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Science & Medicine

Down to Earth

France Médias Monde

We meet the people behind fascinating environmental, health and technological innovations in a bid for sustainable solutions to our changing world. Saturday at 7.20 pm. Or you can catch it o...

Episodes

20 of 43 episodes

Lula's re-election brings hope for the Amazon as deforestation drops to record low

Climate activists in Brazil and beyond are celebrating President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's election victory as good news for the Amazon ra...

00:04:53Oct 26, 2026

Indonesia continues to battle wildfires, with nearly 2 million hectares burned

Fires in Indonesia have burned through more than 1.9 million hectares of land, according to new data, as the country battles its worst wildf...

00:05:24Oct 20, 2026

Old jeans could shield your home from the next heatwave

We all have that one pair of old jeans in the back of our wardrobe – don’t throw them out! A French company says denim fibres make for great...

00:09:02Oct 12, 2026

Frenchwoman buys elephants from abusive owners in Laos

Once known as "The Land of a Million Elephants", only an estimated 800 elephants remain in Laos, as deforestation and exploitation push the...

00:03:42Oct 5, 2026

A Green pope? Vatican describes environmental destruction as an 'ecological sin'

In recent years, the Catholic Church has taken a growing stance in favour of climate action, culminating with the Vatican's signing of the l...

00:05:32Sep 28, 2026

French farmers turn to tropical crops amid rising temperatures

In the south of France, climate change is reshaping the region’s fruit production. Rather than fighting against it, a growing number of farm...

00:05:19Sep 21, 2026

Countries turn to coal to avoid shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz

The US-Israel war on Iran has shaken global energy markets and coal is no exception. Countries around the world are turning to the highly po...

00:05:49Sep 14, 2026

Meet the millionaires investing in nature conservation

In France, a handful of wealthy entrepreneurs are buying up hundreds of hectares of land with the goal of letting nature reclaim its rightfu...

00:05:54Jul 15, 2026

Climate-smart apartments designed to beat the heat

While most of France suffered from last week's heatwave, a certain number of Montpellier residents were in total comfort in their apartments...

00:02:29Jul 7, 2026

Fixing fast fashion: France will pay you to repair your clothes

Your ripped clothes deserve better than the bottom of your closet or – worse – the trash can. The French government is now paying people to...

00:04:55Jul 1, 2026

French co-op on a mission to prove organic farming can feed the world

Many people assume that organic agriculture is expensive and hard to produce on a massive scale. But a group of 10 farmers in France's weste...

00:05:19Jun 25, 2026

How can France adapt to recurrent heatwaves?

France is seeing a second consecutive heatwave in less than a month. Half the country is now under red alert as temperatures are expected to...

00:06:14Jun 22, 2026

2026 World Cup set to be 'most polluting' sporting event in history

The 2026 World Cup is bringing excitement to football fans around the world, but it will also come at a cost for the environment. The 2026 e...

00:05:54Jun 15, 2026

They pay 30% less for electricity. Their secret? Solar panels

Residents in the town of Escourse, France, pay 30 percent less for their electricity bills than elsewhere in the country. Their secret? Rene...

00:03:24Jun 10, 2026

Squid fleets exposed: Investigation reveals illegal fishing and forced labour

June 8 marks World Oceans Day, a global event held every year to raise awareness of the impact of human actions on the ocean. Illegal fishin...

00:06:07Jun 8, 2026

French doctors sound alarm over drinking water pollution

Pesticides, microplastics and so-called forever chemicals: that’s the cocktail of substances millions of French people are exposed to simply...

00:06:59Jun 1, 2026

Count the dead bugs on your windshield and contribute to science

Scientists need your help! French researchers are calling on car drivers to help them measure the decline of insect populations – thanks to...

00:04:48May 26, 2026

Human hair protects French forests from hungry deer

In France alone, nearly 4,000 tonnes of hair end up landfilled or incinerated every year. Yet human hair has unique properties: it is not on...

00:04:06May 12, 2026

'We've been poisoned': Babies exposed to pesticides in the womb

Rates of cancer, birth defects and cognitive disorders are on the rise among French children. The use of pesticides has been recognised as a...

00:06:08May 5, 2026

What is hantavirus and how does it spread?

Three people have died and three others are ill ⁠after a Netherlands-based cruise ship in the Atlantic was hit by a suspected outbreak of ha...

00:04:30May 4, 2026