The Life Scientific

Emma Bunce on the gas giants


Listen Later

Emma Bunce, Professor of Planetary Plasma Physics at the University of Leicester, was inspired to study the solar system as a child by a TV programme that featured Voyager 2’s flyby of Neptune. She has spent the last 20 years focusing on the magnetic fields around the outer planets, in particular that of Jupiter. The Earth’s magnetic field interacts with the solar wind to create aurorae, the spectacular Northern lights. Emma’s discovered how aurorae are also produced at Jupiter's poles.

Emma Bunce talks to Jim al-Khalili about her fascination with the gas giants, why she has to be patient to check out her theories as missions to the planets are few and far between and how she'd love to work on a spacecraft to Neptune. And in the year when the Royal Astronomical Society marks its 200th anniversary, Emma explains why she's taken on the role of its President.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Life ScientificBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

205 ratings


More shows like The Life Scientific

View all
In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,389 Listeners

From Our Own Correspondent by BBC Radio 4

From Our Own Correspondent

381 Listeners

The Naked Scientists Podcast by The Naked Scientists

The Naked Scientists Podcast

604 Listeners

Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,886 Listeners

Science Weekly by The Guardian

Science Weekly

398 Listeners

5 Live Science Podcast by BBC Radio 5 Live

5 Live Science Podcast

109 Listeners

Business Daily by BBC World Service

Business Daily

538 Listeners

Science In Action by BBC World Service

Science In Action

344 Listeners

More or Less: Behind the Stats by BBC Radio 4

More or Less: Behind the Stats

898 Listeners

Discovery by BBC World Service

Discovery

953 Listeners

World Business Report by BBC World Service

World Business Report

285 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,921 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,080 Listeners

In Our Time: Science by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: Science

719 Listeners

Unexpected Elements by BBC World Service

Unexpected Elements

355 Listeners

BBC Inside Science by BBC Radio 4

BBC Inside Science

401 Listeners

Curious Cases by BBC Radio 4

Curious Cases

823 Listeners

CrowdScience by BBC World Service

CrowdScience

480 Listeners

Newscast by BBC News

Newscast

672 Listeners

Evil Genius with Russell Kane by BBC Sounds

Evil Genius with Russell Kane

376 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

2,964 Listeners

The world, the universe and us by New Scientist

The world, the universe and us

113 Listeners

Sport's Strangest Crimes by BBC Radio 5 Live

Sport's Strangest Crimes

70 Listeners

Uncanny by BBC Radio 4

Uncanny

752 Listeners

Dua Lipa: At Your Service by BBC Sounds

Dua Lipa: At Your Service

1,005 Listeners

Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley by BBC Radio 4

Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley

536 Listeners

Believe in Magic by BBC Sounds

Believe in Magic

604 Listeners

Uncharted with Hannah Fry by BBC Radio 4

Uncharted with Hannah Fry

118 Listeners

The Global Story by BBC World Service

The Global Story

169 Listeners

Miss Me? by BBC Sounds

Miss Me?

276 Listeners

The History Podcast by BBC Radio 4

The History Podcast

26 Listeners

Havana Helmet Club by BBC Sounds

Havana Helmet Club

1 Listeners