South Sudan hasn't voted in an election since the country gained independence in 2011, but that could change if President Salva Kiir's pledge to hold general elections in 2024 go to plan.
Also on the pod: anger is still simmering in Nanterre, France, after the killing of a 17 year old by the hand of the police sparked days of violent protests. A BBC team speaks to local activists and hears from the police.
And, why are so many Egyptian athlets are fleeing their country? We look behind the intriguing case of an Egyptian wrestling champion who disappeared and resurfaced in France.
This week time is up for the UN to come up with rules about how to mine the ocean bed. We hear about the mysterious potato shaped objects on the sea floor that contain lots of valuable minerals that are essential for electronics like mobile phones.
Our team on three different continents compare how recycling of precious metals is going in their parts of world, and we hear why early Lithium batteries kept catching fire.
We also speak to an expert on hydroelectric power who tells us how small scale hydro is a massively untapped resource, possibly even in your own back garden.
This week’s Under the Radar story is a personal tale of floods and landslides in the Himalayas, and what science tells us about the huge cloudburst that caused them.
Our search to discover The Coolest Science in the World continues with a fascinating look at sonification with a researcher who straddles science and music, and we dive into the fact that human use of underground water has redistributed the weight of the planet.
All that plus your emails and WhatsApps, the answer to a question about heavy metal and the wonderful laugh of a Nobel laureate.
Presented by Marnie Chesterton
Produced by Alex Mansfield, with Ben Motley and Sophie Ormiston
President Ruto outrages environmentalists after lifting a ban on cutting trees. But what does this mean for Kenya’s commitment to the environment? We ask Tracy Makheti, Community Manager at Greenpeace Africa.
From problems to solutions: we chat to Omolara Svensson, a Nigerian woman whose mission is to change stereotypes around farming and get more young people into agriculture.
Plus, Ugandan author Kakwenza Rukirabashaija who has a new book called ‘The Savage Avenger’, tells us about his experience of being detained, tortured and having to flee Uganda.
Senegal’s president Macky Sall has announced he won’t seek a third term in office when the country holds an election in 2024. Speculation around what would have been a controversial candidacy has fuelled unrest in the country.
Plus, could Kenya become the latest African country to pass new legislation cracking down on LGBTQ+ rights? We look at the foreign organisations influencing the debate in Africa.
And we meet Musa Motha, the amputee dancer from South Africa whose inspiring story has touched the world.
Kenya recently launched an online registry where employers can look up names of convicted sexual offenders. But how effective a deterrent is this? We ask Stanley Mutuma, a legal researcher in Kenya.
Also in the pod: Psychologist Dr Kirindi Odindo tells us about the added burden of responsibilities many young women feel as first-born girls in their family.
And, I speak with the woman who succesfully campained for the South African government to scrap tax on sanitary pads and other period products.
Bestselling author Sofi Oksanen answers readers' questions about her novel Purge.
It's a harrowing story of sexual violence, betrayal and retribution which charts the troubled history of Estonia during and after the Second World War. Told through the lives of two women, the story starts when a frightened stranger, Zara, arrives on Aliide's doorstep. Gradually, their parallel stories, and connected histories are uncovered. This powerful novel has been translated into 38 languages.
(Picture: Author Sofi Oksanen. Photo credit: Toni Härkönen.)
We all enjoy a deep-fried Mars bar with french fries from time to time, but why do we crave these unhealthy foods instead of healthy things like spinach or broccoli? And what is a food craving? The answers lie in a complex blend of our psychology, physiology, and even sociology.
BBC CrowdScience presenter Alex Lathbridge savours a mystery-meat crocket with the experts on a quest to discover the hidden sources and sauces of our food cravings.
Presenter: Alex Lathbridge
Producer: Richard Walker
Editor: Richard Collings
(Image: Stack of cheeseburgers and French fries. Credit: Dominic Lipinski/PA)
As the mandate for United Nations peacekeeping soldiers to remain in Mali comes to an end after more than a decade, we look at what the force has achieved in the country, and what could happen once the troops have departed.
Plus, we examine the impact of IMF-mandated public spending cuts on countries like Kenya, who have to agree to stringent terms in order to receive emergency loans.
And we take a look at how the rising cost of living is making it difficult for some young Muslims to make the Hajj pilgrimage this year.
As the mandate for United Nations peacekeeping soldiers to remain in Mali comes to an end after more than a decade, we look at what the force has achieved in the country, and what could happen once the troops have departed.
Plus, we examine the impact of IMF-mandated public spending cuts on countries like Kenya, who have to agree to stringent terms in order to receive emergency loans.
And we take a look at how the rising cost of living is making it difficult for some young Muslims to make the Hajj pilgrimage this year.
We have entered a “permacrisis”, an extended period of instability and insecurity, fuelled not only by natural disasters but pandemics, climate change and war.
This week, Science in Action is at the Royal Society as they host the All European Academies assembly on the importance of research in crises. Roland speaks to international experts on how research contributes to responding to and preparing for the multiple and entangled crises of our time.
Presenter: Roland Pease
Producer: Ella Hubber
Editor: Richard Collings
Production co-ordinator: Jonathan Harris
(Photo: A man wearing a protective face mask walks past an illustration of a virus in Oldham, 3 August 2020 Credits: Phil Noble/Reuters)
