Podcast series celebrates 100th episode with special look at plastics crisis

The realities of CSI, history of the weekend, and the future of AI and Chat GPT are just some of the topics that feature in the new series of the University of Portsmouth podcast Life Solved, which returns this Summer. 

In each weekly episode, researchers talk in-depth about pioneering research, tackle thought-provoking questions, and explore life-changing innovations in technology, medicine, the environment, social theory and beyond.

Research at the University of Portsmouth was rated as world-leading in the latest national assessment of the quality and impact of research in UK universities and is home to several high-profile innovation centres, including Revolution Plastics, the Institute of Marine Sciences, and a key stakeholder in the Space South Central Enterprise Network.

Life Solved series 12 launches this week on Thursday (10 August), kicking off with a special round-table discussion hosted by BBC News presenter Maryam Moshiri. 

‘From Shelf to the Global South’ will unpack why the plastic we throw out often makes its way to poorer countries. What's being done here to prevent plastic packaging crossing the border and what efforts are retailers and supermarkets making to ensure less of it ends up on our shelves? 

Guests include Esrat Karim, Director and Founder of the Amal Foundation; Kené Umeasiegbu, Responsible Sourcing Director at Tesco; Dr Cressida Bowyer, Deputy Lead for the University of Portsmouth’s Revolution Plastics initiative; and Dr Marcus Gover, Director of the No Plastic Waste Initiative, Minderoo Foundation.

Professor Jeremy Howells, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation and External Relations), said: “It has been exciting to see the Life Solved podcast community grow over the past three years, bringing together curious thinkers from all over the world. Hitting the 100^th episode milestone shows there’s a strong appetite for content which both educates and entertains. 

“The University's research and innovation culture addresses local, national and global challenges across science, technology, humanities, business and creative industries. This podcast series provides an opportunity to learn about the incredible strides our staff and students are making in these areas, as well as their collaborators, and discover how this work is affecting people’s lives."

The remaining seven episodes will run weekly every Thursday, and cover a whole range of topics, from chemsex, crime scene investigation, natural solutions to cleaning up our waters, batteries leading the charge in sustainable energy, the history of the weekend, parent-shaming, and artificial intelligence.

In several episodes, experts from the University will be joined by representatives from collaborating research institutions, charities and organisations, to help demonstrate the power of working together and knowledge exchange in addressing life’s biggest questions.

You can listen to Life Solved on all major podcast players, via Apple, Spotify, Castbox, Google Podcasts or other apps. Just search for ‘Life Solved’ and press the subscribe button. 

Life Solved is also available to stream via the University of Portsmouth website. 

Individual episodes will be available on the below release dates:

• EP01: From Shelf to the Global South - why our plastic ends up in low-income countries Thursday 10 August 2023
• EP02: Let's talk about chemsex Thursday 17 August 2023
• EP03: The reality of CSI: Crime scene investigation myths and misconceptions Thursday 24 August 2023
• EP04: A kelp-ing hand: Nature's leading role in cleaning up our waters Thursday 31 August 2023
• EP05: Batteries leading the charge in sustainable energy Thursday 7 September 2023
• EP06: The history of the weekend: Should they be longer? Thursday 14 September 2023
• EP07: Putting parenting shaming on the naughty step Thursday 21 September 2023
• EP08: AI and Chat GPT: The beast is out of the box, so what now? Thursday 28 September 2023