Unexpected Elements - Let the games begin

Download Let the games begin

The Winter Olympics has the Unexpected Elements team looking into some of the incredible science behind the sports. First up, the tale of India’s lone luge pilot: how did using old train tracks as sled runners give him a competitive edge? Then, we look at the physics behind a cheating scandal that has rocked the ski jumping world. Scientific studies tell us exactly how much difference changing a single stitch in a costume can make.

Did you know there are different types of ice? Professor Christoph Salzmann has discovered three of them, and tells us what makes them unique. Plus dinosaurs, disease, and whether we laugh with an accent. All on this week’s Unexpected Elements.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Chhavi Sachdev and Tristan Ahtone
Producers: Margaret Sessa-Hawkins, with Lucy Davies, Imy Harper and Tim Dodd

Published on Friday, 6th February 2026.

Available Podcasts from Unexpected Elements

Subscribe to Unexpected Elements

We are not the BBC, we only list available podcasts. To find out more about the programme including episodes available on BBC iPlayer, go to the Unexpected Elements webpage.