Defuse and diffuse

Unexpected Elements

BBC

Science

4.4 • 565 Ratings

🗓️ 13 June 2025

⏱️ 50 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

World War II bombs were defused in Cologne, Germany, which has inspired us to explore the science of diffusion and defusing!

First, we hear how new, artificially intelligent video generators are modelled on diffusion. We also hear about the health impacts of home aroma diffusers and candles.

We’re joined by conflict-mediator Gabrielle Rifkind of the Oxford Process, to discuss the psychological stakes behind defusing conflict in wars and at home.

We also taste-test the difference between raw and cooked broccoli, learn about in-insect synthesis, and explore an anechoic chamber.

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements. Presenter: Caroline Steel, with Tristan Ahtone and Edd Gent Producer: Imaan Moin, with Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, Minnie Harrop and Debbie Kilbride

Transcript

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0:00.0	In 2019, we began investigating the disappearance of Dr. Ruzha Ignatva.
0:08.0	I believe we are a very special network.
0:10.0	A scammer who stole billions from investors around the world.
0:15.0	She's on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list.
0:18.0	And now, we have some unmissable updates. She has money and when you have
0:23.0	money you have power. Join me, Jamie Bartlett, as the hunt for the missing crypto queen continues.
0:29.5	Listen first on BBC Sounds.
0:34.7	Last week I got back from a mission.
0:40.6	On the beautiful island of Lewis off the west coast of Scotland,
0:45.0	some residents have started hearing a constant low frequency noise.
0:48.2	So I paid them a visit to try and work out what's going on.
0:50.8	They say the hum doesn't have a direction.
0:55.9	It seems to diffuse through walls and even earplugs over the whole island,
1:02.6	which makes it hard to ignore and even harder to locate. I arrived a little skeptical,
1:09.3	but guess what? I heard the hum too. I'm Caroline Steele from the BBC World Service, this is unexpected elements.
1:27.1	As always, I'm joined by a panel of international journalists.
2:03.3	In Helsinki, Finland, we have Tristan Artoin, editor-at-Large at Grist. Hi, Tristan. Hi, Honde-Onde-Babon and Hova Piva. And we're joined by science and technology journalist Ed Gent in Bengaluru, India. Hi, Ed. Hello. So, Carolyn, you can't tease us like that. Did you work out where that hum is coming from and why only some people can hear? Well, I have an idea of where it's coming from. And I did work out why only some people can hear it. But I'm going to save the science of the hum for the end of the show. Oh, intriguing. So on unexpected elements, each week we have a look at a news story that you might have heard of and we use that as a chance to talk about stories from the wonderful world of science that you've probably not heard of.
2:10.2	Basically, we start off masquerading as a news show and then things start to get really nerdy.
2:16.6	Here's the news that caught our attention this week.
2:20.0	Here in Germany, bomb disposal experts are preparing to diffuse three unexploded
2:25.5	second World War bombs discovered in the city of Cologne this week.
2:29.3	The scenes are unprecedented.
	...

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