The fast and the curious
It’s the month of Ramadan, which got us thinking about the science of fast. From diets and black holes to deserts and particle accelerators.
It’s the month of Ramadan, when Muslims across the world fast between dawn and sunset in the belief that it will bring them closer to Allah. And this has inspired the Unexpected Elements team to turn their attention to all things fast.
First, we explore the latest research around intermittent fasting.
Next, we contemplate a new way to relax by harnessing the time-distorting power of black holes.
We then find out why deserts in South Africa are spreading at an alarming rate.
Plus, we’re joined by Dr Claire Lee, a particle physicist who works with the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. She explains how she and her colleagues accelerate particles to phenomenal speeds, how they detect these particles when they collide, and what this can tell us about the origins of the universe.
That, plus many more Unexpected Elements.
Presenters: Marnie Chesterton, with Tristan Ahtone and Leonie Joubert.
Producers: William Hornbrook, with Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, Harrison Lewis, Debbie Kilbride and Noa Dowling.
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- Fri 14 Mar 2025 10:06GMTÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ World Service
- Sat 15 Mar 2025 00:06GMTÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ World Service
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Unexpected Elements
The news you know, the science you don't