Why is Europe the fastest-warming continent?

Why is Europe the fastest-warming continent?

From BBC Inside Science by BBC Radio 4

April 30, 2026 · 26 min

About this episode

The episode discusses Europe's rapid warming, the legacy of Dr J Craig Venter, and a unique species named after Sir David Attenborough.

The latest European State of the Climate report has found that Europe is once again getting warmer, and at a rate that is twice as fast as the global average. Tom Whipple is joined by Dr Samantha Burgess, deputy director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, to understand the driving forces behind this stark difference and anticipate what Europeans can expect in the coming years as a result. We also remember Dr J Craig Venter, one of the famous founders of what we might now call the genomic age of science who dies this week. In the lead-up to the 100th birthday of the world-famous broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, Inside Science is shining a spotlight on a species of scientific importance that has been named after him. This week, Dr Leonidas-Romanos Davranoglou shares his treacherous search for a unique species of echidna previously thought to be extinct. Plus, science journalist Caroline Steel fills us in on the latest science news that you might have missed - from the surprising growth rates of Neanderthal babies to 10,000 newly discovered planets. Presenter: Tom Whipple Producer: Alex Mansfield Assistant Producer: Katie Tomsett Editor: Martin Smith Production…

People in this episode

Host: Tom Whipple

Guests: Dr Samantha Burgess, Dr Leonidas-Romanos Davranoglou, Caroline Steel

Topics covered

  • climate change
  • European State of the Climate report
  • genomics
  • species extinction
  • science news

Keywords

  • Europe
  • climate report
  • genomic age
  • echidna
  • Neanderthal babies
  • newly discovered planets

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Copernicus Climate Change Service, BBC Radio 4

More episodes of BBC Inside Science

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the BBC Inside Science podcast page.