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The gift of science

This Boxing Day and holiday season, our present to you is the science of gifts, such as donating blood, sharing food, and the physics of making hand-knitted gifts.

This Boxing Day and holiday season, our present to you is the science of gifts.

First, we investigate the health benefits of donating blood, and find out about the predator sharing a feast of food in the Arctic.

We鈥檙e then joined in the studio by physicist Dr Krishma Singal from Rice University, who unravels the soft-matter physics and brilliant engineering potential of knitting.

Next, we discuss the reputation of piranhas, enquire about the uniqueness of our sneezes, and break down how salting roads makes them safer in the winter.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Alex Lathbridge, with Camilla Mota and Meral Jamal
Producer: Imaan Moin

Available now

50 minutes

Last on

Sun 28 Dec 2025 20:06GMT

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Broadcasts

  • Boxing Day 2025 10:06GMT
  • Sat 27 Dec 2025 00:06GMT
  • Sat 27 Dec 2025 04:06GMT
  • Sat 27 Dec 2025 15:06GMT
  • Sun 28 Dec 2025 20:06GMT

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