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Science Weekly

Science Weekly

By: The Guardian
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 Twice a week, the Guardian brings you the latest science and environment news© 2026 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. Science
Episodes
  • Meningitis explained: who is most at risk?

    Meningitis explained: who is most at risk?
    Mar 18 2026
    Over the weekend, news emerged of an outbreak of meningitis among university and school students in Kent in south-east England. The outbreak has killed two young people and left several others seriously ill. Health officials confirmed that the meningitis B strain has been identified in some of the cases. To find out what we know about the outbreak, who is most at risk and why questions are being asked about who has access to the meningitis B vaccine, Madeleine Finlay speaks to Eliza Gil, a clinical lecturer specialising in infectious disease at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
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    15 mins
  • What’s behind the injectable peptide craze?

    What’s behind the injectable peptide craze?
    Mar 17 2026
    Grey-market injectable peptides – a category of substances with obscure, alphanumeric names such as BPC-157, GHK-Cu, or TB-500 – have developed a devoted following among biohackers and health optimisers. To understand how these unregulated substances have become mainstream and what they could be doing in our bodies, Madeleine Finlay hears from journalist Adrienne Matei and from Dr Anna Barnard, an associate professor at Imperial College London who researches peptides. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
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    18 mins
  • Exercise and brain function, hedgehog hearing, and can AI change our minds? – podcast

    Exercise and brain function, hedgehog hearing, and can AI change our minds? – podcast
    Mar 12 2026
    The Guardian’s science editor, Ian Sample, talks to Madeleine Finlay about three eye-catching science stories from the week, including a study that explores the link between exercise and brain health. Also on the agenda: the discovery that hedgehogs can hear high-frequency ultrasound and what this could mean for their conservation, and new research examining how biased AI autocomplete tools can influence the beliefs of users.. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
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    20 mins
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