logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2023
28m 6s

Why do we want to go back to the Moon?

Bbc Radio 4
About this episode

Two plucky spacecraft, one Russian and one Indian, are currently blasting towards the Moon’s South Pole. Both Russia’s Luna-25 and India’s Chandrayaan-3 are due to touch down next week. They’re heading to that particular region of the Moon in order to hunt for water, the presence of which could have huge implications for our further exploration of the Solar System. Victoria Gill talks to Dr Becky Smethurst, an astrophysicist at the University of Oxford, to find out more.

Victoria then heads to the Lake District to witness the release of water voles into the ecosystem.

Next up, Professor Lewis Griffin, a computer scientist from University College London, tells us how bad we are at distinguishing between real and deepfake voices. He then reveals what implications this might have for scams.

Finally, Dr Helen Pilcher tells us all about the intriguing ways that animals can bend time. You can find out more in her book, How Nature Keeps Time.

Presenter: Victoria Gill Producer: Hannah Robins Content producer: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell Research: Patrick Hughes Editor: Richard Collings

Up next
Sep 24
Do you have the correct time?
In October members of the General Conference on Weights and Measurements are voting to change how we keep time on Earth accurate. Currently an additional second, known as a Leap Second, can be added to make sure modern atomic clocks stay in sync with solar time. However, all of t ... Show More
26m 28s
Sep 17
AI to solve the energy crisis?
Nuclear fusion energy, the idea of copying the sun’s heat source on earth to make limitless commercial energy is famously always 30 years away. This month, the UK and US have agreed to combine the brains of their nuclear fusion supercomputers in an attempt to improve models of pl ... Show More
26m 28s
Sep 10
What AI agents talk about behind your back
Is AI really plotting against us? In a week where an Anthropic researcher believes there is more than a 10% chance AI 'could kill all humans' we're delving deeper into the capabilities of AI agents. Tom Whipple is joined by Alex Mallen, from Redwood Research, the team whose recen ... Show More
26m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2023
Sea Otters, Alaskan Minerals, Salmon Restoration. Aug 25, 2023, Part 1
<h2>Countries Seek To Return To The Moon</h2><p>On Wednesday, the Indian space agency ISRO celebrated as its <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/india-spacecraft-moon-landing/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">Chandrayaan-3 craft< ... Show More
46m 57s
Apr 2025
Commercial Lunar Tools and Science
Two NASA Artemis experts discuss how the agency is preparing future moonwalkers to use new tools to explore the unique science near the lunar South Pole. HWHAP 381 
46m 24s
Dec 2023
Learning lessons from the Moon
Summer 2023 saw two missions to the Moon. Why are scientists so keen to get there? 
6m 14s
Dec 2021
The Moon: Why Are We Really Going Back?
The moon race is back! Countries — and billionaires — are lining up to take a crack at returning to the moon. But why are we really going? Some say this is a lunar gold rush, that countries want to mine the moon for resources. Others are saying the real reason to go to the moon t ... Show More
34m 7s
Aug 2023
Return to the Moon: Why now?
This week, we're casting our eyes towards the brightest and largest object in our night sky: the Moon. As India becomes the 4th nation to achieve a successful soft landing on our only natural sateillite, we saw a fantastic opportunity to chart the history of how the Moon was form ... Show More
28m 24s
Feb 2017
Does the full Moon make us act oddly?
Listener Paul Don asks: "I'm wondering what's the feasibility of terraforming another planet ie Mars and if it is possible to do the same thing with something like the moon? Or, why isn't there already a moon-base? Surely that is easier."Dr Adam Rutherford and Dr Hannah Fry consi ... Show More
26m 59s
Apr 2023
Unlocking Moon Mysteries: Water-Rich Lunar Glass Beads | Space Nuts #346
In this episode, you will be able to: Unravel the intriguing results of the Chang'e 5 mission and its implications on lunar water resources. Investigate the peculiar characteristics of 'Oumuamua and its potential hydrogen propulsion mechanism. Mitigate Earth's asteroid threats by ... Show More
45m 45s
Aug 2023
The New Space Race Is On - And Everyone Is Headed To The Moon
The South Pole of the Moon is the coolest place to be. And nearly every country with a space program is vying for a spot there - for a chance to explore the shadowy, polar craters in hopes of finding usable quantities of water ice.On Wednesday, the Indian Space Research Organisat ... Show More
12m 58s