How similar are we to our closest living relatives? Closer than you might think - and the latest research is revealing just how much we share with chimpanzees and monkeys.

In this episode of Life Solved, we speak to two experts from the University of Portsmouth's Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, who are passionate about the deep evolutionary roots of human intelligence.

Dr Esther Herrmann and Dr Marine Joly explain how studying our closest evolutionary cousins helps us understand what makes us human, why complex social groups drive cognitive evolution, and what our responsibility is to protect these remarkable, intelligent creatures.

Production team:

Robyn Austin-Montague

Lauren Harrison

Jaelithe Swan

Music:

Music bed by Korolkov Production

Wildlife sounds captured by Dr Jerome Micheletta

Learn more links:

Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology | University of Portsmouth

Dr Esther Herrmann's chimpanzee rationality study

Dr Marine Joly's macaque impulse control research

Science is Wonderful EU Event

Many Primates Project

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In this episode we chat to Craig Jones MBE, founder of the charity Fighting with Pride, a University of Portsmouth alumnus, and a recent honorary graduate recipient.

The Royal Navy veteran’s story is one of resilience, transformation and advocacy; from serving in silence under a ban on LGBTQ+ people in the armed forces, to starting a charity that’s changed lives and policy in the UK.

It serves as a powerful reminder of what courage and commitment can achieve.

Production team:

Raechelle Jackson

Robyn Austin-Montague

Music:

Calm Inspiring by trickytwoaudio

Inspiring Corporate by Ultra_Music

Upbeat and Inspiring Corporate by WavebeatsMusic

Learn more links:

Fighting With Pride | RAF Benevolent Fund

Alumni spotlight | University of Portsmouth

Craig Jones MBE | University of Portsmouth

Honorary Degree Awards Nominations | University of Portsmouth

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In the first episode of Series 15 we meet Alice Hendy MBE, CEO and founder of R;pple Suicide Prevention and a recent University of Portsmouth honorary graduate.

Alice set up the charity from scratch after losing her brother to suicide in November 2020. Drawing on her cybersecurity background, she created R;pple - an innovative digital tool that intercepts harmful online searches and guides individuals to free mental health support.

This episode explores how personal experience can drive innovation, the power of refusing to accept that things cannot be better, and how one person's determination to prevent other families from experiencing their loss has created a global safety net for those in crisis.

Content note: This episode deals with suicide and may not be suitable for all listeners. Support resources are available here: Get Support | Helplines and Resources | R;pple

Production team:

Robyn Austin-Montague

Lauren Harrison

Music:

Emotional and Uplifting by bdProductions

Learn more:

R;pple: Crisis Intervention | Suicide Prevention & Mental Health

Alumni spotlight | University of Portsmouth

Alice Hendy MBE | University of Portsmouth

Honorary Degree Awards Nominations | University of Portsmouth

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Life Solved has a special one-off episode looking at INC-4. We unpack the fourth session of Global Plastics Treaty talks that recently took place in Canada - where global policymakers, charities, experts, and businesses sat down to work out how to end plastic pollution.

In her opening address, United Nations Environment Programme Chief, Inger Andersen, said to stop plastic pollution, we need to start at the start and end at the end. Sounds simple, but many fear these meetings create more barriers than solutions.

To give us a unique glimpse into what happens at these negotiations, we have three experts from the University of Portsmouth's Revolution Plastics Institute who were at INC-4 themselves.

We’d love you to be part of the discussion, too. Email your questions on this episode or ideas for future episodes to lifesolved@port.ac.uk.

If you’ve been inspired by this episode, and want to support our research then head to port.ac.uk/lifesolved to find out how.

You can also find out how to work or study with us.

USEFUL LINKS

Professor Steve Fletcher: https://www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/steve-fletcher

The world has a chance to end plastic pollution – the petrochemical giants mustn’t spoil it: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/apr/29/world-plastic-pollution-petrochemical-giants-un-treaty-2015-paris-lobbyists

Dr Cressida Bowyer: https://researchportal.port.ac.uk/en/persons/cressida-bowyer

Dr Erika Hughes: https://researchportal.port.ac.uk/en/persons/erika-hughes

Revolution Plastics: https://www.port.ac.uk/news-events-and-blogs/events/the-revolution-continues

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we chat to two researchers who travelled to one of the most remote inhospitable regions on the planet, in the pursuit of science.

Professor Fay Couceiro and Dr Clare Boston from the University of Portsmouth travelled 7,000 nautical miles onboard a Royal Navy ship during its annual trip to the frozen continent of Antarctica. We find out why they were there, what they saw, and what life at sea is really like.

We’d love you to be part of the discussion, too. Email your questions on this episode or ideas for future episodes to lifesolved@port.ac.uk.

If you’ve been inspired by this episode, and want to support our research then head to port.ac.uk/lifesolved to find out how. You can also find out how to work or study with us.

Life Solved is released on Thursdays and available on all major podcast platforms.

Host: John Worsey

Producer: Robyn Montague

Sub Editors: John Worsey and Glenn Harris

USEFUL LINKS

Professor Fay Couceiro bio: www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/fay-couceiro

Dr Clare Boston bio:

www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/clare-boston

Antarctica tales with Professor Fay Couceiro: www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gMbbN6LWR8

Revolution Plastics Institute:

www.port.ac.uk/research/research-groups-and-centres/revolution-plastics-institute

Protector completes Antarctic mission: www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2024/march/08/240308-protector-completes-antarctic-mission

Royal Navy supports science mission into human impact on Antarctica: www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2023/december/05/20231205-royal-navy-supports-science-mission-into-human-impact-on-antarctica

Antarctic Treaty: www.ats.aq/index_e.html

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Instead of keeping nature out, architects around the world are looking at innovative ways to work with environments to help reduce the planet’s carbon footprint.

To mark World Earth Day (April 22), this episode explores the transformative power of design and the impact of architecture on building a safe and sustainable future.

We’re joined by Dr Phevos Kallitsis, Associate Head of the Portsmouth School of Architecture, and Dr Antonino Di Raimo is a Reader in Architecture at the University of Portsmouth.

We’d love you to be part of the discussion, too. Email your questions on this episode or ideas for future episodes to lifesolved@port.ac.uk.

If you’ve been inspired by this episode, and want to support our research then head to port.ac.uk/lifesolved to find out how.

You can also find out how to work or study with us.

Life Solved is released on Thursdays and available on all major podcast platforms.

Host: Robyn Montague

Producer: Robyn Montague

Sub Editors: John Worsey and Glenn Harris

USEFUL LINKS

Dr Phevos Kallitsis bio: www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/phevos-kallitsis

Dr Antonino Di Raimo bio: www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/antonino-di-raimo

World Earth Day: www.earthday.org/earth-day-2024/

Portsmouth School of Architecture: www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/organisational-structure/our-academic-structure/faculty-of-creative-and-cultural-industries/school-of-architecture

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To mark UN English Language Day (23 April), we consider how English became one of the world’s most widely spoken languages. And we find out how a mathematical model developed at the University of Portsmouth might predict its future.

Dr Mario Saraceni, Associate Professor in English Language and Linguistics, explains how English spread and changed around the globe, and why speakers overseas influence how it’s spoken here in the UK.

Dr James Burridge, Associate Professor in Probability and Statistical Physics, reveals how principles of physics and maths help him forecast how certain dialects of English will sound in the year 2066.

We’d love you to be part of the discussion, too. Email your questions on this episode or ideas for future episodes to lifesolved@port.ac.uk.

If you’ve been inspired by this episode, and want to support our research then head to port.ac.uk/lifesolved to find out how. You can also find out how to work or study with us.

Life Solved is released on Thursdays and available on all major podcast platforms.

Host: John Worsey

Producer: Robyn Montague

Sub Editors: Robyn Montague and Glenn Harris

USEFUL LINKS

Dr Mario Saraceni bio: www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/mario-saraceni

Dr James Burridge bio: www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/james-burridge

The problem with English: https://aeon.co/essays/how-do-you-decolonise-the-english-language

Ey up northern English to become as lost as the hoddy dod:

www.port.ac.uk/news-events-and-blogs/news/ey-up-northern-english-to-become-as-lost-as-the-hoddy-dod

UN English Language Day:

www.un.org/en/observances/english-language-day

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does sport, science, the sea, and space all have in common? While this sounds like the start of a bad joke, the answer is actually the GB Row challenge. Using state-of-the-art equipment, rowers were able to gather incredible insights into the state of our ocean on their 2,000 mile journey.

We've caught up with Maggie Hodge, one of the rowers from GB Row's all-women ⁠Team Ithaca⁠, and ⁠Laura Fantuzzi⁠, a data analyst from the University of Portsmouth and 2024 competitor. In the episode, find out what it’s like circumnavigating Great Britain’s coastline, what they’ve learnt about the state of our seas, and how sport can be a driving force for change.

We’d love you to be part of the discussion, too. Email your questions on this episode or ideas for future episodes to lifesolved@port.ac.uk.

If you’ve been inspired by this episode, and want to support our research then head to port.ac.uk/lifesolved to find out how. You can also find out how to work or study with us.

Life Solved is released on Thursdays and available on all major podcast platforms.

Host: Robyn Montague

Producer: Robyn Montague

Sub Editors: John Worsey and Glenn Harris

USEFUL LINKS

Assessing Pollution With GB Row: https://www.port.ac.uk/research/research-projects/gb-row

GB ROW 2022 IMPACT REPORT: www.port.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2023-03/gb_row_2022_impact_report.pdf

GB Row Challenge website: www.gbrowchallenge.com/

Ocean rowers set new world record for fastest female team around Great Britain: www.port.ac.uk/news-events-and-blogs/news/ocean-rowers-set-new-world-record-for-fastest-female-team-around-great-britain

RS Aqua: www.rsaqua.co.uk/

OrcaPod (RS Aqua podcast): www.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/orcapod/id1599056224

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.