logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2024
15m 18s

Who owns the Moon?

Bbc World Service
About this episode

American company Intuitive Machines has successfully landed its Odysseus robot near the lunar south pole. The US space agency Nasa had purchased room on it for six scientific instruments. It’s also carrying a box containing 125 small stainless steel balls or mini moons by the American artist Jeff Koons to be left there. There’s now hundreds of tonnes of human objects on the Moon - from old space boots and moon buggies to family photos and a javelin. There are also bags of vomit, urine and poo. It’s becoming a lunar junkyard.

Professor Jill Stuart from the London School of Economics explains the laws governing the moon and BBC journalist Daniel Dadzie tells us what’s up there and what people might take in future.

Also, two years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, what’s life like as a student there? We hear from Vitalii Pashchenko, 21, Arina Stolbtsova, 21 and Yehor Olshevskiy, 17.

Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Julia Ross-Roy and Elena Angelides Researcher: Maria Clara Montoya Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks

Up next
Oct 16
How flamingos in Albania sparked massive protests
What began as a peaceful protest in Albania turned violent in October, as students took the lead, setting buildings on fire and clashing with police. They are demanding better university conditions, greater opportunities for young people – and an end to what they describe as a co ... Show More
9m 39s
Oct 15
Can airport scanners see you naked?
Shoes on or off? Laptops in or out? And don’t get us started on the rules around liquids! Getting through airport security never seems to be simple. It’s there for a reason, of course. But there are so many rules and why do they seem to be different everywhere you go? We’re joine ... Show More
13m 30s
Oct 14
How fires in Indonesia are impacting Singapore’s air
Singapore’s got a reputation for being one of world’s cleanest cities. But right now, it’s covered in a thick blanket of smog. And it’s recently seen its worst air quality levels for the year. The reason? Fires in nearby Indonesia. Indonesia’s seen its worst wildfire season in ye ... Show More
12m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2020
BrainStuff Classics: Can We See the Stuff Astronauts Left on the Moon?
Astronauts have left over a hundred items on the moon's surface. Learn what telescopes are powerful enough to spot them in this classic episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati ... Show More
3m 27s
Mar 2017
Can I See the Stuff Astronauts Left On the Moon?
tail spinning
3m 7s
Jul 2021
Moon poop
Astronauts left something on the moon that could help unlock the origins of life itself. For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainable It’s a great place to sign up for our newsletter, view show transcripts, and read more about the topics on our show. Also, email us! unexplainable ... Show More
24m 15s
Aug 2022
Not a Moment too Moon
NASA’s mega-rocket lunar mission is go for launch!The BBC's science editor Rebecca Morelle explains everything you need to know about the American space agency’s latest Moon mission. Also, Newsnight’s UK Editor Sima Kotecha and BBC Kent political reporter Michael Keohan discuss w ... Show More
34m 42s
Sep 2023
Why do we want to go back to the Moon?
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 ... Show More
28m 6s
May 2014
Over the Moon
<p>Over the Moon: What if we, over at the mother company Earth, Inc., looked at "assets" in our solar system like a corporation looks at its assets? What if we set our sights on that ne'er-do-well moon? Find out how we could harness the moon's resources to do more of Earth's bidd ... Show More
28m 28s
Jan 2023
Moonshot
It's episode 100, LET'S GO TO THE MOON! The 1969 Apollo 11 landing was iconic, but what happened to the earlier missions? What kind of impact did it have on pop culture and the Cold War? Why are there so many conspiracy theories? And most importantly - who was the first person to ... Show More
50m 1s