Unexpected Elements

Going the distance


Listen Later

A scientific tribute to to the successes and potential of Kelvin Kiptum, the best marathon runner to ever take to the roads. Marnie and the team take time to reflect on the tragic loss after Kelvin's death and looks at the science behind his record breaking performances.

Why do East African long distance runners continue to dominate the world stage? Can one group of indigenous people in the state of Chihuahua in Mexico, really run 100km without getting tired? And what makes you fall off the back of a treadmill when you just can't keep going? Is the limiting factor in endurance sports found in the body or the mind?

We also hear how one small insect is having a mighty impact on African ecosystems, and Marnie ponders the future of AI. What happens when we are no longer able to trust our eyes and ears in a world of deepfakes.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Philistian Mwatee and Tristan Ahtone

Producer: Harrison Lewis, with Dan Welsh, Tom Bonnett, Katie Tomsett and Jack Lee

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

Unexpected ElementsBy BBC World Service

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

326 ratings


More shows like Unexpected Elements

View all
In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,395 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,858 Listeners

The Naked Scientists Podcast by The Naked Scientists

The Naked Scientists Podcast

611 Listeners

Nature Podcast by Springer Nature Limited

Nature Podcast

764 Listeners

Science Magazine Podcast by Science Magazine

Science Magazine Podcast

809 Listeners

Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,817 Listeners

Science Weekly by The Guardian

Science Weekly

416 Listeners

5 Live Science Podcast by BBC Radio 5 Live

5 Live Science Podcast

108 Listeners

Health Check by BBC World Service

Health Check

87 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,777 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,060 Listeners

Science In Action by BBC World Service

Science In Action

343 Listeners

More or Less: Behind the Stats by BBC Radio 4

More or Less: Behind the Stats

901 Listeners

Discovery by BBC World Service

Discovery

967 Listeners

Ask the Naked Scientists by Dr Chris Smith

Ask the Naked Scientists

75 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

2,082 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,055 Listeners

In Our Time: History by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: History

1,890 Listeners

In Our Time: Science by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: Science

710 Listeners

The Life Scientific by BBC Radio 4

The Life Scientific

243 Listeners

BBC Inside Science by BBC Radio 4

BBC Inside Science

400 Listeners

CrowdScience by BBC World Service

CrowdScience

470 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

748 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,020 Listeners

New Scientist Podcasts by New Scientist

New Scientist Podcasts

97 Listeners