RTÉ will once again celebrate Science Week with a range of future-focused programming and content across television, radio and online from Sunday, 10 to Sunday, 17 November, and beyond.
From our ambitious brand new series, Futureville Ireland, which explores some of the big ideas from Irish scientists that could shape Ireland's first future city in 2050 to a new season of Heated on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player which shares stories of those who are leading the fight for climate change across Ireland.
Science Week on RTÉ has been produced in collaboration with Taighde Éireann (Research Ireland).
Here are some highlights for all the family...
Futureville Ireland
Starts Tuesday, 12 November on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player at 7pm
Futureville Ireland is an ambitious new three-part series presented on consecutive evenings by Carla O’Brien and Dr Lollie (Lorraine) Mancey on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player that offers a vision for a re-imagined Athlone as a major Irish city in 2050 - Futureville. What could it look like? What could daily life be like for the residents? How can science shape our future for the better?
Futureville is a midlands capital that could provide a home for a quarter of a million people. The exciting transformation of the city, built on Irish scientific research, could be applied just as easily to any other Irish town or urban centre. The series has been developed in collaboration with Taighde Éireann (Research Ireland).
Heated
Climate change is real. Big policy is needed to change our world but some people are quietly doing amazing things to make Ireland a better place. Heated tells their stories.
The series has plenty to offer during Science Week with a new season up and running on Tuesdays, sharing new stories of those who are leading the fight for climate change across Ireland.
Stream the series so far on RTÉ Player here.
10 Things to Know About
The 10th series of the show is up and running and we welcome a new presenter - Amy Hassett. She joins series regulars Kathriona Devereux, Jonathan McCrea and Fergus McAuliffe as we delve into some of Ireland’s most pressing issues and highlight the research that’s helping shape our future for the better.
In this Science Week episode of 10 Things to Know About we delve into how digital technology and AI are shaping our world. At Ardnacrusha, Ireland's nearly 100-year-old power plant, we discuss how historical technological advances could help inform today’s society about challenges and opportunities.
We discover efforts to assist and empower older adults as they navigate technology safely and confidently and reveal how a new supercomputer could be a gamechanger for Irish weather forecasting. Finally, we meet some of the children who are among the first in Europe to use exciting exoskeleton technology that will allow them to walk for the first time.
Tune in on Monday at 8.30pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.
Today
Each day the gang will be chatting the weather studio as the meteorogists let us in on the science of predicting the weather. The Win the Wheel questions will have a science flavou too!
And, Kathriona Deveraux will present LIVE from the Marino Market in Cork on the exciting 'Solaris' exhibit which is currently touring Ireland. Then the 10 Things to Know About presenter will will race into studio to hit us with some science facts!
Tune in weekdays at 3.30pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.
For all the future scientists
What's Next?
What’s Next? is the show where kids – with a little help from some influencers – compete to come up with ideas that will save the Earth.
In this series, a group of Irish kids put their minds to solving the problems of fashion, transport, waste, food and homes. Teamed up with top Irish influencers; Adam Beales, Demi Isaac Oviawe and MC Fitzpatrick, they set out to find the idea that will impress our judge Fionn Ferrieira – a genius young inventor from Cork.
The winner of each episode will go through to the grand final where they’ll compete to win the golden brainbox and get the opportunity to pitch their idea to a millionaire investor on a mission to cool the planet.
It all starts on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player Thursday 14, November at 5.30pm.
The Scavengers
Set in Ireland in the year 3,000, a Scavenger crew are the first (and only) humans to live on earth in a thousand years. Join Arrow (13) along with his sister Starla (15) and best-bud robot ARG, as they navigate the comedic chaos and unexpected dangers of life on future Earth.
Together, they brave missions from their family's secluded base on Skellig Michael, venturing out into a landscape that holds far more questions than answers.
Along the way, they uncover traces of human history and hints about the fate of their legendary grandfather, Daideo, who led the first crew to return to earth before mysteriously vanishing without a trace.
For Arrow and Starla, each mission is not only about survival but about piecing together their family's story and the future of humankind.
Tune in to RTÉ2 and stream on RTÉ Player from Monday, 11 November at 4.05pm.
Where the Wild Geese Go
Where the Wild Geese Go is a fantastic adventure and a fun project that is all about following the amazing Light-Bellied Brent Goose as it embarks on an incredible trip. Little is known about our feathered friends, and we want to find out more, so a team of scientists have been assembled to track the geese from Ireland to Canada and back again.
This project brings you inside the flock to see these amazing birds in action, and as they travel, you’ll also find out more about the different places they visit and the diverse people they meet. So, we’re calling all Goose Detectives to grab your binoculars and join us as we take off on this epic journey.
Visit rte.ie/goose to log your sightings and to find out more.
Let’s Find Out (Supported by Research Ireland)
In series three, 'Protecting Planet Earth’, Zoom is excited to leave her spaceship to see planet earth for herself. Across 20 episodes and with help from her friends, she finds out about some of the brilliant things that humans are doing to protect their planet.
With Educational Resources for the classroom at www.rte.ie/scienceweek.
RTÉjr Podcasts
The Science of Sense returns for a third season on 12th November to look at food sustainability during Science Week. We look at what we eat, why it matters and what the future holds for our table.
Our Sustainable Village is an environmental Podcast for the classroom that follows kids from six schools in Cabra, Dublin, as they work with experts to make their community greener and healthier.With classroom resources on RTÉ Learn
Highlights Online
On RTÉ Player
Check out RTÉ Player which is full of science-themed content for you to stream, including:
- Futureville Ireland
- Heated
- 10 Things to Know About
- Game Changer: AI & You
- Big Life Fix
- The End of the World with Beanz
- What Planet Are You On
- Father of the Cyborgs
- Birdsong
- Ireland's Coast
- The Island
- Future Island Live
- The Change: Ireland’s Menopause Story
- Rising Tides: Ireland’s Future in a Warmer World
- Losing Alaska
RTÉ Brainstorm
RTÉ Brainstorm will be highlighting cutting-edge research throughout Science Week including work on our body clocks, DNA in cows, 3D-printed medicines, air quality in classrooms and non-alcoholic beer.
Visit www.RTÉ.ie/brainstorm and www.rte.ie/scienceweek for a wide range of science-themed pieces.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
On RTÉ 2FM: Carl and Aifric and the Breakfast the team will support science week through the breakfast show.
news2day will bring young audiences a range of science stories across the week, including a visit to a Scifest exhibition at St. Andrew's school in Blackrock, Co. Dublin.
And keep your eyes peeled for our daily climate-themed RTÉ Weather bulletins.
Science Week on RTÉ has been produced in collaboration with Taighde Éireann (Research Ireland). For more on Science Week on RTÉ, see www.rte.ie/scienceweek.
