Climate Curious

Speculative fiction – the latest tool for imagining what’s possible on climate? Author of ‘Hum’ and winner of the 2026 Climate Fiction Prize, Helen Phillips, joins Climate Curious to share the personal trigger that got her started in writing climate fiction, breaks down the genre of ‘speculative fiction’ and how it can be used to process eco-distress, and why the AI robots at the centre of the book (The Hums) might not be the villains you’d expect… who would have thought it!? Hosted by Climate Curious’ executive producer Josie Colter.

Read Helen Phillips’ book, ‘Hum’: https://www.helencphillips.com/hum 

Want more climate fiction novels? Check out the Climate Fiction Prize Shortlist 2026: https://climatefictionprize.co.uk/shortlist-2026/

'Dusk', By Robbie Arnott

'Endling', By Maria Reva

'The Tiger's Share', By Keshava Guha

'The Book of Records', By Madeleine Thien

'Awake in the Floating City', By Susanna Kwan

Join the Climate Curious conversation on socials:

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/10996041/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TEDxLondon

Website: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/

All other links: https://linktr.ee/climatecuriouspod 

Created by TEDxLondon

Executive produced by Josie Colter

Produced by Ben Beheshty

Curated by Deesha Chandra

Hosted by Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst

Communications by Tara Cooper and Issey Gladston

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our glaciers are starving, but there’s a solution! Says glaciologist, National Geographic Explorer and TED Fellow Dr. M Jackson on the Climate Curious podcast. In conversation with Maryam Pasha, M breaks down why our glaciers are currently starving and how they have the remarkable ability to grow back, if we give them the right conditions! From the “isostatic rebound” of the springing Earth, to 40 generations of human breath captured in an ice core, we hear why glaciers will not be lost to history. Recorded live at TED 2026.

Find more about M: www.drmjackson.com

Artwork Photography by Jake Dyson

Join the Climate Curious conversation on socials:

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/10996041/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TEDxLondon

Website: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/

All other links: https://linktr.ee/climatecuriouspod 

Created by TEDxLondon

Executive produced by Josie Colter

Produced by Ben Beheshty

Curated by Deesha Chandra

Hosted by Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst

Communications by Tara Cooper and Issey Gladston

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“The river heals, the river's free, the salmon are free, and so are the people,” says Yurok Tribe attorney and devoted advocate for Indigenous rights and environmental restoration Amy Bowers Cordalis on the Climate Curious podcast. In conversation with Maryam Pasha, Amy breaks down how exactly she won the right to release the Klamath River and restore salmon populations from the brink of extinction, the importance of her grandmother’s guidance, and how the river remembered its path. Recorded live at TED 2026. 

Learn more about Amy’s work and read her book, ‘The Water Remembers: My Indigenous Family's Fight to Save a River and a Way of Life’: https://amybowerscordalis.com/

Listen to the full episode: https://tedxlondon.com/podcasts/how-historys-biggest-wild-salmon-restoration-project-in-the-klamath-river-happened-with-amy-bowers-cordalis/

Join the Climate Curious conversation on socials:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/climatecuriouspod/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@climatecuriouspod

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtF6xzNkVIczlDmVcH8FCMA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/10996041/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TEDxLondon

Website: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/

All other links: https://linktr.ee/climatecuriouspod 

Created by TEDxLondon

Executive produced by Josie Colter

Produced by Ben Beheshty

Curated by Deesha Chandra

Hosted by Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst

Communications by Tara Cooper and Issey Gladston

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“My colleague looks at me [on my birthday] and is like, do you wanna blow up a dam!?” Native Yurok attorney and Indigenous advocate Amy Bowers Cordalis campaigned with her community for 20 years before getting the go ahead to remove the dams that had blocked the Klamath River and infamously killed 70,000+ salmon in 2002. Amy speaks with Climate Curious co-host Maryam Pasha to share the remarkable story of how she used everything from indigenous wisdom to high-stakes litigation to pull off the largest salmon restoration project in history! Recorded live at TED 2026.

Learn more about Amy’s work and read her book, ‘The Water Remembers: My Indigenous Family's Fight to Save a River and a Way of Life’: https://amybowerscordalis.com/

Join the Climate Curious conversation on socials:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/climatecuriouspod/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@climatecuriouspod

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtF6xzNkVIczlDmVcH8FCMA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/10996041/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TEDxLondon

Website: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/

All other links: https://linktr.ee/climatecuriouspod 

Created by TEDxLondon

Executive produced by Josie Colter

Produced by Ben Beheshty

Curated by Deesha Chandra

Hosted by Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst

Communications by Tara Cooper and Issey Gladston

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chemistry is the new frontier of conservation, says professor of medicinal chemistry, Tim Cernak, on Climate Curious. Unable to ignore sick sea turtles washed up on the beach, Tim turned to the laboratory to apply medicinal solutions to nature. From fungal frogs to seal pups with avian flu – Tim’s fascination has spawned a new approach to conservation through chemistry, transforming chemists into first-responders for the climate!  

Join the Climate Curious conversation on socials:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/climatecuriouspod/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@climatecuriouspod

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtF6xzNkVIczlDmVcH8FCMA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/10996041/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TEDxLondon

Website: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/

All other links: https://linktr.ee/climatecuriouspod 

Created by TEDxLondon

Executive produced by Josie Colter

Produced by Ben Beheshty

Curated by Deesha Chandra

Hosted by Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst

Communications by Tara Cooper and Issey Gladston

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eco-anxious – rejoice! This week’s episode is a salve for the eco-shaken, (i.e. all of us!?). Katharine K. Wilkinson returns to share her new framework for navigating eco-anxiety with Climate Curious co-hosts Ben Hurst and Maryam Pasha – and it starts by getting honest about the emotional weight of caring. We dig into why grief, fear, and exhaustion aren't obstacles to climate action, but part of the path itself. Tune in for a delightful dollop of Katharine’s usual genius and generosity as she guides us from ache to action, and doubt to possibility. From footholds to wayfinding – learn why healing the planet starts at home… with healing yourself. 

Get the book ‘Climate Wayfinding’ by Katharine K. Wilkinson: https://www.climatewayfinding.earth/book

Join the Climate Curious conversation on socials:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/climatecuriouspod/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@climatecuriouspod

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtF6xzNkVIczlDmVcH8FCMA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/10996041/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TEDxLondon

Website: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/

All other links: https://linktr.ee/climatecuriouspod 

Created by TEDxLondon

Executive produced by Josie Colter

Produced by Ben Beheshty

Curated by Deesha Chandra

Hosted by Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst

Communications by Tara Cooper and Issey Gladston

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stingless bees have been around since the dinosaurs, but until recently ignored by mainstream scientific studies From her lab in the heart of the Amazon, scientist Rosa Vásquez Espinoza has been busy proving that these insects are medicinal and agricultural superbugs that require respect – both socially and legally! In conversation with Climate Curious’ Ben Hurst and Maryam Pasha, Rosa breaks down how these ancient pollinators protect 80% of the Amazon’s flora (including your coffee and chocolate!), the historic win to protect these tiny bees’ legal rights, and why her grandmother inspired her to get into chemistry.

Join the Climate Curious conversation on socials:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/climatecuriouspod/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@climatecuriouspod

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtF6xzNkVIczlDmVcH8FCMA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/10996041/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TEDxLondon

Website: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/

All other links: https://linktr.ee/climatecuriouspod 

Created by TEDxLondon

Executive produced by Josie Colter

Produced by Ben Beheshty

Curated by Deesha Chandra

Hosted by Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst

Communications by Tara Cooper and Issey Gladston

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Nigeria’s Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, a rare short-tailed roundleaf bat whose global population is less than 1500, is trying to survive – and their biggest threat is wildfire. Nigerian tropical ecologist, conservationist and 2026 Goldman Environmental Prize for Africa winner Iroro Tanshi joins Climate Curious to share how farmers are transforming into frontline fire brigades, what community-led climate resilience looks like on the ground in Nigeria, and how she got passionate about bats in the first place! The result? A new model for protecting both nature and livelihoods.

Check out Iroro’s work: https://www.goldmanprize.org/recipient/iroro-tanshi/

Support Iroro’s team at the Small Mammal Conservation Organization: https://www.smacon-africa.org/

Check out the 2026 Goldman Environmental Prize Winners: https://www.goldmanprize.org/current-winners/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The “Finch ruling” case started small – with £20 donations from people that cared – but the eventual wins were big. What’s less well known, is the legal rollercoaster Sarah Finch and the Weald Action Group faced. After a failed High Court case and a failed Court of Appeal case, Sarah faced a major crossroads: keep going or call it a day? Sarah joins Climate Curious’s Ben Hurst to share why she took the risky last ditch attempt to gain justice for Horse Hill in Surrey, and describes what it felt like to stand in the Supreme Court, not knowing if years of effort were about to unravel.

Enjoyed this short episode? Listen to the full interview with Sarah Finch, exclusively on Climate Curious: https://tedxlondon.com/podcasts/how-a-local-petition-became-a-national-climate-victory-with-sarah-finch-of-the-finch-ruling/

Check out the 2026 Goldman Environmental Prize Winners: https://www.goldmanprize.org/current-winners/

Join the Climate Curious conversation on socials:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/climatecuriouspod/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@climatecuriouspod

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtF6xzNkVIczlDmVcH8FCMA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/10996041/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TEDxLondon

Website: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/

All other links: https://linktr.ee/climatecuriouspod 

Created by TEDxLondon

Executive produced by Josie Colter

Produced by Ben Beheshty

Curated by Deesha Chandra

Hosted by Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst

Communications by Tara Cooper and Issey Gladston

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it really take to challenge the UK government on climate – and win? Enter climate winner – Sarah Finch of the legendary UK “Finch ruling”. From Surrey oil well to the Supreme Court, Sarah Finch and the Weald Action Group took the government to task – forcing it to rewrite how it assesses the environmental impact of new oil and gas projects, forever! And now she’s sharing the story. Sarah Finch of the “Finch ruling” herself joins Climate Curious’s Ben Hurst to share how a grassroots campaign grew into one of the most consequential climate legal victories in recent UK history. Tune in to explore what this landmark win looks and feels like from the inside, why Sarah believes that ordinary people can drive extraordinary change, and celebrating the recent news of her 2026 Goldman Environmental Prize win in Europe, alongside five other women.

Check out the 2026 Goldman Environmental Prize Winners: https://www.goldmanprize.org/current-winners/

Join the Climate Curious conversation on socials:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/climatecuriouspod/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@climatecuriouspod

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtF6xzNkVIczlDmVcH8FCMA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/10996041/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TEDxLondon

Website: https://tedxlondon.com/podcast/

All other links: https://linktr.ee/climatecuriouspod 

Created by TEDxLondon

Executive produced by Josie Colter

Produced by Ben Beheshty

Curated by Deesha Chandra

Hosted by Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst

Communications by Tara Cooper and Issey Gladston

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.