My favourite podcast - BBC Science in Action

If you enjoy keeping up-to-date with current science news, I can recommentd Science in Action from the BBC World Service. It goes out weekly on a Thursday and you can subscribe to the podcast to listen when it suits you.

A big part of why I enjoy it so much is the presenter, Roland Pease. He consistently explains things in a way that's easy to understand, while still being accurate. The interviewees are experts in their fields and almost always respond with 'exactly!' after Roland has summarised an aspect of their research. Some quotes from others mirror my feelings:

"We owe a debt to reporters like Pease, who do their homework, don't exaggerate, but can still tell a story."​ Geoscientist

"​... the most intelligent and best journalist who I ever worked with ..." climatologist

"... beautifully crafted ... Science radio at its very best" - Paleontologist

Women scientists make up a healthy proportion of guests. If I had to guess, based on listening for a couple of years, I'd say that 50% of interviewees are women. I don't know the percentage of women working in science, but with great role models presenting their subjects on global radio, I'm hopeful young women will be inspired and we'll reach equality someday soon.

Science and scientists have a tough time in a hyper-critical, instant news world. People demand certainties and mistakes are amplified more loudly than successes. Balanced and incisive reporting like Science in Action is hard to find. I hope the BBC keeps the show running for many years to come.