Unexpected Elements Podcast
The news you know, the science you don鈥檛. Unexpected Elements looks beyond everyday narratives to discover a goldmine of scientific stories and connections from around the globe. From Afronauts, to why we argue, to a deep dive on animal lifespans: see the world in a new way.
Episodes to download
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One hundred years of Sir David Attenborough
Friday
Sir David turns 100, but what鈥檚 the science behind achieving this significant birthday?
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The soaring price of condoms
Fri 1 May 2026
The strait of Hormuz blockade raises condom costs, and we explore the science of safe sex
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Chernobyl: 40 years later
Fri 24 Apr 2026
Forty years after the Chernobyl disaster, we look at radiation science.
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The ribbiting science of frogs
Fri 17 Apr 2026
A visa being revoked over frog embryos has us diving into all things amphibian
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Is everyone accounted for?
Fri 10 Apr 2026
India undertaking the world鈥檚 largest ever census has us exploring population science.
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Putting science on the map
Fri 3 Apr 2026
China鈥檚 undersea mapping project has us scanning the deep for map-tastic science.
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A bumper edition
Fri 27 Mar 2026
Colliding Japanese pedestrians has us exploring some bumpy science.
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In the name of science
Fri 20 Mar 2026
Katy Perry vs Katie Perry, a trademark war has us exploring the science of names
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Out for blood
Fri 13 Mar 2026
Oscar favourite Sinners has us sinking our teeth into some vampire-inspired science
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A sweet treat
Fri 27 Feb 2026
A dip in global cocoa prices has us wondering about chocolate science.
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Seeing double
Fri 20 Feb 2026
A pair of twins on trial for murder has us wondering about all things identical.
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Are you lucky?
Fri 13 Feb 2026
The formula behind how lucky you are 鈥� spoiler, it isn鈥檛 just down to chance
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Let the games begin
Fri 6 Feb 2026
How did one extra stitch cause a ski jumping scandal? -- Physics.
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Are you still with us?
Fri 30 Jan 2026
China鈥檚 viral app has us contemplating the science of connection.
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Banging the science drum
Fri 23 Jan 2026
The world's most unlikely drumming duo has us banging the drum for some rhythmic science.
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Science down under
Fri 16 Jan 2026
The Unexpected Elements team takes a trip down under to discover some Australian science.
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Science of the future
Fri 9 Jan 2026
Exciting developments in science, in cervical cancer, xenotransplantation, fusion energy
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An episode inspired by our listeners
Fri 2 Jan 2026
In this special programme, we revisit our listeners鈥� favourite topics and then dig deeper
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The gift of science
Boxing Day 2025
This Boxing Day and holiday season, our present to you is the science of gifts.
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Why are we sad when television series end?
Fri 19 Dec 2025
The end of Australian soap opera Neighbours has us looking at the science of being sad
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Chicken, with a side order of science
Fri 12 Dec 2025
Japan鈥檚 love for fried chicken at Christmas gets us digging into chicken鈥檚 origins.
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Some bear-y interesting space science
Fri 5 Dec 2025
A teddy lost in space has got us seeking stories about space, bears and getting lost!
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The unexpected science behind Klimt's artwork
Fri 28 Nov 2025
A record-breaking painting leads us to microbes, spiders, gold and cave art.
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Some Beautiful Science
Fri 21 Nov 2025
The Miss Universe pageant final has us examining the science of beauty
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A keg of beer-based science
Fri 14 Nov 2025
Inspired by the opening of a 150-year-old bottle of ale, we pore over beer-based stories
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A science heist
Fri 31 Oct 2025
The Louvre jewel theft has us inspecting heists and crime scenes in science.
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How does biometric data work?
Fri 24 Oct 2025
Europe鈥檚 new entry/exit system has us looking at the science behind biometric data.
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Why are gold prices so high?
Fri 17 Oct 2025
Record-high gold prices have us searching for science nuggets
