The Inquiry

Latest Episodes:

How do you live to be 100? Jun 09, 2022

Show notes

There was a time when living to 100 seemed impossible, but not any longer.

Can the process of ageing be slowed or even reversed? Do those who have already lived to 100 hold the secrets that will help us all live longer?

While science tries to find the answers to living a long and healthy life, societies with ageing populations, such as Japan, are finding new ways to help their older population live active and connected lives.

On the Inquiry this week, Charmain Cozier asks, how do we live to 100?

Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Produced by: Louise Clarke-Rowbotham and Ravi Naik Editor: Tara McDermott

(Chocolate 100th Birthday Cake. Credit: Getty images)

Why did China ban Spider-Man? Jun 02, 2022

Show notes

Ever since Hollywood entered the Chinese market in the early '90s, the importance of Chinese audiences was apparent. Over recent years the Chinese market has grown in significance to the point of deciding whether a film is ultimately successful or not. Given the countries importance to the overall profitability of Tinsel Town, it is of little surprise that their censors are able to increasingly demand changes to films that threaten the Chinese narrative. Despite this, the recent Sony/Marvel blockbuster Spider-Man did not appear to challenge Chinese values.

Tanya Beckett takes a closer at How China’s increasing influence is affecting the movie-making process in Hollywood. Producer: Christopher Blake Editor: Richard Vadon

(Giant billboard screens advertising Spider-man in Hong Kong, China. Dec 2021. Credit: Budrul Chukrut /Getty Images)

Is inflation out of control? May 26, 2022

Show notes

The Covid-19 pandemic forced countries all over the world to close entire industries and force the majority of people to stay in their own homes where possible, only leaving for the bare essentials.

Following the arrival of a vaccine economies began to open back up, however, restarting the behemoth-like supply chains was not as simple as first hoped and issues began to occur resulting in empty shelves and price-gouging on certain products. Experts believed it was all par for the course and was merely a transitory period whilst global supply chains regained their flow. Then Russia invaded Ukraine. Then China locked down Shanghai, the world's largest shipping port. Tanya Beckett takes a closer look at how these two developments have changed the outlook on global inflation. Producer: Christopher Blake Editor: Richard Vadon

Image: Shoppers at a market in Istanbul (Credit: Diego Cupolo/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

How do pandemics end? May 19, 2022

Show notes

After two really difficult years living in the grip of Covid-19, restrictions are winding down and international borders are opening up in countries around the world. Striking the right balance between the needs of a population fed up with lockdowns and scientists warning we’ve only reached the end of the beginning is complicated to get right. While it may feel like the worst of Covid-19 has passed, the disease still poses a real threat to us. We ignore this fact at our peril. So, in this week’s Inquiry Sandra Kanthal will be asking how pandemics really end.

Produced and presented by Sandra Kanthal Editor: Richard Vadon

Guests: Dr Margaret Harris, Spokesperson, World Health Organisation Nicholas Christakis, Professor of Social and Natural Science, Yale University Aris Katzourakis, Professor of Evolution and Genomics, University of Oxford Dora Vargha, Professor of History and Medical Humanities, University of Exeter

(Covid face mask lying on the ground. Getty images)

Will abortion be banned in America? May 12, 2022

Show notes

A leaked document from America’s highest court suggests that it is ready to strike down a 1973 landmark case that made abortion legal across the US. If that does happen then it will be down to individual states to decide how they react. Charmaine Cozier explores whether this means abortion will be banned across America.

Presenter: Charmaine Cozier

Producer: Louise Clarke-Rowbotham

(Protesters at a Texas Rally for Abortion Rights in Houston, May 7 2022. Credit: Mark Felix/Getty images)

What’s the truth about Hunter Biden’s laptop? May 05, 2022

Show notes

Three weeks before the 2020 US presidential election a newspaper published contents of a laptop they said belonged to Hunter Biden, son of Joe Biden, who at that time was campaigning against Donald Trump to win the election. The contents allegedly revealed questionable business dealings that implicated Joe Biden, and lurid personal details of Hunter Biden’s life. Some media outlets refused to run the story and social media platforms blocked the content. Since then other newspapers have tried to verify the laptop data and it still remains controversial today with hints there are more revelations to come. Charmaine Cozier asks what is the truth about Hunter Biden’s laptop?

Producer: Louise Clarke-Rowbotham

(Photo: President Joe Biden embraces his son Hunter Biden at his inauguration in 2020. Credit: Andrew Harnik-Pool/Getty Images)

Can Europe give up Russian gas? Apr 28, 2022

Show notes

Since the invasion of Ukraine, European countries have sought alternatives to Russian gas. There are different options. Piped gas from countries such as Algeria and Libya, or liquid natural gas from the US or Qatar. Stepping up the drive towards renewable energy. More controversially, investing in nuclear power or continuing to mine or import coal. How quickly can a solution be found and what are the financial and environmental costs?

With Tanya Beckett. Producer Bob Howard

(Steam from the cooling towers of German energy giant RWE power AG in Neurath, Germany April 2022. Photo: Ying Tang/Getty Images)

Why did Sri Lanka’s organic farming dream fail? Apr 21, 2022

Show notes

In 2021 the president of Sri Lanka announced a total ban on chemical fertilizer and pesticides. The country’s farms were going to go fully organic.

Health concerns were given as a reason, but in the background was the pandemic, loss of tourism and a lack of natural fertilizer available in the country.

Sri Lanka is now in the worse economic crisis they have seen in decades and the government has reversed its ban on chemical fertilizer.

This week on The Inquiry we explore why Sri Lanka’s organic farming dream failed.

Presented by Charmain Cozier Produced by Louise Clarke-Rowbotham Researched by Christopher Blake

(Woman picking tea on plantation in Sri Lanka. Credit: Getty images)

Can we create a universal Covid vaccine? Apr 14, 2022

Show notes

Can scientists develop a vaccine which can combat the coronavirus and all its variants?

There have been three lethal outbreaks caused by coronaviruses this century: SARS in 2002, MERS in 2012 and now SarsCov2. Scientists predict we will eventually encounter SarsCov3.

That’s why the race is on to develop a universal vaccine to combat the coronaviruses and variants we know about, and the ones we have yet to confront. But attempts to create a universal vaccine for viruses such as influenza and HIV have been going on for decades - without success.

Before 2020, proposals to create a vaccine against coronaviruses were not thought important enough to pursue since many just cause the common cold.

Now that we understand their real threat, can scientists succeed in creating a vaccine to fight this large family of viruses?

Produced and presented by Sandra Kanthal

(image: Covid vaccines/Getty creative)

Are drones the future of warfare? Apr 07, 2022

Show notes

Throughout history nations have competed to exert the latest military developments over their enemies, always with the goal of inflicting maximum damage on enemy soldiers whilst preserving their own forces. Drones are the latest in a long line of technological developments to offer military superiority on the battlefield, as demonstrated by the resilient defence of Ukrainian forces in the face of Russian aggression.

The use of unmanned aerial vehicles in war is becoming ubiquitous raising the question, are drones the future of warfare? Tanya Beckett takes a closer look at how drones are changing the battlefield landscape. Producer: Christopher Blake Editor: Richard Vadon

(The 'Bayraktar TB2' (Armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) in Istanbul, Turkey Feb 22, 2021 Credit: Baykar /Getty Images)

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