Author: BBC World Service

Posted on

Science In Action - Gain-of-Function: Loss-of-Funding

This week, the White House posted an executive order which details the administration’s intent to stop ‘dangerous gain-of-function research’. We talk to Gigi Gronvall, an immunologist and biosecurity expert at Johns Hopkins University who fears the timing and added bureaucracy could stop all sorts of important biosciences unnecessarily, and that the order is somewhat ideologically driven.

Also, Nasa’s Juno mission has provided data on the most powerful volcanic event ever recorded, which took place on the planet Io, one of Jupiter’s moons. Hellish Io, squeezed as it is by the immense gravity of Jupiter, has not been observed from its poles before in this manner. Last week at EGU25, Science in Action got to speak with the mission’s principal investigator, Scott Bolton of Southwest Research Institute.

Still on Jupiter’s moons, we also ask whether there could there be life on Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa? Scientists believe their glaciated oceans may harbour conditions suitable for life. Also at the EGU meeting were Jonathan Lunine, chief scientist at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Lab, and Athena Coustenis, director of research at the Paris Observatory in Meudon.

Presenter: Roland Pease Producer: Alex Mansfield with Tabby Taylor-Buck Production co-ordinator: Josie Hardy

(Photo: Clinical support technician extracts viruses from swab samples. Credit: Jane Barlow/Getty Images)

Posted on

Global News Podcast - Robert Prevost becomes first American pope: Special episode

The new pope is Robert Prevost, who will be known as Pope Leo XIV - the first American to be elected leader of the Catholic Church. Hear from our correspondent in Rome, as well as reaction from around the world.

Image: Pope Leo XIV greets the faithful as he appears from the Central Loggia of St. Peter's Square on 8 May, 2025 in Vatican City (Credit: Alessandra Benedetti/Corbis via Getty Images)

Posted on

Focus on Africa - Women and the Catholic Church

Sister Ngalula is the only African woman to be appointed to the Vatican’s International Theological Commission. She previously spoke to the late Pope Francis about the need for more female leadership in the church. She says, although many roles in the Catholic clergy are technically open to women, fear among cardinals and bishops is blocking their participation. We hear from Sister Josée Ngalula.

Also, why has the EU declared Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt safe for asylum seekers?

And the campaign to add sunscreen onto the list of essential medicines, especially for those with albinism.

Presenter: Audrey Brown Technical Producer: Jonathan Greer Producers: Bella Hassan, Yvette Twagiramariya and Tom Kavanagh in London Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

Posted on

Focus on Africa - People smuggling between Eritrea and Kenya

An investigation into a new dangerous people smuggling route through Northern Kenya.

Why are large and ongoing protests continuing in Morocco? 

And food fraud: what is it? And why is it dangerous?

Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Amie Liebowitz, Stefania Okereke and Tom Kavanagh in London with Blessing Adegroba in Lagos Technical producer: Jonathan Greer Senior Producer:  Paul Bakibinga Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi.