India’s caste system affects all aspects of society, but how does the hierarchy influence representation of marginalised groups in academia? Science journalist Ankur Paliwal believes that, despite efforts to combat discrimination, not enough is being done, and he has the data to prove it.

Imagine a robot... Is it hard, metallic and humanoid? Professor Carmel Majidi from Carnegie Mellon University and his colleagues are thinking outside the robotics box. Their new material, magnetic in nature, can shift between solid and liquid states. It’s even capable of breaking out of robotic jail...

And how do echidnas – spiny, long-nosed, egg-laying mammals – manage to stay cool during the hot Australian summers?

Image credit: Ole Jensen/Getty

Presenter: Roland Pease

Producer: Harrison Lewis

Assistant Producer: Sophie Ormiston