Interviews

The BBC Science Focus team talk to the people at the forefront of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and everything in between. Look out for such big names as Sir David Attenborough and James Lovelock, as well as the minds behind breakthroughs and experts sharing their knowledge.

Why scientists are now racing to stop a mass plant extinction

The race is on to document and protect the world’s plant and fungi species... and everything is at stake if we lose.
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Chris Packham on the mind-blowing science of new BBC Earth series, and his TV legacy: ‘I’m not proud of anything!’

After conquering wildlife TV, presenter Chris Packham is taking on the planet in Earth, a BBC series that sheds new light on the history of our home. He talks us through the show’s biggest surprises – and getting pooped on by a giant condor.
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How to choose an underwater camera

When it comes to underwater cameras and waterproof kit, what should you look for?
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The DNA Detective: How to solve family mysteries with ancestry testing

Prof Turi King, a geneticist on DNA Family Secrets, explains the technology she uses to reunite long-lost families.
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Prehistoric Planet: The cutting-edge science behind Attenborough's dinosaur documentary

The five-part series is streaming on Apple TV+.
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As the crow dies: The strange world of bird funerals

Corvids are not only incredibly intelligent birds, but they even show fascinating behaviour when one of the pack dies.
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3D-printed terracotta coral reefs could save the ‘rainforests of the sea'

The artificial corals mimic the natural complexity of a reef and aim to attract marine organism to support the regrowth.
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Dinosaurs: The Final Day. A closer look at the fossil site uncovered in Attenborough's new show

Meet Robert DePalma, one of the scientists piecing together evidence from the day an asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous.
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Insect populations are dying out. Here’s why that doesn’t have to be the case

We talk to Dave Goulson, a professor of biology and author of Silent Earth: Averting the Insect Apocalypse.
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Should we be scared of human-like androids?

Alex Hughes spoke to the creator of Ameca, a humanoid robot that’s been going viral online for its uncanny facial expressions.
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Intimacy famine: Are smartphones really making us more lonely?

Dr Michelle Drouin, a professor of psychology at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, discusses whether we're all in need of more intimacy, and whether technology can help or hurt.
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Why night owls shouldn’t have to start work at 9am

Has working from home during the pandemic put another nail in the coffin of the traditional 9-to-5 working day?
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COVID-19: What is the future of variants after Omicron?

With the Omicron variant coronavirus, infections ramped up uncontrollably due to its increased transmissibility. Has the virus now peaked, or could a new variant set measures to control it back once more?
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Addiction, crime and data breaches: The metaverse could become a wild west if we’re not careful

David Reid, a professor of AI and spatial computing at Liverpool Hope University, explains the future of the metaverse and its risks.
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Interview: Dune's lead designer reveals inspiration behind the film's look and feel

Patrice Vermette was responsible for creating the universe we see onscreen. Here's how he went about bringing it to life.
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The science of Dune: where the ideas behind the story's strange universe came from

Dune mixes stories about political greed, ecological abuse and unchecked technological progress in a fully realised universe. Here, we talk to award-winning sci-fi author Stephen Baxter to find out where Frank Herbert’s idea came from and how it shaped what came after it…
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Prof Brian Cox: "I want to launch Boris Johnson into space"

Professor Brian Cox, particle physicist and the Royal Society Professor of Public Engagement in Science, tells us about his new documentary, Universe.
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Mars Sample Return: The mission that will bring home a piece of another planet

An ESA scientist tells us why we’re bringing samples home from Mars.
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How an AI finished Beethoven's last symphony and what that means for the future of music

Computer scientists have teamed up with historians, musicologists and composers to teach an artificial intelligence to compose like Beethoven.
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Biological space race: NASA doctor reveals the future of genetically edited astronauts

Prof Christopher E Mason has been studying astronaut Scott Kelly's reactions to life in space and reveals how we might adapt to overcome the challenges we face.
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Volunteers spent 40 days in a cave with no natural light or clocks, and most want to go back. Here’s why…

The Deep Time experiment aimed to study how people adapt to strange, new environments.
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Hungry all of the time? It could be in your blood

Nutritional scientist Dr Sarah Berry tells us that some people are 'big dippers', and these people are more likely to feel hungry again soon after eating.
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