Our Broken Planet
Nature is in crisis. Hear from activists, scientists and those most affected as we unpack the challenges we face as well as the solutions that lie within our grasp. In this podcast from the Natural History Museum in London, discover the interconnected issues facing our planet and explore what we can do about them together.
Episodes
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 wa...
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...
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?
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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...
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 s...
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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. Plu...
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...
Wildlife crime affects us all. Illegal trade happens in every corner of the planet, and its effects can be catastrophic for some animals and plants. But the tragedy goes beyond the loss of single species. It's clear our relationship with nature needs to change.
In the aftermath of wildlife crime, victims can pile up quickly. In this episode of Wild Crimes, we examine the fallout of southern white rhino poaching.
One of the victims is clear - the white rhino - but others can go unremarked on. However, dung beetles and tiny rhino botflies are suffering too. Rhinos are considered a keystone species, because their existence helps sculpt and shape landscapes and ecosystems.
When they are kille...
Bushmeat, meat from wild animals, is an important source of protein for communities across the world.
But in some parts of the globe it has become an illegal or luxury item - and that's posing a problem, threatening ecosystems and human health simultaneously.
Five million tonnes of wild meat is extracted annually from the Congo basin, including critically endangered primates. Demand for meat from this part of the world is becoming ...
The UK's birds of prey regularly fall victim to criminal behaviour, with dozens found poisoned, trapped and shot every single year.
There are 15 raptor species native to the UK, with varying conservation statuses. Some of them are severely threatened, so every lost bird becomes a threat to the survival of the species. That means raptor persecution is a big problem.
Killing protected birds is a crime, but it goes on across the entir...
In 2020, the most expensive dinosaur fossil ever sold was acquired by a private investor for £24.7m. Anybody with money can now get their hands on a T.rex or Stegosaurus - and when big fossils come with million dollar price tags, breaking the law can be lucrative busineess.
In this episode of Wild Crimes, find out why the commercial trade in dinosaur fossils is such a big issue for science.
Join Museum palaeontologists Dr Susie Mai...
Billions of orchids are bought and sold around the world every year. Most of this trade is legal and made up of artificially grown flowers. However, alongside the regulated trade, thousands of orchids are illegally harvested from the wild - and it's causing big problems for some of the most coveted species.
In this episode of Wild Crimes, we'll find out why no other plant has captured our imagination quite like orchids, and learn a...
Elephants are the poster child for the illegal wildlife trade. It is estimated that on average, 55 African elephants per day are killed for their ivory tusks.
Humans have coveted ivory for thousands of years, and demand eventually pushed elephants to the brink. International trade in their tusks is now banned, but a new product on the global market could be fuelling the flames for elephants: mammoth tusks.
In this episode of Wild C...
Europe is at the centre of an illegal wildlife trade operation worth billions of pounds.
Gangs are thought to be smuggling up to 350 million live eels from Europe and shipping them to Asia every single year. Once at their destination, the young eels are farmed to full size and redistributed across the world. But why is the European eel such a valuable commodity? Why has the trade of glass eels been made illegal? And what effect is ...
Pangolins are solitary, elusive and shy creatures native to Africa and Asia - there is nothing else like them on Earth. However, they're facing extinction because their keratin scales are traded by the tonne in many countries.
In this episode of Wild Crimes we're uncovering the pangolin trade. Why is a single pangolin worth risking your life for? How have they become the world's most trafficked mammal? And will they disappear withi...
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