Do we need a Lorax who speaks for the trees?

Do we need a Lorax who speaks for the trees?

Trees clean our air, cool our cities, support wildlife, protect our soils, and quietly keep the world running. But forests are much more than collections of trees. They are also homes, workplaces, supermarkets, pharmacies, and sources of identity for millions of Indigenous peoples and local communities around the world. In this episode of Talking of Science, Helen and Dr C are joined by forestry researcher Lotte Zwart to explore our relationship with forests through the wonderfully curious lens of The Lorax. Together, they explore what forests really do for us, why sustainability is more complicated than simply "stop chopping trees", and why conservation is as much about humans as it is about nature. Along the way, Lotte explains sustainable use of natural resources with a jar of cookies, ecosystem collapse with Jenga, discusses why biodiversity matters, and explores the difficult balance between protecting forests and supporting the communities that depend on them.  As always, Dr C asks the questions many adults secretly wonder about, proving that some of the biggest scientific ideas can begin with the simplest questions.  To get in contact with us at Talking of Science, email hello@talkingofscience.dk To get in contact with Lotte, search for her on LinkedIn.

How come Karen from HR has got Herpes?

Why does Karen from HR have herpes? And more importantly… why do so many of us? In this gloriously inappropriate but scientifically rich episode, Helen and Dr C are joined by Matthew Murray, a virologist at the Danish Cancer Institute and the University of Copenhagen, to unpack the weird, persistent and often misunderstood world of herpes viruses. From lifelong latent infections to immune system cat-and-mouse games, Matt helps us understand why herpes viruses are so incredibly successful, what they’re doing inside our cells, and why most of us are walking around with them whether we like it or not. Along the way, we confront stigma, myths, and the surprisingly mundane reality behind one of the most infamous viral families. There may be jokes about HR departments. There will definitely be virology. *Note: In this episode, genital warts are briefly mentioned in connection with herpes. To clarify, herpes causes genital sores, while genital warts are caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). In the crowded world of viruses, it's important to give credit where credit is due. To get in contact with us at Talking of Science, email hello@talkingofscience.dk To get in contact with Dr Matt, email Matthew.murray@cpr.ku.dk or find him on Bluesky as MJMurray. To see more about Matt's work, visit the lab's website at https://www.cancer.dk/danish-cancer-institute/research-groups/genome-maintenance-and-cancer-vulnerabilities/

Series 2 Introduction

Welcome back! We survived series 1 and we're here with another round of interviews with top experts trying to dodge the jargon alarm. Make sure to follow Talking of Science wherever you're listening to this, because in this series we're talking about how animals think, where the Lorax might fit into our world and how to avoid herpes virus. Can't wait? Catch up on series 1 now! To get in touch with us, email hello@talkingofscience.dk

How do you win a Nobel Prize?

The question on every helicopter parent's mind! In this special bonus to round off our first season, Dr C sits down with one of the humblest laureates you could imagine, Professor Morten Meldal, to ask what it really takes to win science’s most prestigious prize. We talk curiosity, collaboration, click chemistry, and the long, winding path to discovery… plus the moment Dr C briefly held a Nobel medal before it went back home where it belongs.  To get in touch with us at Talking of Science, email hello@talkingofscience.dk To get in touch with Prof Morten Meldal, search for him on google (you'll find him - he's kind of a big deal!) This is the final episode of Series 1. Stay tuned for the excited explorations into the mad world of talking science with a kid in Series 2, coming later in 2026...

Why do plants want to grow?

In the tenth episode (already?!), Helen and Dr. C celebrate by going full plant mode with guest Emma Aller, a plant-loving molecular biologist from the University of Copenhagen and co-host of the Plantejagten podcast 🎙️ From counting to three and communicating through smells to remembering past threats and producing chemical compounds for defence, this episode peels back the quiet drama of plant life. You will discover that plants are anything but passive, and far more interesting than most of us realise. To download the app that Emma recommends, check out this site: Arter - Fælles om Danmarks vilde natur - Arter [https://arter.dk/landingpage] To get in touch with us, email hello@talkingofscience.dk