Before you listen to this BBC podcast, I'd like to introduce myself.

My name's Stevie Middleton and I'm a BBC Commissioner for a Load of Sport Podcasts.

I'm lucky to do that at the BBC because I get to work with a leading journalist, experienced

pundits and the biggest sport stars.

Together we bring you untold stories and fascinating insights straight from the players'

mouths.

But the best thing about doing this at the BBC is our unique access to the sport in world.

What that means is that we can bring you podcasts that create a real connection to

dedicated sports fans across the UK.

So if you like this podcast, head over to BBC Sounds where you'll find plenty more.

Hello, today I'll be getting inside the mind of a forensic botanist.

Mark Spencer uses plants to solve crimes.

Studying the vegetation at a crime scene can tell him how long a dead body has been laying there.

Brambles can be particularly informative, he says.

And by looking at tiny traces of plants under the microscope,

he can link suspects to victims or particular locations.

Mark has not had a linear career.

He worked in bars and clubs and so-ho and was heavily involved in AIDS activism in the early

90s, before he decided in his late 20s to study for a degree in botany.

He has a special interest in water molds.

He's also spent a lot of time monitoring urban wildlife,

recording how the composition of both native and non-native plant species in London

...