The world's longest treasure hunt
Unexpected Elements
BBC
4.4 • 566 Ratings
🗓️ 11 October 2024
⏱️ 50 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
After 31 years, a mammoth treasure hunt consisting of solving eleven cryptic clues has finally concluded. A replica of the final prize – a golden owl – was dug up in France, leaving fellow treasure hunters both disappointed and relieved.
Inspired by this pursuit, the Unexpected Elements team unearth some of science’s hidden gems. From the potential resurrection of ancient healing tree balm to the world’s rarest stone, and even how cats could help solve crimes. The team are also joined by astrobiologist Nathalie Cabrol to speak about the potential treasures hiding on another moon in our solar system. Along the way, our panel have their own clues to crack as they take on a mini hunt of their own to find the location of a scientific golden nugget.
Plus, we solve the mystery of a moth which ended up 4000 miles from home, hear what our brains see when we can’t and talk about returning treasures to where they came from.
Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Panel: Chhavi Sachdev + Tristan Ahtone Producer: Julia Ravey Production team: Harrison Lewis, Jonathan Blackwell + Tom Taylor Studio Engineer: Gavin Wong
Transcript
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| 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. She has money and when you have |
| 0:23.0 | money, you have power. Join me, Jamie Bartlett, as the hunt for the missing crypto queen continues. |
| 0:29.5 | Listen first on BBC Sounds. A friend of mine hires a house for her extended family every Christmas, |
| 0:39.9 | and every year they cook this big turkey dinner. |
| 0:43.0 | One year, they left the bird to pressure cook, |
| 0:45.9 | and there came a big bang from the kitchen. |
| 0:48.8 | Rushing in, they found the cooking pot open, |
| 0:52.1 | and the turkey, the centrepiece of the feast, nowhere to be |
| 0:56.0 | seen. The family hunted every inch of that kitchen before giving up and eating vegetables. |
| 1:02.4 | A few months later, the owners of the house got in touch. Turns out this bird had shot straight |
| 1:08.8 | up in the air, hit a ceiling tile which had flipped up like a trapdoor |
| 1:13.2 | and then down again trapping this delicious treasure in the space above. |
| 1:18.6 | As time passed, the now less delicious relic was finally revealing its hiding place |
| 1:24.2 | through the power of its stink. |
| 1:27.1 | From the BBC World Service, I'm Marnie Chasterton and welcome to unexpected elements. |
| 1:49.4 | And joining me this week, as ever, are our international panel. |
| 1:52.7 | From Mumbai, India is science broadcaster Chavi Satchdev. |
| 1:53.6 | Welcome, Chavi. |
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