BBC Radio Podcasts from Tech Life
Humanoid robots
Are they really that practical and useful ?
Fixing undersea cables
Undersea fibre-optic cables help keep us online - but what happens when they break ?
Space junk
What is it, and what risk does it pose to the technologies we rely on in everyday life ?
Predicting the future of tech
How will the internet, and other tech we use today, evolve in the future ?
Charging electric bikes and scooters
What can be done to make charging them safer ?
Tech Life meets Spot the robot
How a robot named Spot is helping humans in radioactive places
Mobile phones
We look at some of the reasons you choose your mobile phone handset
Exploring space
We visit two centres developing deep space communications and rocket launches.
Tech Life in Barcelona
We visit a big mobile phone industry event in Spain
Detecting audio deepfakes
We look at tech to fight deepfake AI-powered audio impersonators.
Tracking giraffes
What connects the Chinese government, giraffes in Namibia, and tech?
Health Tech
We look at two different areas of health tech, improving lives for women and children.
Rescue Tech
The device that can save lives in water and bring comfort to relatives.
The world of VPNs
Who is downloading the cyber-security tool that can disguise where you are in the world ?
Technology and mental health
Can tech help our mental health ? We explore the issues.
Tech Life in Las Vegas
The latest innovations and devices at CES - one of the biggest consumer tech trade shows
Tech predictions for 2024
BBC reporters around the world predict the top tech trends for the year ahead.
The year that was in tech
Tech Life reviews a rollercoaster year in global tech
Our surfing habits
The top internet trends for 2023.
Connecting people
Tech Life looks at ways to connect people in our digital world
From farm to fork with tech
The tech helping farmers bring food to our plates
Tackling e-waste around the world
We explore ways e-waste is being tackled in Kenya and Norway
Searching for the Tech Factor
We meet innovators from around the world hoping to bring you new technologies.
Tech Life goes to Nairobi
We meet the people and see the tech changing lives across Kenya and Africa
Speaking out against teen sexual harassment on Instagram
A former Meta security expert speaks out about teenagers and harassment on Instagram.
Artificial intelligence in the classroom
Should schools be teaching pupils about AI ? We take a look at the global picture.
This episode could have been an email
Tech Life previews Microsoft copilot, the AI capabilities coming to Office apps
Spotting fake news online
We look at disinformation online during times of conflict, and how you can spot it
The carbon footprint of AI
How much energy could the tech behind artificial intelligence use in the future?
Where are we on the road to EV?
Tech Life explores electric vehicles and where we are on the road to adoption
Be My AI: When innovation and privacy clash
An AI-powered tool for blind people falls foul of concerns about facial recognition
The world focusses on facial recognition
Do cameras keep us safe - or keep us under surveillance?
The health tech changing lives in Africa
We learn about a new testing kit for life-threatening diseases in sub-Saharan Africa.
Battery tech goes super miniature - and tear powered
Scientists design a battery the size of your cornea, which runs off saline
Charting the true cost of AI
Academic Kate Crawford details the global environmental toll of the AI revolution.
Why do smart speakers get facts wrong?
Smart assistants don't always get things right. We ask why AI could show bias
Tech taught me
From life hacks to tech skills, the people learning and teaching online
Fighting forest fires with technology
We find out how artificial intelligence can make a difference in predicting wildfires.
The cost of data
We look at the environmental impact of storing data and the cost of cloud storage for you
X marks the spot
As Elon Musk rebrands Twitter, we explore what being X means for the platform
The new world AI is making
One of the founders of DeepMind tells us about opportunities and perils of AI
The changing social media landscape
With the arrival of Threads, what does the future hold for social media ?
Elon Musk's Twitter: More changes and more competition
Twitter restricts how many tweets can be read each day. Will users try new rivals ?
Can artificial intelligence be a force for good?
A global summit explores the positives of AI - we meet one of the expert speakers.
Have we had enough of podcasts?
Spotify has ditched high profile broadcasting talent so is the podcast bubble bursting?
The EU takes action on AI
Margrethe Vestager tells us how the bloc is leading the world on regulating AI.
Apple's big bet on virtual reality
Tech Life goes to California to see Apple's biggest product launch in years
The drama about AI in Hollywood
Why Hollywood is up in arms about AI and a chat with an "accidental" tech billionaire.
What's the deal with chips?
Tech Life unpacks what chips are and the global competition to make them
Is Elon Musk's Twitter harming global political free speech?
Wikipedia's founder criticises Twitter for taking down content about Turkey's election
A warning about AI from a founding father of the IT age
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak worries that AI will supercharge scams
Is digital life booming in Rio?
With Web Summit arriving in Rio we explore how Brazil is embracing digital
'I sacrificed my soul': A Facebook moderator's story
Exposed to the worst of the internet and then fired - the moderators taking Meta to court
Is AI racing ahead too fast?
Google's boss admits he doesn't fully understand how its AI products work
Kidfluencers: Do we share too much about kids online?
Is it right to make money online from children's social media profiles?
How to make sure the whole world benefits from AI
Are some countries and languages being cut out of the AI revolution?
Putting Google's AI chatbot Bard to the test
The search giant is rolling out its challenger in the artificial intelligence arms race.
ChatGPT: Where will we use AI chatbots next?
Tech Tent hears how Microsoft and Duolingo are incorporating AI chat bot GPT4
WhatsApp: We speak to boss, Will Cathcart
WhatsApp's boss talks to Tech Tent about the global messaging app
Why are some governments worried about TikTok?
Why are some governments worried about TikTok and what's the future of noise
Big Tech's big legal headache
Campaigners want to make tech giants liable for harmful content online
Apple workers accuse firm of 'union busting'
One employee tells the BBC the tech giant has been trying to 'scare' staff.
The AI search race is on
Microsoft, Google and Baidu all unveal plans for AI search, but who will win the race?
Sacked Twitter staff take on Elon Musk
Several workers are launching legal action against the social media firm
Can Ticketmaster 'shake off' the bots?
Ticketmaster blames bots for Taylor Swift fans missing out on tickets
MRNA: The tech that transforms cancer treatment?
We ask if MRNA vaccines could be the technology that revolutionises cancer treatment
Tech Tent goes to CES
A special edition from Las Vegas - home to CES, one of the world's biggest tech shows.
Tech predictions for 2023
BBC reporters around the world predict the top tech trends for 2023
The Tech Tent Christmas quiz
Two teams battle it out to see what they remember from a rollercoaster year in tech
The law catches up with Sam Bankman-Fried
The former crypto boss is arrested and charged with fraud: what next for the industry?
ChatGPT: The AI chatbot everyone is talking to
Tech Tent explores the potential uses and limitations of ChatGPT
China's Great Firewall fails
How are protests happening in the world's most high tech surveillance state?
Is there a future for smart speakers?
Smart Speakers are in many people's homes, but have they reached the end of the road?
FTX: A crypto crisis
What happens to crypto now the FTX exchange has gone bust?
Big Tech's big job losses
Meta becomes the latest giant to shed thousands of posts - how serious a crisis is this?
Twitter's tumultuous first week under Elon Musk
Elon Musk starts to reshape Twitter - we analyse what we've learnt about his plans.
'This is junk science': The UK takes aim at biometric tech
UK regulators warn against some emerging biometric products saying they will never work
This number has been disconnected
Millions of SIM cards are being disconnected in Kenya and Ghana unless owners register
How TikTok syphons off money from some of those most in need
Much of the money donated to displaced people in Syria is ending up in TikTok's pockets
Elon Musk's Twitter take over rises from the ashes
Why has the world's richest man changed his mind - again - about buying Twitter?
Why are there still so few women in tech?
Apple's Tim Cook tells the BBC there are "no excuses" for the sector's male dominance.
The protests sending Iran offline
The Iranian authorities take down the internet - will stop anti-regime protests?
The Merge: A cryptocurrency revolution
One of the biggest names in crypto, Ethereum, tries to go green - will it work?
Apple tries to build back the buzz
A slew of new products and a glitzy launch - what will they mean for Apple's fortunes.
India's high speed broadband revolution
India is promised the world's biggest 5G network - and grocery shopping on WhatsApp
More trouble at Twitter
A whistleblower makes explosive allegations about the social network's security
Can TikTok stars make it on the real stage?
What happens when social media sensations meet a real life Edinburgh Fringe audience?
Esports at the Commonwealth Games
We meet the gamers vying for unofficial medals that the Commonwealth Games
The future of medical virtual reality
We take a look at virtual reality as it helps surgeons separate twins joined at the head
The battle over encrypted messaging
The head of WhatsApp signals the firm will resist efforts to weaken its encryption
Is Tesla in trouble?
A setback for the world's biggest electric car maker as it ditches its bitcoin investment
Twitter and Elon Musk: The deal goes sour
What happens now Elon Musk wants to pull out and how damaged will he and Twitter be?
How Wimbledon has gone high tech
AI, virtual courts, and NFTs: the changing face of a very traditional tennis tournament
The profound tech consequences of Roe v Wade
How the Supreme Court's abortion ruling is radically reshaping people's online lives
The graphic content missed by Meta's moderators
The BBC uncovers explicit material on Facebook, missed by human and AI moderators
Is El Salvador's bitcoin revolution failing?
El Salvador has invested heavily bitcoin - what happens now prices are tumbling?
Is the work from home revolution unstoppable?
New data shows more people are abandoning the office- what will it mean for working life?
Why is the internet still a hostile place for women?
The UK media regulator highlights online harassment and urges more protections for women
Another setback for facial recognition technology
UK regulators become the latest to take action against Clearview AI
Is the cryptocurrency bubble bursting?
Are sharply falling values a bump in the road or the beginning of the end for crypto?
Learning the lessons of Wannacry, five years on
It was the most crippling malware attack the world had ever seen - could it happen again?
Are we on the cusp of a VR revolution?
Is the much hyped technology is about to become part of everyday life.
Twitter: The Elon Musk takeover
How will the world's most high profile tech entrepreneur reshape social media?
A setback for Netflix
Netflix loses customers, and its share value plummets- what does it mean for its future?
Facial recognition technology and the war in Ukraine
Tech Tent looks at the use of facial recognition software in Ukraine
What next for Twitter now Elon Musk is on board?
One of the most influential and outspoken men in tech gets his hands on Twitter
A huge, new crypto heist
Hackers take digital currency worth hundreds of million dollars.
The tech of war crime investigation
As accusations of atrocities in Ukraine mount, how can technology help investigators?
Tech goes to the aid of Ukrainian refugees
Tech tent finds out how ride-sharing and telemedicine are helping Ukrainians
The cyber conflict in Ukraine
A look at battles being fought online as Russia invades Ukraine.
The return of Trump?
Donald Trump is banned on Twitter and Facebook. Can he make a social media comeback?
A major chip deal collapses
Chip maker Arm won't be bought by Nvidia after all. The new boss says that's ok
Facebook's metaverse gamble
Facebook is losing users, will it's pivot to the metaverse pay off?
Making microchips in the US
Intel and US efforts to make more microchips at home
The largest gaming deal in history
Microsoft plans to buy mega games company Activision Blizzard in a deal worth almost $70bn
Theranos and Silicon Valley
What does the conviction of Elizabeth Holmes tell us about tech startup culture?
The return of CES
The major tech show returns to Las Vegas after going virtual during the pandemic
Tech predictions for 2022
The BBC tech team on what we'll all be talking about over the next 12 months
Tech Tent quiz of the year 2021
What better way to review the big tech stories of 2021 than with a battle of wits?
The UK's plan to rein in big tech
New laws are designed to regulate social media and tech giants. Will they work?
When crypto met football
How NFTs and fan tokens have found their way into the world of football
@jack exits Twitter
What next for the social media platform after Jack Dorsey quits?
A volcano-powered Bitcoin city?
El Salvador's president made Bitcoin legal tender, now he wants to build a city
The global rise of ransomware
How hackers stole millions, and why they're so difficult to stop
Ransomware gangs face a crackdown
Is the tide finally turning in the battle against ransomware attacks?
The Squid Game coin scam
How cryptocurrency scams have become an everyday event
Whistleblower piles pressure on Facebook
Frances Haugen tells the British parliament that Facebook’s algorithm puts users at risk
Tech for future living
How the metaverse, energy tech, and AI might influence how we live in years to come.
Bezos' rocket blasts Star Trek actor into space
William Shatner becomes oldest person to travel to space, aboard the Blue Origin craft.
Facebook’s punishing week
The social giant suffers one of its worst weeks after a tech blunder takes it offline.
A ‘practical’ quantum computer
Are quantum computers ready to make the leap from the lab to the business?
A turning point for Facebook?
Will US press reports about Facebook bring tighter regulation or a breakup a step closer?
Wikipedia’s editing war
Can the online encyclopaedia be impartial in a world of hotly-contested narratives?
El Salvador's Bitcoin experiment
Cryptocurrency fans celebrate, but will Salvadorans benefit?
China's video games ban
The government cuts children's gaming time to just three hours a week
AI: Reality and hype
Is language-based artificial intelligence as capable as it seems?
Fears over Afghan biometric data
Human rights activists say the Taliban could use government databases to target citizens.
Removing carbon from the air
Can tech to capture and store carbon prevent a climate catastrophe?
China cracks down on online games
A state-run media outlet brands online games ‘electronic drugs’ and calls for more curbs.
Intel’s road ahead
Pat Gelsinger, the CEO of Intel, outlines his plan to regain the lead in silicon chips.
Fresh questions over Pegasus spyware
How the Pegasus software from Israel’s NSO Group has kept ahead of attempts to block it.
Football and online hate
Can social platforms stop the racist abuse of black players?
Have apps helped tackle the pandemic?
Did exposure and contact tracing apps live up to the hopes for them?
Should robots look like humans?
SoftBank pauses production of the Pepper robot.
Antivirus pioneer John McAfee found dead
The controversial entrepreneur created an industry but was facing tax charges in the US.
Web creator to sell source code as an NFT
Sir Tim Berners-Lee chooses the latest tech craze to raise funds for charity.
Tech victories for law enforcement
The FBI recovers ransomware Bitcoins and gets suspects to use compromised messaging app.
Huawei pins hopes on HarmonyOS
The Chinese giant launches its own smartphone and connected device operating system
Can bitcoin mining ever be green?
The cryptocurrency business tries to boost its green credentials
Estonia’s digital society and the pandemic
President of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid discusses how e-government helped citizens.
Ransomware hackers disable key oil pipeline
Has the threat to infrastructure from hackers demanding money been underestimated?
Trump question comes back to Facebook
The Oversight Board says Facebook itself must rule on reinstating or banning Donald Trump
Is Apple iOS 14.5 hurting advertisers?
Apple’s long-awaited iPhone software update arrives with new features to block trackers.
The big noise in social media
Facebook and Reddit follow Clubhouse into social audio.
The global workforce
Tech founder Phil Libin tells us why he’s no longer advertising jobs with a location.
Ad cookies facing the crunch
How Apple and Google’s privacy clampdown will bring upheaval to online advertising.
The future of computing
The CEO of ARM on its latest chips, plus two exciting projects in quantum computing.
Why Intel will make chips for its rivals
The tech giant says it aims to rebalance world chip supply from Asia to the US and Europe
Uber’s u-turn on drivers
The ride-hailing giant says it will pay UK drivers a minimum wage and other benefits.
The $69m digital artwork
How the boom in 'non-fungible tokens' helped one artist become a multimillionaire
The new “space race” for chips
A look at how the latest chips are made and why they’re the focus of US-China rivalry.
Who blinked - Facebook or Australia?
Facebook and the Australian government reach a compromise over payment for news content
Facebook blocks Australia’s news
The social giant pulls news content ahead of a new law that would force it to pay media.
Bitcoin’s energy cost
The buzz around the cryptocurrency grows, but what’s its impact on global energy use?
A tale of two ecommerce giants
Jeff Bezos's Amazon and Jack Ma's Alibaba report bumper profits
Robert Downey Jr. on backing green tech
The Iron Man star tells us how he wants to help tackle the climate crisis.
Biden’s plan for big tech
Will the new US President bring a new era in relations with the tech giants?
Amazon gives Parler the boot
The social platform favoured by Donald Trump supporters loses its online home.
Facebook and Twitter block Trump
Social giants act after the President praises supporters who broke into the US Congress.
Tech Trends for 2021
Rory Cellan-Jones and guests on how tech will shape the coming twelve months.
Tech Quiz of the Year 2020
Test your knowledge of the year’s biggest tech stories with Rory Cellan-Jones and team.
Hackers breach US government
Key government agencies are among thousands of organisations believed to have been hit.
Will Facebook be broken up?
US regulators launch lawsuits accusing the giant of buying rivals to stifle competition.
Life after Covid
Will a digital means of showing you’ve been immunised be required for everyday life?
Tesla’s $500bn valuation
The electric car pioneer’s stock value exceeds that of the major carmakers combined.
Electric cars in the fast lane
The UK government says new petrol and diesel-powered cars will be banned by 2030.
Will Biden go after Facebook?
The social media giant is in the firing line again after Joe Biden's election win
Social giants label Trump’s posts
Facebook and Twitter warn President Trump’s post-election remarks may be misleading.
Senators accuse big tech of bias
US politicians clash over the future of social media.
Election stakes for US tech
What changes will a new Presidential term bring for the tech we use?
iPhone 12 goes 5G
Apple pushes 5G as a key selling point of its new iPhone 12. But is it useful right now?
US Congress slams big tech
The world’s biggest tech firms are compared to oil barons by US lawmakers.
A Pixel for the times
Google pushes affordability and 5G for its flagship Pixel 5 mobile handset.
How misinformation spreads
Rory Cellan-Jones examines how misinformation spreads across online platforms.
The TikTok saga hots up
After shunning Microsoft, will a deal with Oracle work?
Berlin’s tech bounceback
Rory Cellan-Jones visits Berlin to see how the tech sector is faring post-lockdown.
Tech and working life
Rory Cellan-Jones explores how tech firms are influencing the way people work.
Facebook News gets bigger
Should publishers welcome or fear the tech giant’s plan to expand its news feature?
Students marked down by algorithm
How students in England took to the streets to challenge their exam grades.
Legal victory over facial recognition
Use of facial recognition by a UK police force was unlawful, says the Court of Appeal.
The future for TikTok in the United States
Why the popular video app faces being bought out or banned
Big tech facing a break-up?
The biggest tech firms are grilled by US lawmakers over abuse of market power.
The new AI tool creating a buzz
GPT-3 is a tool whose predecessor was dubbed “too dangerous to release”.
The great Twitter hack
Hackers take over accounts belonging to famous names after breaching Twitter’s security.
TikTok caught in US-China tussle
The hit video sharing platform quits operating in Hong Kong as the US considers a ban.
Big advertisers boycott Facebook
Marketers express unease about Facebook’s handling of hate speech.
Apple ditches Intel chips
The tech giant tells developers future Macs will use Apple-designed chips.
Developers take on Apple over app store rules
Apple comes under fire for what some see as anti-competitive practices
Facial recognition pulled from police
IBM, Amazon and Microsoft stop providing police forces with facial recognition tools.
Zuckerberg faces staff revolt
Facebook staff strike out at decision not to moderate Donald Trump’s postings.
Twitter tweaks Trump’s tweets
US President signs an order that could strip social media firms of legal protections.
Facebook’s remote working shift
Will the tech giant’s new policy change how people at other firms work?
Fighting Covid-19 with data
Is South Korea’s success so far in fighting the coronavirus down to data and tech?
Smarter workplaces after lockdown ends
How tech will help to get people back to work safely.
Tech firms boosted by Covid-19
In contrast to many businesses, will the tech giants emerge stronger from the crisis?
Influencers feel the pinch
How social media influencers are earning less in lockdown and rethinking what they do.
Tech skills for the lockdown
Are you using the lockdown to pick up new tech skills? We meet a family learning coding.
WhatsApp and YouTube act on Covid conspiracies
The social giants take steps to remove falsehoods linking Covid-19 to 5G.
Privacy in a pandemic
Should we trade some privacy to end a lock-down earlier with the help of technology?
Hand over your virus data
How much data are we all prepared to share in the battle to beat the coronavirus?
Coronavirus: Can the internet cope?
What impact will the coronavirus pandemic have on the infrastructure of the internet?
Apps helping to track coronavirus
How governments are using apps and citizens' phone data to try to contain the pandemic.
YouTube and conspiracy theories
Users seeing fewer conspiracy theories in their YouTube recommendations, study suggests.
Conspiracy theories rage online over coronavirus
Is social media likely to help or hinder efforts to contain the outbreak?
US tells the UK to think again on Huawei 5G
America urges Britain to change its mind and drop Huawei from its 5G networks.
Coronavirus stops MWC tech show
The mobile industry’s biggest event is called off over fears of spreading the infection.
Is Silicon Valley still top for tech?
Rory Cellan-Jones asks whether California is still the best home for tech startups.
UK gives Huawei the OK
The Chinese tech giant will be allowed a limited role in Britain's 5G telecoms network.
Tech's battle for the classroom
Jane Wakefield checks out the latest educational tech at the Bett 2020 show in London.
Microsoft vows to go 'carbon negative'
The tech giant promises to remove all the carbon it has emitted since it was founded.
CES 2020
We check out the latest tech that you might soon be buying at the CES event in Las Vegas.
Tech to watch in 2020
What will be the top technology trends in 2020?
Taking stock of tech
Rory Cellan-Jones and the BBC Online tech team look at smart cities, AI, gaming and more.
Tech quiz of the year 2019
Test your knowledge of tech in our annual quiz of the year.
YouTube's plan to stop harassment
The video-sharing giant will block clips that "maliciously insult someone".
China pushes facial recognition
Mobile phone buyers made to provide facial recognition data when they get a new plan.
TikTok restores teen's viral video
The firm apologises after removing a US teenager's video on China's treatment of Uighurs
Ford Mustang goes electric
Does an electric model of the iconic muscle-car signal the future for the motor industry?
Facebook battles harmful posts
New figures suggest the tech giant is removing a growing amount of banned content.
Can Ireland reshape big tech?
How Ireland’s Data Protection Commissioner could change the way big tech firms operate.
The power of online political ads
Why is Twitter banning political ads when Facebook insists it will keep carrying them?
Indian call centre scam shut down
We follow Indian police as they raid a suspected scamming call centre.
Google Pixel 4 boasts radar
The latest handset from Google introduces a new way to control a phone.
US and China battle over tech
Rory Cellan-Jones on the latest stories in the tech world
The rise and rise of TikTok
Why the Chinese video-sharing app seems to have Facebook worried.
Amazon reveals Alexa glasses
The tech giant takes its Alexa smart assistant out of the home.
Has gig-working had its day?
California drafts a law that would give "gig-economy" workers employment benefits.
Who cares about facial recognition?
Two new surveys suggest cautious public attitudes in the US and UK towards the tech.
Tech's trade war
How tensions between China and the US are hurting the tech industry in both nations.
What Facebook knows about you
The social giant will reveal what it knows about your net activity off of its platform.
Are you being watched?
How private facial recognition in public areas threatens privacy, campaigners say.
8chan searches for new home
Key service providers kick the controversial message board off the mainstream internet.
New rules for robots
How should robots behave around humans? Presented by Jane Wakefield.
Facebook's five billion dollar bill
The social network reaches a record settlement with regulators over users' data privacy.
Celebrating games
Why Dundee in Scotland is a hub of videogaming creativity.
Alexa dispenses medical advice
Are fears over Amazon's tie-up with the UK's National Health Service justified?
Jony Ive quits Apple
The man behind the design of the iPhone and iMac, Sir Jony Ive, sets up on his own.
Deepfake or art: who decides?
Rory Cellan-Jones on the latest stories in the tech world