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Science Weekly

Surviving 200 snake bites, decoding ancient scrolls and the countries ‘flourishing’

Science Weekly

The Guardian

Science

4.2938 Ratings

🗓️ 8 May 2025

⏱️ 24 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Science correspondent Hannah Devlin joins Ian Sample to discuss three intriguing science stories from the week, from a global study that puts the UK third from bottom when it comes to flourishing, to a man who intentionally suffered more than 200 snake bites in the quest to find a universal antivenom and a breakthrough in the quest to understand the contents of the charred Herculaneum scrolls buried when Mount Vesuvius erupted. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod

Transcript

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0:00.0

This is The Guardian.

0:10.0

Hey, it's Babberton de Ileshi here. I've just got back from an epic road trip around the island of Ireland.

0:17.0

From exploring natural wonders and stunning coastal views to chilling in a seaweed bath.

0:22.5

It's a vibe.

0:24.7

Best of all, you don't have to pick between the Causeway coastal routes and the Wild Atlantic Way.

0:29.9

You can experience both iconic routes in one unforgettable trip.

0:34.5

Explore everything Ireland has to offer at the Guardian.com forward slash

0:38.6

tourism island. This message was paid for by Tourism Island.

0:47.1

Science Weekly is supported by Worldwide Cancer Research. Worldwide cancer research is the charity that starts new cancer cures, so that in the future

0:58.0

will reach a day when no life is cut short by cancer.

1:02.0

But we can't cure what we don't understand.

1:05.0

So worldwide cancer research encourages scientists to ask big questions, like, why does the heart not get cancer?

1:13.9

Can AI help us find new cancer treatments? Could skin cancer be treated with a vaccine?

1:20.1

Cure starters like you are searching for the answers to cancer. Search Curestarter to find out more.

1:37.3

What does it mean to flourish? It's a question philosophers have been wrangling over for millennia,

1:41.3

and now a major study has some answers. Could the UK be getting it all wrong?

1:48.4

It's not the only instance of ancient philosophy meeting modern science this week. In the quest to

1:54.5

uncover the secrets of the ancient Herculaneum scrolls, computer scientists have some answers.

2:01.5

And the snake hunter, who has quite literally taken hundreds for the team by turning himself

2:07.5

into a venom antibody lab.

2:10.2

I'm going to tell you this right now, to be this close to a black bomber, is just insanely awesome.

2:20.2

Could it take us a step closer to a universal antidote?

...

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