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Unexpected Elements

Factual: Science & Nature

Factual: Science & Nature: Science & Technology

The news you know, the science you don’t.

The news you know, the science you don’t. Unexpected Elements looks beyond everyday narratives to discover a goldmine of scientific stories and connections from around the globe. From Afronauts, to why we argue, to a deep dive on animal lifespans: see the world in a new way.

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Unexpected Elements: Collapsing pensions and civilisations

Discussion & Talk

08/06/2023 GMT

Collapsing pensions and civilisations

BBC World Service - Unexpected Elements, Collapsing pensions and civilisations

French pension protests lead us to the lifespans of people, naked mole rats and societies

The news you know, the science you don't.

As French citizens protest against the raising of the state pension age, we look at the figures – are we really living longer? And if so, why? We take notes from the naked mole rat - it’s born looking wrinkled but this rodent is apparently ageless. And moving on from mere creatures, we’re asking if every state, society or civilisation has a lifespan, and if we can prevent it ending on our watch.

Also, as South Africans battle to live their best lives against almost daily power cuts, we look at load shedding – why is their power being switched off and is there a light at the end of the tunnel? We continue our quest to find The Coolest Science in the World with a man using tiny microbes for big problems, and the launch of a new BBC World Service drama about Fukushima gets us thinking about the consequences.

All that plus your emails and whatsapps, a team in three different countries and the decadence of Marnie’s footwear choices.

Presented by Marnie Chesterton
Produced by Margaret Sessa-Hawkins and Ben Motley

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Unexpected Elements

Collapsing pensions and civilisations

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