The story of how the worst blackout in Texas history unfolded — and left millions of people cold, hungry and with no faith in their state’s power grid.
A warning: Some of what you’ll hear in this episode may be disturbing, especially if you lived through this disaster.
S2 Ep5. Scared of wasps? They could help keep you alive, perhaps transforming life-saving keyhole surgery. Parasitic wasps possess a long tube which can reach inside the body of their host where they lay their eggs.
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Get in touch: www.bbcworldservice.com/30animals
How animals make us smarter – we thought you might like to hear our brand new episode. It’s about a robotic arm inspired by an elephant’s trunk.
For more, search for 30 Animals That Made Us Smarter wherever you get your podcasts.
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It was only when the lights went out in Texas that many of us realized — electrically — we are all alone. Claire McInerny brings us that story. Plus, Jimmy Maas tells us how the electricity market in Texas used to work up until about 20 years ago.
S2 Ep4. A hedgehog could save your life! Spiky quills protect hedgehogs from being eaten by predators. But they also play an important role in cushioning the animal when it falls, keeping it safe even if it plunges from a great height. And now, they can help keep humans safe, too. By mimicking the flexibility, strength and pattern of the quills, scientists have developed a sports helmet that could prevent concussions.
Thanks for listening. Let us know what you think. #30Animals
Get in touch: www.bbcworldservice.com/30animals
There's a secret world of restaurants that you can only find when you open up the delivery apps. This brave new world of ghost kitchens and virtual brands has allowed traditional restaurants to access new revenue streams. And these new models are using data to shape new concepts and menus. But when tech reimagines what a restaurant even is, is the soul of an entire industry at stake?
S2 Ep3. Camels are cool. They cope with intense desert heat, inspiring a gel for storing medicines. It could extend the life of medicines, making it easier to transport them across the globe.
Thanks for listening. Let us know what you think.
#30Animals
Get in touch: www.bbcworldservice.com/30animals
One of the first police shootings to be captured on cell phone, millions saw Bay Area Rapid Transit police Officer Johannes Mehserle fire a single, fatal gunshot into Oscar Grant's back as the 22-year-old lay face down on the train station platform. Now, a lawsuit filed by NPR member station KQED has forced BART to comply with California's 2019 police transparency law, and release never-before-heard tapes from inside that investigation.
Without delivery workers, there is no DoorDash or UberEats or Grubhub. And workers in this slice of the gig economy get access to a level of flexibility that most people in traditional employment situations can only dream of. But how much control do delivery workers really have over their schedules, their pay and the terms of their employment? These questions are at the heart of a political battle playing out across the country with stakes that are deeply personal for delivery drivers nationwide.
