Ri Science Podcast

Microorganisms are constantly adapting to evade human-made interventions such as antibiotics and sanitisers. One of these adaptations is to use their strength in numbers and form a biofilm. One bacteria in particular forms biofilms that we encounter in many situations in our everyday life - salmonella. But what do we know about how salmonella forms this biofilm, so that we know how to eliminate it?

In the first episode of the From the PhD Lab miniseries, PhD student Josh Horton discusses his project investigating the genetic mechanisms controlling biofilm regulation in salmonella.

From the PhD Lab is a series in which we welcome back PhD interns who previously worked at the Royal Institution, to learn more about their PhD research and experience in science communication. From the PhD Lab episodes will be released on the second Wednesday of every month, and regular episodes on the last Wednesday.

Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released!

• Book tickets to upcoming talks on our website
• Subscribe to our YouTube channel
• Follow us: @ri_science on Instagram and TikTok

Producer and presenter: Lia Hale

Music: Joseph Sandy

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

The PLATO mission from the European Space Agency is set to launch next year, and is hoping to identify thousands of exoplanets in our galaxy which could have the right conditions to support life.

Lead project scientist for the mission Ana Heras, and engineer Alistair Winton, join the podcast this month to explain the scientific aims of this mission. Discover the different methods that are used by astronomers to discover exoplanets, the role of the 26 cameras onboard the PLATO telescope, and what the data we obtain from PLATO will teach us.

Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month, and our new ‘From the Theatre’ episodes are released on the second Wednesday of the month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released!

• Book tickets to upcoming talks on our website
• Subscribe to our YouTube channel
• Follow us: @ri_science on Instagram and TikTok

Producer and presenter: Lia Hale

Assistant producer: Teni Gomez

Music: Joseph Sandy

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

For this month's From the Theatre episode, we explore how AI could actually be a force for good in the world of batteries. In collaboration with the Faraday Institution, we hear from three experts to understand how artificial intelligence could optimise the performance of batteries at every scale.

Aaron Walsh (CuspAI / Imperial College London) explains how AI acts as a "digital alchemist" — simulating billions of possible crystal structures to discover battery materials that don't exist yet.

Mona Faraji Niri (WMG, University of Warwick) shows how AI acts as a forensic investigator, decoding sensor data to detect hidden faults and predict a battery's remaining lifespan — sometimes before it's even been used.

Sam Cooper (Imperial College London) reveals how machine learning is used to reverse-engineer the perfect internal "microstructure" of a battery electrode — the missing link between atoms and real-world performance.

This talk was recorded at the Ri on 15 June 2026.

Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month, and our new ‘From the Theatre’ episodes are released on the second Wednesday of the month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released! 

• Book tickets to upcoming talks on our website 
• Subscribe to our YouTube channel 
• Follow us: @ri_science on Instagram and TikTok 

Producer and presenter: Lia Hale

Music: Joseph Sandy 

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

Why have so many people died during the heatwaves spread across Europe this summer, and is it a direct result of climate change?

And what technology is being developed to help us prevent damage from wildfires as they become more prevalent?

Statisticians Clair Barnes and Gary Konstantinoudis, and entrepreneur Alisha Fuller-Armah feature on this month's episode to explore the science behind heatwaves and wildfires, and what can be done about them.

Read more about Clair and Gary's research here.

Find out more about the World Weather Attribution.

Find out more about Draconite™.

Producer and presenter: Lia Hale 

Assistant producers: Emily Sanderson and Teni Gomez

Music: Joseph Sandy 

Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month, and our new ‘From the Theatre’ episodes are released on the second Wednesday of the month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released! 

• Book tickets to upcoming talks on our website 
• Subscribe to our YouTube channel 
• Follow us: @ri_science on Instagram and TikTok 

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

What is a solar eclipse? How is it safe to watch? And what other types of eclipses are there?

This month, we revisit Frank Close's talk from the theatre where he explored what causes solar eclipses, and ahead of the first total solar eclipse visible from the UK since 1999.

Frank Close a particle physicist, author and speaker. He is Professor of Physics at the University of Oxford. He was formerly vice president of the British Association for Advancement of Science, Head of the Theoretical Physics Division at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and Head of Communications and Public Education at CERN.

This talk was recorded at the Ri on 25 July 2017.  

Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month, and our new ‘From the Theatre’ episodes are released on the second Wednesday of the month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released! 

•Book tickets to upcoming talks on our website 

•Subscribe to our YouTube channel 

•Follow us: @ri_science on Instagram and TikTok 

Producer: Emily Sanderson

Executive Producer: Lia Hale

Music: Joseph Sandy 

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

Quantum physics has gone through two major revolutions over the past century, which has transformed how we understand and practise theoretical physics. But what has still been left unanswered through these revolutions?

Theoretical physicist Ross Jenkinson joins us this month to explain the impact of both of these revolutions on quantum science, and specifically how quantum field theory and quantum computing could help to explain one of the biggest obstacles in quantum physics: gravity. Ross also uncovers the realities of working with quantum computers and how these underground labs actually work.

Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month, and our new ‘From the Theatre’ episodes are released on the second Wednesday of the month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released! 

• Book tickets to upcoming talks on our website 
• Subscribe to our YouTube channel 
• Follow us: @ri_science on Instagram and TikTok 

Producer and presenter: Lia Hale 

Music: Joseph Sandy  

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

Eline van der Kruk takes us on a journey to the world of biomechanics, a place where computer simulations and smart sensors are being developed to push the boundaries of human movement. The Karl Luyben Lecture is dedicated to rector magnificus emeritus Karel Luyben and is held once a year somewhere in the world outside of Delft, The Netherlands, and once a year in Delft. 

This talk was recorded at the Ri on 30 October 2019.  

Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month, and our new ‘From the Theatre’ episodes are released on the second Wednesday of the month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released! 

• Book tickets to upcoming talks on our website 
• Subscribe to our YouTube channel 
• Follow us: @ri_science on Instagram and TikTok 

Producer: Lia Hale 

Music: Joseph Sandy 

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

This pride month, we hear from two exceptional queer scientists about their research and journeys in STEM. Izzy Jayasinghe is the Head of Molecular Medicine at UNSW in Sydney, and her research investigates how cell signalling mechanisms impact cardiac health, and the microscopy methods used to observe these mechanisms. Alfredo Carpineti is an astrophysicist, science journalist, and founder of Pride in STEM, whose first book 'Invisible Rainbows' explores the scientific discoveries beyond the visible light spectrum.

Resources:

• Pride in STEM
• LGBTQ+ STEM
• oSTEM
• RSC LGBT+ toolkit

Join us for Alfredo's talk on Monday 6 July!

Alfredo will also be featuring in our For Your Inspiration event for young people on Saturday 25 July, exploring all things space science.

Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month, and our new ‘From the Theatre’ episodes are released on the second Wednesday of the month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released! 

• Book tickets to upcoming talks on our website 
• Subscribe to our YouTube channel 
• Follow us: @ri_science on Instagram and TikTok 

Producer and presenter: Lia Hale

Music: Joseph Sandy

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

This month we're bringing you an exploration of space science From the Theatre. In his talk back in 2024, Anu Ojha OBE from the UK Space Agency explores the discoveries made through applications of space science, climate change and engineering and how they have changed humanity's perspectives of our position in the universe, and ask what difference space, science and technology have made to our everyday lives.

This talk was recorded at the Ri on 20 January 2024, in collaboration with the UK Space Agency.

From the Theatre episodes are released on the second Wednesday of the month, revisiting a talk from our public programme. Regular Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of the month.

• Watch Anu's full talk on YouTube
• Revisit our From the Lab series in collaboration with UCL
• Follow us: @ri_science on Instagram and TikTok 
• Book tickets to upcoming talks on our website 

Presenter and producer: Lia Hale

Music: Joseph Sandy

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

Neutrinos are the most important particle you were never taught about. They are created in radioactive decays in the sun, the centre of the Earth, supernovae, and even beer. Particle physicist Kirsty Duffy joins us this month to discuss the origins and properties of neutrinos, as well as her work on a research project that may hold the key to answering some of the most fundamental questions in physics.

Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month, and our new ‘From the Theatre’ episodes are released on the second Wednesday of the month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released! 

•Explore our Summer Programme on our website 

•Subscribe to our YouTube channel 

•Follow us: @ri_science on Instagram and TikTok 

Producer and presenter: Lia Hale

Music: Joseph Sandy

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