Main content

Rocket Launch Pollution

With space rockets increasing in size and launch frequency, Vic asks what the environmental impacts of a rapidly growing space industry might be?

Whilst the globe struggles to shift to green sustainable energy sources, one industry has its sights set solely on the stars. Space X just launched the biggest rocket the world鈥檚 ever seen, and it won鈥檛 be their last even if it did end its test flight with a bang. As we enter a new golden age of space travel, Vic asks Associate Professor in Physical Geography Dr Eloise Marais if we are paying enough attention to the environmental impacts posed by a rapidly growing space industry.

Have viruses, bacteria, and microorganisms influenced humanity more than we know? Author of new book, Pathogenesis: How Germs Made History, Dr Jonathan Kennedy discusses how germs and disease have shaped human evolution, history and culture and what we can learn from the COVID pandemic.

And from unconventional life in space to psychoactive spinning apes, Vic and 麻豆社 Climate Reporter Georgina Rannard bring you the best scientific stories from the past couple of weeks.

Presenter: Victoria Gill
Producer: Harrison Lewis
Content Producer: Ella Hubber
麻豆社 Inside Science is produced in collaboration with the Open University.

Available now

28 minutes

Broadcasts

  • Thu 20 Apr 2023 16:30
  • Thu 20 Apr 2023 21:00

Explore further with The Open University

麻豆社 Inside Science is produced in partnership with The Open University.

Podcast