Percival Everett will be discussing his Booker-shortlisted novel The Trees. This powerful and fiercely funny satire centring on revenge and racial justice in America shifts genres between police procedural, magical realism and horror with wit and consummate skill. Percival Everett addresses some of America’s darkest history with an unusual mix of playfulness and political seriousness.
CrowdScience - Why am I bad at maths?
When CrowdScience listener Israel from Papua New Guinea received a bad grade on a maths test in third grade, he looked around the class and realised that almost all the other students had received a better result. Since then, he has always wondered: why are some people better at maths than others? And Israel isn’t the only one to think about this: our listeners from all over the world describe their relationships with numbers, which run the full gamut from love to hate. So are we all in control of our own mathematical fate, or are some people just naturally bad at it? Presenter Anand Jagatia hears about studies of identical and non-identical twins showing how genetics and environment interact to shape our mathematical abilities. Our numerical abilities are not set in stone. It’s always possible to improve, and getting rid of negative feelings and anxiety around maths could be the key, says psychologist Iro Xenidou-Dervou. Some countries seem to support children’s maths skills better than others. China and Finland both rank highly in international league tables; education experts in both countries discuss whether there are any keys to a successful mathematics education. And there is something underlying our ability to do maths in the first place: our number sense. We hear what happens when this number sense does not work as intended – and what can be done about it. Contributors: Professor Yulia Kovas – Goldsmiths University of London, UK Professor Pekka Räsänen – University of Turku, Finland Assistant Professor Zhenzhen Miao – Jiangxi Normal University, China Dr Iro Xenidou-Dervou – Loughborough University, UK Professor Brian Butterworth – University College London, UK Presented by Anand Jagatia Produced by Florian Bohr Editor: Cathy Edwards Production Co-ordinator: Liz Tuohy Studio Manager: Jackie Margerum
(Photo: Boy scratching head in front of blackboard. Credit: Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Getty Images)
Focus on Africa - Why are US soldiers leaving Chad?
The U.S. has withdrawn its troops from Chad, this follows a similar move in neighbouring Niger. The head of the US Africa Command says it was "temporary repositioning" of troops. What does he mean and how damaging is this to global security interests?
Also why is there growing concern for the safety of children in South Africa?
And cyclone Hidaya is expected to make landfall on the East African Coast, affecting mainly the already flooded countries of Tanzania and Kenya. How prepared are they?
Presenter: Richard Kagoe Producers: Charles Gitonga, Bella Hassan, Richard Kagoe and Paul Bakibinga Technical Producer: Jonathan Greer Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard
Unexpected Elements - Horsey driverless cars and competitive cloning
The sight of horses running wild in a city leads panellist Tristan Ahtone in Helsinki to rethink how we rate horses' welfare, Chhavi Sachdev in Mumbai tells the story of the country that is cloning the Lionel Messi of horses for sport and presenter Marnie Chesterton finds out why roboticist Eakta Jain is studying horses to engineer better relationships between humans and autonomous vehicles. All that, plus the slippery record for the world's biggest snake, how the alphabet came to be and asteroid forcing scientists to reiterate 'it will not hit Earth'.
Science In Action - Crossover infections
As bird flu is found in US farm cats fed on raw cow’s milk, chimpanzees are observed eating infected bat dung instead of vegetables. There is a constant threat of infections crossing from species to us and also from species to other species, particularly because of what we do. That is, after all, what happened to start the pandemic.
We hear about the ongoing struggles of the Chinese virologist who broke his instructions in China in order to share the first COVID genetic data.
And a strange tale of how tobacco growing might provide bat viruses a path into other species.
Presenter: Roland Pease Producer: Alex Mansfield Production co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth
Image: Cows on an American cattle farm (Credit: Adam Davis/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
Focus on Africa - Why has an arrest warrant been issued for CAR’s ex-president?
A UN-backed special court has issued an international arrest warrant for the former president of the Central African Republic, François Bozizé. This is in connection with an investigation into his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity committed by soldiers in a prison between 2009 and 2013. We'll get the details.
Also why are gunmen guarding cocoa crops in Uganda?
And a big victory for a small indigenous community in South Africa, who won a Goldman Environmental Prize for standing up to a multinational company.
Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Rob Wilson, Charles Gitonga, Paul Bakibinga. Senior Producer: Karnie Sharp Technical Producer: Nick Randell Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi
Focus on Africa - Why has an arrest warrant been issued for CAR’s ex-president?
A UN-backed special court has issued an international arrest warrant for the former president of the Central African Republic, François Bozizé. This is in connection with an investigation into his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity committed by soldiers in a prison between 2009 and 2013. We'll get the details.
Also why are gunmen guarding cocoa crops in Uganda?
And a big victory for a small indigenous community in South Africa, who won a Goldman Environmental Prize for standing up to a multinational company.
Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Rob Wilson, Charles Gitonga, Paul Bakibinga. Senior Producer: Karnie Sharp Technical Producer: Nick Randell Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi
Focus on Africa - Why is there International concern about Al-Fashir in Sudan?
The U.S. has warned of a looming potential "large scale massacre" in Al-Fashir, a city in Sudan. The United Nations says it's also concerned about a possible imminent attack. What's going on?
Also state TV in Mali says the senior IS commander, Abu Huzeifa, who had a 5 million dollar bounty on his head has been killed by troops from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. Who was he and why is his death being seen as significant?
And we meet the award winning Cameroonian conservationist saving manatees.
Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Victor Sylver, Rob Wilson, Patricia Whitehorne, Bella Hassan and Paul Bakibinga Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi
Focus on Africa - Kenya Floods: Why wasn’t Nairobi better prepared and will President Ruto declare a state of emergency?
More than 160 people are now known to have been killed by weeks of flooding in Kenya following torrential rain, that's according to officials. We'll hear from the Kenyan President, William Ruto.
Also former UK diplomat, Tim Cole, says it's time to reset London's relationship with Africa. What would that new relationship look like?
And we meet young Africans pushing the boundaries of representation in the gaming industry!
Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Charles Gitonga, Bella Hassan, Patricia Whitehorn, Nyasha Michelle and Rob Wilson Technical Producer: Jonathan Greer Senior Producer: Karnie Sharp Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi
Focus on Africa - How do South Africans feel as they mark 30 years of democracy?
It is 30 years since South Africa held its first democratic elections. Three decades on, is it hope or gloom for the 'rainbow nation'?
Also did a national emergency against sexual violence set up 5 years ago, make any difference in Sierra Leone?
And we meet the Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama, using cloth to wrap up the brutalist Barbican centre in London and revealing a hidden history.
Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Rob Wilson, Patricia Whitehorne, Nyasha Michelle and Paul Bakibinga Editors :Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi