Seriously...

The Hack That Changed the World: Ep 1 - The Cold Case


Listen Later

In 2009, someone broke into the Climatic Research Unit of the University of East Anglia and stole emails. The material was distributed online - mainly on blogs linked to climate change sceptics. It was used to make the case that scientists were surreptitiously twisting the facts to exaggerate climate change. That was not the case. But before that became clear, events would take on a life of their own, sparking a global media storm.

This is a story that matters - firstly because it may have set back by years efforts to combat climate change. But also because it foretold a future in which emails would be stolen and weaponised and where information and social media would be used to cast doubt on science and expertise.

More than a decade on, as the UK hosts a new global climate summit - COP26 in Glasgow - the mystery of who was behind ‘Climategate’ remains.   

BBC Security Correspondent Gordon Corera goes on the trail of this ‘cyber cold case’, talking to the key players as well as police and spies, taking the listener on a journey to a place where climate change and information warfare met - with world-changing consequences.

Producer: Sally Abrahams

Editor: Richard Vadon

Credit: MSNBC News Live 25 November 2009 and NBC Nightly News, 4 December 2009

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

Seriously...By BBC Radio 4

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

257 ratings


More shows like Seriously...

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,800 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,067 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,512 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,800 Listeners

In Our Time: History by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: History

1,880 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,866 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,070 Listeners

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 by BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

2,118 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,977 Listeners

Comedy of the Week by BBC Radio 4

Comedy of the Week

492 Listeners

Desert Island Discs by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs

2,096 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

488 Listeners

Lives Less Ordinary by BBC World Service

Lives Less Ordinary

601 Listeners

Profile by BBC Radio 4

Profile

108 Listeners

Last Word by BBC Radio 4

Last Word

46 Listeners

Thinking Allowed by BBC Radio 4

Thinking Allowed

301 Listeners

The Audio Long Read by The Guardian

The Audio Long Read

840 Listeners

All in the Mind by BBC Radio 4

All in the Mind

64 Listeners

Private Passions by BBC Radio 3

Private Passions

52 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,209 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,041 Listeners

Life Changing by BBC Radio 4

Life Changing

74 Listeners

This Cultural Life by BBC Radio 4

This Cultural Life

129 Listeners

When It Hits the Fan by BBC Radio 4

When It Hits the Fan

51 Listeners

Young Again by BBC Radio 4

Young Again

50 Listeners