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Caroline Steel

@carolinesteel.bsky.social

150 followers 117 following 90 posts

Freelance Science Broadcaster🎙️| Presenter of CrowdScience on The BBC World Service | Views are my own (unless determinism has other ideas) Links to website and other socials ⬇️ linktr.ee/carolinesteel

Posts Replies Media

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Pakistan plans to scrap its 18% tampon tax. On Unexpected Elements last week, that story led @tahtone.bsky.social, @cvmota.bsky.social and I into the science of periods: how cycles affect drug uptake in the brain and what periods in space are really like🩸🚀 www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w...

BBC World Service - Unexpected Elements, Stuck in a cycle

The removal of sales tax on period products in Pakistan has us talking biological cycles.

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

What would count as evidence that an animal is interested in the past? For the latest CrowdScience, I visited some baby jays who from a young age remember things from the past. But answering whether they "care" quickly leads into questions about consciousness… www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

CrowdScience - Do animals care about the past? - BBC Sounds

The past matters to humans, but does it matter to animals?

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

CrowdScience listener Haruka has been making origami cranes since she was a child. Creating one out of a cloth napkin, however, was a challenge. It made her wonder: why does paper remember its creases? I had an origami lesson and visited a paper mill to find out. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w...

BBC World Service - CrowdScience, Why does paper fold so well?

Origami is the art of folding paper, but what makes paper remember its creases?

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

I was Inside Science today, chatting about the best science news from this week. ☄️The crater left by the asteroid that wiped out dinos may stayed hot for 8 million years. 🦟 Is DEET doomed? Research finds mosquitoes learn to associate the smell of DEET with food. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w...

BBC Radio 4 - BBC Inside Science, How do you build an unbuildable tower?

How engineers fulfilled Gaudi’s once impossible vision for the Sagrada Familia.

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

What’s the deal with tongues? There are some weird examples of tongues out there. Snapping turtles have tongues which look like worms and lure prey into their mouths, parrots have bones in their tongues to crack open nuts, and cats have tiny keratin hooks on theirs. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

CrowdScience - What's the deal with tongues? - BBC Sounds

Why do different animals have such different tongues?

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

I was on Inside Science last week, chatting about science news. My fave: How do astronauts do laundry? They don’t. When clothes become too smelly, they're thrown back down to Earth to burn up in the atmosphere. Engineers may have a solution involving lasers. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

BBC Inside Science - How is AI going to change science? - BBC Sounds

What role will humans play in the future of scientific research?

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

Happy 100th Birthday to broadcasting legend David Attenborough 🎉 I will always cherish this letter from him (even if it’s a polite rejection), which he wrote at 99! What an incredible man.

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

I was on Inside Science today, chatting to @tomwhipple.bsky.social about: 🌍 why Europe is the fastest warming continent 🏃 How Sawe broke the sub-2 hour marathon 🧠 Neanderthals grew up much faster than us - with 6-month-old babies the size of 14-month-old modern humans www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

BBC Inside Science - Why is Europe the fastest-warming continent? - BBC Sounds

We explore the mechanisms causing Europe's warming twice as fast as the global average.

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Funerals are an important part of being human. Painful but important. So when young CrowdScience listener asked: do animals have funerals too? I thought the answer was no. Turns out I’m wrong. Thanks @corvidresearch.bsky.social for letting me bother you with my qs! www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

CrowdScience - Do animals hold funerals? - BBC Sounds

Do animals mourn the dead?

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

Will AI replace me? A CrowdScience lister asked if AI could present the show. I spoke the super knowledgeable @hern.bsky.social to find out. Plus I let the BBC AI team clone my voice… I’m not convinced but would love to know what you think. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w...

BBC World Service - CrowdScience, Could AI present CrowdScience?

AI is predicted to replace some human jobs – could it host this show?

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

The worlds largest EVER census began this month. India is surveying its population. @chhavi.bsky.social and I talked about all things population science on Unexpected Elements. From how you count the number of humans on this planet to how much the internet weighs. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w...

BBC World Service - Unexpected Elements, Is everyone accounted for?

India undertaking the world’s largest ever census has us exploring population science.

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

How can we adapt to climate change? As a broadcaster talking about “adapting” can be scary. It means admitting we’ve not done enough to tackle climate change. But our climate is changing and threatening lives so we must. I had fun at Edinburgh Science Fest, with @susannahfisher.bsky.social.

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

What would you say if you could talk to animals? I’d ask my cat to explain the constant meowing. Talking to animals might not be as far-fetched as you think. I had a great time on What in the World covering how scientists are beginning to decode animal communication. youtu.be/TElyQ0_4J6s?...

How AI could help us talk to animals - What in the World podcast, BBC World Service

YouTube video by BBC World Service

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

If your car key is running out of battery, I have a tip for you: hold it to your head… It sounds ridiculous - but there’s real physics behind it. I got to make an episode of CrowdScience all about this strange little trick. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

CrowdScience - Can I unlock my car using my head? - BBC Sounds

Wireless keys work better if you press them against your skull. But why?

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

I was on BBC Radio 4's Inside Science today, chatting about science news with @whippletom.bsky.social Whipple. ⚛️ CERN scientists have successfully transported antimatter by road. 🦫 Beavers! New research quantifying just how powerful they are as climate engineers. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

BBC Inside Science - The future of space travel - BBC Sounds

A nuclear-powered spacecraft promises deeper and more explorative space travel.

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Recently, a friend told me they were “manifesting” no-rain for my run tomorrow. Manifesting seems to be EVERYWHERE. People manifest everything from their dream job to perfect weather. But does manifesting mean? And does it actually work? www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

CrowdScience - Can I really manifest the future? - BBC Sounds

Can manifesting make your dreams come true?

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Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

I was on the BBC team for the Carbon Brief quiz. I was expecting a climate pub quiz, but it was closer to University Challenge in vibes! Qs included: What % of energy consumption did electricity count for in 2024? No thanks to me, we came 🥉 @akshatrathi.bsky.social @esmestallard.bsky.social

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

🦫 Beavers! Can these furry engineers help us protect the planet? ⚡️Why is modernising electricity grids essential for climate change? I joined Graihagh Jackson on The Climate Question, to answer climate questions from listeners. youtu.be/VLI2PexSdXQ?...

Could beavers help us protect the planet? - The Climate Question podcast, BBC World Service

YouTube video by BBC World Service

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

I started this year in the best way - joining scientists planting coral on the Great Barrier Reef 🪸 In this episode of CrowdScience, I follow researchers as they grow baby coral in the lab & transport them to damaged reefs. Can we rebuild a reef the size of Japan? www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w...

BBC World Service - CrowdScience, How can we save the Great Barrier Reef?

Coral is under threat from climate change – can these Australian scientists save it?

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

If you fall asleep watching or listening to something, this one is for you! I a great time on Inside Science today, chatting about the latest science news with Vic Gill.

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

The BBC’s The Climate Question is now on YouTube! I had a great time alongside @akshatrathi.bsky.social answering questions from listeners. 🌱 How do I get a green job? 💨 Could nitrous oxide emissions become a problem in the future? 🧊 How do you age an ice core? youtu.be/iOa0-B27s2M?...

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

I’m on BBC Radio 4’s Inside Science NOW with @whippletom.bsky.social chatting about one of my favourite topics. Solar geoengineering ☀️ 🔧 Should we be meddling with our skies to try and slow climate change? Or do the risks outweigh the reward? www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w...

BBC Radio 4 - BBC Inside Science, Should we rethink navigating by GPS?

GPS is vulnerable to interference, so how can we make navigating at sea safer?

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

I got to submerge both a guitar and myself in a tank for our latest episode of CrowdScience: Can you play a guitar underwater? 🎸 💧 It’s one of my favourite episodes this year - a question that sounds obvious, but is packed full of unexpected science. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

CrowdScience - Can you play the guitar underwater? - BBC Sounds

We explore underwater acoustics in search of a new music sensation

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

I had a great time talking quantum physics with Paul Davies and Vlatko Vedral at the Hay Winter Literary Festival last weekend. Is the many worlds interpretation real? Why is quantum so hard to understand? The answers are in Paul and Vlatko’s books which I highly recommend!

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

I’m on Inside Science NOW with @whippletom.bsky.social chatting about my fave science news. Satellites are photobombing images of space and why it’s a problem. Plus, scientists have made self-destructing plastic. Could this be the solution to our plastic problem? www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w...

BBC Radio 4 - BBC Inside Science, A 'functional' cure for HIV?

Almost four decades after the first HIV treatment, is there finally a ‘functional’ cure?

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 29/11/2025

Why does coffee that’s passed through a civet taste so good? Why are you more likely to be allergic to an ugly plant than a beautiful one? I had a great time last week chatting about wierd and wonderful science on Unexpected Elements last week. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Unexpected Elements - Some Beautiful Science - BBC Sounds

The Miss Universe pageant final has us examining the science of beauty

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

Why do we cry? 😢 I put blood, sweat & *tears* into this ep of CrowdScience - I collected my tears for a couple of weeks and then took them to the Netherlands (thank God I didn’t have to take liquids out of my bag at security…) to analyse them under a microscope. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

CrowdScience - Why do we cry? - BBC Sounds

Only humans cry emotional tears, whether it’s tears of sadness or tears of joy. But why?

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

Moss can survive 9 months in space! Plus, scientists have worked out why coffee that’s passed through the gut of a civet, tastes so good ☕️ Today I was on Inside Science with @whippletom.bsky.social & @kityates.bsky.social, chatting about my fave science news. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w...

BBC Radio 4 - BBC Inside Science, What’s in the wording of the COP 30 negotiations?

As COP 30 draws to close in Brazil, we speak to a former negotiator.

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 15/11/2025

Do Aliens exist? 👽 We might be one step closer to finding the answer following the discovery of a possible nitrogen atmosphere around an Earth-sized planet called Trappist-1e. 🪐 I had a great time talking about the news on What in the World. youtu.be/P5VEx0OU76E?...

Are we now closer to finding life on another planet? - What in the World podcast, BBC World Service

YouTube video by BBC World Service

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 10/11/2025

Did you know that the brain can be active for 20 minutes AFTER you die? Our latest CrowdScience explored the question: are near death experiences real? I spoke to the experts, including Jimo Borjigin who’s studied the brains of four people before & after death. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

CrowdScience - Are near-death experiences real? - BBC Sounds

Are near-death experiences visions of an afterlife?

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

As a physics nerd I got to go on my dream work trip, to CERN! 🇨🇭 🇫🇷 It was for a CrowdScience where we tried to answer the question: are atoms immortal? If you’re interested in atom immortality (or mortality), would love to hear what you think… www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w...

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 26/10/2025

Last week, I was on Radio 4’s Inside Science with @amsterdammed.bsky.social, chatting about my favourite science news: 💦 Where the water at Mars’ equator comes from 🐁 Can we give lab mice periods? 🦇 An accidental recording of the sound of a bat catching a robin www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

BBC Inside Science - Have scientists created a bionic eye? - BBC Sounds

The bionic microchip implant which allows registered blind people to see again.

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

Why are some animals black and white? Why do zebras have stripes that seem to make them stand out to predators🦓? Why do pandas have cute black eyes 🐼? And why do penguins have white bellies 🐧? We found the answers for a recent episode of CrowdScience. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w...

BBC World Service - CrowdScience, Why are some animals black and white?

Why are zebras so stripy? Why do penguins wear tuxedos?

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 07/10/2025

I have a new favourite podcast series. So if you’re going to listen to one thing I’ve worked on - pick this! Producer Florian and I have been looking for somewhere on Earth unaffected by humans. A place we haven’t changed, in any way. Looking for No Man’s Land. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

BBC Radio 4 - Looking for No Man's Land

A quest to find a place on Earth unaffected by humans... if it exists.

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

Right now, I’m on Radio 4’s Inside Science with @amsterdammed.bsky.social, chatting about my favourite science news: 🪐 potential signs exoplanet Trappist 1e could be habitable 🐨 a new vaccine for koala chlamydia www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

BBC Radio 4 - BBC Inside Science, Are embryos made from skin cells the future of fertility treatment?

Scientists have made early-stage human embryos using skin cell DNA fertilised with sperm

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 08/09/2025

Last week, I joined @amsterdammed.bsky.social on Radio 4’s Inside Science to chat about my favourite science news: 🌋 How a volcanic eruption might have sparked the French Revolution ☀️ A new way to detect worrying solar storms 🐕 Dogs can thrive on a vegan diet www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

BBC Inside Science - What does caffeine do to our bodies? - BBC Sounds

The evidence on whether high caffeine energy drinks affect our health.

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

This week, I received a letter from David Attenborough. I’d written to ask if I could interview him for a new Radio 4 series I’m presenting. Sadly, it was a no, but he took the time to send me a handwritten response, at the age of 99! What an incredible human being.

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 01/09/2025

How long will traces of humanity last? Will future inteligent species dig up our bones, homes and plastic? CrowdScience found the answers by talking to the experts and going fossil hunting. @adamfrank4.bsky.social www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

CrowdScience - How long will traces of our civilisation last? - BBC Sounds

If intelligent life visits Earth millions of years from now, will they find traces of us?

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 21/08/2025

What does maths say about how to win Guess Who? 🤔👧👩 I’m Radio 4’s Inside Science now with @amsterdammed.bsky.social talking science news: - Ganymede, Jupiter’s largest moon, could be a dark matter detector 🌑 - birds are efficient communicators, like humans 🎶🐦 www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

BBC Radio 4 - BBC Inside Science, Could solar panels in space be the energy source of the future?

The science of extraterrestrial solar panels and whether they can power our energy needs.

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 14/08/2025

Writing texts using only thoughts 💭 drugs delivered via bubbles 🫧 and electronics you swallow to treat disease 💊 I chaired a discussion with for BBC World TV and The BBC World Service about the technology that is transforming healthcare. youtu.be/QpBcAu7eFnU?...

Brain implants, drugs via blood-bubble, ingestible electronics - The Engineers, BBC World Service

YouTube video by BBC World Service

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

Like me, do you struggle to fall asleep? 😴 I’ve been on a mission to find out why. I visited a sleep lab (and didn’t fall asleep…) and grilled some of the world’s leading sleep experts. I was on What in the World, sharing everything I’ve learnt. youtu.be/wv01kkwGzb8?...

How to get your best night’s sleep - What in the World podcast, BBC World Service

YouTube video by BBC World Service

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 08/08/2025

What really killed Napoleon’s soldiers? I was on Radio 4’s Inside Science yesterday with @amsterdammed.bsky.social. Our favourite news: - what divorce looks like in birds - can we redirect spacecraft to look at a mysterious object which has entered our solar system? www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

BBC Inside Science - What’s the evidence for vaccines? - BBC Sounds

Cuts of $500 million to vaccines research have been announced by the US government.

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

There’s 1.4 billion trillion litres of water on Earth. But at one point Earth is bone dry. So where did all the water come from? @amsterdammed.bsky.social and I found out on last week’s CrowdScience. I was genuinely shocked by the answer ☄️ www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w...

BBC World Service - CrowdScience, Where did Earth’s water come from?

Seventy percent of our planet is covered in water, but where did it all come from?

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 23/07/2025

How will bubbles, brain implants and digestible electronics improve our future? 🫧 🧠 💊 I had a great time last night asking Tom Oxley, Khalil Ramadi and Eleanor Stride about their pioneering work. Will share the final radio/TV show soon.

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

On this week’s Unexpected Elements we talk all things dust: 🎷 what Norwegian jazz and cosmic dust have in common 🌵 how dust from the Sahara is supporting the Amazon ☄️ what cosmic rays and dust tell us about the ground beneath our feet www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Unexpected Elements - How dust affects the world - BBC Sounds

A new report on the dangers of dust sends us storming off into dust-related science.

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 17/07/2025

How can music help you wind down? 🎵 😮‍💨 I had a great time at Crossed Wires Festival with BBC Radio 3 Unwind and @niallbreslin.bsky.social. Here are a few of my favourite tips: 1.) Listen to music from a time when you felt relaxed. 2.) Listen to music with a slower tempo. 3.) Play an instrument.

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Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

I’m at Crossed Wires Festival this weekend with @niallbreslin.bsky.social and BBC Radio 3 Unwind! I’ll be sharing some tips on how to use music to relax and taking a look at the science behind why it works. Our event starts at 10:45am on Sunday, tickets here: crossedwires.os.fan/unwind-your-...

crossedwires.os.fan

Unwind your Mind with Niall Breslin

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

I’m on Radio 4’s Inside Science with @bbcvic.bsky.social now. We’re coming to you from a very hot but fun Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

BBC Radio 4 - BBC Inside Science, How do you turn facial expressions into music?

Hands on with the new research at this year’s Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

The mysterious hum on Lewis just keeps buzzing… Last week Pick of the World with @annadoble.bsky.social featured our CrowdScience episode about this strange sound and the search to explain it. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Pick of the World - Your theories on a mysterious humming noise - BBC Sounds

The sound is heard by some residents of the Scottish island of Lewis - but what is it?

Caroline Steel @carolinesteel.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

I’m on Radio 4’s Inside Science with @amsterdammed.bsky.social now, chatting about the latest science news: - mice with 2 dads have had offspring of their own 🐁 🐁 - e-coli can turn plastic bottles into paracetamol - garden snails are now venomous 🐌 www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

BBC Radio 4 - BBC Inside Science, What happens when you bomb a uranium enrichment site?

The science behind US attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites.