Some bear-y interesting space science
Unexpected Elements
BBC
4.4 • 565 Ratings
🗓️ 5 December 2025
⏱️ 50 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
A teddy bear launched into the upper atmosphere as part of a school science project has gone missing! Inspired by this story, the Unexpected Elements team look into how bears could help improve astronauts’ health on long-term space flights. Next, how has a US Air Force site delivered an unexpected conservation win for an endangered species?
We’re then joined by Justin Gregg, a professor of animal behaviour and cognition. He reveals why we anthropomorphise cuddly toys – such as teddy bears – and why this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
We meet Alan Turing’s teddy bear, before finding out why it’s good to get lost.
All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.
Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Andrada Fiscutean and Chhavi Sachdev Producers: Margaret Sessa-Hawkins, with Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, Alice McKee and Robbie Wojciechowski
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts. |
| 0:07.0 | In 2019, we began investigating the disappearance of Dr. Ruzha Ignatva. |
| 0:14.0 | I believe we are a very special network. |
| 0:16.0 | A scammer who stole billions from investors around the world. |
| 0:21.4 | She's on the FBI's 10 most wanted list. |
| 0:24.5 | And now we have some unmissable updates. |
| 0:27.8 | She has money and when you have money, you have power. |
| 0:30.6 | Join me, Jamie Bartlett, as the hunt for the missing crypto queen continues. |
| 0:35.5 | Listen first on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:40.5 | Last weekend, I went to pick a Christmas tree with some friends. This involved wandering |
| 0:46.3 | around a plantation and trying to agree on the perfect tree, which the forester would |
| 0:51.6 | cut down, strapped to the roof of the car, and that will live inside |
| 0:55.8 | over the next month spreading Christmas cheer and pine needles all over the carpet. |
| 1:00.8 | Our first selection was too big. |
| 1:03.5 | The second had branches missing, so it looked great but only from one angle. |
| 1:08.2 | Finally, we agreed on one that to us seemed extra special because instead of |
| 1:13.6 | one tip, it had two. The forester gave us a discount because no one else would want it. People are |
| 1:20.5 | picky about the shape of their tree, he said. But why have one star atop a tree when you could have two? |
| 1:28.3 | I'm Marnie Chasterton from the BBC World Service. |
| 1:31.2 | This is Unexpected Elements. |
| 1:49.2 | This is a science show but also a conversation. |
| 1:54.8 | And talking of stars, I'm joined by a couple of stellar science journalists. |
... |
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