RAZOR Sounds

Scientists have managed to launch rovers on the Red Planet, but what will it take to get a human on the surface?Could their bodies survive the rigors of the seven-month journey plus the seven minutes of terror it takes to enter, descend and land safely on the surface of Mars? And could their minds cope with the isolation and the myriad psychological challenges they would be faced w

The natural ecosystems we depend upon are in crisis globally, with around a million species at risk of disappearing from the wild. Penguins feed in the ocean and breed on land, so they face dangers in both places – more than half of penguin species are threatened with extinction.In this Razor Podcast special, our correspondent Sylvia Rowley takes a trip to the picturesque southea

It’s long been known that fish swim in schools to protect themselves from predators, but could there be another reason? This week on the podcast, Shini Somara talks to Iain Couzin, professor of biodiversity and collective behavior at the University of Konstanz. His team has been placing robotic fish among schools to study the animals’ energy consumption. Couzin explains what we

This week we look at a revolutionary new cancer treatment. Emma goes to Portugal to talk to Rita Fuore about how she realized injecting tumors into zebrafish could help doctors make more informed decisions about which cancer treatment is best for their patients [01:33]. In science this week, Frankie finds out how people’s mood can influence the efficacy of COVID19 vaccines and Em

This week on the RAZOR Podcast, Shini Somara and Emma Keeling hear about a revolutionary new therapy that could challenge the aging process. Glenn Jeffery from University College London has been working on a way to slow down the aging process by focusing on “recharging” mitochondria. His team has been using red light therapy on fruit flies and has started to move into human tri

It's the final Razor podcast of 2020! In this episode Shini Somara and Emma Keeling look at what would happen if Covid-19 took hold in animals. Emma spoke to Tony Goldberg, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Wisconsin in the U.S. Goldberg has been studying the ecology and evolution of infectious diseases in nature and explains the dangers of covid-19 moving back

This week on the podcast Emma Keeling and Shini Somara look at a magical mushroom that can be turned into insulation material for our homes. Emma visits Biohm, the company behind the innovation to find out how they came up with the idea and why this idea could revolutionise the construction industry [01:30]. We learn how owner Ehab Sayed came up with the idea for the company and wh

This week on the podcast Shini Somara and Emma Keeling look at hair loss as a potential Covid-19 symptom. A leading hair loss clinic in London has recently reported that a number of patients suffering from temporary hair loss also experienced COVID-19 related symptoms three months prior to seeking treatment. Emma Keeling spoke to an administrator at the clinic who also tested posit

This week on RAZOR, Shini Somara speaks to mechanical engineer Richard Johnston, a professor at the Materials Research Centre, Swansea University to find out about a collaboration between jet engineers and Egyptologists. Their work gives a detailed look into the past and promises great innovations in the future. Johnston explains how analyzing ancient mummies can lead to advances i

This week on Razor Sounds we look at a company that’s looking to revolutionise the way we try and feed the world. Entocycle is a biotechnology company that farms Black soldier flies to convert their larvae into protein that they use to feed livestock. Emma Keeling spoke to founder and director Kieron Whitaker who explains how he came up with the idea for Entocycle [01:39]. Emma a