The Women's Euros kick off next Wednesday, once again bringing attention to the epidemic of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in women’s football. But why is it that women are six times more likely to suffer from these injuries, and what research is being done to understand it further?

This month we’re looking at the science behind the ACL, and what factors researchers are investigating that influence injury susceptibility. We’re joined by Blake Rivers, whose PhD at Kingston University is being funded by FIFA to investigate the impact of the menstrual cycle on ACL injuries, and Grace Vella, a footballer and entrepreneur who is 5 months into her ACL rehabilitation following on from reconstructive surgery.  

Producer: Lia Hale  

Assistant producer: Jessica Hibbert 

Music: Joseph Sandy 

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When we think of the biggest historical figures in science, names like Isaac Newton and Michael Faraday tend to come to mind. But the discoveries made by these individuals could never have happened without the contributions of countless others around the world, whose names and stories are often left out of the picture.  

Former Royal Institution Freer Fellow Gianamar Giovannetti-Singh spoke at the Ri to shed light on some of these untold stories, and to help us adopt a more global understanding of the history of science.  

Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released! 

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This talk was recorded in the Theatre at the Royal Institution on Monday 14 May 2024 

Producer: Lia Hale 

Music: Joseph Sandy 

How do microbes including bacteria become resistant to treatment? What can we do to prevent it? And why do we have tuberculosis to thank for the creation of cowboy hats? This month, PhD student and award-winning science communicator Gabriel Astorga joins us to answer all these questions and more, as we look under the hood of antimicrobial resistance.  

Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released! 

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Producer: Lia Hale 

Music: Joseph Sandy 

John Tyndall first announced his discovery of greenhouse gases in a Royal Institution Discourse back in 1862. Since then, our understanding of the science of climate change has come on leaps and bounds in some areas, but in others we are only just scratching the surface.

This month, we hear from neuroscientist-turned-journalist Clayton Aldern and Professor of Neurology Sanjay Sisodiya about how climate change affects our brains. From memories passed through generations to the impact of heat on neurological disorders such as epilepsy, we dive deeper into the neuroscience underlying climate change.

Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released! 

Producer: Lia Hale

Music: Joseph Sandy  

Please leave this episode a rating and a review to let us know what you think, and to help other people discover the podcast.  

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Sir David Spiegelhalter is a national treasure in the world of statistics, achieving everything from a knighthood to appearing on Total Wipeout.  

In light of giving the first Discourse in their bicentennial year, David explores how risk and uncertainty have affected his own life, and how to understand the statistics we see every day.  

Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released!  

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Explore our upcoming programme or watch our YouTube channel for more science.

Producer: Lia Hale 

Music: Joseph Sandy

2025 marks the 200 year anniversary of the CHRISTMAS LECTURES from the Royal Institution, as well as Discourses and Michael Faraday’s discovery of Benzene. We’re celebrating throughout the year to mark the occasion, kicking off with a conversation between two previous Christmas Lecturers Chris van Tulleken and Monica Grady. They discuss their experiences giving the lectures, the importance of science communication to young people, and their advice for their successors.  

Find out more about the Discover200 campaign: https://www.rigb.org/discover200-ri 

This episode was recorded remotely on Monday 16 December 2024.

Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released!  

Please leave this episode a rating and a review to let us know what you think, and to help other people discover the podcast.  

Get tickets for upcoming talks and livestreams: https://www.rigb.org/whats-on  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/TheRoyalInstitution  

X: https://twitter.com/Ri_Science 

Interviewer: Lia Hale 

Producer: Lia Hale 

Music: Joseph Sandy  

2024 has been a remarkable year for science, so we're taking a look back over the past year at our most memorable moments here on the Ri Science Podcast. From eggs to AI, sustainable plastics to protein folding, we've discussed a fascinating range of topics with even more fascinating guests including Jess Wade and Charan Ranganath.

We can't wait to see what's in store in science for 2025, and thank you for listening and learning with us in 2024.

With the exception of this episode, Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month.

Presenter: Katie Mortimer

Producer: Lia Hale

Music: Joseph Sandy

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2025 is the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, as marked by the UN, to celebrate 100 years since the birth of quantum mechanics. But quantum science is one of the least diverse areas of science in terms of gender and other protected characteristics.

Jess Wade, a physicist and lecturer in functional materials at Imperial College London, has been fighting the inequality in quantum physics and beyond by creating thousands of Wikipedia pages for women scientists. Jess joins us this month to discuss the past, present, and future of quantum science along with what can be done to increase diversity within the field.  

Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released! 

Please leave this episode a rating and a review to let us know what you think, and to help other people discover the podcast.  

Get tickets for upcoming talks and livestreams: https://www.rigb.org/whats-on  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/TheRoyalInstitution  

X: https://twitter.com/Ri_Science  

Producer: Lia Hale 

Assistant producers: Katie Mortimer, Isla Nakano  

Interviewer: Lia Hale 

Music: Joseph Sandy 

Halloween means lots of sweets, which in turn means lots of packaging. We’re starting to see more of the packaging on our shelves labelled as sustainable in some way, but are they really? Mike Shaver is a Professor of Polymer Science and Director of the Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub at the University of Manchester, and joins us this month to unpick the current landscape of sustainable materials, and discuss whether or not a fully recyclable plastic is possible.

Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released!

Please leave this episode a rating and a review to let us know what you think, and to help other people discover the podcast.

Get tickets for upcoming talks and livestreams: https://www.rigb.org/whats-on

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/TheRoyalInstitution X: https://twitter.com/Ri_Science

Producer: Lia Hale

Music: Joseph Sandy

What makes a planet habitable? What are we looking for to find Earth 2.0? And how do you get a chunk of an asteroid through airport security? This month, astrophysicist Elizabeth Tasker discusses the latest missions at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and explores how our knowledge has progressed since she last spoke at the Ri back in 2018.  

Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released! 

Please leave this episode a rating and a review to let us know what you think, and to help other people discover the podcast.  

Producer: Lia Hale 

Music: Joseph Sandy