Ugly animals and asteroid Apophis

BBC Inside Science

BBC

Technology, Science

4.5 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 30 May 2024

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

One year ago, the World Health Organisation declared that COVID-19 would no longer be categorised as a global health emergency. But the pandemic has left us with a new normal in all areas of our lives. From vaccine rollout to wastewater monitoring, we’re asking: how has COVID altered the scientific landscape? Marnie Chesterton is joined in the studio by Linda Geddes, science journalist, and Barbara Kasprzyk-Hordern, Professor in Environmental and Analytical Chemistry at the University of Bath, to discuss.

Are ugly animals getting the short end of the conservation stick? Whilst a few beautiful creatures, like tigers and panda bears, get good marketing and attract the most conservation efforts, comedian and biologist Simon Watt argues that the endangered animals which are less pleasing to the eye are being forgotten.

Also this week, we answer a listener’s question about the accuracy of using bug splats on cars to measure insect populations. Lead data analyst from the Kent Wildlife Trust, Lawrence Ball, gives us the details about the national citizen science survey, Bugs Matter, which sees people around the country measure insect splats on vehicle number plates as a marker of insect abundance.

And science journalist Roland Pease discusses the unprecedented scientific opportunity hurtling towards Earth in the form of asteroid Apophis. It will just miss our planet – in astronomical terms at least – but its proximity has astronomers excited.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producers: Ella Hubber, Sophie Ormiston and Hannah Robins Editor: Martin Smith Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth

Transcript

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0:00.0	Take some time for yourself with soothing classical music from the mindful mix, the Science of
0:07.0	Happiness Podcast.
0:08.0	For the last 20 years I've dedicated my career to exploring the science of living a happier more meaningful life and I want
0:14.4	to share that science with you.
0:16.1	And just one thing, deep calm with Michael Mosley.
0:19.4	I want to help you tap in to your hidden relaxation response system and open the door to that
0:25.4	calmer place within. Listen on BBC Sounds.
0:30.3	BBC Sounds, music, radio podcasts.
0:37.0	Hello and welcome to the podcast of Inside Science with me, Marnie Chesterton.
0:41.0	If science is about making sense of the world, then everything around
0:45.1	you is potential data. Later, we'll be putting this into practice by splatting bugs on a windscreen.
0:51.3	Talking of creatures, we'll be discussing the stigma suffered by ugly animals.
0:56.0	It's more than skin deep though, it's life or extinction stuff.
1:00.0	And here's a date for your diary, 2029, Friday the 13th of April, unlucky for some, but lucky
1:08.1	for the millions of us in Europe who can watch a lump of rock the size of an aircraft carrier sail across the sky.
1:15.0	Now, Sunday the 5th of May marks a whole year since the World Health Organization declared that COVID-19 would no longer be categorized as a global health
1:25.8	emergency.
1:27.8	But it's not back to normal.
1:29.5	The pandemic left us with a new normal, more time on Zoom, more working from home, and for me at least, more moving seats when someone coughs on public transport.
1:40.0	It's also reshaped the scientific landscape and joining me to discuss how our science journalist
1:46.2	Linda Gedes and Barbara Cashpick Horton, Professor of Environmental and Analytical Chemistry at the University of Bath.
1:53.0	Welcome both.
	...

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