Year Of Science 2010 [Night Waves]

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

David King

20100126

As part of the BBC Year of Science, Radio 3's Night Waves is running a special series of extended interviews with leading scientists from Britain and the rest of the world. Each month a complete 45 minute edition will be dedicated to a single scientific figure talking to him or her about their research specialism, their wider scientific views, their personal background and their involvement with broader cultural and political questions.

In the first interview Anne McElvoy talks to David King, the UK government's chief scientific officer from 2000 to 2007 - a job which put him at the heart of one of the burning issues of our time: the relationship between scientists, the government and the general public. On his watch David King faced foot and mouth, the GM foods debate, the ratification of the Kyoto protocol and the Stern Report.

South African born and a physical chemist by training, David King arguably did more than any other scientist to put the issue of Climate Change onto the UK's public and political map. Anne gauges his opinions on the failure of the Copenhagen summit and asks about the nature of scientific orthodoxy after the furore over the climate change emails from the University of East Anglia, where he used to work.

And what does he think about the status of scientific knowledge in the political process, an issue brought sharply into focus by the recent resignation of David Nutt, the chairman of the government's Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs?

David King is a self confessed optimist, his personal style is that of the quietly spoken diplomat but he is no stranger to controversy. He publicly criticised the Bush administration over its environmental policies and has himself been declared an embarrassment by those with different opinions over climate change.

Anne McElvoy talks to David King, the Government's former chief scientific officer.

Radio 3's flagship arts programme until 2013. Over 350 editions available in the archive.

Frances Balkwill

20100224

As part of Night Waves Science and Society series Philip Dodd talks to Professor of Cancer Biology, Frances Balkwill, about her work to understand a disease that affects one third of Britons. Professor Balkwill runs a research team of 25 scientists, sits on parliament's cancer committee, directs public centres of the understanding of cells and is a resident researcher at Queen Mary, University of London. But as someone who operates at the front line of the fight against cancer are the military metaphors we habitually use appropriate when one is trying to save the body from its own cells. Indeed, the public understanding of disease and of science more generally is high on her list of priorities. She has published a number of books about science for children and was given the Royal Society Michael Faraday prize for her 'outstanding work in communicating the concepts, facts and fascination of science'. Her work is not confined to this country but includes 'You, Me and HIV, a book for young people in Sub-Saharan Africa, were she also works to help mitigate the effects of HIV aids.

Philip Dodd talks to Prof Balkwill about the politics of cancer, the nature of scientific co-operation, the idea of disease and how you save the body from its own cells.

Philip Dodd interviews cancer researcher Professor Frances Balkwill.

Radio 3's flagship arts programme until 2013. Over 350 editions available in the archive.

Paul Davies

20100324

As part of Night Waves year of programme-length interviews with leading scientists, Matthew Sweet will be asking: Is there anyone out there - and if there is, what on earth will we do when we find out?

Matthew is in extended conversation with the leading cosmologist and astrobiologist Paul Davies, whose specialism is the detection of extra-terrestrial life and the consequences for science and society. Davies is one of Britain's leading popularisers of science, but he's also a controversialist whose work takes him to essence of what it is to be human: 'I like to ponder the big questions of existence' he says, 'How did the universe begin? What is the destiny of mankind? Is there a meaning to the universe'. And fittingly Davies is currently head of Beyond: Center for Fundamental Questions in Science in Arizona.

Matthew will be asking Paul Davies to delve into the intriguing question of what is known as 'First Contact' with alien life, and why scientists continue to believe in its importance. Davies own books include 'Are We Alone?' and most recently 'The Eerie Silence'. And Matthew will be pressing him on his more controversial forays into religion, which have seen some fellow scientists accuse him of a kind of theism. At a time of such acrimonious disputes between atheists and believers, can scientists like Davies really comfortably tackle this issue with book titles such as 'The Mind of God?

Broadcast to coincide with the BBC's World of Wonder, year of science programmes - Night Waves is dedicating one programme each month to a 45 minute interview with a leading scientist.

Producer Fiona McLean.

Matthew Sweet talks to leading cosmologist and astrobiologist Paul Davies.

Radio 3's flagship arts programme until 2013. Over 350 editions available in the archive.

Chris And Uta Frith

20100510

As part of the BBC's year of science programmes, Night Waves is running a special series of extended interviews with leading scientists from Britain and the rest of the world. Each month scientific figures talk about their research specialism, their wider scientific views, their personal background and their involvement with broader cultural and political questions.

Tonight, Rana Mitter interviews husband and wife team Chris and Uta Frith. Both are eminent neuroscientists, leaders in their fields - Chris Frith, Emeritus Professor at the Wellcome Trust specialises in schizophrenia and Uta Frith, Professor at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London in autism - which means that they both working in what has been called 'the social brain'. Rana talks to them about the nature of these illnesses, the strong public perception of them, and the illnesses' sometimes very high political profile - and how the latest wide-ranging scientific research on the brain is changing our understanding of them. And Rana asks them: how does a scientific relationship co-exist with a marriage?

Rana Mitter talks to Chris and Uta Frith - a couple who are both neuroscientists.

Radio 3's flagship arts programme until 2013. Over 350 editions available in the archive.

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
01	David King	20100126	As part of the BBC Year of Science, Radio 3's Night Waves is running a special series of extended interviews with leading scientists from Britain and the rest of the world. Each month a complete 45 minute edition will be dedicated to a single scientific figure talking to him or her about their research specialism, their wider scientific views, their personal background and their involvement with broader cultural and political questions. In the first interview Anne McElvoy talks to David King, the UK government's chief scientific officer from 2000 to 2007 - a job which put him at the heart of one of the burning issues of our time: the relationship between scientists, the government and the general public. On his watch David King faced foot and mouth, the GM foods debate, the ratification of the Kyoto protocol and the Stern Report. South African born and a physical chemist by training, David King arguably did more than any other scientist to put the issue of Climate Change onto the UK's public and political map. Anne gauges his opinions on the failure of the Copenhagen summit and asks about the nature of scientific orthodoxy after the furore over the climate change emails from the University of East Anglia, where he used to work. And what does he think about the status of scientific knowledge in the political process, an issue brought sharply into focus by the recent resignation of David Nutt, the chairman of the government's Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs? David King is a self confessed optimist, his personal style is that of the quietly spoken diplomat but he is no stranger to controversy. He publicly criticised the Bush administration over its environmental policies and has himself been declared an embarrassment by those with different opinions over climate change. Anne McElvoy talks to David King, the Government's former chief scientific officer. Radio 3's flagship arts programme until 2013. Over 350 editions available in the archive.
02	Frances Balkwill	20100224	As part of Night Waves Science and Society series Philip Dodd talks to Professor of Cancer Biology, Frances Balkwill, about her work to understand a disease that affects one third of Britons. Professor Balkwill runs a research team of 25 scientists, sits on parliament's cancer committee, directs public centres of the understanding of cells and is a resident researcher at Queen Mary, University of London. But as someone who operates at the front line of the fight against cancer are the military metaphors we habitually use appropriate when one is trying to save the body from its own cells. Indeed, the public understanding of disease and of science more generally is high on her list of priorities. She has published a number of books about science for children and was given the Royal Society Michael Faraday prize for her 'outstanding work in communicating the concepts, facts and fascination of science'. Her work is not confined to this country but includes 'You, Me and HIV, a book for young people in Sub-Saharan Africa, were she also works to help mitigate the effects of HIV aids. Philip Dodd talks to Prof Balkwill about the politics of cancer, the nature of scientific co-operation, the idea of disease and how you save the body from its own cells. Philip Dodd interviews cancer researcher Professor Frances Balkwill. Radio 3's flagship arts programme until 2013. Over 350 editions available in the archive.
03	Paul Davies	20100324	As part of Night Waves year of programme-length interviews with leading scientists, Matthew Sweet will be asking: Is there anyone out there - and if there is, what on earth will we do when we find out? Matthew is in extended conversation with the leading cosmologist and astrobiologist Paul Davies, whose specialism is the detection of extra-terrestrial life and the consequences for science and society. Davies is one of Britain's leading popularisers of science, but he's also a controversialist whose work takes him to essence of what it is to be human: 'I like to ponder the big questions of existence' he says, 'How did the universe begin? What is the destiny of mankind? Is there a meaning to the universe'. And fittingly Davies is currently head of Beyond: Center for Fundamental Questions in Science in Arizona. Matthew will be asking Paul Davies to delve into the intriguing question of what is known as 'First Contact' with alien life, and why scientists continue to believe in its importance. Davies own books include 'Are We Alone?' and most recently 'The Eerie Silence'. And Matthew will be pressing him on his more controversial forays into religion, which have seen some fellow scientists accuse him of a kind of theism. At a time of such acrimonious disputes between atheists and believers, can scientists like Davies really comfortably tackle this issue with book titles such as 'The Mind of God? Broadcast to coincide with the BBC's World of Wonder, year of science programmes - Night Waves is dedicating one programme each month to a 45 minute interview with a leading scientist. Producer Fiona McLean. Matthew Sweet talks to leading cosmologist and astrobiologist Paul Davies. Radio 3's flagship arts programme until 2013. Over 350 editions available in the archive.
04	Chris And Uta Frith	20100510	As part of the BBC's year of science programmes, Night Waves is running a special series of extended interviews with leading scientists from Britain and the rest of the world. Each month scientific figures talk about their research specialism, their wider scientific views, their personal background and their involvement with broader cultural and political questions. Tonight, Rana Mitter interviews husband and wife team Chris and Uta Frith. Both are eminent neuroscientists, leaders in their fields - Chris Frith, Emeritus Professor at the Wellcome Trust specialises in schizophrenia and Uta Frith, Professor at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London in autism - which means that they both working in what has been called 'the social brain'. Rana talks to them about the nature of these illnesses, the strong public perception of them, and the illnesses' sometimes very high political profile - and how the latest wide-ranging scientific research on the brain is changing our understanding of them. And Rana asks them: how does a scientific relationship co-exist with a marriage? Rana Mitter talks to Chris and Uta Frith - a couple who are both neuroscientists. Radio 3's flagship arts programme until 2013. Over 350 editions available in the archive.