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BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

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: The man who couldn’t lie

Discussion & Talk

24/08/2023 GMT

The man who couldn’t lie

BBC World Service - Unexpected Elements, The man who couldn’t lie

Why do we believe in conspiracy theories, and what’s going on in our brains when we lie?

Why do we believe in conspiracy theories? Also, the man who couldn’t lie, the hidden truths of the Universe and the unexpected ways we’re using pineapple waste.

This week, we start off by digging into conspiracy theories. What’s behind their enduring allure? And have they always been around? Marnie and the panel investigate. 

Many conspiracy theories are based off of misinformation… but what’s actually going on in our brains when we lie? We look into the case of the man who was physically unable of spreading tall tales. 

Sometimes, the truth is there, but is difficult to uncover. Delving for this deeper meaning is something particle physicists like Dr Harry Cliff have been doing for decades. Harry tells us where we are in the ongoing quest to understand our Universe. 

Also, we hear the ingenious way Costa Rican scientists are dealing with pineapple waste, and we answer a South African listener’s question about evolution.   

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton 
Producer: Sophie Ormiston, with Margaret Sessa Hawkins and Alex Mansfield

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Unexpected Elements

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