logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2024
26m 28s

Fed: U OK Hen?

Bbc World Service
About this episode

We eat chicken. A LOT of it. We might love the taste, but what about how we're treating those birds?

After witnessing first-hand the reality of indoor chicken farming - how most of the chicken we eat is raised - Dr Chris van Tulleken wants to know: are the birds happy enough, or is our method of rearing cheap chicken actually cruel?

If so, what’s the ‘happier’ alternative – and do carnivores like Chris care enough to pay the price for that, or does a love of meat ultimately trump ethics?

Chris battles with his conscience, and finds the answer hard to stomach.

Up next
Jul 7
Tooth and Claw: Killer Whales
Investigating the black-and-white apex predator of the sea – the killer whale! Able to predate even great white sharks, this marine mammal is the largest member of the dolphin family. From tropical seas, to the Arctic and Antarctic, killer whales (or orcas) are found across the w ... Show More
26m 28s
Jun 30
The Life Scientific - Tim Peake
What's it like living underwater for two weeks? What's the trickiest part of training to be an astronaut? What are the most memorable sights you see from space? Several extreme questions, all of which can be answered by one man: Major Tim Peake. After a childhood packed with outd ... Show More
26m 29s
Jun 3
How does heat affect our health?
What effect will warming temperatures have on health? One place to look for answers is Bulgaria. In the summer of 2023, Bulgaria experienced numerous heatwaves, leading to the country experiencing one of the highest rates of heat mortality in Europe. But how are these numbers cal ... Show More
49m 27s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 8
How to buy a happy chicken
Britain’s obsessed with chicken - we eat more than a billion birds a year. And to (literally) feed our hunger, many farmers have turned to fast-growing birds. But now, a new initiative is persuading supermarkets and restaurants to try a slower-growing breed. Will it mean higher-w ... Show More
23m 52s
Oct 2023
Finding the Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey with Tyler Dawley
As Thanksgiving approaches, our focus shifts to the star of the holiday feast: the turkey. While many folks might be tempted to choose their turkey solely based on size, there is so much more to consider when selecting the perfect Thanksgiving bird for your family.Tyler Dawley, a ... Show More
27m 48s
Mar 2024
Who Invented Indian Butter Chicken?
Butter Chicken is a much-loved Indian dish, both within the country and around the world. But who can claim they invented it? That question is the subject of a lawsuit. Our reporter tries to get to the bottom of butter chicken's origin and finds out that it is a journey through I ... Show More
7m 49s
Mar 2025
Classic Debate: There is Nothing Wrong With Rearing and Killing Animals for Human Consumption
This event took place on the 31st of October 2016 at the Royal Institution in London. CHAIR: Afua Hirsch - Writer and broadcasterSPEAKERS FOR THE MOTION: AA Gill - The Sunday Times’s star restaurant and TV criticAGAINST THE MOTION: George Monbiot - Guardian columnist, environment ... Show More
1h 7m
Apr 2021
Dr. T. W. Stallings: One Man's Corvid-Hating Quest to Make Oklahoma Literally Eat Crow
Times were tough during the Great Depression. Economic unrest, massive migration and falling crops left many people struggling to survive -- even the simple task of finding food from one day to the next became increasingly challenging. Amid this chaos Dr. T. W. Stallings saw an o ... Show More
42m 14s
May 2024
Dr Chris van Tulleken on Ultra-Processed Food
This week Gabby is joined by Dr Chris van Tulleken, author of Ultra-Processed People: Why Do We All Eat Stuff That Isn’t Food … and Why Can’t We Stop? Poor diet has overtaken tobacco as the leading cause of early death, and so they discuss what ultra-processed food is and how we ... Show More
41m 14s
Dec 2024
Pourquoi le poulet ne se mange pas cru, contrairement au bœuf ?
Le poulet cru est dangereux pour la santé en raison des risques élevés de contamination bactérienne. Contrairement à la viande de bœuf, souvent consommée crue sous forme de tartare ou de carpaccio, le poulet cru peut contenir des bactéries pathogènes telles que Campylobacter, Sal ... Show More
1m 48s
Mar 2011
Have you heard about the bird?
How do birds hear if they have a hole through their heads? Where does matter come from? Just some of the questions put to Dr Karl this week for the Up All Night science phone in. 
49m 42s
Aug 2024
Don’t Eat Less, Eat Better & The Magic of Mystery - SYSK Choice
Look around and you will likely see someone doing something on their cellphone. For many of us, cellphones are a necessity and a constant companion. What about your relationship with your cellphone? This episode begins with a look at how Americans use their cellphone, how often t ... Show More
51m 45s
Feb 2025
How Flavor Has Guided Human History & The Threat of Pseudoscience - SYSK Choice
Modern kitchen freezers are actually cruel to ice cream and other frozen foods. This episode begins by explaining why this is and why there is often ice crystals on top of your ice cream and how to prevent them. Source: Professor Richard Hartel author of the book Ice Cream (https ... Show More
52m 12s