Flies play a vital role in our world. From pollination to decomposition, they are a fascinating group that often doesn't get the attention it deserves. Join host Conor O'Keeffe, scientist Dr Erica McAlister and special guest host climate justice activist Mitzi Joelle Tan for a dive into the Diptera Collection. In this episode we investigated how human activities are affecting flies around the world and what the future looks like for these under-appreciated insects. Discover Generation Hope, a free programme of inspiring workshops, panels and talks created in partnership with young people, for young people. https://www.nhm.ac.uk/events/generation-hope.html Watch season 2 of Hidden Treasures Here:    • Hidden Treasures: the behind-the-scen...   Subscribe to our channel so you don't miss out. Learn more about Mitzi's work by visiting her social channels: https://www.instagram.com/mitzijonelle/?hl=en https://twitter.com/mitzijonelle?s=20 00:00 Intro 2:09 Guess what our mystery specimen is 5:45 What's the point in flies? 6:29 Why the black soldier fly is going to help save the planet 9:19 What would happen if all the flies died out? 10:45 How the marmalade hover fly helps to control our pests 12:00 The highly venomous robber fly 12:56 What does a bee fly do? 15:00 How can we help protect insects and flies? 16:12 What is fly biodiversity like in the UK? 17:23 How green bottles flies and blue bottle flies help to save crimes 18:42 Would you eat a fly burger? 20:42 Why digitising the collections is helping countries like the Philippines 22:11 Where do you find hope in the world and what should you say to get kids to do one thing for the planet? 24:03 Is that a killer mosquito or a crane fly? 25:42 John Hammond in Jurassic Park has a crane fly on his cane and not a mosquito 26:30 Is it still good to collect flies if there's not many left? 28:00 How is climate change effecting the Philippines? 29:55 When did flies originate? 31:00 What is a bot fly? 32:50 How do you identify a fly? 35:30 What chemicals are bad for flies? ---------------- The Natural History Museum in London is home to more than 80 million objects, including meteorites, dinosaur bones and a giant squid. Our channel brings the Museum to you, from what goes on behind the scenes to surprising science and stories from our scientists. Subscribe to our channel for the latest films and live broadcasts about the natural world null Browse our shop: https://www.nhmshop.co.uk/ Website: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/ Twitter: http://twitter.com/NHM_London Facebook: http://fb.com/naturalhistorymuseum Instagram: http://instagram.com/natural_history_museum