This week the Unexpected Elements team left our windowless BBC studio and paid a visit to the CGIAR conference in Nairobi, Kenya. In this episode, we find out about the Kenyan invention that’s pulling clean, safe water from thin air, before discovering what makes Kenyan coffee taste so great. Next, we hear about the problems with burning charcoal and the ways in which briquettes could offer a cleaner, more sustainable solution. Plus, we’re joined by Joyce Maru, the regional director for Africa at the International Potato Centre. She reveals the science behind the orange-flesh sweet potato and explains how it could improve livelihoods and boost health across Africa. We then hear about the story of the two Kenyan inventors who have created a Swahili-speaking robot. Finally, our panellists go against the clock in our Kenyan Science Showdown. All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements. Presenter: Alex Lathbridge, with Christine Yohannes and Phillys Mwatee Producers: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, with Sophie Ormiston and Harrison Lewis Studio engineers: Andrew Garratt and Gayl Gordon
