How long is a piece of string?
In the spirit of a famous rhetorical question, this program explores the world of scientific measurement at the molecular and atomic level. Host Alan Davies tries to establish the length of a piece of household string—but what appears to be a simp...
A war on science: intelligent design in the classroom
Are advocates of the intelligent design theory really creationists in disguise? To what extent has the I.D. argument widened America's cultural divide? And if a clear winner emerges, who loses? This program thoroughly examines those questions, descr...
How many people can live on planet earth?
Thirst, starvation, claustrophobia - all three await the whole of humanity, if global population and consumption rates continue unchanged. This program explores the looming crisis in practical terms, measuring as accurately as possible our planet’...
Who's Afraid of a Big Black Hole?
Black holes are by definition invisible, and there is no scientific theory that can adequately explain them. Nevertheless, researchers are determined to unravel the mysteries of black holes in the hope of answering some of the universe’s most pres...
Diet: A Look at Processed Food, Nutrition, and Obesity in the 20th Century
Attitudes about the industrialization of food have changed greatly over the past several decades. What used to be considered a scientific miracle now seems like a horrific joke: piglets being reared in incubators that look like tiny iron lungs; fish...