The gift of science
Unexpected Elements
BBC
4.4 • 565 Ratings
🗓️ 26 December 2025
⏱️ 50 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This Boxing Day and holiday season, our present to you is the science of gifts.
First, we investigate the health benefits of donating blood, and find out about the predator sharing a feast of food in the Arctic.
We’re then joined in the studio by physicist Dr Krishma Singal from Rice University, who unravels the soft-matter physics and brilliant engineering potential of knitting.
Next, we discuss the reputation of piranhas, enquire about the uniqueness of our sneezes, and break down how salting roads makes them safer in the winter.
All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.
Presenter: Alex Lathbridge, with Camilla Mota and Meral Jamal Producer: Imaan Moin
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. |
| 0:41.3 | Thank you. This in Crypto Queen continues. Listen first on BBC Sounds. So, this week I ended up in hospital. I got into a bike accident at 3am. It was my fault. |
| 0:47.9 | I hit a pothole, flipped over my handlebars and knocked myself unconscious. |
| 0:52.8 | Leaving my bike on the pavement, I made my way to hospital |
| 0:55.8 | and was patched up and sent on my way, courtesy of the gift that is the NHS here in the UK. |
| 1:02.7 | Colour me surprised when I went back and my bike was still sat on the pavement. It was so terrible |
| 1:08.4 | that nobody stole it, which I feel is rather insulting. |
| 1:12.9 | Really, I should be at home right now, resting and recuperating. So for you listeners, my |
| 1:18.8 | presence is a present. What does that mean? I'm Alex Lathbridge from the BBC World Service. |
| 1:25.2 | This is unexpected elements. |
| 1:40.5 | Music from the BBC World Service, this is unexpected elements. And I've got the lovely gift of spending today's show with some brilliant science journalists. |
| 1:47.0 | Joining us from Sao Paulo, Brazil, we have Camilla Mota. |
| 1:50.4 | Hi, Alex. |
| 1:51.7 | Feel better. |
... |
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