What in the World – Details, episodes & analysis

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What in the World

BBC World Service

News

Frequency: 1 episode/1d. Total Eps: 837

Helping you make sense of what’s happening in your world. Big stories, small stories and everything in between. Understand more, feel better. Five days a week, Monday to Friday.

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Data updated on 08/10/2026

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https://www.129.go.kr/1393/
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Score global : 38%

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Are online gig spoilers ruining live music?

Wednesday, October 7, 2026 • Duration 09:53

Film and TV show spoilers often come with a warning because people know they can be annoying. But when it comes to footage from concerts and gigs… those rules don’t really apply, as Olivia Rodrigo fans found out when clips of a surprise moment from her ‘Unraveled Tour’ went viral on socials.

You might have saved up for a ticket to see your favourite artist, found the perfect outfit and be counting down the days to the big show, but the chances are that you’ll know what’s going to happen way before you get there. Fan clips of all the biggest moments, the surprises and the special guests are usually shared everywhere online and difficult to avoid. If you’ve been to a concert recently, you might have found it irritating if people are filming huge chunks of the show in front of you. Some artists like Phoebe Bridgers, are even banning phones from their concerts.

We ask if gig spoilers ruin the surprise or actually add to the excitement. And, if they’re not for you, what can you do to avoid them when you’re online? We speak to BBC journalist Riyah Collins who has been looking into this and ask music fans from Nigeria, Australia and the UK what they think.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Chelsea Coates and William Lee Adams Editor: Emily Horler

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Why are black holes still such a mystery?

Tuesday, October 6, 2026 • Duration 10:35

Can we really get swallowed by a black hole? And what would actually happen if we did? Black holes are really mysterious and there is still so much we don’t know about them. So, grab your space helmet because we’re getting into some of the biggest questions scientists are still trying to answer.

We speak to science journalist, Caroline Steel, to clear up some of the mysteries around black holes. How do they distort time? Are wormholes real?

We also hear from astrophysicist and postdoctoral researcher Rowina Nathan - she separates fact from fiction and busts some of the most common black hole myths, answering questions from members of the Cosmic Girls Foundation, a global community helping teenage girls engage with space, science and technology.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producer: Baldeep Chahal, William Lee Adams and Rita Behadini Editor: Emily Horler

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Why are so many students protesting in France?

Monday, October 5, 2026 • Duration 08:58

Across France, thousands of high school students are protesting. They say they’re doing it because of conditions in their schools - that classrooms are overcrowded, there’s not enough teachers and they can’t concentrate on exams because school buildings aren’t being maintained well enough.

Five hundred schools are shut and some protests have turned violent, with riot police being deployed and some streets set on fire. Pupils, teachers and police have been injured. Many of the protesters are under 18 and at this point there is no sign of the demonstrations ending. So why is this happening?

We hear from French teenagers who have spent the last few days protesting about what they want to change and why this is so important to them. We also hear from BBC reporter Pierre-Antoine Denis and former student union president Manès Nadel.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Chelsea Coates, Emma-Louise Amanshia and Rita Behadini Editor: Emily Horler

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Location: Tiny Island. Population: YOU

Friday, October 2, 2026 • Duration 11:03

It’s something you might dream of - or only see in films or read in books - moving to a remote island in the middle of the sea. Only wildlife around you. No bars or clubs and barely any people!

Sound like a bit of you? Or maybe it’s your worst nightmare. We speak to BBC reporter Georgina Rannard, about why she’s swapping city life to be a farmer on an island in Wales with only three other people. We also hear tips from people that’ve done similar things. Jaleesah lives on Siquijor in the Philippines and Tom works on a research station in Antarctica.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producer: Mollie Perella Editor: Emily Horler

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Is sleepmaxxing actually helpful?

Thursday, October 1, 2026 • Duration 10:25

Researching ways to improve your sleep has been popular for years but now it’s evolved and there’s a whole new genre of social media content called ‘Sleepmaxxing’. It shows ways you can build your perfect night’s sleep, by taking magnesium supplements, using black-out curtains or white noise machines. Experts say the popularity has boomed thanks to the accessibility of smart watches which give users sleep scores. We hear from Ollie, who tracks his sleep and is aiming for the perfect score.

BBC reporter Ashitha Nagesh who’s been reporting on the trend, tells us why some experts advise against multi-layered sleep routines and an obsessive fixation with sleep called orthosomnia.

Plus, sleep expert Sophie Bostock tells us how reliable popular sleep trackers are and what they are really measuring.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Mollie Perella, Emily Horler and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

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Why everyone’s talking about Cornell University

Wednesday, September 30, 2026 • Duration 09:52

The issue of safety on college campuses is nothing new. But it’s back in the spotlight again because of the re-opening of a case at Cornell University, New York in the US. A woman alleges she was gang raped at a fraternity party in October 2024. The group is being called the ‘Cornell 7’ on social media. The incident was reported to campus police at the time, but no formal charges were made.

The woman claims she was drugged and raped at a frat house and says the uni didn’t protect her or adequately punish the men she says were involved. Cornell rejects this. Her lawyer says she was traumatised and dropped out of uni.

Now, two years later, state prosecutors have reopened the investigation following a civil lawsuit she’s filed. So - what happened with the case the first time? And what’s different now?

We speak to the BBC’s New York correspondent Nada Tawfik about the case and the conversations about consent, accountability and campus sexual assault.

If you are affected by any of the issues in this episode, details of help available in many countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide. www.befrienders.org

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producer: Mollie Perella Editor: Emily Horler

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Is it time to find a side hustle?

Tuesday, September 29, 2026 • Duration 12:10

More and more of us are picking up side hustles - US national employment data shows that the number of people with more than one job is going up year on year, and a survey found that the majority of them are 16-24 year olds. So why are more of us turning to side hustles? And what’s the best way to start one?

We hear from Katie (@katiesgarms), Vera (@viavera_) and Shania (@shaniasvault) who have all started successful side hustles. They share how they got into them and their top tips for getting started. And Chelsea Coates from the What in the World team explains why the current global job market is encouraging more people to pick up second jobs - and the things to look out for if you’re thinking of doing this.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Mollie Perella, Chelsea Coates and Emma-Louise Amanshia Video Journalist: Chelsea Coates Editor: Verity Wilde

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MTV VMAs: Does anyone even watch award ceremonies anymore?

Monday, September 28, 2026 • Duration 10:52

Madonna won Artist of the Year and Taylor Swift made a splash at Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards - she became the most decorated performer in VMA history, and premiered her music video for Patient Zero, the lead single from the encore to her album The Life of a Showgirl.

And there’s a reason the VMAs might have been so keen to have her - award ceremonies aren’t pulling the big audiences that they used to. Millions of people used to tune in and pore over the outfits and the speeches, hoping their favourite artists would win. But now, viewing figures are falling for shows like the Grammys, the Oscars and the Emmys.

So… why are award shows in their flop era? And what’s being done to revive them?

BBC culture journalist William Lee Adams breaks it all down - and we hear from music fans on whether they think award ceremonies are still relevant.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Benita Barden and Chelsea Coates Editor: Emily Horler

VMAs 2026 audio courtesy of MTV/CBS

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Is it OK to bring iced coffee to a job interview?

Friday, September 25, 2026 • Duration 15:13

Would you bring an iced coffee to a job interview? A viral TikTok from Caitlin Wehniainen - a recruiter in Florida - has stirred up a huge debate. It’s after she said that Gen Z candidates turning up to job interviews with an iced coffee can look too casual and unprofessional.

But seriously…can an iced latte actually hurt your chances of getting a job? And what does your coffee order have to do with whether you’d be good at it? Grab your drink of choice because we’re getting into it with BBC reporters Baldeep Chahal, Leona Gasper and Stefania Okereke from the What in the World team. BBC journalist Sanjana Idnani tells us about the difficult job market recent graduates are having to contend with. And BBC reporter Basma El Atti shares her thoughts from Nairobi.

Plus: We get hot takes from content creators Alexis Wilson (@sucseed_academics), Olivia Monday (@oliviamonday_) and Piper Phillips (@piperphillips) from Instagram, and Coka (@cokafree), Anne-Tso @theportfoliocareercoach, Evan (@thisamericanmess) from TikTok.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producer: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

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Should we be syncing our workouts to our menstrual cycles?

Thursday, September 24, 2026 • Duration 10:17

We’ve seen more and more women talking about cycle-syncing. It’s where you adjust your diet and work outs to match the different phases of your period. Things like eating more in certain phases or taking it easy in others.

But does cycle-syncing help you get better results? Does the science back it up or is it just another wellness trend and rule book for women to follow?

BBC reporter Zara Salaria takes us through what cycle syncing is, we hear from people who have tried it and a doctor breaks it down for us: does it work?

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Benita Barden Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

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What in the World – Details, episodes & analysis

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What in the World – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

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BBC11

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RSS feed quality and score

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Latest published episodes

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Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

BBC11

YouTube2

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