World War II bombs were defused in Cologne, Germany, which has inspired us to explore the science of diffusion and defusing!

First, we hear how new, artificially intelligent video generators are modelled on diffusion. We also hear about the health impacts of home aroma diffusers and candles.

We’re joined by conflict-mediator Gabrielle Rifkind of the Oxford Process, to discuss the psychological stakes behind defusing conflict in wars and at home.

We also taste-test the difference between raw and cooked broccoli, learn about in-insect synthesis, and explore an anechoic chamber.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

This week, get ready for a whole loot box of gaming-related stories!

First up, we find out about a video game that could give people the power to battle misinformation.

We also hear how scientists are putting harbour seals in front of a computer monitor to decipher how they navigate under the water.

And Dr Brett Kagan from Cortical Labs joins us down the line to tell us why he taught a clump of brain cells to play the 1970s arcade game Pong.

Along the way, we discover what happens when artificial intelligence tries to explain idioms, we learn about a tiny frog named after Bilbo Baggins and try to establish whether or not video games benefit your brain.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements. 

With the new Mission Impossible film playing in cinemas, the Unexpected Elements team is channelling Tom Cruise’s energy to see if scientists can push the boundaries of what is considered ‘impossible.’

First up, we fuse medieval alchemy with particle physics and explore a method to turn lead into gold. We then look at the latest research that uses artificial intelligence to help us humans communicate with animals.

We put the spotlight on a favourite trope of science-fiction films – time travel! String theorist Brian Greene of Columbia University explains how going to the past, or back to the future, may or may not be hypothetically possible.

We also ponder ancient auroras, whether ants can plan a Hollywood-style heist, and what it takes to understand our consciousness.

Much ado was made about a cancelled auction of an ultra-rare set of Shakespeare’s folios, which could have fetched millions of dollars.

This headline – along with Shakespeare being one of the world’s most well-known playwrights – inspired the Unexpected Elements team to delve into the science of stories.

First up, we find out why your brain loves a tale. We then discover that some people can’t see images in their mind when they read, and reveal the impact this could have.

Shakespeare’s folios are almost 400 years old, but how have they survived that long? We get on the line with Kathryn Kenney, a book and paper conservator, to find out how she keeps precious books safe.

We also find out about a disappearing island, whether climate change needs a new narrative and if you could eat books to survive.

This month will see thousands of people take to streets around the world to test their feats of endurance. It’s marathon season. And this week, we’re looking at the science behind what keeps you running.

This week, a court in Kenya sentenced four men to either a year in prison or a fine of £5,800 for trying to smuggle 5,000 ants out of the country. The contraband included highly-valued ants like the giant African harvester ant, and it’s believed these ants were intended for exotic pet markets abroad.

But all this talk of ant smuggling got the Unexpected Elements team feeling antsy to talk ants!

We learn about the earliest ants who lived among dinosaurs, ants that can sniff cancer, and ants who were sent into space!

Then we take a turn from ants to anteaters and talk to Mariella Superina from the International Union for Conservation of Nature about the different adaptations and skills needed for anteaters to successfully eat ants.

Plus, we discuss plant smuggling and ant wrangling, both unexpectedly dangerous ventures.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.   

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Leonie Joubert and Godfred Boafo

This programme does not relate to the Ant Antics Ltd company or Ant Antics Foundation CIC.

On 21st April 2025, Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, died.

His funeral took place on 26th April, with thousands of mourners crowding into St Peter’s Square to pay their respects.

Following the death of a Pope, there are centuries-old traditions and rituals that must be followed, and that got the Unexpected Elements team thinking about the science surrounding loss.

Next, we are joined Carl Öhman from Uppsala University in Sweden, who reveals what happens to our data when we die and why we should care about it.

Plus, we discuss the precious materials hiding in our old devices, and find out whether animals mourn.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.   

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Andrada Fiscutean and Edd Gent  

This week the Unexpected Elements team left our windowless BBC studio and paid a visit to the CGIAR conference in Nairobi, Kenya.

In this episode, we find out about the Kenyan invention that’s pulling clean, safe water from thin air, before discovering what makes Kenyan coffee taste so great.

Next, we hear about the problems with burning charcoal and the ways in which briquettes could offer a cleaner, more sustainable solution.

Plus, we’re joined by Joyce Maru, the regional director for Africa at the International Potato Centre. She reveals the science behind the orange-flesh sweet potato and explains how it could improve livelihoods and boost health across Africa.

We then hear about the story of the two Kenyan inventors who have created a Swahili-speaking robot.

Finally, our panellists go against the clock in our Kenyan Science Showdown.

This week is the Christian celebration of Easter, which sent the Unexpected Elements team scrambling for egg-related stories.

First up, we find out about the rise of a vegan egg substitute.

Next, we discover how to cook the perfect boiled egg, according to science.

We then turn our attention to climate change, and find out how it is affecting the breeding patterns and nesting behaviour of sea turtles.

Plus, we are joined by Dr Luis Welbanks, who tells us about a nearby exoplanet that reeks of rotten eggs.

Finally, we delve into the science behind IVF.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

The Aurora Borealis – also known as the Northern Lights – won’t be at their peak activity much longer, and the Unexpected Elements team dreams of going north to see them. And that has got us looking at the science of navigating our way north!

We hear about how humans have been using the sky to navigate for millennia, and we learn about how relying on GPS may be impacting our memory ability.

And while humans use maps to get around, how do animals know where to go on their long migrations? To find the answer, we speak to Dr Kayla Goforth at Texas A&M University who studies exactly how sea turtles and monarch butterflies innately know how to navigate the world around them.

We also learn why polar bears keep themselves ice-free, and we hear old records of the first men to reach the North Pole.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Caroline Steel, with Andrada Fiscutean and Phillys Mwatee