Science Weekly

The 2026 Nobel prizes spotlight research that shaped modern medicine, helped physicists observe an elusive particle, and introduced a way to switch brain cells on and off. Madeleine Finlay and the Guardian science team unpack what won and why it matters.

A reported accident at a plague research centre in eastern Russia has prompted quarantines at several hospitals and speculation about a possible infection. Madeleine Finlay joins Lucy Hough to examine what is known, what remains unclear, and how seriously listeners should take the risk.

Narcolepsy is often misunderstood as a punchline, but this episode looks at the reality of the disorder and a major shift in treatment. It explores the first FDA-approved drug aimed at narcolepsy itself, alongside a firsthand account of living with the condition and what this breakthrough could change.

Memory manipulation is the focus here, as Steve Ramirez explains how researchers can locate, trigger and even remove memories in rodents. The episode explores what that science might eventually mean for human health and where its practical limits may lie.

Household cleaning products and their possible health effects are the focus here, from post-pandemic habits to the chemicals now common in many homes. Rebecca Seal joins Madeleine Finlay to explore social media’s influence, the challenge of studying indoor air pollution, and what evidence of harm currently exists.