Unexpected Elements Defuse and diffuse
Available for over a year
World War II bombs were defused in Cologne, Germany, which has inspired us to explore the science of diffusion and defusing!
First, we hear how new, artificially intelligent video generators are modelled on diffusion. We also hear about the health impacts of home aroma diffusers and candles.
We're joined by conflict-mediator Gabrielle Rifkind of the Oxford Process, to discuss the psychological stakes behind defusing conflict in wars and at home.
We also taste-test the difference between raw and cooked broccoli, learn about in-insect synthesis, and explore an anechoic chamber.
All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements.
Presenter: Caroline Steel, with Tristan Ahtone and Edd Gent
Producer: Imaan Moin, with Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, Minnie Harrop and Debbie Kilbride
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Dolce & Gabbana embrace wrinkled romance for spring-summer 2026
Dolce & Gabbana beckoned the warm weather with crumpled, take-me-anywhere comfort in their menswear collection for spring-summer 2026, previewed during Milan Fashion Week on Saturday. The show opened and closed with a relaxed pajama silhouette — deliberately rumpled and effortless — in a clash of stripes, with both shorts and long trousers. The Beethoven soundtrack belied designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana's more deliberate intent, underscoring the designers' structured approach to soft tailoring. A broad shoulder double-breasted suit jacket and tie worn with pink pinstriped PJ pants encapsulated the classic summer dilemma: work vs. pleasure. Raw knitwear, or furry overcoats, added texture. Boxers peeked out of waistbands, and big shirt cuffs out of jacket sleeves, challenging formal and casual codes. Nothing was cleaner on the runway than a crisp striped pajama top in sky-blue and white stripes tucked into white leather Bermuda shorts — good for work and for play. The designers' finale featured pajama suits, shorts and pants, with beaded floral patterned embroidery for an evening seaside shimmer, worn with fuzzy sliders. Twin cameo brooches gave an antique accent. The crowd outside got to share in the fun when the finale models took the looks onto the streets, taking a full lap outside the designers' Metropol theater. Front-row guests included actors Zane Phillips, Theo James, Lucien Laviscount and Michele Morrone.


The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Zara McDermott says she's ‘taking a step back' from ‘negative' social media amid Sam Thompson online abuse
ZARA McDermott is taking a hiatus from social media to focus on making a new documentary about family violence. The former Love Island star announced her break from socials just days after ex Sam Thompson came face to face with her new boyfriend, Louis Tomlinson. 3 3 She split from Made In Chelsea star, Sam, earlier this year after five years together and was spotted with the One Direction singer in March. Zara took to her Instagram stories to update her fans and explain why she was stepping away from social media for a short while. "I also just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who messaged me with regards to the story I posted the other day," she began. "If you didn't see it; I spoke about developing my next documentary and how I've been thinking of how to create a project about domestic abuse, coercive control and tech abuse." Zara revealed she had received thousands of message from people who had stories to share and she was still going through them. "But I wanted to say the biggest thank you ever. It's so nice speaking to you all because I've definitely taken a bit of a step back from socials to focus on my documentaries and other work just focusing on being more present recently," she explained. The TV star added: "Social media feels quite heavy and a negative space sometimes... so to be able to feel like we can work together to do something super positive is a great feeling. thank you again. forever grateful to all of you who continue to support the work i do. it really means SO much." Her post comes just days after Sam and Louis came face to face while representing England in the charity football match, Soccer Aid. The pair had already crossed paths on the training pitch last week, prior to Sam pulling out of the gam e due to injury and later attended the same pre-game dinner. Both men looked relaxed this evening as they milled around their hotel with fellow squad members. Zara has already ruled herself out of attending the star-studded match. Sam presented a video of his charity work in Guatemala to both sets of players, something he found much more nerve-racking than meeting Louis. He said: 'I did a small talk in front of everyone, which was terrifying, and I maintain I think it's the most important thing I've done in my 32 years of life. 'I really do believe that. Getting to go to Guatemala to see what UNICEF do on the ground is just life-changing.' 3


Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Miley Cyrus, 32, jokes that she's become a 'cougar' while updating family on her romance
jokingly referred to herself as a 'cougar' while discussing her relationship with boyfriend Maxx Morando, who is six years younger than her. The 32-year-old Grammy winner — who recently made a surprise appearance at Beyonce's Paris concert — opened up about the topic on Thursday's episode of her mom Tish and sister Brandi's Sorry We're Cyrus podcast. The former Disney channel star has been linked with the 26-year-old drummer since 2021, while both her mom and older sister are also in relationships with younger men. Brandi, 38, is currently dating Matt Southcombe, 36, while Tish, 58, is married to Prison Break actor Dominic Purcell, 55. The Flowers songstress stated, '[Maxx] will be 27 when I turn 33, which I'm so excited for him to turn 27 because that was such a great year for me. 'I'm just hoping that, as long as he follows in my footsteps, everything is going to be great. That's right when I started turning my life around.' Miley also pointed out that she is 'the landslide' of all three due to her age gap from Maxx being the most. She later said, 'Me and Maxx... sometimes we're only four [years apart] for three days. We're only a couple of days apart. 'He's a Scorpio [and] so is his grandfather, that's what makes Maxx just so cool because he can sting. Like, very cool [and they] think that they're little angels until it turns around and they got a sting.' The performer continued, 'I couldn't be with someone [who] doesn't sting. They would have been toast already.' Cyrus and Morando first began dating after they went on a blind date back in 2021 and their romance was officially confirmed the following year. During a past interview with British Vogue in 2023, the actress expressed: 'Well, it was blind for me and not really for him. I thought, "The worst that can happen is I leave."' The couple mainly keep their relationship out of the public eye, but have been spotted at a few events this year. Back in March, Miley and Maxx were seen walking the red carpet together at the 97th Annual Academy Awards in Hollywood. Later that evening, the pair also stopped by Vanity Fair Oscars Party. One month prior, the two stars also attended the SNL50: The Anniversary Special in NYC as well as the Homecoming Concert alongside Miley's mother Tish Cyrus. And just last week, the lovebirds were seen enjoying a lowkey outing together in Malibu. Cyrus has previously talked about her and Maxx's age gap during an interview with Harper's Bazaar late last year. 'He looks at life really differently than I do,' she said, before adding, 'He grew up with a laptop. I had a desktop computer that I shared with my brothers and sisters.' Despite him being younger, the singer explained, 'He's very similar to me. We just don't take life too seriously.' Also during her podcast appearance this week, Miley made the allegations that her Hannah Montana co-star Mitchel Musso had smoked pot on set, which he soon shut down. 'Well, that's not how I remember it,' Musso expressed in a statement to E! News. 'However, I've got plenty of stories from those years that might be worth having a conversation about. 'If we're revisiting Hannah Montana history — just say the word,' he continued, before emphasizing that he had no hard feelings towards the performer. 'All love to Miley and the fam, even when the rewrites get this creative,' Mitchel concluded to the outlet. Cyrus and Musso had worked alongside other stars on the Disney channel series including her dad Billy Ray, Emily Osment, Jason Earles and Moises Arias. The show was a hit and aired on the network for a total of four seasons - and also spawned concert films and other projects such as Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009). The show also garnered a number of accolades during its time on the air, such as receiving four Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Children's Program. Along with Hannah Montana, Mitchel is also known for his roles in the animated series Phineas And Ferb as well as Disney XD's Pair Of Kings. However, he was written out of the latter after his arrest in 2013 for DUI suspicion - and had also been driving while intoxicated under the legal age since he was age 20 at the time of the incident. In 2023, he was arrested for public drunkenness and allegedly stealing a bag of chips from a motel in Texas. Later that same year, the two major charges of public intoxication and theft were dropped. During Miley's appearance on the Sorry We're Cyrus podcast which dropped on Thursday, she cleared the air about what went down behind the scenes of Hannah Montana. When a fan wrote in asking, 'What's a core memory from the Hannah Montana days that still makes you laugh?' Miley didn't miss a beat, replying, 'Dad smoking pot and everyone blaming me for it,' and her sister Brandi quickly confirmed, 'I do remember that.' The Flowers hitmaker pointed to Tish and added, 'And he wasn't sharing, 'cause this one wasn't toking yet.' Tish - who's since been open about her marijuana use - chimed in with a laugh, recalling how she tried to defend Billy Ray at the time: 'They were calling me saying 'B-Ray' was smoking pot and I was like, "Absolutely not, he would never do that!"' The trio then cracked up as they joked about Miley's former Hannah Montana castmate Mitchel Musso taking the blame instead. Back in January, Tish opened up about why she stopped smoking weed, despite previously embracing her status as a self-proclaimed stoner. Miley also recently unpacked a decade's worth of family drama and trauma and revealed how she mended all of her fences. She grew up to be a global pop star in her own right, though she revealed on last Tuesday's episode of Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky, her road to fame was filled with family strife. Cyrus teased the whole family went through a, 'really difficult, dark decade' but they were able to get through it. But the star revealed on the podcast that the family was able to mend their fences without therapy.