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Unexpected Elements

Cargo ships, chemical spills and caribou

Unexpected Elements

BBC

Science

4.4566 Ratings

🗓️ 4 July 2025

⏱️ 50 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The X-Press Pearl shipping disaster takes us on a voyage through shipping-related science.

First, we learn about how pollution from the X-Press Pearl explosion impacted the foundation of the marine food web – plankton. We also hear about an innovative system that can help slash the shipping industry’s greenhouse gas emissions.

And we take a short trip in a time-machine back to the Stone Age, where biological anthropologist Professor Yousuke Kaifu from the University of Tokyo explains what it takes to recreate a Palaeolithic voyage from Taiwan to the Ryukyu Archipelago.

We also look at how artificial intelligence could help Canadian caribou cross sea ice, the science of lightning and thunder, and the tricky disputes around shipwrecks and treasure.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.     Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Meral Jamal and Godfred Boafo Producer: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, Minnie Harrop and Imaan Moin

Transcript

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0:00.0

Oh, hello. You have chosen a BBC podcast, but before you listen to it, we thought you might

0:04.7

like our podcast too. You might. You might. It is called Sightracked with me, Nick Grimshaw.

0:09.2

And me, Annie Mack. And we talk about the week in music. All the news, all the cultural

0:14.0

happenings in the UK and beyond. And great guests. And it's on BBC Sounds. Yes, where you can

0:19.7

also enjoy lots of playlists, music mixes and

0:22.6

live radio. Everything from my six music breakfast show to Radio 3 Unwind. But obviously start

0:29.2

with our podcast sidetrack. Obviously. Obviously. So if you like music, listen on BBC

0:33.7

Sounds. Last weekend, a friend and I decided to cycle out to the local riverside and find somewhere

0:41.7

for a dip.

0:43.0

Annoyingly, many other people had the same idea and had implemented it sooner than us.

0:48.9

We cycled along the edge of fields, past perfect spots already filled by large families, kissing couples or

0:56.1

partying teenagers. Finally, we found a wide open spot, parked up the bikes and stripped down to our

1:03.1

costumes. Only then did I wonder why it wasn't taken as my barefoot trod down into something

1:10.7

soft and stinky,

1:12.4

and we realised that our swim spot was the watering hole for the local cattle.

1:17.2

Who'd all left their mark, if you know what I mean?

1:20.8

I held my breath and waded in anyway.

1:23.9

I'm Marnie Chesterton from the BBC World Service.

1:26.8

This is Unexpected Elements.

1:41.7

This show is a conversation and bringing science as well as chats to that,

1:47.2

our top-notch international crew of journalists, we have in Nunavut, Canada, Moral Jamal.

1:53.3

Hi, Morani.

...

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