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Toothpaste made from hair could repair damaged teeth Aug 20, 2025

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A new study shows that a protein found in hair, skin and wool is better at protecting teeth than fluoride. We speak to Dr Sherif Elsharkawy from King’s College London about how keratin toothpaste can stop tooth decay.

Children who vape are three times more likely to become smokers, that's according to an umbrella review published in Tobacco Control.

UK ‘agreed to drop’ Apple data demand in privacy row, US chief says. Read more here.

Plus, a new moon has been discovered orbiting Uranus

Also in this episode:

Meta announces a restructure of its AI departments

Thousands object to Tesla's bid to supply energy to UK homes

Radio waves could improve sense of smell in humans

Fireball lights up night skies across southern Japan

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The world's largest animal crossing is being built in Colorado Aug 19, 2025

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Colorado has built the world's largest animal crossing. We speak to Kara Van Hoose from Colorado Parks and Wildlife about why Monument is building a bridge for animals.

And are zombie rabbits real? Kara explains the disease affecting cottontail bunnies that gives them a horned appearance.

Plus, the kids' magnesium supplement that the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency have advised customers to dispose of.

Also in this episode:

Water tests reveal ‘really concerning’ pollution in Lake Windermere

A new trial offers hope for patients with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa

Sir David Attenborough names a golden eagle chick

'Good Boy' trailer released, the horror film from a dog's perspective

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“Skibidi”, “tradwife”, and “delulu” added to the Cambridge Dictionary Aug 18, 2025

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Wendalyn Nichols, Cambridge Dictionary Publishing Manager, joins us to explain why “Skibidi”, “tradwife”, and “delulu” have been added to their dictionary.

The UK government extends opening hours for 100 local health centres to speed up patient diagnosis.

AI chatbot plushies have been developed for children as young as three.

Rosie Weatherley from the mental health charity, Mind, speaks to us about the soothing benefits of crafting.

Also in this episode:

-Spain deploy an extra 500 troops to help battle ongoing wildfires.

-A new trial has offered hope for patients living with a rare genetic disorder.

-Stranger Things creators to leave Netflix for Paramount

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Disney+ deliver Alien: Earth egg to the Natural History Museum Aug 15, 2025

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Sci-fi fans… FX’s Alien: Earth landed on August 13th. From Noah Hawley and Ridley Scott, the new series is available to stream on Disney+ UK.

To celebrate the launch, Disney+ delivered a Xenomorph egg to the Natural History Museum to be displayed within a new exhibit titled "Space: Could Life Exist Beyond Earth?".

To find out more, we’re joined by the museum's head of collections and professor of planetary science, Caroline Smith.

Due to increased demand for the weight loss drug Mounjaro, US manufacturer Eli Lilly will increase prices from September

Read the full explainer by clicking here.

And, the UK government is teaming up with TikTok to highlight the risks of travelling abroad for cosmetic procedures.

Also in this episode:

-Nearly 100 data centres will be built in the UK in the next 5 years

-Norway accuse pro-Russian hackers of a cyberattack on a hydropower dam

-NBCUniversal and Saber Interactive reveal a featurette for the upcoming Jurassic Park: Survival game

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LinkedIn says A-Level results day ‘no longer life-defining’ Aug 14, 2025

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Career expert at LinkedIn, Charlotte Davies, tells us that A-level results day is no longer a life-defining “sliding doors moment”.

They say school leavers are rethinking their approach to their first career and are opting for apprenticeships instead.

She also told us the top five fastest-growing skills that are on the rise, which include AI literacy and large language models utilisation.

Frank Strang, who founded the UK’s first spaceport, SaxaVord, died on Tuesday at the age of 67.

In a statement, Deputy CEO Scott Hammond said they are determined to make the UK Europe’s leader in vertical launch spaceflight to honour Frank's legacy.

Pornhub lost more than one million visitors in the two weeks following the new Online Safety Act rules.

Chikungunya virus: the UK Health Security Agency is urging people to take precautions against mosquito bites while on holiday.

Also in this episode:

-Climate change made the ‘relentless’ Nordic heatwave in July hotter

-UK landmine charity wins global humanitarian prize

-Whales and dolphins regularly play with each other, a breakthrough study reveals

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REPLAY: Is there such a thing as perfect sleep? with Professor Russell Foster | Brave New World Aug 13, 2025

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On this replay preview of Brave New World….Is there such a thing as perfect sleep? Leading expert in circadian neuroscience from Oxford University, Professor Russell Foster, joins host Evgeny Lebedev, to explain the science behind nighttime slumber and why it's crucial to living our best lives awake.

The pair discuss everything from sleep hygiene, our circadian rhythm and body clocks, the impact of technology before bed and whether it actually affects us.

Listen to the full conversation on the Brave New World podcast here.

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Cat dementia is similar to human Alzheimer's disease Aug 12, 2025

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Cats develop dementia similarly to humans with Alzheimer’s disease.

Scientists hope their findings lead to new treatments for both humans and our feline friends.

For more, we spoke to the lead author, Dr Robert McGeachan, at the University of Edinburgh’s Royal School of Veterinary Studies.

A swarm of jellyfish forced the shutdown of France’s largest nuclear power plant, Gravelines.

But how unusual is this event?

And, Reddit blocks the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine from archiving large portions of its site.

Also in this episode:

-How blowing through a conch shell could alleviate the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea

-Lola Young urges Keir Starmer to block Rosebank oil and gas development projects

-Natalie the Nerd builds a transparent GameBoy Colour

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Perseid meteor shower: when and how to see it Aug 11, 2025

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Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomer Ed Bloomer on how to see the Perseid meteor shower at its peak.

Cast your eyes skyward between midnight and 5.30am on the 12th of August.

NASA says it’s the “most popular meteor shower of the year".

Chip makers Nvidia and AMD have agreed to pay the US government 15% of their revenue from sales of the H20 and MI308 chips to China.

180 tonnes of congealed wet wipes are being removed from the River Thames by the Port of London Authority, in collaboration with Thames Water.

For more, we caught up with Thames Water’s Head of Tideway Integration Group, John Sullivan.

Also in this episode:

-Jim Lovell, one of the world’s most loved astronauts, has died aged 97

-Why researchers are following the trail of a snail that can regrow its eyes

-After 34 years, AOL is shutting down dial-up on September 30th

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OpenAI's Dr GPT-5 is here, with 'PhD level intelligence' Aug 08, 2025

Show notes

OpenAI has released its much-anticipated GPT-5 AI chatbot, claiming it's a "significant leap in intelligence" and "it's like talking to an expert".

Also we speak to Martin Fidock, CEO of Oviva, the NHS’s biggest weight-loss jab provider, about how the company is using AI to personalise service for patients and tackle the UK's £126bn obesity crisis.

The UK government announced new measures to crack down on unlicensed cosmetic practitioners.

We hear from The Standard journalist Arielle Domb about the government's plans.

Also in this episode:

NASA astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore retires

Study shows that cockatoos have 30 different dance moves

Hubble Space Telescope captures photos of a comet visiting from another solar system

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Trump: 100% tariffs on chips made outside the US Aug 07, 2025

Show notes

President Donald Trump announced that he’s imposing 100% tariffs on computer chips and semiconductors that are produced outside of the United States. It’s expected to increase the cost of any electronics made outside of the country.

On the same day, Trump and Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that 100% of the glass for Apple's phones and watches will be made in the US

Following a major hack, Tea Dating Advice Inc. has been hit with 10 potential class action lawsuits in federal and state courts, which allege that the company was negligent in its data practices. We hear from journalist Katie Strick, who has been investigating why the Tea App has caused such a stir.

And, what is the chikungunya virus? More than 7,000 cases have been recorded in China.

Also in this episode:

-Fake viagra is the most seized counterfeit drug in the UK, according to FOI data

-Instagram launches repost, friendmap and more

-Why you may want to reduce your intake of French fries

-Seismic data reveals the 2009 Oasis concert was the most ‘ground-shaking’ performance of last 20 years

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