Unexpected Elements

This week, the Unexpected Elements team have been glued to a story about a $126 million fraud caused by fake US postage labels. That inspires a show filled with lies, cheats and deception.

We meet the flower that catfishes its way to reproductive success by intimating a female fly and learn if humans are more or less honest when money is involved as part of an experiment that required 17,000 lost wallets.

We meet Nicholas Eastaugh, the physicist turned art fraud investigator, who shares the tools of his trade and explains how science helped bust a notorious art forger and we hunt for the imposter in the world of science journalism, writing real articles for real money, albeit while trading off the reputations of established authors.

Plus, we celebrate the retraction watch awards – CTLR Z gives recognition if you own your mistakes in science.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producers: Ella Hubber with Sophie Ormiston and Lucy Davies

A new bridge has just been opened between China and North Korea after a 12-year delay. And that got the Unexpected Elements team thinking about some bridge-related science.

We start things off by finding out about the microscopic bridges connecting undersea bacteria. We then delve into bridge-editing, a next-generation gene-editing tool that could be better than CRISPR at altering DNA.

Next up, mathematician Dr Kit Yates tells us about the Seven Bridges of Königsberg, a historic puzzle that launched a new type of maths.

Also, suitcase malaria, how newborn babies identify their parents, and the creation of a new wildlife crossing.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Andrada Fiscutean and Kai Kupferschmidt Producers: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, with Dan Welsh, Lucy Davies and Robbie Wojciechowski

After a Chinese fitness influencer was caught hitching a lift on a bicycle during the Berlin Marathon, the Unexpected Elements team find themselves contemplating a range of scientific shortcuts.

First up, we hear about how Earthlings may have been hitching a lift on the back of asteroids all the way to the clouds of Venus. Next, can you tell if someone drinks beer from an X-ray of their knee? Of course not! But we find out why AI thinks you can.

We’re then joined by Chad Orzel, Professor of Physics at Union College and author of How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog, who helps us explore why quantum physics might be the answer to the ultimate shortcut – teleportation.

Also, how our brains create stories when we listen to music, why most people can’t digest seaweed, and the scientists who buried 2,000 pairs of underpants.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton with Leonie Joubert and Tristan Ahtone Producers: Lucy Davies with Dan Welsh, Alice Lipscombe-Southwell and Robbie Wojciechowski

Estonian athlete Jaan Roose recently completed a jaw-dropping slackline display, performing daredevil tricks 120 metres above the streets of central Seoul, South Korea.

This exciting event by a world champion slackliner got the Unexpected Elements team thinking about risk-taking, acrobatics and skyscrapers.

First up, we discover that there may be anatomical differences in the brains of people who engage in risky behaviour. Next, we find out more about the engineering that keeps skyscrapers stable.

We then speak with Dr Lucia Jacobs, who spent years studying the acrobatic skills and cognition of the squirrels at the University of California, Berkeley.

We also learn about the dances of the Maasai, why spiders don’t get stuck in their own webs, and how high an insect can fly.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Andrada Fiscutean and Michael Kaloki Producers: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, with Ella Hubber and Robbie Wojciechowski

This week’s news of an AI agent managing to hack into an Australian government website has the Unexpected Elements team exploring the sneaky science of infiltration.

Marnie Chesterton is joined by science journalists Paul Adepoju and Andrada Fiscutean to discover how South African drongo birds have developed an ingenious technique to protect their nest from cuckoo eggs, and to hear about the unusual approach being developed to help get eyedrops past the body’s immune system so they can reach the retina.

We’re also joined by Dr Bart Geert, Professor of Atmospheric Science at the University of Wyoming in the US, to explore the science of how to manipulate clouds to try to help produce more rain in drought-ridden areas.

We also find out about how the tracking data that comes from tagging wild dogs in Zambia could help to ensure better approaches to their conservation in the future. We hear about your cases of pareidolia, and learn why aging leads to men going bald but also growing longer hair on other parts of the body.

All that and more in this week’s Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producer: Dan Welsh with Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, Imy Harper and Robbie Wojciechowski

When a NATO fighter jet was sent to investigate what appeared to be a suspicious drone near Vilnius airport, the culprit turned out to be something rather less threatening: a flock of birds. Inspired by this case of mistaken identity, the Unexpected Elements team explores the science of getting things wrong.

We discover why our brains are so eager to spot faces in everyday objects, from clouds to power sockets, and hear how this tendency may have evolved as a shortcut for detecting friends and foes. We also investigate the widespread issue of mislabelled cell lines that have found their way into thousands of scientific studies, raising questions about research reliability and reproducibility.

Then we meet Alex Donovan from the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology at Cambridge University, who tells us the story of brain organoids, or "mini-brains", a field of research born from an apparent laboratory mistake that has gone on to transform neuroscience.

Elsewhere, we hear how a WhatsApp message helped identify a devastating banana disease outbreak in Tanzania, ask whether anybody else in the world has exactly the same face as you, and explore how the venom of the Gila monster ended up inspiring drugs now used by millions of people around the world.

All that plus more unexpected elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producer: Ella Hubber with Alice Lipscombe-Southwell and Robbie Wojciechowski

With the United Nations encouraging wider use of the Equal Earth map, a projection designed to better represent the true size of Earth's landmasses, the Unexpected Elements team have been thinking about distortion and the surprising new ways we can see the world and beyond.

We discover that every city's subway system has its own unique microbial fingerprint, so distinctive that researchers can identify a location from a simple swab. Then we meet the black-capped chickadee, a tiny bird whose remarkable memory-map helps it keep track of thousands of hidden food stores.

Astrophysicist Miguel Zumalacárregui joins us to explain gravitational lensing, the phenomenon that bends and distorts light as it travels through the Universe. We hear how these cosmic distortions help astronomers study distant galaxies, dark matter and even black holes.

We also learn why Europe's mountain summits are becoming greener while still losing rare plants, ask why many continents seem to point downwards, and explore the story behind the online maps in our pockets.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Andrada Fiscutean and Paul Adepoju Producers: Alice Lipscombe Southwell, with Ella Hubber and Debbie Kilbride

Roald Dahl Day is celebrated each year on 13 September. Dahl gave us much-loved children’s books like Matilda, The BFG and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which have captivated kids for generations.

Dahl is also a controversial figure, and made anti-semitic remarks that his family have since apologised for. We explore the separation of art and artist, and go looking for the science hidden in Dahl’s fantastical stories.

We find out about the scientists brewing up chocolate – not in a factory, but in a laboratory. And remember how the BFG sent ‘golden dreams’ into kids’ bedrooms? We hear how anaesthetists are ensuring that patients enjoy good dreams while sedated. And remember Bruce Bogtrotter, the much-loved side character in Matilda who famously scoffed a gigantic chocolate cake? Inspired by his story, we decided to chew over the science behind eating competitions with Professor James Smoliga from Tufts University School of Medicine.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, Tristan Ahtone and Sandy Ong Producer: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, Sophie Ormiston and Debbie Kilbride

The 80th birthday celebrations of the late, great Queen frontman Freddie Mercury have us marvelling at mercury at an elemental level: as a killer, a cure and more.

First, we hear about how to make a telescope mirror out of a spinning bowl of liquid mercury. Then we hear about killer queens; it’s a gruesome tale of pheromone-induced ant warfare.

Next, Freddie’s rare condition that caused him to have four extra incisors in his upper jaw leads us to discuss the secrets hidden within our teeth. We’re joined by archaeologist Carolyn Freiwald from the University of Mississippi, whose work on the teeth of ancient people tells us much about both their lives and our own.

Also, the secret to getting rid of earworms, ancient civilisations hidden beneath the Amazon, and why you should never mess with dimethyl mercury.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, Kai Kupferschmidt and Camilla Mota Producer: Lucy Davies, Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, Imy Harper and Debbie Kilbride

Vast swathes of Europe and Asia are experiencing drought conditions, thanks to relentless heatwaves and lack of rain.

This week, we find out why drought conditions could unexpectedly lead to an increase in water-borne disease.

Next up, we take a trip to Lake Malawi to discover why a tiny fly could help us rewrite the science of insects.

Also on the show, we’re joined by Professor Dan Parsons from Loughborough University in the UK, who tells us about the rivers that lurk beneath the sea.

Elsewhere, we hear about the tech that could help reduce textile waste, we find out why rehydrating raisins won’t turn them back into grapes, and discover how to suck water from thin air.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Chhavi Sachdev and Phillys Mwatee Producers: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, with Debbie Kilbride and Imy Harper

News of an Australian library book finally finding its way home 150 years after it was borrowed has the Unexpected Elements team thinking about things that get forgotten, filed away or simply turn up much later than expected.

We start with the story of a meteorite from Mars that spent millions of years travelling through space before ending up in a university drawer. Then, we investigate why scientists believe California may be centuries overdue for a massive earthquake known as "The Big One".

Next, Martin Woodward from GitHub joins us to explain how millions of lines of computer code are being preserved deep beneath the Arctic in a vault designed to protect humanity's digital knowledge for generations to come.

Plus, we hear about the penguin vaccinators working to protect Australian wildlife from bird flu, discover if smells, tastes and touch can be measured, and explore the dying art of reading a book. All that, plus many more, unexpected elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producers: Lucy Davies, Ella Hubber, Imy Harper and Robbie Wojciechowski

As Europe experiences its first total solar eclipse in almost 30 years this week, Unexpected Elements investigates the surprising science that emerges when sunlight is blocked out.

We travel to the forests of Italy, where we investigate whether trees can communicate their eclipse plans to each other. We learn about an ambitious scientific plan to launch a wall of bubbles the size of Brazil into outer space. And we contemplate whether astronauts will ever need to take rice cookers the moon.

Also on the show, Anneliese Hodge, a doctoral researcher from the University of Plymouth in the UK joins us to help us learn more about how sunscreen - while good for us humans - can be destructive to marine life.

Elsewhere in the programme, we hear about the newly arrived crows bothering the people of Nairobi, Kenya, and discuss another pesky problem: people not wearing headphones on public transport.

All that plus more unexpected elements.

Presenter: Alex Lathbridge

Producers: Dan Welsh, Lucy Davies and Robbie Wojciechowski

The UK's Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has found that birdwatching is the second-fastest growing hobby amongst Gen Z with 750,000 of them regularly venturing into the outdoors to spot some of our feathered friends. Inspired by this new appreciation for an old pastime, the Unexpected Elements team are on the lookout for some birdwatching science.

First, we watch birds, but did you know they watch us back? We hear how crows don't just hold grudges; they also pass on those grudges to their peers. Then, from birds watching us to birds watching for us. We learn all about the patterns of vulture crime scene detectives.

Inspired by the citizen science nature of bird watching we talk to Professor Brooke Simmons about Galaxy Zoo, a website where people can volunteer to sort through images of galaxies and perhaps stumble on some mysterious green blobs.

We also bring you the newest evidence of ice age-old bird appreciation, explore BALLS or the ambitious pan-African experiment to send spherical radio antennae to the moon, and ask does music distract or help you concentrate? The answer might depend on your social skills.

All that plus more unexpected elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton

Producers: Ella Hubber, Lucy Davies and Robbie Wojciechowski

75 years ago, Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland hit our screens, welcoming us into a technicolour, topsy-turvy world of eccentric characters – including the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, the Queen of Hearts, the White Rabbit and many more.

On Unexpected Elements, we're tumbling down the rabbit hole to uncover the strange and surprising science hidden within the classic story.

We’ll find out how bizzarro land of Lewis Carroll's original novel was inspired by the real scientific discoveries of his time? Dr. Franziska Kohlt tells us how Wonderland made sense of science for children – and we learn about a few scientific theories that have taken inspiration from Alice herself.

We also meet shrinking shrews, get wide-eyed over some adorable animals, and go underground to solve a subatomic puzzle.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producers: Robbie Wojciechowski, Alice McKee, Imy Harper, and Nada Soufi

If you were lucky enough to be at rapper Pitbull's recent concert in Hyde Park in London, you would have been greeted by a sea of bald caps. A Guiness World record-breaking sea of 22,141 bald caps. And, in honour of this incredible feat, the Unexpected Elements team are exploring some science.

First, is hair the secret to healing? We find out why trading fur for sweat may have had unexpected consequences. Then, we learn all about ball lightning – real life fireballs that, despite first being sighted over 800 years ago, remain a mystery.

Next, is your garden full of rap stars? We're joined by Elizabeth MacDougall-Shackleton who tells us what we can learn from sparrows' surprisingly aggressive rap battles. We're also joined by Paulo Bittencourt who proves why we should all appreciate a nice big tree.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producers: Margaret Sessa-Hawkins, Lucy Davies, Alice McKee, Robbie Wojciechowski, and Nada Soufi

As the film adaptation of the Odyssey bursts onto screens around the world this week, here at Unexpected Elements we’re undertaking our own epic journey through science – all inspired by the ancient Greek epic.

First, we discover the tiny virus that’s using its own Trojan Horse to sneak into cells it wouldn’t usually be able to infect. Then, we hear about the daring 8000km voyage undertaken by iguanas 30 million years ago.

Next, we’re joined by Professor Steve Simpson from the University of Bristol in the UK. He tells us how he’s been using sounds to lure fish back to coral reefs around the world – much like how the Sirens in the Odyssey used their enticing songs to lure sailors to shore. Except in Steve’s work, rather than being lured to their deaths, the fish are helping corals recover from the devastating effects of climate change.

Also, the fake medicine that still makes you feel better and why some smells might make you sleepy.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Emmanuel Samani and Chhavi Sachdev Producers: Sophie Ormiston, with Dan Welsh, Alice McKee and Nada Soufi

A mysterious vigilante in Mexico nicknamed “Batman” has inspired the Unexpected Elements team to investigate the science of superheroes.

First up, we explore whether a Batman’s presence can actually change human behaviour. One unusual psychology experiment suggests that people may be more likely to perform acts of kindness when a caped crusader appears nearby.

Then we discover a real human superpower: echolocation. Used by bats and many other animals, it turns out humans can learn to navigate the world using sound as well.

Next, we meet Mexico’s original Bat Man, conservationist Dr Rodrigo Medellín. He joins us to bust myths about a much maligned mammal, reveal how one species helps make tequila possible, and confess to keeping vampire bats in his bathroom.

Plus, how environmental DNA is helping researchers map biodiversity across the Arctic Ocean and a reflection on scientific heroes. Are great discoveries are ever really the work of just one person?

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Caroline Steel, with Meral Jamal and Phillys Mwatee Producer: Margaret Sessa-Hawkins, with Ella Hubber, Robbie Wojciechowski and Alice McKee

Pakistan has recently announced that they plan to abolish the 18% sales tax on menstrual products like pads or tampons. UN Women has welcomed the decision, saying that when these products become more affordable it means more girls and women stay in school and the workforce. For the Unexpected Elements team, the news has led us towards scientific stories of menstruation and different kinds of cycles.

First up, a look at how the menstrual cycle affects drugs reaching the brain and an exploration of one of the only other animals to get a period, the weird and wonderful spiny mouse. Author of A City on Mars, Kelly Weinersmith, also joins us to ponder over what to do when you get your period in space.

Plus, how termite brains change between sexes, why we can’t stop snacking, and the daily battle of the sleep/wake cycle.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Caroline Steel, with Camilla Mota and Tristan Ahtone Producers: Sophie Ormiston and Ella Hubber with Lucy Davies and Robbie Wojciechowski

This week South Korea announced they will be adjusting the Civilian Controlled Zone that borders the demilitarised area between North and South Korea. The reshuffle will allow thousands of civilians to be able to move with more freedoms, but for the Unexpected Elements team, it’s sparked a conversation about scientific borders, boundaries, lines and barriers.

First up, a look at the Wallace Line, an obscure ecological border in Indonesia that marks the boundary between Asian tigers and Australian kangaroos with Dr Ian McFadden from Queen Mary University. We learn about the blood-brain barrier, could new ‘shuttle’ technologies help deliver vital new medicines that could help with Alzheimer’s?

Plus, why conflict causes the cost of flights to rise, and one scientist’s attempt to map underground fungi networks.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Candice Bailey and Paul Adepoju Producers: Margaret Sessa Hawkins, with Sophie Ormiston, Lucy Davies and Robbie Wojciechowski

The spiralling cost and short supply of microchips – something the tech journalists have dubbed ‘RAMageddon’ – has the Unexpected Elements team investigating all things chip-related.

We start things off by finding out about a mini cervix-on-a-chip and how this could help us better understand premature birth.

We then feel a little salty when we discover that chips (also known as fries) may create cancer-causing acrylamides when cooked. Should we be worried?

Next up, Professor Paul Graham from the University of Sussex reveals why gulls love to steal your chips, and (crucially) tells us how to defend our dinner.

Plus, the world’s largest whale graveyard, the health benefits of the humble spud and why some people are better at napping than others.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Katie Silver and Kai Kupferschmidt Producers: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, with Sophie Ormiston and Robbie Wojciechowski