The fast growth of solar power is a success story in the fight against climate change. However, in some countries progress is being stymied by opposition to large solar farms in the countryside.But enterprising people are trying to keep the solar momentum going, by finding less obvious places where we can harness energy from the sun - like lakes, farms, car parks, office windows and even outer space.Presenter: Myra AnubiReporter: William KremerSeries Producer: Tom CollsSound mix: Hal HainesEditor: Penny Murphyemail: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.ukImage: Floating solar (Credit: Ocean Sun)

The fast growth of solar power is a success story in the fight against climate change. However, in some countries progress is being stymied by opposition to large solar farms in the countryside. But enterprising people are trying to keep the solar momentum going, by finding less obvious places where we can harness energy from the sun - like lakes, farms, car parks, office windows and even outer space. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: William Kremer Series Producer: Tom Colls Sound mix: Hal Haines Editor: Penny Murphy email: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.uk Image: Floating solar (Credit: Ocean Sun)

Surprising solar

How can we stop plastic flowing into our oceans? Dutch inventors have one solution, pulling plastic from the water using a ‘net’ made from bubbles.  Also on the programme - how sound could be used to help restore coral reefs in Australia. Scientists found playing the sounds of a healthy reef under water, could attract fish back to the site. They hope to combine this with coral seeding to rebuild reefs teeming with life. And our last solution keeps with the water theme - looking at a hand-cranked washing machine that makes laundry quicker and easier for some of the poorest women in society. Presenter: Myra Anubi Producer/Reporter: Claire BatesProducer/Reporter: Richard KennySeries Producer: Tom Colls Sound Mix: Hal Haines Editor: Penny Murphy email: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.ukImage: Philip Ehrhorn (BBC)

How can we stop plastic flowing into our oceans? Dutch inventors have one solution, pulling plastic from the water using a ‘net’ made from bubbles. Also on the programme - how sound could be used to help restore coral reefs in Australia. Scientists found playing the sounds of a healthy reef under water, could attract fish back to the site. They hope to combine this with coral seeding to rebuild reefs teeming with life. And our last solution keeps with the water theme - looking at a hand-cranked washing machine that makes laundry quicker and easier for some of the poorest women in society. Presenter: Myra Anubi Producer/Reporter: Claire Bates Producer/Reporter: Richard Kenny Series Producer: Tom Colls Sound Mix: Hal Haines Editor: Penny Murphy email: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.uk Image: Philip Ehrhorn (BBC)

The bubble barrier cleaning up rivers

All across the world, invasive species are on the march. These are plants and animals that take over new areas, throwing nature out of balance. If left unchecked, they can destroy local ecosystems, drive native species to extinction - and put local livelihoods at risk.But people have been finding innovative ways to combat these invaders… like eating them!In Belize, we look at how encouraging local fisherman and restaurants to catch and serve up invasive lionfish has helped control their numbers and protect the local reefs.Meanwhile in Nashville, Tennessee, we see how one urban shepherd is deploying his flock of sheep - dubbed the ‘Nashville Chew Crew’ - to eat invasive plants and weeds across the city.Presenter: Myra AnubiReporter: Marisol AmayaProducer/Reporter: Zoe GelberSeries Producer: Tom CollsSound Mix: Hal HainesEditor: Penny Murphyemail: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.ukImage: A lionfish (Getty Images)

All across the world, invasive species are on the march. These are plants and animals that take over new areas, throwing nature out of balance. If left unchecked, they can destroy local ecosystems, drive native species to extinction - and put local livelihoods at risk. But people have been finding innovative ways to combat these invaders… like eating them! In Belize, we look at how encouraging local fisherman and restaurants to catch and serve up invasive lionfish has helped control their numbers and protect the local reefs. Meanwhile in Nashville, Tennessee, we see how one urban shepherd is deploying his flock of sheep - dubbed the ‘Nashville Chew Crew’ - to eat invasive plants and weeds across the city. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Marisol Amaya Producer/Reporter: Zoe Gelber Series Producer: Tom Colls Sound Mix: Hal Haines Editor: Penny Murphy email: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.uk Image: A lionfish (Getty Images)

Eating invasive species

In cities across Japan and the Philippines, an app called Tekkon is making data collection cool.It's a Pokemon GO-style game which pays people with cryptocurrency if they track down broken infrastructure – such as missing manhole covers and tangled electrical wires.The same technology that makes the cryptocurrency possible - blockchain - is also being used in South Africa to improve the lives of rubbish collectors.We investigate how this cutting-edge technology is attempting to solve some everyday problems.Presenter: Myra AnubiProducer / Reporter: Craig LangranReporter: Michaela PapaSeries producer: Tom CollsSound Mix: Hal HainesEditor: Penny Murphyemail: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.ukImage: Isaiah Demdam

In cities across Japan and the Philippines, an app called Tekkon is making data collection cool. It's a Pokemon GO-style game which pays people with cryptocurrency if they track down broken infrastructure – such as missing manhole covers and tangled electrical wires. The same technology that makes the cryptocurrency possible - blockchain - is also being used in South Africa to improve the lives of rubbish collectors. We investigate how this cutting-edge technology is attempting to solve some everyday problems. Presenter: Myra Anubi Producer / Reporter: Craig Langran Reporter: Michaela Papa Series producer: Tom Colls Sound Mix: Hal Haines Editor: Penny Murphy email: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.uk Image: Isaiah Demdam

The game that fixes cities

How do you care for someone properly in a hospital or care home if you don’t know who they are?With US hospitals and care homes seeing fast turnovers of staff, many clinicians don’t get the chance to learn their residents’ backstories. This can lead to patients feeling isolated and misunderstood. Meanwhile, staff miss out on valuable insights which could be incorporated into treatment plans or used to make someone’s hospital stay more comfortable.But a start-up called MemoryWell is working to fix this by hiring professional writers to create short biographies of residents that get pinned up on their walls. It’s helping staff personalise care for patients and it’s led to valuable points of connection at what can be a difficult and lonely time.Presenter: Myra AnubiReporter/producer: William KremerSeries producer: Tom CollsSound mix: Hal HainesEditor: Penny MurphyEmail: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.ukImage: Dot being interviewed for her biography.

How do you care for someone properly in a hospital or care home if you don’t know who they are? With US hospitals and care homes seeing fast turnovers of staff, many clinicians don’t get the chance to learn their residents’ backstories. This can lead to patients feeling isolated and misunderstood. Meanwhile, staff miss out on valuable insights which could be incorporated into treatment plans or used to make someone’s hospital stay more comfortable. But a start-up called MemoryWell is working to fix this by hiring professional writers to create short biographies of residents that get pinned up on their walls. It’s helping staff personalise care for patients and it’s led to valuable points of connection at what can be a difficult and lonely time. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter/producer: William Kremer Series producer: Tom Colls Sound mix: Hal Haines Editor: Penny Murphy Email: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.uk Image: Dot being interviewed for her biography.

The power of a backstory

As climate change leads to global temperature rises, cities around the world are being faced with extreme levels of heat. This can bring whole cities to a halt, disrupt key infrastructure, and for the most vulnerable in society heat can be a killer. But where there’s a problem, innovation is never far behind. We meet the people who are trying to find solutions – from urban designers finding inspiration in ancient technologies to keep cities cool, to social projects offering simple solutions to vulnerable populations. Presenter: Myra Anubi Producer/Reporter: Lizzy McNeill Series Producer: Tom Colls Sound Mix: Annie Gardiner Editor: Penny Murphy Email: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.uk Image: A hot child.

As climate change leads to global temperature rises, cities around the world are being faced with extreme levels of heat. This can bring whole cities to a halt, disrupt key infrastructure, and for the most vulnerable in society heat can be a killer. But where there’s a problem, innovation is never far behind. We meet the people who are trying to find solutions – from urban designers finding inspiration in ancient technologies to keep cities cool, to social projects offering simple solutions to vulnerable populations. Presenter: Myra Anubi Producer/Reporter: Lizzy McNeill Series Producer: Tom Colls Sound Mix: Annie Gardiner Editor: Penny Murphy Email: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.uk Image: A hot child.

Fighting the heat

A young scientist has developed a white powder which gives waste soil concrete-like properties.Gnanli Landrou grew up in Togo, helping his neighbours dry out soil to make bricks, and his big dream is to help people like them build stronger, cheaper, houses.But the European building industry is also excited about his new, low carbon building material.We talk to Gnanli about his ambitions for this extraordinary powder, and meet the Swiss architect who is about to build a luxury apartment block with it.This episode was first broadcast in May 2022.Presenter: Myra AnubiReporter: Jo MathysSeries producer: Tom CollsSound mix: Hal HainesEditor: Penny MurphyEmail: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.ukImage: Gnanli Landrou

A young scientist has developed a white powder which gives waste soil concrete-like properties. Gnanli Landrou grew up in Togo, helping his neighbours dry out soil to make bricks, and his big dream is to help people like them build stronger, cheaper, houses. But the European building industry is also excited about his new, low carbon building material. We talk to Gnanli about his ambitions for this extraordinary powder, and meet the Swiss architect who is about to build a luxury apartment block with it. This episode was first broadcast in May 2022. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Jo Mathys Series producer: Tom Colls Sound mix: Hal Haines Editor: Penny Murphy Email: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.uk Image: Gnanli Landrou

Turning mud into ‘clean’ concrete

Is it possible for palm oil plantations, wildlife and the rainforest to happily coexist?Products containing palm oil, including soaps and cosmetics, are used by billions of people worldwide. While the industry is credited with reducing poverty in countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, it has also contributed to mass deforestation.In Malaysian Borneo, only small pockets of pristine rainforest remain, with much of the land taken over by mile after mile of palm oil plantation. But on one plantation, an NGO called Hutan has joined forces with the palm oil growers to try and make them better for nature.We visit the plantation to see how they're using wildlife corridors to connect the remaining islands of forest.Presenter: Myra AnubiReporter: Craig LangranSeries producer: Tom CollsSound mix: Hal HainesEditor: Penny MurphyEmail: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.ukImage: An orangutan (Credit: Getty Images)

Is it possible for palm oil plantations, wildlife and the rainforest to happily coexist? Products containing palm oil, including soaps and cosmetics, are used by billions of people worldwide. While the industry is credited with reducing poverty in countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, it has also contributed to mass deforestation. In Malaysian Borneo, only small pockets of pristine rainforest remain, with much of the land taken over by mile after mile of palm oil plantation. But on one plantation, an NGO called Hutan has joined forces with the palm oil growers to try and make them better for nature. We visit the plantation to see how they're using wildlife corridors to connect the remaining islands of forest. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Craig Langran Series producer: Tom Colls Sound mix: Hal Haines Editor: Penny Murphy Email: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.uk Image: An orangutan (Credit: Getty Images)

Palm oil that’s better for wildlife

How can you get kids to school safely in a way that’s good for the environment and gives them some exercise too?  We find out how kids from Spain to Scotland are joining together in long convoys known as “bike buses”.  Teachers and parents accompany the joyful multitude of cyclists, which pick up children from pre-determined stops along the way. And in Kenya, we look at a different kind of transport problem. Motorcycle taxis are used all over the world, but converting them to electric has proved a challenge.  But a new kind of business in Kenya has found a neat solution. They’re hiring pre-charged batteries to the drivers so they can swap them without waiting around for a charge.Presenter: Myra AnubiReporters: Claire Bates, Yusuf JumahProducer: Zoe GelberSeries producer: Tom CollsSound Mix: Anne GardinerEditor: Penny Murphy

How can you get kids to school safely in a way that’s good for the environment and gives them some exercise too? We find out how kids from Spain to Scotland are joining together in long convoys known as “bike buses”. Teachers and parents accompany the joyful multitude of cyclists, which pick up children from pre-determined stops along the way. And in Kenya, we look at a different kind of transport problem. Motorcycle taxis are used all over the world, but converting them to electric has proved a challenge. But a new kind of business in Kenya has found a neat solution. They’re hiring pre-charged batteries to the drivers so they can swap them without waiting around for a charge. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporters: Claire Bates, Yusuf Jumah Producer: Zoe Gelber Series producer: Tom Colls Sound Mix: Anne Gardiner Editor: Penny Murphy

Catching the ‘bike bus’

US shopping malls, once a mainstay of American life, are in decline. Forty malls have closed since 2020, while more than 230 department stores have closed in the same time period, according to Green Street, a real estate analytics firm.But where there is change, there is also opportunity.After Burlington High School in Vermont had to close its doors because dangerous chemicals were found, the school hopped into a site vacated by Macy’s department store five years earlier.The children now ride the escalator to class. Elsewhere, malls have been converted into offices, casinos or large healthcare facilities. We explore the surprising second life being offered to these temples of consumerism.Presenter: Myra AnubiReporter: William KremerSeries producer: Tom CollsSound Mix: Anne GardinerEditor: Penny MurphyEmail: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.ukImage: Pupils at a school in a department store.

US shopping malls, once a mainstay of American life, are in decline. Forty malls have closed since 2020, while more than 230 department stores have closed in the same time period, according to Green Street, a real estate analytics firm. But where there is change, there is also opportunity. After Burlington High School in Vermont had to close its doors because dangerous chemicals were found, the school hopped into a site vacated by Macy’s department store five years earlier. The children now ride the escalator to class. Elsewhere, malls have been converted into offices, casinos or large healthcare facilities. We explore the surprising second life being offered to these temples of consumerism. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: William Kremer Series producer: Tom Colls Sound Mix: Anne Gardiner Editor: Penny Murphy Email: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.uk Image: Pupils at a school in a department store.

What to do with an empty mall?

Brilliant solutions to the world’s problems. We meet people with ideas to make the world a better place and investigate whether they work.

Amidst a 24/7 cycle of horrible news comes &#34;People Fixing the World.&#34; It highlights how often ordinary people around the world are responding to common problems that we can all learn from. More than merely feel-good news, the podcast analyzes the approach, challenges, and degree of success. Sometimes they have time to explore more than one approach. I love the global canvas, which is a wonderful reminder that no one country, region or culture has all the answers. The caring humanism and enthusiasm of the hosts are also appreciated. Great job, BBC World Service!

Much Needed News!

I like that this show has several different view points. Worth the listen.

Insightful

People Fixing the World

If you had a rare disease and the only drug that could help you suddenly shot up in price how would you feel? What if your health service or insurer decided it was too expensive and they wouldn’t fund it any more?  This is the problem facing some patients in the Netherlands.In order to encourage pharmaceutical companies to invest in developing drugs for rare diseases, the EU allows them to have a 10-year monopoly. The number of these drugs has risen as a result, but the way the rules are written has created a problem. Pharma companies have been able to re-register old drugs that were used for other diseases and then, with their legal monopoly, raise the price significantly. While some countries might accept the price rise, the Netherlands hasn’t, and small-scale pharmacists there are stepping in. They’re making small quantities of some of the drugs themselves and giving them to patients, at a fraction of the cost.   People Fixing the World hears from the patients, pharmacists and big pharma companies who are trying to find a way forward.Reporter: Charlotte Horn(Photo Credit: Marleen Kemper)

If you had a rare disease and the only drug that could help you suddenly shot up in price how would you feel? What if your health service or insurer decided it was too expensive and they wouldn’t fund it any more? This is the problem facing some patients in the Netherlands. In order to encourage pharmaceutical companies to invest in developing drugs for rare diseases, the EU allows them to have a 10-year monopoly. The number of these drugs has risen as a result, but the way the rules are written has created a problem. Pharma companies have been able to re-register old drugs that were used for other diseases and then, with their legal monopoly, raise the price significantly. While some countries might accept the price rise, the Netherlands hasn’t, and small-scale pharmacists there are stepping in. They’re making small quantities of some of the drugs themselves and giving them to patients, at a fraction of the cost. People Fixing the World hears from the patients, pharmacists and big pharma companies who are trying to find a way forward. Reporter: Charlotte Horn (Photo Credit: Marleen Kemper)

The pharmacists fighting high drug prices

Should we reuse and refill plastic packaging to limit the amount being thrown away?  Nick Holland looks at different ways people are trying to make this happen.  One idea is to take used containers back to the supermarkets where, in the future, giant vending machines could refill them.But the scale of the challenge is huge and getting consumers to change their shopping habits will be hard. Presenter: Tom CollsProducer and Reporter: Nick Holland(Photo Credit: BBC)

Should we reuse and refill plastic packaging to limit the amount being thrown away? Nick Holland looks at different ways people are trying to make this happen. One idea is to take used containers back to the supermarkets where, in the future, giant vending machines could refill them. But the scale of the challenge is huge and getting consumers to change their shopping habits will be hard. Presenter: Tom Colls Producer and Reporter: Nick Holland (Photo Credit: BBC)

The reuse and refill revolution

Loneliness and isolation can trigger a host of other problems, particularly for our health. But a town in Somerset, in the United Kingdom, appears to have taken a big step towards alleviating the problem. A team in Frome has implemented a handful of simple ideas – getting people to talk about the problems they face and finding ways for them to re-engage with family, friends or social clubs – and they believe it is having a dramatic effect. The cost of emergency admissions in Frome has fallen steeply, while it rises across most of the UK. We visit the town to meet the ‘connectors’ driving the project, and the people they have helped.Reporter: Sam JudahPresenter: Nick HollandPhoto caption: Susan ReddingPhoto credit: BBC

Loneliness and isolation can trigger a host of other problems, particularly for our health. But a town in Somerset, in the United Kingdom, appears to have taken a big step towards alleviating the problem. A team in Frome has implemented a handful of simple ideas – getting people to talk about the problems they face and finding ways for them to re-engage with family, friends or social clubs – and they believe it is having a dramatic effect. The cost of emergency admissions in Frome has fallen steeply, while it rises across most of the UK. We visit the town to meet the ‘connectors’ driving the project, and the people they have helped. Reporter: Sam Judah Presenter: Nick Holland Photo caption: Susan Redding Photo credit: BBC

The Town Trying to Cure Loneliness

In 1998, 42% of Iceland’s 15 and 16 year-olds reported that they had got drunk in the past 30 days. By 2016, though, this figure had fallen to just 5% and drug use and smoking had also sharply declined. The action plan that led to this dramatic success is sometimes called “the Icelandic Model” – and strikingly, it does not focus on tighter policing or awareness campaigns to warn children off bad habits. Instead, top researchers collaborate closely with communities on initiatives like parental pledges and night-time patrols after dark, while the government invests in recreational facilities. But is being a teenager in Iceland still fun?Presenter: Harriet NobleReporter: William KremerImage: Icelandic teenagers / Credit: BBC

In 1998, 42% of Iceland’s 15 and 16 year-olds reported that they had got drunk in the past 30 days. By 2016, though, this figure had fallen to just 5% and drug use and smoking had also sharply declined. The action plan that led to this dramatic success is sometimes called “the Icelandic Model” – and strikingly, it does not focus on tighter policing or awareness campaigns to warn children off bad habits. Instead, top researchers collaborate closely with communities on initiatives like parental pledges and night-time patrols after dark, while the government invests in recreational facilities. But is being a teenager in Iceland still fun? Presenter: Harriet Noble Reporter: William Kremer Image: Icelandic teenagers / Credit: BBC

How Iceland Saved Its Teenagers

Using lasers or asteroids to move our planet away from the sun may sound extreme, but a few scientists have come up with plans to do just that. The sun’s power is slowly increasing. Over the next billion years or so, the extra energy is going to boil off the oceans and make the earth inhospitable. Given the timescales involved, you might think this is someone else’s problem. But such is the human enthusiasm for problem-solving, potential solutions have been found - from shooting asteroids past the Earth to creating a gigantic solar sail. We meet the scientists who are trying to figure out how to save the planet from the sun.Presenter: Kat HawkinsReporter: Tom CollsImage: The Earth in space. Credit: Getty Images

Using lasers or asteroids to move our planet away from the sun may sound extreme, but a few scientists have come up with plans to do just that. The sun’s power is slowly increasing. Over the next billion years or so, the extra energy is going to boil off the oceans and make the earth inhospitable. Given the timescales involved, you might think this is someone else’s problem. But such is the human enthusiasm for problem-solving, potential solutions have been found - from shooting asteroids past the Earth to creating a gigantic solar sail. We meet the scientists who are trying to figure out how to save the planet from the sun. Presenter: Kat Hawkins Reporter: Tom Colls Image: The Earth in space. Credit: Getty Images

How to move the Earth

Imagine a grocery shop selling all your basic goods at a discounted price… and if you buy enough you also get free health insurance. It might seem too good to be true, but stores like this have been introduced at some factories in Dhaka, Bangladesh.  Social entrepreneur Saif Rashid is trying to get better health care to some of the millions of garment factory workers who are on low wages.  For them, to lose a day’s pay by taking time off sick can be disastrous and affording decent health care is almost impossible. Now, with this scheme, they can get health insurance at the same time as getting discounts on their shopping. We find out how it’s changed some workers’ lives and why some people don’t take up the opportunity.Reporter: Chhavi SachdevProducer: Tom Colls(Photo Credit: BBC)

Imagine a grocery shop selling all your basic goods at a discounted price… and if you buy enough you also get free health insurance. It might seem too good to be true, but stores like this have been introduced at some factories in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Social entrepreneur Saif Rashid is trying to get better health care to some of the millions of garment factory workers who are on low wages. For them, to lose a day’s pay by taking time off sick can be disastrous and affording decent health care is almost impossible. Now, with this scheme, they can get health insurance at the same time as getting discounts on their shopping. We find out how it’s changed some workers’ lives and why some people don’t take up the opportunity. Reporter: Chhavi Sachdev Producer: Tom Colls (Photo Credit: BBC)

Shopping for a better life

You’re standing on a stage, blinded by a spotlight trained on your face, knees weak, hands sweaty.  Someone from the audience calls out a random word and you have to immediately react and come up with an amusing sketch or skit. This is improv, the unscripted theatre form that seems like it would cause rather than cure anxiety.  But across North America people with the mental health condition are signing up for special “Improv for Anxiety” courses where the techniques and practices of the stage art are used to boost confidence.   Producer: Harriet NoblePresenter: Tom CollsPhoto Credit: BBC

You’re standing on a stage, blinded by a spotlight trained on your face, knees weak, hands sweaty. Someone from the audience calls out a random word and you have to immediately react and come up with an amusing sketch or skit. This is improv, the unscripted theatre form that seems like it would cause rather than cure anxiety. But across North America people with the mental health condition are signing up for special “Improv for Anxiety” courses where the techniques and practices of the stage art are used to boost confidence. Producer: Harriet Noble Presenter: Tom Colls Photo Credit: BBC

Improvising Your Way Out of Anxiety

Providing food for seven billion people is fraught with difficulty. Fertilising vast tracts of land and flying fresh vegetables across the globe comes at a huge environmental cost. But more and more people are turning to hydroponics - growing plants in water, without any soil. The idea itself is hundreds of years old, but new twists on the old technique are now shaping the future of food. We investigate some of the most innovative hydroponics projects, from the refugees growing barley for their goats in the Algerian desert to the underground farm built in an abandoned London bomb shelter. But how efficient can the process become? Can hydroponics begin to offer a serious alternative to conventional farming?Producer: Sam JudahPresenter: Harriet NoblePhoto credit: Shutterstock

Providing food for seven billion people is fraught with difficulty. Fertilising vast tracts of land and flying fresh vegetables across the globe comes at a huge environmental cost. But more and more people are turning to hydroponics - growing plants in water, without any soil. The idea itself is hundreds of years old, but new twists on the old technique are now shaping the future of food. We investigate some of the most innovative hydroponics projects, from the refugees growing barley for their goats in the Algerian desert to the underground farm built in an abandoned London bomb shelter. But how efficient can the process become? Can hydroponics begin to offer a serious alternative to conventional farming? Producer: Sam Judah Presenter: Harriet Noble Photo credit: Shutterstock

The Hydroponics Revolution

People can’t resist a prize, especially when there’s money to go with a medal, and for hundreds of years that basic human urge has been used to push humanity forward. When you focus minds and money towards a simple target, incredible things can happen - from the clock that won the Longitude prize money in the 1700s to the spacecraft that won the XPRIZE in 2004. Are there any problems that a big enough prize cannot solve?Producer &amp; Reporter: William KremerPhoto Caption: Pilot Mike Melvill standing on Space Ship One, which went on to win the Ansari XPRIZEPhoto Credit: Getty ImagesThis programme uses a sound effect created by Freesound user bone666138Correction: Since our interview with Marcus Shingles was recorded, he has stepped down as CEO of XPrize

People can’t resist a prize, especially when there’s money to go with a medal, and for hundreds of years that basic human urge has been used to push humanity forward. When you focus minds and money towards a simple target, incredible things can happen - from the clock that won the Longitude prize money in the 1700s to the spacecraft that won the XPRIZE in 2004. Are there any problems that a big enough prize cannot solve? Producer &amp; Reporter: William Kremer Photo Caption: Pilot Mike Melvill standing on Space Ship One, which went on to win the Ansari XPRIZE Photo Credit: Getty Images This programme uses a sound effect created by Freesound user bone666138 Correction: Since our interview with Marcus Shingles was recorded, he has stepped down as CEO of XPrize

Problem-Solving Prizes

The city of Vaasa in western Finland has built a reputation as a centre of innovation, where energy companies are working together to try to find solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems. Here, there’s a quiet conviction that climate change can be stopped and a belief that technology emerging from this area will help us make the shift to renewable forms of energy.   We meet the people behind a giant engine that can run on a variety of non-fossil fuels, hear about a portable plant that turns waste into energy and speak to scientists developing man-made fuels to replace oil and gas. We also check out a company creating a new type of battery which it hopes will one day be able to store enough power to meet the needs of a whole city. Reporter and producer: Erika Benke (Photo credit: BBC)

The city of Vaasa in western Finland has built a reputation as a centre of innovation, where energy companies are working together to try to find solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems. Here, there’s a quiet conviction that climate change can be stopped and a belief that technology emerging from this area will help us make the shift to renewable forms of energy. We meet the people behind a giant engine that can run on a variety of non-fossil fuels, hear about a portable plant that turns waste into energy and speak to scientists developing man-made fuels to replace oil and gas. We also check out a company creating a new type of battery which it hopes will one day be able to store enough power to meet the needs of a whole city. Reporter and producer: Erika Benke (Photo credit: BBC)

The town rethinking the future of energy

Period poverty affects girls and women across the world who can’t afford to buy sanitary pads or tampons each month. So what are the alternatives? We look at two very different solutions. In a refugee camp in Jordan, we follow one woman as she tries to get a sanitary pad micro-factory off the ground. While in Malawi, they’re handing out menstrual cups to teenagers - which last for 10 years and don’t produce any waste.  Presenter: Vibeke VenemaProducer: Tom Colls(Photo Caption: A menstrual cup / Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Period poverty affects girls and women across the world who can’t afford to buy sanitary pads or tampons each month. So what are the alternatives? We look at two very different solutions. In a refugee camp in Jordan, we follow one woman as she tries to get a sanitary pad micro-factory off the ground. While in Malawi, they’re handing out menstrual cups to teenagers - which last for 10 years and don’t produce any waste. Presenter: Vibeke Venema Producer: Tom Colls (Photo Caption: A menstrual cup / Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Could a device invented in the 1930s help end period poverty?

Bananas are one of the most popular fruits on the planet - more than 100 million tonnes of them are eaten every year. But on banana plantations on four continents, a deadly fungus is creeping through the soil and destroying the plants. Some say the end is nigh for the banana. But from Australia to Colombia and from the Philippines to the Netherlands, work is going on to stop that happening. We meet the farmers, scientists and gene technologists trying to find a way to save the fruit.Reporter:  Daniel Gordon (Photo Credit: BBC)

Bananas are one of the most popular fruits on the planet - more than 100 million tonnes of them are eaten every year. But on banana plantations on four continents, a deadly fungus is creeping through the soil and destroying the plants. Some say the end is nigh for the banana. But from Australia to Colombia and from the Philippines to the Netherlands, work is going on to stop that happening. We meet the farmers, scientists and gene technologists trying to find a way to save the fruit. Reporter: Daniel Gordon (Photo Credit: BBC)

How to save the banana

Every year, it’s estimated that nearly 400 million people around the world are infected with dengue fever, a potentially fatal illness that’s passed on by mosquitoes. No vaccine is effective at preventing people catching the disease, but what if the mosquitoes themselves were treated to stop them spreading it?In one city that is severely affected – Medellin in Colombia — an ambitious project is underway to swap wild mosquitoes for a variety that is identical in every way, but with one crucial difference.  These mosquitoes have been bred from specimens injected with bacteria that make it impossible to transmit not just dengue, but also the Zika and chikungunya viruses, and Yellow Fever.Buoyed by successful projects in Australia, the World Mosquito Program is releasing millions of newly-minted mosquitoes across Medellin, in the hope that they will replace the wild population. And to reassure the public, schoolchildren are being taught to love mosquitoes, and even to breed them — a message that contradicts what they’ve been brought up to believe.Presenter: Tom CollsReporter / Producer: William Kremer(Photo Caption: The Aedes Aegyptii Mosquito / Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Every year, it’s estimated that nearly 400 million people around the world are infected with dengue fever, a potentially fatal illness that’s passed on by mosquitoes. No vaccine is effective at preventing people catching the disease, but what if the mosquitoes themselves were treated to stop them spreading it? In one city that is severely affected – Medellin in Colombia — an ambitious project is underway to swap wild mosquitoes for a variety that is identical in every way, but with one crucial difference. These mosquitoes have been bred from specimens injected with bacteria that make it impossible to transmit not just dengue, but also the Zika and chikungunya viruses, and Yellow Fever. Buoyed by successful projects in Australia, the World Mosquito Program is releasing millions of newly-minted mosquitoes across Medellin, in the hope that they will replace the wild population. And to reassure the public, schoolchildren are being taught to love mosquitoes, and even to breed them — a message that contradicts what they’ve been brought up to believe. Presenter: Tom Colls Reporter / Producer: William Kremer (Photo Caption: The Aedes Aegyptii Mosquito / Photo Credit: Getty Images)

The great mosquito swap

The average dog produces about 124kg of poo every year, but not all of that gets picked up and disposed of properly. So people living in many residential blocks in the US have had their dogs’ DNA registered on a database, in an attempt to tackle problem poo. If they don’t pick up after their dog, a sample of what’s left behind is sent off to a lab so the perpetrator can be identified. The company behind the tests says it works well in private, gated communities but what about public parks and pavements?  Could other solutions, such as offering rewards for picking up poo, or posting dog mess backs to the owners, work in the long term? And we hear how Ontario in Canada is collecting dog poo to turn it into energy.  Presenter: Kat HawkinsReporters: Ros Tamblyn and Claire Bates(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

The average dog produces about 124kg of poo every year, but not all of that gets picked up and disposed of properly. So people living in many residential blocks in the US have had their dogs’ DNA registered on a database, in an attempt to tackle problem poo. If they don’t pick up after their dog, a sample of what’s left behind is sent off to a lab so the perpetrator can be identified. The company behind the tests says it works well in private, gated communities but what about public parks and pavements? Could other solutions, such as offering rewards for picking up poo, or posting dog mess backs to the owners, work in the long term? And we hear how Ontario in Canada is collecting dog poo to turn it into energy. Presenter: Kat Hawkins Reporters: Ros Tamblyn and Claire Bates (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

DNA tests for dogs to tackle problem poo

Could bilingual schools help bring peace to a seemingly intractable conflict? In Israel, the school you’ll go to is largely decided before you’re even born – by whether you come from a Jewish or Arab family. Communities learn separately and live separately and that, many argue, cements the hostility and misunderstanding of generations. So is the solution to bring them side-by-side? Hand in Hand is a network of integrated schools across Israel where Jewish and Arab students are taught together in Hebrew and Arabic. As part of the BBC’s Crossing Divides season, World Hacks visits one of the schools to see how well this model works and whether it really has a lasting impact. Producer: Harriet NoblePicture Credit: BBC

Could bilingual schools help bring peace to a seemingly intractable conflict? In Israel, the school you’ll go to is largely decided before you’re even born – by whether you come from a Jewish or Arab family. Communities learn separately and live separately and that, many argue, cements the hostility and misunderstanding of generations. So is the solution to bring them side-by-side? Hand in Hand is a network of integrated schools across Israel where Jewish and Arab students are taught together in Hebrew and Arabic. As part of the BBC’s Crossing Divides season, World Hacks visits one of the schools to see how well this model works and whether it really has a lasting impact. Producer: Harriet Noble Picture Credit: BBC

The Schools Trying to Build Bridges

Billions of tonnes of goods are moved by lorry every year – everything from food and clothes to building materials, electronic gadgets and toys.   Most heavy-duty vehicles run on diesel and they account for a quarter of the EU’s CO2 emissions from road transport. But making eco-friendly lorries and trucks is challenging. Big vehicles need big batteries, which currently take too long to charge and take up too much room.  So Germany is trying out a few alternatives. The eHighway system enables lorries to connect to overhead electricity cables, just like trams and trains. And while lorries are connected, smaller on-board batteries could be charged up too to power the final leg of a journey.  The country is also investing in another technology: hydrogen. Fuel cells convert the gas into electricity and the only emissions from these vehicles are water vapour and warm air. Seventy-five hydrogen fuel pumps have already opened across the country. Reporter: William Kremer

Billions of tonnes of goods are moved by lorry every year – everything from food and clothes to building materials, electronic gadgets and toys. Most heavy-duty vehicles run on diesel and they account for a quarter of the EU’s CO2 emissions from road transport. But making eco-friendly lorries and trucks is challenging. Big vehicles need big batteries, which currently take too long to charge and take up too much room. So Germany is trying out a few alternatives. The eHighway system enables lorries to connect to overhead electricity cables, just like trams and trains. And while lorries are connected, smaller on-board batteries could be charged up too to power the final leg of a journey. The country is also investing in another technology: hydrogen. Fuel cells convert the gas into electricity and the only emissions from these vehicles are water vapour and warm air. Seventy-five hydrogen fuel pumps have already opened across the country. Reporter: William Kremer

The future of freight

Your chances of surviving a cardiac arrest while out on the high street are slim. It's estimated survival rates decrease by ten percent for every minute you don't get medical help. The nearest ambulance may be on its way but could take several minutes to arrive. But what if an off-duty paramedic was just around the corner and could help out? BBC World Hacks looks at a new alert system that informs people with first aid training when they're in the vicinity of a medical emergency.  Nick Holland investigates whether it works work and what difference it could make to survival rates?Image: The app that shows people with first aid training the location of a cardiac arrest / Credit: BBC

Your chances of surviving a cardiac arrest while out on the high street are slim. It's estimated survival rates decrease by ten percent for every minute you don't get medical help. The nearest ambulance may be on its way but could take several minutes to arrive. But what if an off-duty paramedic was just around the corner and could help out? BBC World Hacks looks at a new alert system that informs people with first aid training when they're in the vicinity of a medical emergency. Nick Holland investigates whether it works work and what difference it could make to survival rates? Image: The app that shows people with first aid training the location of a cardiac arrest / Credit: BBC

Smartphone-Activated First Aiders

Up to 90% of the world’s coral could be dead by 2050, according to some estimates, unless we take radical action.Tackling climate change remains the central battle, but around the world scientists are working on projects that may give coral a greater chance of survival, or at least buy it some time.The World Hacks team investigates ‘super coral’ in Hawaii, an innovative insurance policy in Cancun, Mexico and a highly controversial plan to geo-engineer clouds above the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.Can any of these schemes transform the fortune of this endangered ecosystem? Presenter: Sofia BettizaReporter: Sam Judah

Up to 90% of the world’s coral could be dead by 2050, according to some estimates, unless we take radical action. Tackling climate change remains the central battle, but around the world scientists are working on projects that may give coral a greater chance of survival, or at least buy it some time. The World Hacks team investigates ‘super coral’ in Hawaii, an innovative insurance policy in Cancun, Mexico and a highly controversial plan to geo-engineer clouds above the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Can any of these schemes transform the fortune of this endangered ecosystem? Presenter: Sofia Bettiza Reporter: Sam Judah

Can We Save Coral?

By its very nature, volunteering means you don’t get paid. But what if there was a way to compensate volunteers that also helped the local economy? The northern English city of Hull is trying an experiment with a new, local cryptocurrency called HullCoin - the first of its kind in the world. It’s a sort of community loyalty scheme, that can only be earned by doing ‘good deeds’ and can only be redeemed in local businesses. But can it really improve the economic resilience of struggling industrial cities? World Hacks has been to Hull to find out.Presenter: Dougal ShawReporter: Elizabeth DaviesPhoto Credit: BBC

By its very nature, volunteering means you don’t get paid. But what if there was a way to compensate volunteers that also helped the local economy? The northern English city of Hull is trying an experiment with a new, local cryptocurrency called HullCoin - the first of its kind in the world. It’s a sort of community loyalty scheme, that can only be earned by doing ‘good deeds’ and can only be redeemed in local businesses. But can it really improve the economic resilience of struggling industrial cities? World Hacks has been to Hull to find out. Presenter: Dougal Shaw Reporter: Elizabeth Davies Photo Credit: BBC

The Currency Based on Good Deeds

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