The Science of Feeding the World: Recent Episodes
The Science of Feeding the World
The new weekly podcast for people who care about science, food and the world! Join our three brave adventurers; Alex, Gary and Hannah, as they delve into the scientific world, speaking to the scientists who help keep our food on the table!
Warning - This podcast may contain faecal pellets
Welcome to the last episode of season one of the Science of Feeding the World Podcast. In this episode we are joined by statistician, Professor Marian Scott, OBE of the University of Glasgow.
There's plenty of science to feast on in this varied episode. We talk about big data, using satellites to study lakes, uncertainty and horse hearts and facial recognition on cats. Enjoy!
Joining us this week is author Mark Lynas! We branch out into the world of how farming and climate change are related before diving into the storytelling in science. Plus we find out the latest tips in pre-bunking and de-bunking fake news.
We're moving on up! Straight up! Vertically! Vertical farming. You get the idea with that. This week, Dr Joe Roberts spoke to us about the potential benefits and problems of vertical farming, as well as his work in chemical ecology and the important of social media in science!
Dr Kevin Folta joins us this week for a wild ride through the various worlds of strawberry science and using light to manipulate everything from taste to disease resistance and shelf-life of fruits and vegetables.
Kevin also talks about his work as a science communicator and the important of scientists speaking out against pseudoscience.
Even a lock-down can't stop us from talking about the Science of Feeding the World! In this special episode, we decided to test the limits of online communication by discussing each others work! We covered topics such as Gary's science communication and pseudoscience debunking, Alex's insect monitoring and pest bothering, and Hannah's carrot field conversations with farmers!
Supply chains, emissions, cow burps, smog... we cover a lot of interesting ground in this episode. Joining us is Dr Sajeev Em who is an agricultural systems modeler at Rothamsted Research.
What is a model? How do we use them to help us feed the world? Models help us to test different food and farm management practices or supply chains to look for how changes in one part can have far reaching impacts elsewhere.
This week, we find out what's buzzing with bumblebees, and PhD student Laura James teaches us all about her research on bumblebees ability to learn, and the devastating effects some chemical pesticides can have on our furry friends.
Some information on 'buzz pollination'! https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/bee-faqs/buzz-pollination/
Hold onto your hats, here we go again! PCR and Science Superhero Maider Abadie dropped by to teach us all about DNA, life as a technician and keeping yourself happy and healthy in the world of science!
Genes, genetics, genomes; what are the limits of traditional breeding methods and where does CRISPR fit in? Join us this week as we talk to plant genome engineer Dr Florian Hahn about the genetics of feeding the world. We talk about everything from how gene editing works to off-target effects and whether current regulations are science-based.
This slice of podcast pie features Prof. Achim Dobermann, Chief Scientist at the International Fertilizer Association. We discussed the task of solving world hunger, and went on a whistle stop tour of some of the amazing places the Chief has worked throughout his career.
Get your alarm pheremones flowing, it's time for episode 5 of The Science of Feeding the World Podcast! In this episode, we talk with Entomologist Dr Gia Aradottir, programme leader at NIAB, about how plants defend themselves. We ask how we can learn from insect chemical communication to improve the ability of our food crops to not get nommed by aphids and other pests.
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Whoa! Back for round four are you? This week we're speaking to soil scientist Harry Barrat about the importance of the soil as an ecosystem and for our food security. We also have a controversial discussion on the topic of veganism.
This week's episode of The Science of Feeding The World is about all of the crazy stuff floating around in the air! This isn't just important because we want to know what we are breathing in, but we also find out how fungal spores can travel literally thousands of miles without breaking a sweat and still infect our crops.
We're speaking with Professor Jon West, who's a busy scientist! Not only is Jon a plant pathologist and aerobiologist (don't worry, we find out what one of those does) at Rothamsted Research, but Jon's also a visiting lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire and an honorary professor from the Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences in China.
Welcome back to the second episode of the Science of Feeding the World! This episode is with Dr. Dana MacGregor, who is a weed molecular biologist(no not that kind of weed) at Rothamsted Research. Together with Dana, we navigate the world of resistance finding out what it means and why it matters.
Warning: you may find your mind blown and jaw permanently attached to the floor after this episode!
In this, the very first episode of the Science of Feeding the World, we talk to Cassie Sims, PhD Student at the University of Nottingham and Rothamsted Research. We dive straight into the world of how insects smell and what this means for the food we eat. By understanding the chemical processes going on in the insect antennae we find out how insects can find each other, communicate and have sex (stop sniggering at the back, you).
Buckle in for a wild ride through all things insect olfaction!
Introducing Science FTW: The Science of Feeding the World Podcast. The new weekly podcast for people who care about science, food and the world.