Title: BBC Inside Science

In this episode, available for the next 34 days, the program explores whether science is evolving beyond a purely human pursuit. Pushmeet Kohli, Google DeepMind’s head of AI for Science, argues that we are shifting in that direction. He joins host Tom Whipple to examine the AI assistant Co-Scientist, discussing its potential as a laboratory partner and the difficulties involved in developing artificial intelligence that functions effectively within scientific research. Clare Bryant from the University of Cambridge also contributes to the discussion.

The show then investigates the unexpected difficulty of generating truly random numbers. However, Professor Andreas Wallraff and his team at Zurich University in Switzerland may have found the definitive answer, leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics to solve the problem.

Additionally, Steve Brusatte, a Palaeontology Professor at the University of Edinburgh, appears to discuss his latest book, The Story of Birds. The work chronicles a 150-million-year evolutionary path, tracing the lineage from small, feathered dinosaurs to modern avian species. Finally, science journalist Caroline Steel joins the team to highlight recent scientific breakthroughs that may have slipped under the radar.

Presenter: Tom Whipple Producers: Dan Welsh and Kate White Editor: Martin Smith Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth Programme Website

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-04 16:00:00 UTC