Populations of people, frogs and microbes
Unexpected Elements
BBC
4.4 • 567 Ratings
🗓️ 25 January 2024
⏱️ 51 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This week on the show that brings you the science behind the news, we’re looking at news that China’s population has fallen for the second year running. Worrying news for China’s economy, but would a declining population be a good thing for the planet?
The Unexpected Elements team on three continents meet the musical frogs who are having to climb a mountain to keep their populations stable, and dig deep to explore the earth’s declining microbiome and the hope scientists have for the future.
As the Africa Cup of Nations continues, we’ll be wondering how you might date a footballer. Not in a romantic sense… we hear about some suspiciously mature youth players and how science can help when the age on a passport isn’t reliable.
Marnie will be wondering why Japanese men are shouting their love from a hilltop, and unpicking the recipe for a truly satisfying hug.
All that plus a postbag bursting with multilingual puns, and the reason Portuguese speakers have trouble with English doors.
Presented by Marnie Chesterton Produced by Ben Motley, with Alex Mansfield, Dan Welsh, Katy Tomsett and Jack Lee
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 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. |
| 0:21.7 | She has money and when you have money you have power. |
| 0:24.6 | Join me, Jamie Bartlett, as the hunt for the missing crypto queen continues. |
| 0:29.5 | Listen first on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:32.1 | World of Secrets, Season 2 investigates allegations surrounding one of the most powerful religious figures of the 21st century. |
| 0:40.8 | TB Joshua. |
| 0:42.2 | Search for World of Secrets, wherever you get, your BBC podcasts. |
| 0:49.7 | This week I went to Liverpool, a city about which I know very little, apart from that it's home to the Beatles, |
| 0:57.5 | which all the signage reminds you regularly. I was there to see a piece of science kit on the far side |
| 1:04.4 | of the river Mersey, and I was happily following the directions in my phone, which suggested a half-hour |
| 1:10.5 | walk. |
| 1:11.3 | Now, I assumed there was some way to cross the river, since that's what my phone told me to do. |
| 1:16.9 | Error. |
| 1:17.8 | No, madam, there's no commuter ferry now, said the woman at the riverside. |
| 1:21.6 | She sold me a ticket for the tourist ferry, which took me the expensive, scenic route, while blasting music at me. |
| 1:29.8 | I was late and furious. |
| 1:32.1 | A reminder to trust my common sense, not my phone. |
| 1:36.2 | I'm Marnie Chasterton from the BBC World Service. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
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.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.