BBC Inside Science

Tom Whipple

Booking Overview

This is a weekly science news and explainer interview programme featuring university researchers, subject-matter experts, and science journalists discussing emerging research and controversies. Credible pitches include professors with significant published findings, specialist researchers, science communicators, and journalists who can explain high-impact scientific developments; booking difficulty is high because of BBC editorial standards and the need for authoritative, timely expertise.

Metrics

Episodes: 665

Frequency: Weekly

Rating: 4.6/5.0

Estimated listeners: 10k-100k

Gender skew: Neutral

Location: United Kingdom

Contact Information

Publicly listed emails

podcast.support@bbc.co.uk

Looking for the right person? Join Podseeker to find direct host and producer contacts and manage your podcast outreach.

Host

Tom Whipple - Science journalist and science editor of The Times who presents BBC Radio 4’s science programming.

Booking Intelligence

Booking Requirements

high

Typical Credentials:

University professors, research scientists, specialist practitioners, and established science journalists with authoritative expertise and a clear connection to significant new research or a major scientific controversy.

Required Achievements:

Peer-reviewed research published in respected scientific journals, University faculty or senior research positions, Expertise in emerging or high-impact scientific developments, Bylines or reporting roles at established science publications

Recent Guest Discussions

Kathryn Ayres - Newly Observed Collaborative Behavior Among Orcas Involving A Dead Sunfish.

Joe Herbert - Testosterone Deficiency, Hormone Replacement, And The Potential Effects Of Testosterone Use In Military Personnel.

Gareth Mitchell - Toddler Locomotion As A Model For Robotic Football And Research On Food Consumption And Environmental Impacts.

Areg Danagoulian - Methods For Detecting Nuclear Weapons In Orbit And Verifying Compliance With The Outer Space Treaty.

Lizzie Gibney - Research Reconstructing Hannibal’s Route Across The Alps During His Campaign With Elephants.

Recent Topics

Science, Biology, Physics, Technology, Environment

Episodes

Here's the recent few episodes on

BBC Inside Science

Should we be scared of AI viruses?

August 13, 2026

The extreme possibilities of synthetic biology hit the headlines last week, when researchers at Stanford University in the US announced they had created new kinds of viruses designed by Artificial Intelligence. Roland Pease is joined by microbiologist Dr Simon Clarke from Reading University and Joy Zhang, Professor of Sociology at the University of Kent, to discuss whether we should be concerned about the prospect of AI viruses. Meanwhile, 50 years ago NASA's remarkable Viking space probes to...

The state of our substrate: What is drought doing to our soil?

August 06, 2026

Large parts of Europe are in the grip of drought. According to the UK Meteorological Office, last week was the UK's driest July on record. Katie Field, professor of plant-soil processes at Sheffield University, joins us to discuss the state of our struggling substrate. Next week, a dramatic solar eclipse will be sweeping down the Atlantic. In the past, eclipses have been vital to astronomers exploring the outer reaches of the Sun. Now though, they can make their own on demand. Esther Bastida...

Are we alone in the universe?

July 30, 2026

Scientists have long referred to the Goldilocks zone – the region around a star where conditions are not too hot and not too cold but “just right” for life. Joined by a live audience at the Cheltenham Science Festival in the UK, Tom Whipple asks what are the true limitations of alien life? How do we spot it? And have we been looking too narrowly? Planetary scientist at MIT Sara Seagar discusses her team’s mission to Venus where, on the surface, temperatures can reach 500 degrees Celsius and ...

Publicly listed emails

podcast.support@bbc.co.uk

Looking for the right person? Join Podseeker to find direct host and producer contacts and manage your podcast outreach.

Get your clients booked on top podcasts

Try us risk free with a FREE 3 days trial.

Start Your Free Trial

Join hundreds of PR teams using Podseeker to pitch and land bookings