What in the World

You’ve probably grown up hearing his unmistakable voice in some of your favourite nature documentaries…we’re of course talking about Sir David Attenborough, who turns 100 this Friday. He’s been making wildlife films for more than 70 years, turning nature documentaries into must-see TV and inspiring people all over the world to learn more about the wonders of our planet.
But he hasn’t just changed the way we see the natural world - he’s also alerted us to how rapidly it’s changing because of climate change, and has influenced policy and public perceptions in the process.
In this episode, we look back at some of his most iconic moments. Our climate and science correspondent, Georgina Rannard, tells us how he’s changed the world - and we hear how he’s inspired lots of you to take action on climate change.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
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Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Mora Morrison, Chelsea Coates, Makuochi Okafor and Jenna Abaakouk
Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

Saunas and cold plunges are getting really popular and people say they can boost your mood and come with all sorts of health benefits. So we sent Hannah off to try them out and see what she thought…
In this episode we talk about why so many people are into saunas and cold plunges with Emilia Jansson, a BBC journalist and our resident Finn. Plus we’ll hear if there’s evidence that they’re actually good for you with James Gallagher, our Science and Health Correspondent.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Emily Horler, Chelsea Coates and Ash Mohamed
Editor: Verity Wilde

A cruise ship in the middle of the Atlantic ocean has been hit by an outbreak of hantavirus. A number of passengers on the MV Hondius have been infected with the virus, and three have died. Some passengers have been evacuated from the ship and it’s currently anchored off Cape Verde, off the West coast of Africa. Spain had agreed to let it dock in the Canary Islands. But now, as we’re recording this podcast, the president of the Canary Islands has said he can’t allow the vessel to dock there.
Hantavirus is a rare disease usually spread from infected rodents. In this episode we tell you everything you need to know about hantavirus and explain why the risk of another COVID-style pandemic is actually really low.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Mora Morrison, Benita Barden and Julia Ross-Roy
Editor: Verity Wilde

What if the best way to stop fearing rejection is to seek it out? Rejection therapy - the idea of deliberately putting yourself in situations where you might be rejected - has exploded on social media. From asking strangers for favours to dancing on trains, people are documenting their experiences online.
Supporters say it helps people build resilience, reduce anxiety and stop taking rejection personally. But does rejection therapy actually work? Or is it just another viral self‑help trend?
In this episode, Claudia Hammond, a psychologist and BBC presenter, helps us unpack where rejection therapy came from, what psychology says about it, and why it’s taken off on platforms like TikTok. We also hear from Sophie Jones, who’s gone viral for her videos on the topic.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Emily Horler, Baldeep Chahal, Chelsea Coates and Maria Clara Montoya
Editor: Verity Wilde

The Met Gala is the super bowl of fashion. It’s a relatively small event, only open to a small number of invited guests - usually around 450. Tables cost upwards of around $350,000 , while individual tickets are reported to go for about $75,000. And every invitee has to be signed off by ex-Vogue editor Anna Wintour.
Celebs go out of their way to impress on the red carpet. Think Rihanna’s legendary yellow dress or Kim Kardashian’s ‘wet look’. But this year’s Met Gala feels a little bit different - partly because of it being sponsored by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and his wife Lauren Sanchez Bezos. Not everyone’s happy about a tech billionaire being involved.
Journalist Amy Odell (author of Anna: The Biography) has even called this year’s event ‘Tech Gala’. She joins us to explain why. We also chat about the super high ticket prices and why protest posters have been popping up around New York City.
Audio for this episode was updated on 5 May 2026.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Mora Morrison, William Lee Adams and Benita Barden
Editor: Verity Wilde