Standing up for nature: What can we do to fix our broken planet?
Our Broken Planet
Surveys show that most of us are really worried about climate change and we want something to be done. But what? This series, we've explored many ways in which nature is changing in response to human activity and the dangers posed to people and planet as a result. In this final episode, Tori and Khalil explore how people are taking action in the face of the planetary emergency. Along the way, you'll find out: When has activism been effective? How do scientists feel about climate change? One thing everyone can do to start making a positive change Contributors: Dr Erica McAlister - Senior...
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Deep down and dirty? Mining for a sustainable future
Our Broken Planet
A more sustainable future lies within reach. One where human societies are powered by wind and solar energy, leaving behind dirty, climate-changing fossil fuels in the past. Sounds good right? But with many tonnes of rare earth metals needed to manufacture just one wind turbine, switching to this greener way of life likely means more mining – and lots of it – at least in the short term. But where and how could we get these metals while causing the least possible harm to people and planet? Khalil meets scientists and campaigners to find out: Why are some people so...
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Something in the air: Can Nigeria stop its silent killer?
Our Broken Planet
Nigeria has some of the highest levels of unhealthy air across the African continent – a leading cause of inflammatory illness and premature death. Could its huge and growing cohort of young people have the solution? Tori & Khalil head to the “Giant of Africa” to find out how one of the world’s fastest growing nations – by economy and population – is dealing with rapidly accelerating energy demand and what might happen next. Join us and find out What’s the cause of Nigeria’s dangerous air pollution – and what can be done about it? How can African countries avoid some...
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Abusing nature is making us sick: What's the cure?
Our Broken Planet
As modern human societies have tried to dominate and organise nature, we have been interacting with other species in some dangerous ways. From encroaching on the territory of wild creatures, to industrially farming other species in unnaturally cramped conditions, human actions are increasing the likelihood of animal nasties jumping the species barrier to infect us. Tori & Khalil ask whether our extractive relationship with nature could be making us sick and what we can do about it. Along the way, you’ll find out: Why are bats so full of viruses? Could the next pandemic start on...
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All hail our jellyfish overlords
Our Broken Planet
What’s brainless, heartless, eyeless and thrives in a warming ocean? Hint: it’s wobbly and it could be coming to a dinner plate near you. Tori & Khalil investigate the effects of rising sea temperatures, from changing food sources to the perilous state of coral reefs – home to one quarter of all marine species. They’re joined by scientists and campaigners to help explain the changes we’re seeing and how we can help nature and humanity adjust. Join us and find out: What happens to animals living in a more acidic sea? How do you regrow a coral reef? Will we all be eating...
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Rainforests: How to restore Earth's lungs
Our Broken Planet
Breathe in. Breathe out. The oxygen flowing through your body is the result of photosynthesis: the natural process through which living things convert sunlight into energy. About 30% of land-based photosynthesis happens in tropical rainforests: the lungs of the earth. Rainforests are also great at sucking up excess carbon from the atmosphere- something we know we’ve got to do more of. But in recent years, these lungs have been getting constricted: shrinking in size and choked up with smoke. So grab your mosquito net and join Tori & Khalil on a trip through the tropics to find...
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Choked: Unpacking our plastic addiction
Our Broken Planet
We all know that plastic isn't great for our planet. But how much do scientists really know about how it's affecting nature - including our own species? Tori and Khalil try to get their noodles around 'nurdles', the tiny plastic pellets that are used to manufacture all manner of everyday objects, discovering that millions are ending up in our oceans, with unknown long-term consequences. Plus, join Natural History Museum researcher Alex Bond on Lord Howe Island, a remote paradise in the Tasman sea and mecca for nesting seabirds, where chicks are falling prey to an ominous new disease:...
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Glaciers: Water towers of the world
Our Broken Planet
What is a glacier? And what happens when they melt? Glacier ice is the world’s largest freshwater reservoir. About 1 in 5 people depend on them as their main source of drinking water, as do countless animals and plants. As they melt, it's a boom time for nature, with plenty of water to go around. But what happens if glaciers disappear completely and the water stops flowing ? To investigate the past and present impact of glaciers, and what they mean for the nature, culture and communities that depend on them, Tori and Khalil meet with trusted scientists, artists and activists, from Austria...
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Fire: Life in the new Pyrocene
Our Broken Planet
Are we living in a new age of fire? What would that mean for people, plants and animals? Take a trip back in time to find out how our planet's history has been shaped by fire, and peer into the future as we ask how nature will adapt to a new era shaped by flame. Tori and Khalil search for answers from nature, science and activism. Along the way, we'll ask: -How did a fire in Australia set off smoke alarms in New Zealand? -How do forest fires affect global weather? -What can we learn from Indigenous people's use of fire? About this...
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A rising tide: Melting ice sheets and sea level rises
Our Broken Planet
How much are sea levels rising by? What does it mean for us and for the generations to come? And what can we do about it? Take your ears on a round-the-world trip, from the icy polar north to the lush tropical paradise of the Marshall Islands, to find out how we got here and ways to fix it. Along the way, we'll ask: -Is Greenland turning into Swiss cheese? -Who is most at risk from rising seas? -Could mangrove forests save the world? About the episode: As polar ice sheets melt our sea levels are rising - over 20cm globally...
info_outlineA more sustainable future lies within reach. One where human societies are powered by wind and solar energy, leaving behind dirty, climate-changing fossil fuels in the past. Sounds good right?
But with many tonnes of rare earth metals needed to manufacture just one wind turbine, switching to this greener way of life likely means more mining – and lots of it – at least in the short term. But where and how could we get these metals while causing the least possible harm to people and planet?
Khalil meets scientists and campaigners to find out:
- Why are some people so interested in mining the deep sea?
- What lives on the ocean floor and what would happen to it if mining got the green light?
- How can science help reverse the long-term damage caused by mining?
Contributors:
- Richard Herrington, research lead for resourcing the green economy at the Natural History Museum
- Adrian Glover, Natural History Museum Merit Researcher specialising in deep-sea biodiversity
- Louisa Casson, Global Project Leader for Greenpeace's Stop Deep Sea Mining campaign
Have your say:
Join the conversation on social media using #OurBrokenPlanet and tag us:
Instagram: @natural_history_museum
Twitter: @NHM_London
TikTok: @its_NHM
Learn more about how you can take action for nature and find additional resources at www.nhm.ac.uk/podcast