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Science in Action is at the UK's Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition, hunting for dark matter, melting ancient ice, cleaning up disused mines and looking for the batteries of the future.
Presenter: Roland Pease Producer: Alex Mansfield Production Coordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth
(Image: Pile of used batteries ready for recycling. Credit: Mindful Media via Getty Images)
Africa's youngest nation, South Sudan will head to the polls this December, but critics say they are disappointed with the government’s lack of preparedness. These elections will be the first ever conducted in the country since it gained independence from Sudan in 2011. However, several conditions listed in a peace agreement, drawn up in September 2018, have not yet been met. Is the country ready?
Also, what's causing the Gen Z inspired protests in Kenya to continue, despite some concessions by the president?
And we learn more about the allegations that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is defending senior officials accused of corruption.
Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers Kaine Pieri, Bella Hassan, Joseph Keen and Sunita Nahar in London and Charles Gitonga in Nairobi. Senior Producer Paul Bakibinga Technical Producer: Craig Kingham. Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard.
Two countries with major links to Africa are holding make or break elections this week. Britain and France. These elections will usher in new governments which may have completely new approaches to the continent. How will the outcome of the British and French elections impact Africa? And should Africans care?
Also, Sierra Leone receives a million dollar grant from a US development agency, to scale up its electricity supply. How did they land the deal and how will the money be used?
And the ancient language in danger of disappearing in Ethiopia.
Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Sunita Nahar, Victor Sylver and Joseph Keen. Tech Producer: Jonathan Greer Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard
Nigerian authorities say that suspected female suicide bombers participated in coordinated attacks in Nigeria that killed dozens of people. Why do young girls and women become suicide bombers?
How the lives of displaced people in Mozambique's troubled Cabo Delgado Province are being rebuilt.
And can local communities in Africa can be involved in conservation ?
Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Sunita Nahar, Bella Hassan and Nyasha Michelle in London. Charles Gitonga in Nairobi. Technical Producer: Gabriel O'Regan Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi
South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has unveiled a new coalition government, after his party, the African National Congress lost its parliamentary majority in May's elections. Mr Ramaphosa said "the government of national unity is unprecedented in the history of our democracy". What do South Africans think of the new cabinet?
Also a conversation with Ugandan designer Latif Madoi who was arrested and relased on bail.
And can Tunisia's Ons Jabeur bring home tennis's most title..Wimbledon Champion?
Presenter: Charles Gitonga Producers: Joseph Keen, Sunita Nahar, Rob Wilson, Nyasha Michelle and Bella Hassan Technical Producer: Gabriel O Regan Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard
Preschool teacher Carissa got tested as soon as she heard her former pupil, 5 year old Ezra, needed a liver transplant. She tells us she didn't think twice about donating and wants him to be able to do 'five year old things'. Ezra's mum Karen says she's overwhelmed that someone would be willing to do something so selfless and giving for her son. Also: A new drug that could protect women from getting HIV with just two injections a year. The extraordinary Euro 2024 football victory that's helped a country believe in itself. How volunteers managed to save priceless works of art at the start of the war in Ukraine. We're back in Finland for an equestrian competition with no animals - where people jump and ride wooden stick toys called hobby horses. And we hear from Debbie Wileman - whose lockdown social videos have led to a new career as a Judy Garland impersonator. Our weekly collection of happy news and positive stories from around the world.
The CrowdScience team like a challenge. And listeners Jenny and Kai in the UK have come to us with a big one. They want to know how many flies have ever existed.
Flies first appeared around 270 million years ago, so presenter Caroline Steel prepares herself to calculate a very, very large number indeed. She enlists the help of Dr Erica McAlister, Curator of Flies at the Natural History Museum in London. As Erica introduces her to specimens from the Museum’s collection of over 30 million insects, they start with the basics. Like... how do you define a fly in the first place?
Caroline also explores the incredible diversity of flies… from fast-moving predators like robber flies which catch other insects on the wing to midges which are a vital part of chocolate-production; and from blood-sucking mosquitoes which transmit fatal diseases to the housefly buzzing lazily around a room.
And that leads to another fly-related question. Listener Brendan in Colombia wonders why they always fly in circles around a particular area of his apartment. For an explanation we turn to Prof. Jochen Zeil from the Australian National University who reveals that this apparently aimless behaviour is, in fact, a battle for sex.
And Collin in Barbados has e-mailed to ask how flies and mosquitoes benefit us. He’s had first-hand experience of their negative effects through contracting the disease chikungunya from a mosquito bite so he’s wondering if these insects are anything other than a nuisance. However, passionate fly advocate Erica McAlister is ready with plenty of reasons that we should be extremely grateful for them!
Contributors: Dr Erica McAlister, Natural History Museum, London Dr David Yeates, Director, Australian National Insect Collection Prof. Jochen Zeil, Australian National University Prof. Jo Lines, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Presenter: Caroline Steel Producer: Jeremy Grange Editor: Cathy Edwards Production Co-ordinator: Ishmael Soriano Studio Manager: Sarah Hockley
(Image: Close-up of insect on leaf, Kageshwori Manohara, Bagmati Province, Nepal. Credit: Aashish Shrestha via Getty Images)
Sierra Leone recently passed a landmark bill to ban child marriage. The country has one of the highest child marriage rates in the world. How easy will it be to eliminate the practice?
Also we hear from the new chancellor for the University of Nairobi Professor Patrick Verkooijen. What's his view on the Gen Z inspired protests in Kenya?
And how did Togo manage to eliminate four neglected tropical diseases?
Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Aime Liebowitz, Bella Hassan, Victor Sylver and Rob Wilson in London. Frenny Jowi and Charles Gitonga in Nairobi. Technical Producer: Chris Kouzaris Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi
A nationwide power outage in Ecuador left 18 million people in the dark, shutting down traffic lights and the capital’s subway system.
But Ecuador isn’t the only place dealing with blackouts. In Nunavut, Canada, where panelist Meral Jamal lives, power outages happen frequently, including as she was preparing for this programme. How do you deal with a power outage in a remote place? And how did the Inuit manage the cold winter months without electricity at all?
What is the darkest colour in the world? You may think it is black, but, in fact, there is something even darker – ultra-black. Deep-sea fish, butterflies, and, surprisingly, even humans have used ultra-black for a variety of purposes, like being sneaky, fashion statements, and contemporary art.
But what about nature’s blackouts? Ocean scientists Allie Clement tells us about long sunless winters in Antarctica, merry midwinter celebrations, and how ecosystems in Antarctica responds to months of darkness.
Also, the singular origin of a new apex predator hybrid, why alligators have such disgusting table manners, and the maths of scamming which adds up to some astonishingly big bucks.
Presenter: Marnie Chesterton with Meral Jamal and Phillys Mwatee Producer: Florian Bohr with Julia Ravey, Noa Dowling and Katie Tomsett Sound engineer: Tim Heffer
An injectable antiviral "PrEP" therapy that gives 100% protection against HIV infection. Trials among young women in South Africa and Uganda proved so effective, they were wound up early to accelerate its use. Linda-Gail Bekker of the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation shares her excitement.
A new kind of gene therapy that uses the cell's own “epigenetic” mechanisms to silence troublesome portions of our DNA, tested against the prion protein responsible for some brain diseases. Jonathan Weissman led the research at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research in Massachusetts.
Accelerated evolution is being tested in Matthew Nitschke’s labs in the Australian Institute for Marine Science to see if it can help protect natural corals against future global warming.
The amazing 4.200 km transatlantic flight of some Painted Lady butterflies – and the extraordinary detective work ecologist Gerard Talavera and team needed to prove it.
Presenter: Roland Pease Producer: Jonathan Blackwell Production Coordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth
(Image: HIV Vaccine Efficacy Trial Conducted In Uganda. Credit: Luke Dray / Stringer via Getty Images.)