{"id":27652,"date":"2025-08-22T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/?p=27652"},"modified":"2025-08-21T09:39:47","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T08:39:47","slug":"radio-series-rare-earth-returns-for-series-6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/science-mct\/radio-series-rare-earth-returns-for-series-6\/","title":{"rendered":"Radio series Rare Earth returns for series 6"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today at midday<\/strong>\u00a0(22 August) the OU\/BBC radio series,\u00a0Rare Earth<\/strong><\/a>, returns with a sixth series with environmental journalist Tom Heap and physicist Helen Czerski on\u00a0BBC Radio 4\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0BBC Sounds<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rare Earth is a weekly podcast and radio show which digs into the biggest issues facing our planet. Each week, hosts Tom and Helen tackle a major topic about our world\u2019s environment and wildlife and meet the brave and clever people with fresh ideas to help us \u2013 and nature \u2013 thrive.<\/p>\n

Our first episode considers whether the insurance industry be the key to solving climate change.\u00a0 If we want to build homes in flood-prone areas or on coastlines with increasing hurricanes, or forests at risk of wildfires, then insurance costs should become prohibitive.\u00a0But is this really happening?\u00a0 How does the insurance industry calculate climate risk, and what are they doing about it?<\/p>\n

This season of Rare Earth was supported with insight and expert opinion by academic consultants from the OU,\u00a0Dr Martin Braun<\/a>,\u00a0Dr Simon Collinson<\/a>,\u00a0Dr Emma Dewberry<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Dr Kadmiel Maseyk<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Alasdair Cross, Series Producer at Radio 4, commented on the academic\u2019s contribution: <\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to pass on a heartfelt thanks to you, the academics and the whole OU team for your support. Advice from the team has helped us correct errors, contributed to lines of questioning and inspired significant shifts in our approach to some of the topics.\u00a0 Rare Earth would certainly not be the same without you all.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Supporting Online content:<\/u><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Visit our Broadcast and Partnerships website OU Connect<\/a> where you can discover more about our environment and explore what we can do to help, as well as better understand extreme weather changes and how you might be able to help pollinators in your very own garden.<\/p>\n

This radio series was commissioned by\u00a0Broadcast and Partnerships<\/a>\u00a0and is supported by the Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics,<\/em>\u00a0with particular relevance to\u00a0R58 BSc Biology<\/a>,\u00a0Q52 BSc Environmental Science<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Q61 BSc\/BA Design and Innovation.<\/a><\/p>\n