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BBC Radio 4

Sliced Bread is the series that investigates the latest ad-hyped products and trending fads promising to make us healthier, happier and greener. Are they really 'the best thing since sliced bread'? Science presenter Greg Foot finds out.

Greg speaks to experts on a bunk-busting mission to test the latest consumer trends chosen by listeners. Do they live up to the hype? Or are they just marketing BS?

Greg chats to the experts, dives into the data, performs tests and crunches the numbers before putting his findings back to the listener so they can decide if it's worth spending their hard earned money on.

New episodes of Sliced Bread are released weekly on Thursdays wherever you get your podcasts. But if you're in the UK, you can listen to the latest episode on BBC Sounds first, a week earlier than anywhere else. 

If you have a suggestion for a product to investigate, you can email the team on sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk or send a WhatsApp voice note via the number 07543 306807.

Sliced Bread is produced by BBC Audio North for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Sliced Bread

Can creatine boost your body and mind?

Listener Simon has been taking the fitness supplement creatine and wants to know if the science backs up the claim that it can make you stronger and faster. He's also heard that it can help with cognitive function. To find out if creatine can boost body and mind, presenter Greg Foot is joined by Graeme Close, Professor of Physiology at Liverpool John Moores University and Fabienne Sandkuhler, postdoctoral researcher at LMU Munich.

Each episode Greg investigates the latest ad-hyped products and trending fads promising to make us healthier, happier and greener. Are they really 'the best thing since sliced bread' and should you spend your money on them?

All of our episodes start with YOUR suggestions. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or wonder product promising to make you happier, healthier or greener, email us at sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk OR send a voice note to our WhatsApp number, 07543 306807.

RESEARCHER: PHIL SANSOM
PRODUCERS: SIMON HOBAN AND GREG FOOT

Creatine

Can supersonic air travel make a comeback?

Greg Foot, host of the BBC Radio 4 show 'Sliced Bread', now brings you 'Dough'.

Each episode explores future wonder products that might rise to success and redefine our lives.

Experts and entrepreneurs discuss the trends shaping what today's everyday technology may look like tomorrow, before a leading futurist offers their predictions on what life might be like within five, ten and fifty years.

This episode examines the future of flight. 

How could new, supersonic flights not cost the earth?
Will your future taxi be a flying one without a pilot?
Could a new shape for aeroplanes make them more spacious and efficient?

Alongside Greg is the futurist, Tom Cheesewright, and expert guests Mariya Tarabanovska, an aerospace engineer and the founder of Flight Crowd, a non-profit educational organisation focused on electric aviation and Simon Davies, chief test pilot at Vertical Aerospace, a British aerospace technology company.

This episode was produced by Jay Unger.

Dough is a BBC Audio North Production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Dough - The Future of Flight

Could 'smart' clothing monitor our health?

Greg Foot, host of the BBC Radio 4 show 'Sliced Bread', now brings you 'Dough'.

Each episode explores future wonder products that might rise to success and redefine our lives.

Experts and entrepreneurs discuss the trends shaping what today's everyday technology may look like tomorrow, before a leading futurist offers their predictions on what life might be like within five, ten and fifty years.

This episode examines the future of our clothing.

How can manufacturers dye clothes without using water?
Could 'smart' fabrics monitor weather conditions and provide extra warmth or cooling when we need it?
Will our body movements, instead of bulky batteries, provide the power for clothing to monitor our health?
Will synthetic material be completely replaced by natural fibres and those made from waste products? 

Greg is joined by the futurist, Tracey Follows, and expert guests Dr Marie O'Mahony, programme leader for E-textiles and Wearable Technologies at the Winchester School of Art at the University of Southampton and Jenny Prendergast, Programme Leader for Fashion and Design Technology at Loughborough University.

This episode was produced by Jay Unger.

Dough is a BBC Audio North Production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Dough - The Future of Clothing

Could your future home be built by a robot bricklayer?

Greg Foot, host of the BBC Radio 4 show 'Sliced Bread', now brings you 'Dough'.

Each episode explores future wonder products that might rise to success and redefine our lives.

Experts and entrepreneurs discuss the trends shaping what today's everyday technology may look like tomorrow, before a leading futurist offers their predictions on what life might be like within five, ten and fifty years.

This episode examines the future of UK housebuilding.

Will new homes be cheaper to run and built to a higher standard? 
What potential do robots have to build quality homes quickly and cheaply?
Could building homes with bricks become a thing of the past? 
Might 3D printing homes with concrete be a realistic alternative?
And will factories play a bigger part in meeting the demand for new housing?

Alongside Greg is the futurist Tom Cheesewright and expert guests including Prof. Richard Fitton, Professor of Building Performance at the University of Salford and Salar al Khafaji, the CEO and founder of Monumental which builds autonomous on-site construction robots. 

Produced by Jon Douglas. Dough is a BBC Audio North Production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Dough - The Future of Housebuilding

Will delivery drones and robots make popping to the shops a thing of the past?

Greg Foot, host of the BBC Radio 4 show 'Sliced Bread', now brings you 'Dough'.

Each episode explores future wonder products that might rise to success and redefine our lives.

Experts and entrepreneurs discuss the trends shaping what today's everyday technology may look like tomorrow, before a leading futurist offers their predictions on what life might be like within five, ten and fifty years.

This episode looks at the future of home parcel delivery. 

One of the UK's biggest parcel delivery companies, Evri, explains why its trial of a robot delivery 'dog' will not spell the end for human couriers. 

A service already delivering coffee and groceries by drone in part of Dublin outlines its plans to take off in the UK.

And Greg hears how looking to the past may improve home deliveries in future by making more of our inland waterways and rail network.

Alongside Greg, delivering her expertise, is the futurist Tracey Follows and expert guests including:

-Craig Noonan, UK Director of Communications and Brand at Evri
-Alan Hicks, Chief Technology Officer at Manna Drone Delivery
-Michelle Gardner, Deputy Director of Policy at the trade association, Logistics UK

Produced by Jon Douglas. Dough is a BBC Audio North Production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Dough - The Future of Home Parcel Delivery

Will your car be driving you by 2050?

Greg Foot, host of the BBC Radio 4 show Sliced Bread, now brings you Dough.

Each episode explores future wonder products that might rise to success and redefine our lives.

Experts and entrepreneurs discuss the trends shaping what today's everyday technology may look like tomorrow, before a leading futurist offers their predictions on what life might be like within five, ten and fifty years.

The series kicks off with a look at the future of cars.

Will new battery technology transform the range and price of electric cars?
Why are fully autonomous vehicles still not yet allowed on the UK's public roads?
Which self-driving vehicles are we most likely to see first? Will we really let our cars do the driving for us anyway?
Could vehicles communicating with streetlights make journeys quicker for select motorists?

Alongside Greg in the passenger seat is the futurist Tom Cheesewright and expert guests including:

-Phil Blythe CBE - a former Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK's Department for Transport and Professor of Intelligent Transport Systems at Newcastle University
-Paul Shearing - Director of the Zero Institute at Oxford University and the Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in Emerging Battery Technologies
-Paul Newman - Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Oxa, a UK-based company developing software for self-driving vehicles

Produced by Jon Douglas. Dough is a BBC Audio North Production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Dough - The Future of Cars

Is it worth getting a Smart Doorbell?

Greg Foot pushes all the right buttons as he gathers consumer and crime experts to get answers for listener Derek, who's keen to learn more about the various features, prices and security elements in the growing market of smart doorbells. 

Each episode Greg investigates the latest ad-hyped products and trending fads promising to make us healthier, happier and greener. Are they really 'the best thing since sliced bread' and should you spend your money on them?

This episode is the last in the current series of Sliced Bread, but we're hungry for your suggestions so we can prepare another batch! If you’ve seen an ad, trend or wonder product promising to make you happier, healthier or greener, email us at sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk OR send a voice note to our WhatsApp number, 07543 306807.

RESEARCHER: PHIL SANSOM
PRODUCERS: SIMON HOBAN AND GREG FOOT

Smart Doorbells

Is expensive salt better for your health?

Greg Foot gathers the experts, dives into the data and crunches the numbers to get the answers for listener Sally.

Each episode Greg investigates the latest ad-hyped products and trending fads promising to make us healthier, happier and greener. Are they really 'the best thing since sliced bread' and should you spend your money on them?

All of our episodes start with YOUR suggestions. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or wonder product promising to make you happier, healthier or greener, email us at sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk OR send a voice note to our WhatsApp number, 07543 306807.

RESEARCHER: PHIL SANSOM
PRODUCERS: SIMON HOBAN AND GREG FOOT

Salt

Greg Foot gathers the experts, and "chips" away at the science for listener Helen.

Each episode Greg investigates the latest ad-hyped products and trending fads promising to make us healthier, happier and greener. Are they really 'the best thing since sliced bread' and should you spend your money on them?

All of our episodes start with YOUR suggestions. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or wonder product promising to make you happier, healthier or greener, email us at sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk OR send a voice note to our WhatsApp number, 07543 306807.

RESEARCHER: PHIL SANSOM
PRODUCERS: KATE HOLDSWORTH & GREG FOOT

Nail Polish and Gels

Greg Foot gathers the experts, to find out which claims "stand up" to scrutiny for listener Bede. 

Each episode Greg investigates the latest ad-hyped products and trending fads promising to make us healthier, happier and greener. Are they really 'the best thing since sliced bread' and should you spend your money on them?

All of our episodes start with YOUR suggestions. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or wonder product promising to make you happier, healthier or greener, email us at sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk OR send a voice note to our WhatsApp number, 07543 306807.

RESEARCHER: PHIL SANSOM
PRODUCERS: KATE HOLDSWORTH AND GREG FOOT

Standing Desks

Sean Farrington returns with the Radio 4 series that examines the spectacular failures of wonder products and businesses which had promised so much.

Toast is back with a special Christmas episode looking at the rise and fall of toy superstore Toys R Us on 18 December, 2023, and then returns for a new series on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds on 11 January, 2024.

Toast is back!

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