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The biggest movement in our lives is one that we don't even notice: The continents of the earth are on the move, albeit in slow motion. For several decades now, humans have been developing an understanding of where this continental drift could lead: We are all moving towards a supercontinent that unites almost all the planet’s land masses. But what would life be like on this supercontinent called Amasia?

42: The Answer to Almost Everything

The biggest movement in our lives is one that we don't even notice: The continents of the earth are on the move, albeit in slow motion. 

Amasia: The Supercontinent of the Future

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Medicine and health

Science can be much easier to understand than you might think.

Eureka!

More than 80% of the salmon consumed in Europe comes from fish farms. Salmon farming is a speciality of northern countries, with Norway being the main producer. These farms are promoted as a sustainable alternative to wild-caught salmon, but in reality, they are fed with fishmeal and fish oil that require tonnes of other fish species to be caught, depleting the ocean's fish stocks. This overfishing occurs far away from Europe, in Mauritania.

The Dark Underbelly of European Salmon

Fish stocks in Mauritania are being plundered to feed farmed salmon.

Sources

Journalist Pierre Girard takes us to meet farmers from all over Europe who offer surprising, new or very old methods to take care of the earth, and tackle environmental problems... at the root.

How to Save the Earth

A tour of Europe in five episodes, meeting farmers who take care of the land.

Roots

The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant is in a war zone, and the area has been bombed. Damage to the plant, or cutting off its electricity, could mean a major radioactive leak at Europe's largest nuclear power plant. We take stock of nuclear power generation around the world.

Nuclear Energy - Past or Future?

We take stock of nuclear power generation around the world.

Mapping the World

Lithium is crucial for use in batteries, and as Europe tried to go green and switch to electric cars, demand for this white gold is skyrocketing. The EU imports most of its lithium, but its demand keeps increasing. Mining companies are tempted by the possibility of finding and exploiting reserves right here in Europe. But that would mean sacificing small rural  communities, for 'the greater good'.

ARTE Reportage

Rural mountains in Portugal have vital reserves of lithium. But villagers vow they'll stop any development

The Dirty Truth Behind Green Cars

Saype is a graffiti artist with a difference. He doesn't spray his works on walls but in fields and on grass, using his own biodegradable paint. His huge works of art are best appreciated by drone, where the true scale is revealed. 

Gymnastics

Saype, Green-Fingered Graffitti Artist

For hundreds of years, local farmers have been growing tomatoes on the lake's surface, on well-kept floating gardens nourished by the river mud. The locals live life to the rhythm set by the harvests. But modern pesticides and fertilisers are killing the lake, and killing the locals. But they continue to use the chemicals out of necessity. It's a lethal catch 22.

Myanmar: The Dying Lake

Many think that the European Union is not doing enough about green issues. But the EU is beginning to implement concrete measures to counter-act climate change.

Euromyth No 11

Europe is Letting Our Planet Die

Environment

Caroline and Corentin see the future as low-tech: They want to live in harmony with the natural world and they want to prove that it is possible. The Biosphere Experiment attempts to live self-sufficiently in the desert for 120 days. To survive and flourish in this extreme environment, they need to be prepared for their mission.

Preparing a Low-Tech Mission

Two low-tech experts are preparing a four-month stay in a biosphere in Mexico.

The Biosphere Experiment - Making of

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The digital revolution has profoundly changed our societies over the last two decades. In this five-part series, French journalist Xavier de la Porte looks at just how deeply this turning point in human history has changed how we live.

The Digital Revolution: How has it changed us?

French journalist Xavier de la Porte looks at how the digital revolution has changed how we live our lives.

The Digital World and Us

Ariane 6 is Europe’s new launch system, set to begin service in summer 2024. After a four-year delay, the ESA hopes the new system, which represents an enormous technical challenge, will take off without a hitch.

Ariane 6: A Cutting Edge Launch System for Europe

After a four-year delay, the ESA hopes Ariane 6, which represents an enormous technical challenge, will take off without a hitch.

Europe in Space

In only one year of operation, the James Webb Space Telescope has revolutionised the way the universe is observed. Images of protostars, the birth of galaxies, unprecedented information about exoplanets... the data collected will fuel astronomical research for many years to come. 

In only one year of operation, the James Webb Space Telescope has revolutionised the way the universe is observed.

James Webb: In Search of Life in Space

Is the modification of the human genome ethical? Is sustainable consumption at a low price possible? Are food intolerances just a passing trend? Professor of psychology Bertolt Meyer discusses controversial issues with specialists.

Professor of psychology Bertolt Meyer discusses controversial issues with specialists.

Agree to Disagree!

The fear that the sky could one day fall on our heads dates back to the dawn of time. The impact of an asteroid or a comet could dramatically change life on Earth in a fraction of a second. The dinosaurs were wiped out by one, and we might well one day share their fate.

When the Heavens Rain Down

The impact of an asteroid or a comet could dramatically change life on Earth in a fraction of a second.

42: The Answer to (Almost) Everything

In 10 years, Jean-Patrice Keka and his team have succeeded in getting five rockets off the ground with varying degrees of success. This 'Made in Africa' space programme is one-of-a-kind and proof of what can be achieved by one engineer with a bold dream: to become the first African in space.

DR Congo's Space Man

DR Congo's 'Made in Africa' space programme is proof of what can be achieved by one engineer with a bold dream

Technology and innovation

Nowadays it seems normal to rate a hairdresser, an Uber driver, or a hotel room. French journalist Xavier de la Porte takes a closer look at online rating. Where do the familiar five stars come from? and how much can we trust the system?

Rating Everything

Nowadays it seems normal to rate a hairdresser, an Uber driver, or a hotel room. We take a closer look at online rating.

Incorrect diagnoses, inappropriate treatments and persistent shortcomings in care. The medical field, whose benchmark remains the male body, seems to neglect the physiological particularities of women. Focus on the alarming gender gap in healthcare.

The medical field, whose benchmark remains the male body, seems to neglect the physiological particularities of women.

Are Women Ill Differently?

Since antiquity, scientists have tracked down the principles behind the movements of moving things, from planets to athletes. Running champions make sure of basic principles of physics developed by Newton to improve their performance. We take a look at the maths behind the movement. 

Sprinting and Newton's Law

Since antiquity, scientists have tracked down the principles behind the movements of moving things, from planets to athletes

The Mechanics of Strength

Every owner knows that their dog loves them. Humans have a very special bond with dogs, and this relationship has been around for thousands of years. But what if man’s best friend wasn’t really a friend? Could our four-legged friends be manipulating us to get what they want?

Do Dogs Really Love Us?

Humans have a very special relationship with dogs. But do our four-legged friends really love their owners?

Vultures can spot a dead antelope from five kilometres away, while seals can dive into deep water, even under the ice. It is also said that many animals have a mysterious sixth sense: they can predict imminent natural disasters. Do animals access knowledge that is beyond humans? Are they cleverer than us?

Are Animals Cleverer than Us?

Some say that animals have a sixth sense: they can predict imminent natural disasters. Are they cleverer than humans?

The biosphere experiment set out to survive in the desert for 120 days using low-tech solutions. For food they learnt how to live off a diet of mushrooms, crickets, and to grow an ancient super food, Spirulina.

Having Enough Food (1/5)

How can you feed yourself self-sufficiently in the desert? An ancient superfood could hold the answer.

Nanoparticles have become a favourite topic for conspiracy theorists. What does this say about conspiracy theories? And how science is viewed in our societies? French journalist Xavier de la Porte investigates.

Nanoparticles and Conspiracy Theories

Nanoparticles have become a favourite topic for conspiracy theorists. But why?

Since the dawn of time, mankind has aspired to one thing only: to go further and further beyond the limits of what he knows. But how far is it possible to travel in space? Could we reach the stars?

Could We Reach the Stars?

Since the dawn of time, mankind has aspired to one thing only: to go further and further beyond the limits of what he knows. 

When we harm someone, we may be punished, the point of which is to be made aware of the harm we have done to others. So goes the theory. But researchers warn against the harmful effect of punishment, which they believe can lead to more crime. Could prison and fines have the opposite effect to the one intended?

Does Punishment Work?

Could sending people to prison or administering fines have the opposite effect of the one intended?

A quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture. Factory farming and extreme use of fertilizers and pesticides pollute our air, pollute our water and destroy our soil. Every year, 24 billion tons of fertile soil are lost worldwide. In Spain, two-thirds of the country is affected by desertification. But there are also soils further north that are similarly desolate. In this episode of Roots, science journalist Pierre Girard meets Remedios Arres in Andalusia and Johanna Häger in Brandenburg, the sandbox of Europe.

Fighting Desertification

What should Europe do about its damaged and depleted soil?

Our view of sugar has changed drastically. Once seen as a healthy appetite suppressant in the 1960s, it's now linked to serious illnesses like obesity and diabetes. What is even more alarming is that it has the potential to affect our brains. Learn more about the latest research being done on this addictive substance and its true impact on our health and well-being.  

Does Sugar Make Us Stupid?

Linked to obesity and diabetes, sugar may even have a lasting impact on our brains.

Illnesses, accidents, assaults ... Faced with traumatic events, a force within us allows us to overcome and move forward: resilience. Far from being an innate characteristic, it is a capacity that we can work on.

Resilience

Psyche

Getting into space has never been easier and the resources of our solar system are highly coveted. But with the legal framework of space exploration and the exploitation of its resources still unclear, is space being stolen from us?

Is Space Being Stolen From Us?

With the legal framework of space exploration and the exploitation of its resources still unclear, is space being stolen from us?

From the sandbox to the office, power dynamics shape our lives. Power can change our personalities and make us take reckless risks, give in to impulses and even erode our empathy – a transformation that can open the door to conflict or war. The experience of power has far-reaching consequences, both on a personal and on a global scale.

Do We Need to Have Power?

Power shifts our entire personalities, leading to impulsiveness and a lack of empathy.

Some people dream of defying death by being cryogenically frozen and waking up in a better world in the future. But is it even possible? And what are the ethical and legal implications of cryogenics?

Is Cryonics the Future?

Is it possible to freeze yourself to come back to life in the future? And what are the moral implications?

In the biosphere, every waste product becomes a precious resource. Corentin and Caroline set out to find the most ingenious ways of reusing everything.

Recycling our Waste (2/5)

If you spin a top, it will continue to rotate on its own for a while. Physicists found the explanation for this phenomenon: inside angular momentum. In sport it is used by trampoliners. They are true masters of the art of turning and can perform up to 50 spins in 20 seconds.

The Trampoline and Kinetic Energy

Trampoliners can spin up to 50 times in the space of just 20 seconds

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Periods of climate change in the past have caused mass extinctions. But they have also led to the emergence of new complex life forms. Understanding these historic shifts in our Earth’s climate may offer insights into the ecological challenges and environmental imbalances we are currently facing.  

Is There an Upside to Climate Change?

Can past changes in our climate tell us more about the environmental crises we are facing today?

Depictions of the future in popular science fiction novels or films are often bleak, while positive utopias and tales of a new golden age are beginning to fade. Why is this shift taking place? Has our grim view of the world made us lose hope for a better future? And what does this say about our vision of what is to come?

Do We Need More Utopias?

Positive utopias and tales of a better world seem to have vanished from science fiction. But why?

We still work in office buildings, buy our groceries at the supermarket and visit museums in the flesh. But soon, these activities could all shift to the metaverse – a virtual space envisioned by tech giants where avatars can live, work and move freely. This is how the metaverse could redefine our everyday lives and challenge our understanding of reality. 

Is the Metaverse Real?

In the age of the metaverse, are we losing grip of reality as we know it?

Although our planet has already overcome numerous crises, Homo Sapiens have disrupted the natural world nature so much that scientists are now talking about a collapse in biodiversity. Could genome editing or synthetic biology save the planet's wildlife and ultimately save ourselves?

Could We Programme Evoluton?

Could genome editing or synthetic biology save the planet's wildlife and ultimately save ourselves?

A 240-metre-high pylon, built 70 years ago and now obsolete, sells for five million euros at auction. What does this strange purchase tell us about our world today? French journalist Xavier de la Porte investigates.

The 5 Million Euro Radio Mast

An obsolete communication pylon in the middle of the Belgian countryside. Why is it worth its weight in gold?

Only a few years ago, we could laugh at the translations from machine tools such as google translate. But today we are closer than ever to providing automatic translation with advances in AI. French journalist Xavier de La Porte looks at how translation tools work and how they could change our languages.

Automatic Translation and AI

French journalist Xavier de La Porte looks at how translation tools work and how they could change language.

Many think that sport is a deeply human endeavour. But what happens when big data gets involved? French journalist Xavier de la Porte talks to data scientist Jérémy Cheradame to find out how sophisticated data analyses has revolutionised the world of sport.

Data in Sport

Many think that sport is a deeply human endeavour. But what happens when big data gets involved? 

The planet's jet streams are being affected by rising temperatures in the Arctic. These streams are part of a wind system that circulates at high altitude around the Earth, and they have an influence on extreme weather events. Changes in them are bad news for life on Earth.

How Climate Change Makes Storms Worse

Changing jet streams are bad news for life on Earth

Winds of Change

To survive in the extreme environment of the desert, Corentin and Caroline will need a shelter to protect them from the blazing sun and house their various low-tech technology and food sources. They enlist the help of specialist engineers to design a bespoke cocoon using only biomaterials

Living with Biomaterials (5/5)

Corentin and Caroline need to build themselves a special shelter for their mission using only biomaterials.

Corentin and Caroline explore cutting-edge low-tech solutions to meet their electricity and heating needs. Techniques that will enable them to power their independent lives in the desert for four months... and also to keep fit.

Producing Our Own Energy (4/5)

Corentin and Caroline explore cutting-edge low-tech solutions to meet their electricity and heating needs.

Perhaps the biggest challenge in the desert is the lack of water. How can Caroline and Corentin provide themselves with enough water to live in such an extreme environment? The answer lies in some ingenious low-tech.

Producing and Saving Water (3/5)

How can Caroline and Corentin obtain enough water to survive in such an extreme environment? The answer lies in some ingenious low-tech.

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In France, in the Massif Central, Sarah Singla practices conservation agriculture based on three principles: minimal soil disturbance, permanent land cover and crop rotation. In Périgord, Benoît Le Baube also protects his fields by no longer plowing them. He also uses organic waste to fertilize the soil.

Sustainable Agriculture to the Rescue

In France, in the Massif Central, Sarah Singla practices conservation agriculture.

In this episode, we discover with the journalist Pierre Girard how cows can make the activity of a farm more respectful of nature and how sheep can improve cereal harvests. These unusual methods could offer a solution to agriculture's carbon emissions problem.

Climate-Killer Cows

In this episode, we discover with the journalist Pierre Girard how cows can make the activity of a farm more respectful of nature.

Biodiversity is good for the environment but also for our taste buds. In Alsace, a winegrower practices "complantation", the mixing of several grape varieties on the same plot to avoid pesticides. In southern Italy, Mario relies on the coexistence of plants and livestock to enrich the biodiversity of his fields and produce a mozzarella with a unique taste.

Resilient Biodiversity

Biodiversity is good for the environment but also for our taste buds.

The largest store of carbon besides the oceans is the soil. If only 0.4 percent more carbon could be put into the earth every year, the increase in greenhouse gas emissions would stop immediately. This is called carbon farming. But whether carbon goes into the soil or not is decided by agriculture. In this episode of Roots, science journalist Pierre Girard meets Félix Noblia in the Basque Country and Fabrice Desjours in Burgundy.Félix uses a special grazing system that actively stores carbon in the soil. Fabrice Desjours from Burgundy combines forgotten herbs, trees and plants to transform meadows into forest gardens where everything is edible.

Carbon Farming

If only 0.4 percent more carbon could be put into the earth every year, the increase in greenhouse gas emissions would stop immediately.

What’s the link between a French stick and genome sequencing? Geneticists have managed to sequence the DNA of wheat, and it is more complicated than you might think.

Reconnection

Geneticists have managed to sequence the DNA of wheat, and it is more complicated than you might think.

A Baguette and Genome Sequencing

Why did Frédéric Lechenault, a specialist researcher in interface systems, start knitting? The answers links pullovers with seismic activity.

Jumpers and Earthquakes

Tarek Besold is an AI researcher. He works on making machines intelligent. But can he make them undersand love? And will we one day fall in love with our smartphones?

Tarek Besold is an AI researcher. He’s working on making machines intelligent. But can he make them undersand love? And will we one day fall in love with our smartphones?

Love and Artifical Intelligence

Dr Philipp Rothemund promises great progress in prosthetic limbs with soft robots. Made from crisp packets. But what do olives have to do with soft robotics?

Olives and Prosthetic Limbs - What Links Them?

Long considered clean and inexpensive, nuclear energy raises a major problem: radioactive waste. It must be buried underground for at least a million years, or forever. But our civilisation won't be around forever. How can we warn our distant descendants of the risk of nuclear waste sites? What pictograms could warn them against the toxic gift we leave them?

Nuclear Waste

How can we warn our distant descendants of the risk of nuclear waste sites?

What's the recipe for making a song a global hit? Musicologists, brain scientists and professionals in the music industry are actively researching the 'magic formula' for the mega hit.

Does the Perfect Song Exist?

What's the recipe for making a song a global hit?

The universe is big. So big, that surely 'Earthlings' can't possibly be the only form of intelligent life. What then is the probability that extraterrestrials exist? What could they look like? Finally, wouldn't their existence force us to rethink our place in the cosmos?

Are We Alone in the Universe?

The universe is big. So big, that surely 'Earthlings' can't possibly be the only form of intelligent life

A look at how we are getting better at managing and conserving water supplies in drier parts of our planet like southern Spain, Israel and the desert city of Las Vegas.

Water

 A look at how we are getting better at managing and conserving water supplies in drier parts of our planet like southern Spain, Israel and the desert city of Las Vegas.

Good News From Our Planet

Nanostructure researcher Serge Berthier has been working on solar energy for years. But he also likes catching butterflies... And he has managed to link his two passions. But what do solar panels have to do with lepidopterans?

Butterflies and Solar Panels: What's the Connection?

Fifty years after man's first small step, the promise of colonisation and tourist trips to the Moon seem almost within reach. But is the moon ready for us?

Living on the Moon

The Moon and Us

We attribute all sorts of powers to the Moon... And while its influence on our life on Earth is undeniable, its powers are not necessarily the ones we think.