the way, Helen, Dr C and Mads also explore what modern animal care involves in a zoo: carefully observing behaviour, creating challenges that keep animals physically and mentally engaged, training animals to cooperate in their own care, and making decisions that reduce stress while supporting their health and wellbeing.To get in contact with us at Talking of Science, email [email protected] learn more about Copenhagen Zoo, visit https://www.zoo.dk

Trees clean our air, cool our cities, support wildlife, protect our soils, and quietly keep the world running. But forests are much more than collections of trees. They are also homes, workplaces, supermarkets, pharmacies, and sources of identity for millions of Indigenous peoples and local communities around the world.In this episode of Talking of Science, Helen and Dr C are joined by forestry researcher Lotte Zwart to explore our relationship with forests through the wonderfully curious lens of The Lorax. Together, they explore what forests really do for us, why sustainability is more complicated than simply "stop chopping trees", and why conservation is as much about humans as it is about nature.Along the way, Lotte explains sustainable use of natural resources with a jar of cookies, ecosystem collapse with Jenga, discusses why biodiversity matters, and explores the difficult balance between protecting forests and supporting the communities that depend on them. As always, Dr C asks the questions many adults secretly wonder about, proving that some of the biggest scientific ideas can begin with the simplest questions. To get in contact with us at Talking of Science, email [email protected] get in contact with Lotte, search for her on LinkedIn.