Advertise on podcast: Life Solved

In this episode, Professor Simon Stewart from the University of Portsmouth shares how the Covid-19 pandemic transformed the focus and impact of his sociology research, as he embarked on a project with a charity that changes the lives of people experiencing homelessness. You’ll hear true stories of tragedy and survival on the margins of society, as Professor Stewart shares the experiences of migrants who live without homes in the UK. He reveals an invisible world that exists all around us, populated by those who hide in plain sight to protect themselves from a hostile environment.  You’ll discover the strategies people adopt to cultivate invisibility – and the potential this research has to change not just our understanding of homeless lives, but also the ways in which we could make homelessness itself a thing of the past.  Production team: John Worsey Raechelle Jackson  Robyn Austin-Montague Music:  Calm Uplifting Business Presentation – Tricky Two Audio Majestic Deep Documentary Meditative – Nice City Beats Ambient Piano – Black Trend Music Serene Melancholy – The Music Works Thoughtful – Ashot Danielyan Calm Reflection and Whispers of Love – Black Trend Music The Long Journey Home – Adigold Learn more links: Researching migrant homelessness at the University of Portsmouth.  Professor Simon Stewart biography and research links.  Centre for European and International Studies Research, directed by Professor Stewart.  St Mungo’s homeless charity.  Sociology BSc (Hons) at Portsmouth.  Sociology MSc at Portsmouth. Sociology PhD and MPhil at Portsmouth.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if I told you a new dinosaur species is discovered roughly every two weeks - and you could discover the next one?   Life Solved explores the unprecedented boom in dinosaur discoveries. Since 2003, more than 45 new species have been found every year. In 2025 alone, 44 new species were named. We're living through what scientists call the "golden age of palaeontology." But why now?   In this episode, we meet Dr Jeremy Lockwood, a former GP who, at age 57, left medicine to pursue a PhD in palaeontology at the University of Portsmouth. In the years since, he's discovered not one, but three entirely new species of dinosaur - all found on the Isle of Wight, just across the water from Portsmouth.   This episode examines the factors driving this golden age, what remains to be discovered, and why it's never too late to chase your childhood dreams - even if they involve creatures that died out 66 million years ago. Production team: Robyn Austin-Montague John Worsey Jaelithe Swan Music:  To Documentary by BrightNotesSounds Learn more links: Friends of Dinosaur Isle: HomeFriends of Dinosaur Isle Palaeontology BSc (Hons) Retired GP discovers three new dinosaur species on the Isle of Wight and proves you’re never too old to do a PhD  ‘Striking sail' may have helped dinosaurs find mates, new fossil suggests Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if I told you the Iranian revolution was predictable - and the clues were in what women were wearing? As we approach International Women’s Day, Life Solved welcomes back a past guest, Dr Mahsa Gaffari, a specialist in marketing at the University of Portsmouth, whose research suggests consumption acts as a "crystal ball of society". In 2023, Dr Gaffari explained how dress codes and shopping choices allow women to subtly subvert state oppression through clothing and consumer choices in Iran. Two years on, a new wave of mass protests have erupted in the country, making international headlines due to the level of violence. In this episode we unpack the signals that indicated political change was on the horizon. Production team: Robyn Austin-Montague Lauren Harrison Music: Exiled by PhilLarson Learn more links: Dr Mahsa Ghaffari Iran protests are not just about economics – they’re a full-blown ideological crisis Exploiting institutional plasticity in Iranian advertising Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Countries are negotiating a Global Plastics Treaty to unite nations against plastic pollution, but progress has been significantly delayed. The process is under scrutiny, the Chair has recently stepped down, and while the next round of talks (INC-5.3) is scheduled for February 2026, the future of the treaty remains uncertain.  Even if consensus is achieved, ratification could take years. So what happens in the meantime? In this episode, we explore how governments, businesses, and civil society can maintain momentum without a treaty, and whether the UK can seize a leadership role.  Speaking to Dr Antaya March from the University of Portsmouth’s Global Plastics Policy Centre, we uncover practical steps, innovative policies, and grassroots actions that could make a difference now. Production team: Robyn Austin-Montague Caroline Meech Music: Ambient Emotional Cinematic by ColourFilmMusic Learn more links: Global Plastics Policy Centre Scientists urge governments not to wait for global plastics treaty as pollution continues to grow | University of Portsmouth Leaders gather at UK Parliament to strengthen national and global action on plastic pollution | University of Portsmouth   Revolution Plastics Institute | University of Portsmouth  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

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 [email protected]. 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 [email protected]. 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 [email protected]. 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 [email protected]. 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 [email protected]. 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.

In this episode, we peer inside a place that most people want to be kept out of, but one University of Portsmouth researcher has worked hard to get into - prisons. Professor Francis Pakes from the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice purposefully incarcerated himself in an Icelandic prison for two weeks to find out what life on the inside is really like.  For Life Solved, he looks at how incarceration has evolved over time, what current systems are in place around the world, and what could be done to improve them.  We’d love you to be part of the discussion, too. Email your questions on this episode or ideas for future episodes to [email protected]. 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 Francis Pakes bio: https://www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/francis-pakes Francis Pakes piece for The Conversation, ‘I deliberately sent myself to prison in Iceland – they didn’t even lock the cell doors there’:  https://theconversation.com/i-deliberately-sent-myself-to-prison-in-iceland-they-didnt-even-lock-the-cell-doors-there-105257 Out in the cold? The experiences of foreign national prisoners in Iceland's open prisons: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756061623000526?via%3Dihub Cell Block Studios: https://www.port.ac.uk/collaborate/coworking-and-office-space/cell-block-studios Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EPISODE 01: What will happen when there’s no water left to drink? TX DATE: 21 March 2024 Water is our most precious resource; it underpins all aspects of life. But despite this, experts warn many of us around the world could be faced with the prospect of running out of fresh water. To mark World Water Day, in this episode we’ll be speaking to researchers from the University of Portsmouth, to find out what’s being done to help shift water habits, both here and further afield, to ensure a more sustainable future for everyone. Dr Julia Brown, Associate Professor in Sustainable Environmental Management in the School of Environment, Geography and Geosciences, is joined by Rebecca Gale, Head of Sustainability at Waterscan and PhD student. Together, they’ll unpack the growing water crisis and reveal exciting new projects to tackle the issue. We’d love you to be part of the discussion, too. Email your questions on this episode or ideas for future episodes to [email protected]. 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 Julia Brown bio: www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/julia-brown School of the Environment, Geography, and Geosciences: www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/organisational-structure/our-academic-structure/faculty-of-science-and-health/school-of-the-environment-geography-and-geosciences Waterscan: waterscan.com/ Life Solved: The Politics of Water ft Dr Julia Brown 2020: /www.port.ac.uk/news-events-and-blogs/podcasts/episode-6-the-politics-of-water Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the time of year when the Christmas bills start arriving through the letterbox and with national economies continuing to struggle in many places of the world, January might be feeling something of a challenge for you. Dr Robert Gausden is a senior lecturer in the School of Accounting, Economics and Finance and Dr Joe Cox is Associate Professor of Digital Economy at the University of Portsmouth. In this episode they explain the key economic terms that we need to understand. What the challenges that our financial systems currently face, And when we can expect things to feel just a little bit easier as we wait for our January pay packets to arrive. We’d love you to be part of the discussion. Email your questions on this episode or ideas for future episodes to [email protected]. 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. This is the last episode of series 13 of Life Solved. We’ll be back in the Spring with more. Host: John Worsey Producers: Robyn Montague & Glenn Harris for the University Of Portsmouth, Rick Simmonds & Katharine Kerr for Podcast Pioneers  USEFUL LINKS Dr Robert Gausden: www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/robert-gausden Dr Joe Cox: www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/joe-cox University of Portsmouth’s Faculty of Business and Law: www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/organisational-structure/faculty-of-business-and-law Bank of England: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/ The productivity puzzle - Office for Budget Responsibility: https://obr.uk/box/the-productivity-puzzle/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.