Window to solve pandemic origins closing

BBC Inside Science

BBC

Technology, Science

4.5 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 26 August 2021

⏱️ 30 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Virologist Marion Koopmans is one of the independent researchers appointed by the World Health Organisation to investigate the origins of the coronavirus pandemic. The team visited China in January this year as a first step to answer how, when and where SARS-Cov-2 first infected humans. Professor Koopmans tells Victoria Gill that time is beginning to run out to launch the next phase of studies, to trace the first people in China to be exposed and identify the animals from which the virus jumped the species barrier. Also in the programme: Is the practise of feeding the birds in our gardens creating losers as well as winners, and causing the numbers of some woodland birds to decline? Conservation biologist Alexander Lees visits Victoria in her garden to discuss the question, and reveal the truly dark side of the Great Tit. A new study of the impact of street lighting on nocturnal insects shows that the local impacts on moths can be dramatic. According to entomologist Douglas Boyes, street lights deter female moths from laying their eggs and make them more vulnerable to predation by bats. He's found that artificially illuminated areas are home to half the number of moth caterpillars compared to dark areas.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Before you listen to this BBC podcast, I'd like to tell you why I love podcasting.
0:04.5	I'm Sasha Johansson, I'm an Assistant Commissioner for the BBC and I work on making podcasts.
0:11.1	My real passion is discovering unbelievable unheard stories and working with the biggest
0:16.9	stars who can really bring those stories to life.
0:20.1	I love the whole process of making podcasts from the spark of an idea to hearing the final
0:26.0	edit.
0:27.0	There's nothing like it.
0:28.0	What makes BBC podcast special is that we're working for you, so whatever we commission
0:32.6	has to reflect the things that you care about and love, wherever you are in the UK.
0:37.0	So if you like this BBC podcast, there's so much more to discover.
0:40.6	Have a listen on BBC Sounds.
0:42.5	Hello, you lovely curious minded people.
0:44.9	This is the podcast edition of BBC Inside Science, originally broadcast on the 26th of August
0:51.2	2021.
0:52.2	I'm Victoria Gill.
0:53.8	This week, as the days start noticeably to shorten here and can you believe it'll be
0:58.3	September next week, we're finding out about some unexpected and dramatic effects of artificial
1:04.0	street light on insects and how by putting out bird feeders with the very best of wildlife
1:10.2	supporting intentions, we could be upsetting a delicate ecological balance on our own door
1:15.2	steps.
1:16.2	By providing lots of food, we boost the number of blutes and grates in the wider countryside
1:21.6	and then they're competing with the sort of shy, more and obtrusive and subordinate
	...

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