Does new science get us closer to finding out how life on earth began?

BBC Inside Science

BBC

Science

4.6 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 26 February 2026

⏱️ 27 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Perhaps it’s the biggest question science has left to answer, how did life begin? Now, molecular biologists in Cambridge university have discovered tiny molecules of RNA which they say might provide some clues. Science journalist and author Philip Ball explains what we know and whether we’ll ever find the origins of life on earth.

Professor Michael Wooldridge has given this year’s Royal Society’s Michael Faraday Prize lecture. He speaks to Tom Whipple about why the AI we have is not what he wanted it to be; rational. And science columnist at the Financial Times Anj Ahuja brings her favourite new science to discuss.

To discover more fascinating science content, head to bbc.co.uk, search for BBC Inside Science and follow the links to The Open University.

Presenter: Tom Whipple Producer: Kate White, Katie Tomsett, Clare Salisbury and Alex Mansfield Editor: Martin Smith Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts.
0:06.1	Can I just say?
0:07.6	You're about to listen to a BBC podcast.
0:10.0	It's such a wonderful listen.
0:11.7	So nice.
0:12.5	There are loads more like it on BBC Sounds.
0:14.8	Different paces, different heights, the roof is buckling.
0:17.9	Where you can also listen to live sports commentary.
0:20.2	It's right foot goes for goal.
0:21.6	Oh!
0:22.7	And then enjoy even more podcasts full of analysis and reaction to the big stories.
0:27.7	The stat that is astonishing is they ended with the lowest amount of possession.
0:31.2	And she's had to live with that.
0:32.8	So if you love sport, a passion, it's almost like a religion.
0:35.8	Listen on BBC Sounds.
0:39.7	Sort of expecting that every week now.
0:47.2	Hello. What does a tiny molecule that can copy itself tell us about life? How can a symbol genetic switch increase rice yield by 25%? And what does it tell us about computer cognition that we somehow ended up with an AI that,
0:56.6	rather than being the hyper-rational truth-teller, has all the over-confident bluster of an ill-informed
1:03.3	politician in a TV interview?
1:05.9	All that is in today's Inside Science from the BBC World Service with me, Tom Whipple.
1:12.2	But wait, there's more. There's also Anja Hooger, science columnist at the Financial Times.
1:19.1	Ange has chosen her favourite stories from the science journals.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.