The beautiful game

About this episode

The episode explores the science behind football, including the creation of the perfect grass pitch and the significance of a football's shape, while also discussing health biomarkers and strategies in teamwork.

As the Fifa Men’s World Cup kicks off this week in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, football fever is everywhere – and this has the Unexpected Elements team exploring all things football. First, we discover how it took eight years and 170 experiments for scientists to create the perfect grass pitch. Then, why a football is not really a ball… it’s a truncated icosahedron. We discuss how this shape revolutionised not only the beautiful game, but nanotechnology too. Then, what secrets can your sweat reveal? We are joined by Prof John Rogers who explains how sweat is an underappreciated and understudied biomarker of our health. And whether in life or in football, what is a better strategy – survival of the fittest or co-operation and teamwork? Author Rowan Hooper joins us to battle it out. Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Chhavi Sachdev and Ogechi Ekeanyanwu Producer: Ella Hubber, with Sophie Ormiston, Lucy Davies and Robbie Wojciechowski

People in this episode

Hosts: Marnie Chesterton, Chhavi Sachdev, Ogechi Ekeanyanwu

Guests: Prof John Rogers, Rowan Hooper

Topics covered

• football
• science of sports
• biomarkers
• teamwork
• nanotechnology
• grass pitch

Keywords

• Fifa World Cup
• football pitch
• icosahedron
• sweat biomarker
• teamwork
• survival of the fittest

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Fifa

Places: United States, Mexico, Canada

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