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BBC Inside Science

Forever chemicals

BBC Inside Science

BBC

Technology, Science

4.51.3K Ratings

🗓️ 23 November 2023

⏱️ 31 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

PFAS chemicals, also known as forever chemicals, don’t break down in the environment. They can accumulate in the body and are found to have an array of harmful effects on human health. A major mapping project has revealed worryingly high levels of PFAS across thousands of sites in the UK. Experts are concerned that not enough is being done to reduce these chemicals from drinking water. They’re urging the government to re-evaluate current regulation. This week we dive into the properties of these chemicals: how dangerous are they and what can be done to protect public health? Professor Crispin Halsall, an environmental chemist from Lancaster University, tells us more. As charges are brought against four people for stealing and selling on US$1 million of dinosaur bones, we find out about the illegal – and legal – trade in fossils from palaeontologist Professor Steve Brusatte. New research has discovered the Moon is 40 million years older than we previously thought. Professor Sara Russell, a cosmic mineralogist and planetary scientist from the Natural History Museum, tells us more. And is there something we can we learn from animals about how to age better? Nicklas Brendborg discusses his book, Jellyfish Age Backwards: Nature’s Secrets to Longevity, which has been shortlisted for the Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize. Presenter:  Victoria Gill Producers: Hannah Robins, Harrison Lewis and Alice Lipscombe-Southwell Editor: Richard Collings Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth BBC Inside Science is produced in collaboration with the Open University.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hey, it's Doleepa, and I'm at your service.

0:04.7

Join me as I serve up personal conversations with my sensational guests.

0:08.8

Do a leap interviews, Tim Cook.

0:11.2

Technology doesn't want to be good or bad.

0:15.0

It's in the hands of the creator.

0:16.7

It's not every day that I have the CEO of the world's biggest company in my living room.

0:20.7

If you're looking at your phone more than you're looking in someone's eyes,

0:24.6

you're doing the wrong thing.

0:26.0

Julie, at your service, listen to all episodes on BBC Sales. BBC Sounds, music, radio podcasts.

0:35.8

This is BBC Inside Science with me, Victoria Gill.

0:39.2

As usual, I have my slightly battered reusable bottle of water in front of me on my desk, but I am taking

0:45.8

a much closer look at it today because that water might have something in it that I don't particularly

0:50.7

want to drink. We'll be talking to a scientist who studies the so-called

0:54.5

forever chemicals that are finding their way into our water supply. Also this week, who's been

1:00.6

stealing dinosaur bones?

1:03.0

How old is the moon, perhaps even more ancient than we thought?

1:07.0

And can you guess which animal this is?

1:10.0

It will not have this decline with age.

1:12.0

Actually, it will just grow stronger more fertile

1:15.9

more likely to survive the oldest ones is like the biggest they have the most young

1:20.3

so you can't really say that these organisms are aging.

1:24.0

Any ideas?

...

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