logo
episode-header-image
Aug 8
49m 30s

Floods, mangroves and rampaging tractors

Bbc World Service
About this episode

This week, floods have hit the global headlines. First up, we delve into the various reasons why floods form.

After learning about the causes of floods, we discover a nature-based solution in the form of mangrove forests. Laura Michie from the Mangrove Action Project tells us why these ecosystems are important, and how they can protect coastal zones.

We also find out that humans have moved so much water around the planet that we’ve shifted the location of the geographic North Pole.

Plus, a rare flooding event is currently taking place in the Australian Outback, awakening an ecosystem after years of dormancy.

And what could happen when hackers take control of tractors?

All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Andrada Fiscutean and Sandy Ong Producers: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, with Lucy Davies, Debbie Kilbride and Margaret Sessa Hawkins

Up next
Aug 18
Why do we follow trends?
What's got rabbit-like ears, huge eyes, nine teeth and a demonic grin? It’s Labubu! These ugly-cute toys have gone viral online, largely thanks to social media’s trending machine. Their fame was previously limited to China and parts of Asia, but since 2024 their popularity has gr ... Show More
49m 29s
Aug 1
Traffic science
This week, a viral video of a robo-traffic-cop in Shanghai has the team contemplating the science of traffic. How do traffic jams with no discernible cause actually form? Does the weather experience traffic jams? And why do our cords also seem to get tangled in their own little c ... Show More
49m 29s
Jul 28
Trailer: 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle
The epic space story of a sci-fi dream that changed spaceflight forever. Told by the Nasa astronauts and team who made it happen. Our multi-award-winning podcast is back, hosted by space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock. She tells the story of triumph and tragedy - of a dream that ... Show More
3m 29s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2022
NSW floods: “It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before”
Towns in the Central West of NSW have been inundated by floodwaters this week.  Residents of Forbes were told to leave town with the Lachlan River forecast to hit a new record. There were wild scenes across a number of small towns on Monday: more than 100 people were rescued by h ... Show More
21m 50s
Jun 16
Why are our tropical forests disappearing faster than ever and what can we do about It?
Tropical rainforests cover around 6% of our planet, yet they're home to more than half of the world’s species. They're also one of our planet’s most vital defences against climate change. But a new report shows how our tropical forests were ravaged in 2024 - and the Amazon rainfo ... Show More
26m 28s
Feb 2024
Understanding Flood Forecasting
When Lois Pryce arrived at her boat in Berkshire, the area was already completely flooded. The only way to get to it was via a small pontoon. She is one of many across the UK that have been affected by the current floods, and is very familiar with the flood warning system accessi ... Show More
28m 21s
Sep 2023
Deadly floods in Derna
Earlier this week the deadly Mediterranean cyclone, Storm Daniel, swept through the small city of Derna in Libya, collapsing a 50-year-old dam in its wake, and triggering devastating floods which have killed over 5000 people. We speak to atmospheric scientist, Stavros Dafis, abou ... Show More
26m 32s
Nov 2024
From Sea to Rising Sea
Sea level rise is this big, scary reality. We’re always hearing predictions from scientists that the oceans will swallow islands, flood major cities, and wipe out huge stretches of coastline. The longer we burn fossil fuels, the bigger the surge. It sounds apocalyptic on this hug ... Show More
36m 14s
Apr 2024
‘Til the landslide brings it down
When officials commissioned a set of updated hazard maps for Juneau, Alaska, they thought the information would help save lives and spur new development. Instead, the new maps drew public outcry from people who woke up to discover their homes were at risk of being wiped out by la ... Show More
29m 9s
Aug 4
Russia’s Earthquake, Wonders of Walking and Surprising Plant Genetics
Host Rachel Feltman talks with Andrea Thompson, Scientific American’s senior sustainability editor, to discuss the massive Russian earthquake and the reason it produced such relatively minor tsunami waves. Plus, we discuss the lowdown on the Environmental Protection Agency’s move ... Show More
11m 2s
Sep 2024
Partly Cloudy With a Chance of Climate Action
TV Weather Gets Heated. In a world where weather is getting more extreme, the role of meteorologists is becoming more important—and controversial—than ever. Meteorologists have been fired over reporting on climate change, and others have left stations because of death threats. Bu ... Show More
34m 59s
Dec 2024
Sacred and Submerged
The Lemon Tree Mound is a sacred place for the Atakapa/Ishak-Chawasha tribe. And it's disappearing under the rising waters of the Gulf of Mexico. In this episode, we travel out into the bayous of South Louisiana to understand what this one small sacred place means for the Land Ba ... Show More
23m 55s
Feb 2024
A New Volcanic Era?
As lava consumes homes on the Reykjavik Peninsula in Iceland, evacuated communities have been witnessing eruptions shifting and intensifying. We take a look at the latest science that’s helping teams on the ground accurately predict where the danger is coming from, helping people ... Show More
27m 53s