How to thrive in isolation

Many listeners will be staying home at the moment – following the advice of some governments around the world to slow the spread of coronavirus. The sense of confinement will be familiar to a team of scientists who spent a year living on a Hawaiian volcano. Cut off from the outside world, they were part of a Nasa sponsored experiment to investigate how humans might adapt to living on Mars.

Mauricio Hoyos Padilla spends time living and conducting research in some of the most isolated spots around the world. It’s part of his job as a marine biologist studying great white sharks – and he’s become known for high-fiving the fearsome creatures.

Producer: Harry Graham & Saskia Edwards Presenter: Rajan Datar

Picture: The scientists' base at the Mauna Loa volcano, Hawaii Credit: Neil Scheibelhut / AFT / Getty Images