How do the objects we rely on come to be made? What goes into creating them? How did they become so vital to us? And what is the environmental impact of living with them, now and into the future? Join material scientist Dr Anna Ploszajski as she welcomes different guests including scientists to discuss the truths about our reliance on the earth’s resources – and to look at what needs to happen to create a sustainable future for the everyday items we have come to rely on. Things You Can’t Liv ...
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Sabrina Ghayour on her favourite knives, learning from others and butternut squash best practice
24:49
24:49
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24:49Chef and food writer Sabrina Ghayour’s knife is an indispensable partner in her kitchen. Sabrina tells Dr Anna about her journey toward finding her favourite type of knives and how to look for the right knife for you. She is joined by Rio Tinto’s Chief Scientist, Nigel Steward, who delves into the material science behind how our knives are made. Th…
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Cornelia Funke on plastic pens, storytelling and sustainability
22:37
22:37
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22:37Global bestselling author Cornelia Funke (Dragon Rider, Inkheart) says she has hungry hands and that she cannot live without her pen to conjure up her magical worlds. Cornelia tells Dr Anna about the importance of the physical process of writing and illustrating, before committing her work to a computer. She also shares her deep passion for the pr…
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Beatrice Galilee on nature-inspired sustainable design and future architecture
23:22
23:22
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23:22Beatrice Galilee, founder of architecture and design platform The World Around is dedicated to inspiring and supporting the next generation of architects. She introduces Dr Anna to 'Botanica', a nature-inspired vase, which exists to prompt conversations around the future of sustainable design and architectural practices. They are joined by Brett Ca…
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Mark Mangini on Hollywood sounds, innovation and suspending disbelief
24:11
24:11
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24:11Oscar-winning sound designer Mark Mangini uses highly specialised microphones to capture the sounds we know and love in some of Hollywood’s most successful films. In an episode focusing on reuse and recycling, Mark tells Dr Anna about the unlikely, everyday sources behind some very famous film sounds. They’re joined by Didier Arseguel, Vice Preside…
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Ruby Wax on laptop addiction, mindfulness and community
25:49
25:49
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25:49Comedian, author and mental health campaigner Ruby Wax OBE is addicted to her laptop - and here she explains to Dr Anna about the positive and negative impacts it has on her mental health. They are joined by Rio Tinto’s Chief Scientist, Nigel Steward, who explains the material science behind creating computers and introducing sustainable innovation…
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Edward Burtynsky on using one camera tripod across 50 countries and 30 years
27:05
27:05
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27:05Revered photographic artist Edward Burtynsky shares how his carbon-fibre camera tripod has become indispensable in his documentation of human impacts on the planet. He tells Dr Anna about his artistic approach to industrial landscapes, especially those affected by fuel production. They are joined by Rio Tinto’s Chief Decarbonisation Officer, Jonath…
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Jon Lampley on blowing his trumpet, outdoor venues and the ethics of AI in music
24:26
24:26
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24:26Renowned trumpeter Jon Lampley performs on national TV in the Stephen Colbert house band, to stadiums of people, and alone in his small home studio - but which does he prefer? Jon tells Dr Anna about the significance of his custom-built trumpet, his unique sound and his most memorable performances. They are also joined by Shawn Lyndon, Chief Digita…
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Dr Adam Rutherford on bodies, blue-sky projects and blue-blooded crabs
24:48
24:48
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24:48Geneticist Dr Adam Rutherford relies on refrigeration to preserve the unique DNA samples that underpin his lab work. Furthermore, as he explains to Dr Anna, fridges are good for keeping his beer cold! In an episode all about research and development, Adam and Anna are joined by Marie-Pierre Paquin, Head of Science and Partnerships at Rio Tinto, to …
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Series 2 of Things You Can’t Live Without is coming soon. Here’s Dr Anna Ploszajski with a preview of what you can expect. Make sure you follow the show to hear new episodes as they launch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Hod Lipson’s Graphics Processing Unit: AI, robots eating robots and the unsung material that helps power our computers
24:45
24:45
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24:45Hod Lipson - Columbia University professor and award-winning robotics researcher - shares with Dr. Anna the one item he can’t live without - his Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). The conversation reveals how much GPUs underpin our electronic world, and how one somewhat unsung element - boron - is at the heart of making them work. Rio Tinto’s Chief Ex…
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Dr. Leah Alconcel’s Lasers: Missions to Jupiter, space junk and the future of communications
25:48
25:48
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25:48Spacecraft engineer Dr. Leah Alconcel joins Dr. Anna to tell her about the one item she can’t live without - her lasers From sending spacecraft to Saturn to the possibility of being able to watch TikTok in outer space, Dr. Leah shares the critical role that lasers have in her life. We are joined again by Rio’s Chief Scientist, Nigel Steward, who re…
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Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza’s Field Microscope: Boiling rivers, ancient Chinese water microscopes and working with communities to ensure ecosystems into the future
27:31
27:31
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27:31Chemical biologist and explorer Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza shares with Dr. Anna the one item she can’t live without - her field microscope. Dr. Rosa takes us on an expedition to the Amazon as we understand how integral her microscope is to her day-to-day work searching for the tiniest creatures, from heat-loving microbes that exist in boiling rivers…
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Buddha Lo’s Salt: Thanksgiving turkeys, open-water swimming and a material fundamental to our survival
25:59
25:59
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25:59Cooking sensation and two-time Top Chef winner Buddha Lo joins Dr. Anna to share the one item he can’t live without - salt. Buddha takes us to his kitchen in New York where he explains its critical role in food not just today, but throughout history. Rio Tinto’s Chief Advisor Process Development, Amy Lamb, joins the discussion to explain salt’s jou…
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Alie Ward’s Insulated Flask: Nicknames, vacuums and the reality of low carbon steel
22:21
22:21
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22:21Daytime Emmy Award-winning science communicator, podcaster, TV presenter, writer and food buff Alie Ward joins Dr. Anna to share her unquenchable love for the item she can’t live without - her insulated flask. As a self-confessed ice fiend, Alie shares the daily amazement her flask provides, which she tells Dr. Anna is akin to magic. To help unrave…
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Cerys Matthews’ Climbing Equipment: Everest, foie gras and our collective responsibility for the planet
28:30
28:30
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28:30Singer, songwriter, author and broadcaster Cerys Matthews joins Dr. Anna this week to share the items she can’t live without - her climbing equipment. Mark Davies, Chief Technical Officer at Rio Tinto, and climbing curator Nigel Buckley also join Cerys and Dr. Anna to discuss the days of climbing with wooden axes, conquering summits and current bre…
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Shelley Roden’s Trash: Spaceships, Mrs Incredible and the power of the circular economy
25:46
25:46
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25:46Award-winning Foley artist Shelley Roden joins Dr. Anna on the podcast to explain why she can’t live without trash. As a Foley artist, Shelley spends her days using trash to make the sound effects for live action and animated films. She’s worked on over two hundred titles such as Black Panther and Disney’s Encanto and she challenges Dr. Anna and Ri…
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OJ Borg’s E-Bike: World Record attempts, Lycra mishaps and how to keep the planet charged
26:30
26:30
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26:30BBC broadcaster and cycling obsessive OJ Borg joins Dr. Anna to share the item he can’t live without - his e-bike. Alongside bike historian Tony Hadland and Rio Tinto’s General Manager of Technical Development, Jared Osborne, they unearth the explosion in the popularity of the e-bike, investigate how you turn rocks into batteries and discuss the im…
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Rudy Garcia-Tolson’s Prosthetic Legs: Gold medals, pirates and the price of movement
25:56
25:56
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25:56Paralympic gold medallist and ambassador for the Challenged Athletes Foundation, Rudy Garcia-Tolson joins Dr. Anna to share the one item he can’t live without - his prosthetic legs. Rio Tinto’s Chief Advisor of Discovery, Marie-Pierre Paquin also joins the conversation. As they track the evolution in prosthetic limbs, Rudy shares memories of search…
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Susie Dent’s Dictionary: Demons, flatulence and the complicated future of our electronic devices
34:05
34:05
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34:05World-renowned lexicographer and viral tweeter Susie Dent joins Dr. Anna to wax lyrical about her favourite thing - her dictionary. Joined by Chief Scientist Nigel Steward, they mine into the components of Susie’s electronic dictionary, explore the etymology of ‘electricity’ and investigate the real-life challenges of electrifying the world in orde…
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Follow the show to be the first to hear episode one on the 28th February. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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