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Lyt når som helst, hvor som helst 

BBC World Service


We take your questions about life, Earth and the universe to researchers hunting for answers at the frontiers of knowledge.


CrowdScience

CrowdScience listener George is showing Alex Lathbridge around a small, dark, and extremely hot shed, just outside the city of Accra in Ghana. Inside are row after row of shelves, stacked high with bulging grow-bags. And out of some of them, gorgeous cascades of oyster mushrooms are bursting into bloom. 

We’re on George’s mushroom farm, and he’s noticed something interesting. Even though the conditions in his grow-shed are tightly controlled – they have exactly the same food, water, and light as each other – nevertheless, they respond differently. Some are more vigorous than others, some bloom quicker, others last longer, and some are more tolerant when the conditions change. And this got George wondering. Could ‘brainless’ lifeforms like mushrooms, and plants, have different ‘personalities’? Do they experience the world differently, and live their lives differently from each other? Alex Lathbridge is on the case. 

 He visits the PGRRI, the Plant Genetic Resources Research Centre, for a quick lesson on genetic variation in the plant world. Plants are all different at the genetic level, and it’s those differences which can result in a tastier fruit, or a hardier crop. But would we call traits like these personality? 

 In the Minimal Intelligence Lab in the University of Murcia in Spain, Paco Calvo thinks that we absolutely should. He studies plant intelligence, and points Alex to a whole host of examples of plants being smart in ways which might surprise you. Each one is an individual, and if we can only slow down enough to appreciate them properly, we’d be able to understand them better too. 

Back in Ghana, Alex meets plant physiologist Dr Acheampong Atta-Boateng, in the beautiful grounds of Aburi Botanical Gardens, to meet some of these plants for himself. And he discovers that there’s a whole world of smart, resilient, and resourceful little organisms in the plant world, full of personality, if you know where to look. Who needs a brain!? 

Presenter: Alex Lathbridge 

Producer: Emily Knight 

Editor: Ben Motley

(Photo: Drawing of a face and smiling eyes on a sunflower flower - stock photo- Credit: Jose A. Bernat Bacete via Getty Images)

Do plants have personalities?

Why is there such a variety of tongues in the animal kingdom? CrowdScience listener Dale has observed that his dog’s tongue is different from his and so is his cat’s. He’d like to know the reason. 

Caroline Steel visits London Zoo in the UK to find out more about the different types of tongues - from giraffes and birds to lizards. 

She talks to evolutionary biologist Kurt Schwenk, who explains that the development of tongues made it possible for animals to make the leap from the sea to life on land. Fish could rely on water to help them swallow food, but air and gravity required a whole different mechanism for having dinner. 

But why is there such a variety of tongues between species - from the forked tongue of a snake to the rough tongue of a cat? And does it all come down to our diets? 

Researcher Callum Ross reveals how he’s pioneered a new technique for investigating how animals use their tongues when they eat and drink, and why tongues are so important for swallowing. 

Presenter: Caroline Steel 

Producer: Jo Glanville 

Editor: Ben Motley 

(Photo: Giraffe licking its lips - stock photo - Credit: laurenepbath via Getty Images)

What's the deal with tongues?

CrowdScience listener Daniel in Accra, Ghana is an introvert. Or at least, he thinks he is. And he’s worried that his preference for quiet spaces and lower social interaction might be holding him back in life. But what is introversion really? How do introverts and extroverts see the world differently? And is it better to be one or the other? 

 Presenter Alex Lathbridge spends his working days talking to interesting people like Daniel. He loves meeting people, and talking to them too, yet he also thinks that deep down, he might be an introvert. To understand how and why people come to be introverted or extraverted, and what’s happening in the brain, he pays a visit to neuroscientist Dr Thomas Tagoe from the University of Ghana Medical school, for a peek inside the mind. Turns out, introverts aren’t shy, and definitely aren’t anti-social either, despite what people might assume. The difference is more about how we process stimulation, and at what point we find it all a bit too much to process. Although sometimes it might feel like the world is built for the extraverts out there, Thomas offers some reassurance. There are huge benefits to being introverted too, and there’s room in the world for all the different personality types to thrive. 

But how about in the workplace? Daniel is worried that his introversion could be holding him back at work. He feels like being good at your job is not always enough – you need to be able to network, charm people, and “work the room” if you want to succeed. So, Alex heads for the Methodist University of Ghana to meet Professor William Baah-Boateng, who has studied the effect of all the different personality types on their performance in the workplace. Is there a place for the introverts of this work to make their mark? 

Presenter: Alex Lathbridge 

Producer: Emily Knight 

Editor: Ben Motley 

(Photo:A view of a woman's eye looking through a hole in some colorful paper-Stock Photo - Credit:PeopleImages via Getty Images)

Why am I an introvert?

Why do we feel itchy? So many listeners have emailed in with questions about itchiness, and presenter Anand Jagatia on the case. 

We explore why we itch, the different types of itch, the different causes, and why scratching can help with the itchy sensation. 

Anand puts your questions to an expert panel: Dr Sonja Ständer, professor of Dermatology and Neurodermatology at the University of Münster and and Gil Yosipovitch, Professor of Dermatology at the Miller School of Medicine at University of Miami. 

Also joining them from the University of Hull in the UK is Dr Henning Holle who studies the psychology of itch. He’s got an itchy game for Anand, Sonja and Gil to play in the studio, but is it really as simple as he’s letting on? 

Presenter: Anand Jagatia 

Producer: Tom Bonnett 

Editor: Ben Motley 

(Photo: Young women have skin problems, irritation on her skin, skin infection itching red rash, arm scratching with hands, isolated over yellow background - stock photo - Credit: Arnav Pratap Singh via Getty Images)

Why do we itch?

As our oceans warm due to climate change, sea levels are rising. It ought to be straightforward – as water gets warmer, it increases in volume. 

All the world’s oceans are connected, so how come sea levels are rising at different rates around the world, and even falling in some places? CrowdScience listener Alison in Australia wants to know the science behind the mystery. 

 Presenter Anand Jagatia travels to the Philippines to investigate. The country is being particularly affected by the issue, with its more than 7,500 islands experiencing sea level rises that are double the global average. 

On Palawan Island, in the east of the country, he speaks to people whose homes and livelihoods are being put at risk by rising waters. 

He also visits the Philippine Coast Guard in Manila and speaks to Commander James Barandino, from their Marine Environmental Protection division, to hear how their work is being affected by sea level rises and the flooding it causes. 

Dr Charina Lyn Repollo from the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute shows Anand how they monitor sea levels at dozens of locations. Their data shows huge variations in sea level across the country. How can that be the case? 

Anand also speaks to Jonathan Bamber, Professor of Earth Observation and Glaciology at the University of Bristol in the UK, to unpick the science behind how sea levels can rise at different rates in different places. 

And how do we protect people from rising waters? Dr Rodel Diaz Lasco from the Oscar M. Lopez Center for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management in Manila, explains how global collaboration might hold the key. 

Presenter: Anand Jagatia 

Producer: Dan Welsh 

Editor: Ben Motley 

(Photo: Globe floating on water - stock photo- Credit: Jan Hakan Dahlstrom via Getty Images)

How come sea levels are rising faster in some places than others?

CrowdScience listener Jeroen finds it hard to remember people's faces - and he wants to know why. He wonders if it's to do with getting older and if there’s any way of improving. 

Presenter Caroline Steel has the same problem and is keen to find an answer too. 

She meets Professor Zaira Cattaneo, a neuroscientist based in Italy who researches face perception. Zaira has discovered which parts of the brain are engaged in facial recognition. She explains how we recognise faces and why ageing could be a factor in Jeroen’s difficulty. 

Caroline travels to Bournemouth in the UK to meet researcher Professor Sarah Bate, who assesses Caroline's ability to recognise faces and explains the causes of face blindness. 

And she compares notes with fellow CrowdScience presenter Marnie Chesterton, who also has difficulty remembering faces. Around two per cent of the population have the condition. Could there be a reason why more than a third of CrowdScience presenters experience face blindness? 

If you’ve got a science question you’d like us to answer, email crowdscience@bbc.co.uk. 

Presenter Caroline Steel 

Producer Jo Glanville 

Editor Ben Motley

(Photo:Packaging cardboard on the head with different emotions - stock photo Credit: Flying broccoli via Getty Images)

Why can't I recognise faces?

CrowdScience listeners Dougie and Molly have been wondering what happens to animals when they die, and whether there are animals that hold rituals to mark the passing of one of their kin. 

Presenter Caroline Steel is on the case, trying to work out what happens to the bodies of animals when they die. Dougie and Molly say they rarely see animal carcasses where they live - so where do they all go? 

Dr Sarah Perkins of Cardiff University in the UK runs a research project called Roadlab, which logs how quickly the bodies of animals killed by traffic disappear, and she thinks she might have a clue. Caroline joins her on a hunt through the undergrowth for animals, and answers. 

And when animals lose a member of their flock, herd or school, do they indulge in rituals that look anything like a funeral? Caroline meets Dr Kaeli Swift, an ecologist at the University of Washington in the US, who has some surprising evidence from her research into bereaved crows. 

Meanhile, in Botswana, Mathale ‘Metal’ Mosheti is a safari guide in Chobe National Park. The African Savannah Elephants there demonstrate some remarkable behaviour when another elephant dies. But do animals really grieve for their loved ones? Dr Barbara J. King, Emerita Professor of Anthropology at William & Mary University in the US, has some ideas. But is it enough to answer Dougie and Molly’s question? 

Presenter: Caroline Steel 

Producer: Tom Bonnett 

Editor: Ben Motley

(Photo: Little red sick bird canary inside a wheelbarrow pushed by a lizard. Credit: Fernando Trabanco/Getty Images)

Do animals hold funerals?

Salt can be found in almost every kitchen in the world. But how did this seemingly simple ingredient become the world's favourite flavour enhancer? 

This week, Crowdscience sets out to uncover why these tiny crystals have such a powerful effect on us. We explore the magic behind this tiny mineral that has shaped our tongues, our culture, and our cravings. 

Our investigation begins with CrowdScience listener George, who heard from a friend that if he added a few grains of salt to his morning coffee, he could make it taste less bitter. Following some light investigation at his local coffee chain, he began wondering why salt make things taste more delicious. 

To try and find an answer, presenter Anand Jagatia heads to a salt mine in Austria with Daniel Bradner, an archaeologist from the Natural History Museum of Vienna. The mine is 200 kilometres from the sea, so where does all the salt come from? 

In London, UK, we meet Adriana Cavita, a chef who helps us explore how salt transforms what we eat: sharpening aromas, softening harsh flavours, and boosting sweetness. 

We explore the receptors inside our mouth with taste expert Courtney Wilson from the University of Colorado School of Medicine in the US, to find out how we detect whether there’s too much or too little salt in our food. 

And we meet Joel Geerling, Associate Professor of Neurology at the University of Iowa, US, who’s been looking inside the brain to try and work out why we crave salt. He’s discovered an incredible system that’s highly engineered to give us an appetite for salt. Could it be the answer to George’s question? 

Presenter: Anand Jagatia 

Producer: Robbie Wojciechowski 

Editor: Ben Motley

(Photo: Measuring Teaspoon of Sea Salt with Vibrant Colors - stock photo JannHuizenga via Getty Images)

Why does salt taste so good?

Is the world sitting on a ticking time bomb? CrowdScience listener Christel recently watched a documentary about a volcanic eruption in 536 AD that left her native Sweden under a cloud of ash for three years. It got her thinking, do we know when this could happen again?

With more than 300 volcanoes – and 24 of them listed as currently active – the Philippines is a country where trying to predict eruptions has huge real world consequences.

Presenter Anand Jagatia travels to Manila to meet the scientists at PHIVOLCS, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, including the head of their Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Division, Mariton Antonia Bornas, to find out how they try to predict volcanic activity in the country and help make sure communities are evacuated out of harm’s way.

He travels with the team to Taal volcano, which experienced violent eruptions in 2020 and has been active again this year, to visit the observatory monitoring for signs of future activity and to hike to the main crater of the volcano with resident volcanologist Paolo Reniva.

He also speaks to Dr George Cooper from Cardiff University in the UK about what makes a volcano a supervolcano, and to ask the all important question of if we know when this will happen again.

Presenter: Anand Jagatia

Producer: Dan Welsh

Editor: Ben Motley

(Photo: Smoke Emitting From Volcanic Mountain Against Sky - stock photo -EyeEm Mobile GmbH via Getty Images)

When will the next super-volcano erupt?

Listener Bart in Australia sees invasive species in his area almost every day – rabbits, foxes, and cats. They were transplanted to Australia from Europe more than 100 years ago, but seem to be thriving in their new home. 

This got him wondering: how are they going to evolve, now that they are in a new habitat? Can we predict what future evolution will look like based on what we already know? 

To find out, Marnie Chesterton visits Sandy Ingelby at the Australian Museum, who manages the mammal collection. She shows Marnie how indigenous Australian animals have evolved to suit where they live. 

On the island of Tasmania, Marnie meets the famous Tasmanian Devil and keeper Jono Thomas. Andy Flies from the University of Tasmania explains how the devil is evolving in real-time in response to a health crisis. 

So what might the invasive species in Bart’s backyard look like over the next 100 years? We’ll find out, with a little bit of help from palaeontologist Matt McCurry and millions of murderous toads. 

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton 

Producer: Margaret Sessa-Hawkins 

Editor: Ben Motley

(Photo: Wild rabbit- stock photo Credit: John Porter via Getty Images)

What's the deal with tongues?

Lyt når som helst, hvor som helst

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