Episode notes
"Make Pluto a planet again" was the call this week from Donald Trump’s NASA Administrator, Jared Isaacman. The icy body was first seen in 1930 and was the only planet whose discovery was claimed by the United States. In 2006, though, it was officially stripped of its planet status. Tom Whipple is joined by astronomer Chris Lintott to discuss the debate that has raged ever since over whether Pluto should or shouldn’t be reinstated as the solar system’s 9th planet. We also hear about the big money scientific prize hoping to lead to breakthroughs in how humans can communicate with animals. Head…
BBC Inside Science
by BBC Radio 4 · English · Tech & Science
A weekly programme that illuminates the mysteries and challenges the controversies behind the science that's changing our world.
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30 Apr 2026 · 26 min
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23 Apr 2026 · 26 min
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A phase 3 clinical trial is underway to determine the effectiveness of an mRNA vaccine for H5N1, a strain of influenza that is currently of concern. The virus, which is commonly found in birds across the world and is rarely transmitted to humans. However, when it is transmitted, the disease is often fatal, and scientists fear that if the virus were to mutate, it could lead to rapid, widespread infection. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, governments around the world are keen to be better prepared for future threats. These latest efforts aim to develop an mRNA vaccine that could be rolled out…
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16 Apr 2026 · 26 min
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1 Oct 2026 · 28 min
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17 Sep 2026 · 26 min
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