BBC Scotland Features

The humble 19th Century Scot who inspired Albert Einstein

James Clerk Maxwell remains largely unknown in his native land.
Living with Crohn’s disease: surely no laughing matter ...or is it?

Graeme has battled the inflammatory bowel condition since his early twenties.
The moment actress Rose McGowan realised she wasn’t prepared to put up with Hollywood’s sexism any longer

How one tweet turned her into a global phenomenon in the #MeToo movement.
The plastic bag you can drink? Rather you than us, Dr George!

Made from the cassava plant, this bag breaks down in warm water in a just a few minutes.
Breaking new ground: how Carole Baxter became the UK’s first female gardening presenter on The Beechgrove Garden

‘You’ve got to be joking; I’m a female!’ — Carole, when first asked to present.
The musical project that changed the lives of council estate children — and how it’s creating Proms stars of the future

Stirling’s Raploch housing scheme is home to talented young musicians.
“I wouldn’t want to be not autistic” — how directing films with Asperger’s Syndrome helps Jessica develop their unique voice

The young filmmaker who refuses to let their conditions stand in the way of their dream.
2018 BBC New Comedy Award winner Stephen Buchanan — the sketches that helped set him on his way to stand-up stardom

Stephen’s sketches for BBC Scotland showcased his undoubted talent.
‘Posh Scottish people are really English’ — why Kelly Macdonald is not alone in judging people by their accents

Our accents reveal a lot about us, and allow others to make judgements.
Fixy the Fox: I’m a full-time Furry

‘I love meeting new people – it’s just brilliant to be a part of.”
Why this prison chapel’s weekly makeover is so important

Each week, HMP Edinburgh’s Christian chapel transforms into a musalla for Friday prayers.
Hiding the real you: is masking a disability just another of online dating’s little white lies or a failure of today’s ‘swipe right’ culture?

‘Online dating is tough for anyone, but with a disability too it can be really difficult.’
Is something fishy going on? 5 times rare wildlife and unusual behaviour were spotted around Scotland’s shores this summer

You may never set foot in the water again...
‘Now I actually have friends!’ — how the world’s largest collection of centuries-old Pictish cave carvings changed one woman’s life

Kirsty went to visit the caves ‘and they’ve never been able to get rid of me since!’
‘A lot of people are frightened of seeing somebody dead; I find it quite peaceful’ — Kelly the embalmer on her rather unusual job

Working with dead bodies every day isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
Proms 2018: ‘Don’t do it unless you have to!’ — the advice of composer Thea Musgrave for anyone seeking a career in music

The 90-year-old Edinburgh-born composer shows no signs of slowing down.
5 ways some brand new millionaires spent their lottery winnings — and how you can (maybe) scoop a jackpot for yourself

What might Fred and Lesley do with their recent windfall?
A stone’s throw from the ashes of Glasgow School of Art: another Charles Rennie Mackintosh landmark, brought back to life

The refurbishment of Glasgow’s Willow Tea Rooms by some incredibly skilled craftspeople.
The men who predicted the arrival of Aids in the UK — and prepared for the worst before even knowing the virus’s name

Derek Ogg QC was compelled to act after learning of a new disease affecting gay men.
‘Not speaking until I was 6 years old helped me become an artist’

Bronwyn – aka Planet B – used art to help her through a childhood disability.
Incredible daredevil street bike stunts – seen ’em all before? Well, what about the one where the rider tidies up litter afterwards?

Trials bike rider Duncan Shaw keeps the streets clean for everyone.
Can 3 friends survive for 24 hours on a deserted Scottish island?

How did the trio get by on an island with just a stove, radio and sleeping bags?
Namastay in bed! Try some mattress yoga to ease yourself into a better day ...or to fall back asleep — either’s good

Some stretching under (or over) the duvet can be a great way to start your day.
Cher* declares that Down’s syndrome won’t hold you back in life so long as you’re ‘Strong Enough’ and ‘Believe’ in yourself

Glasgow hosted the 2018 World Down’s Syndrome Congress.
Why the ‘completely different universe’ of the Isle of Lewis attracts the world’s best surfers to its ‘exotic’ coastline

Kepa Acero has surfed all over the world, but says Lewis is one of the best locations.
How transplanting someone else’s poo into her gut helped a struggling world champion triathlete get her life back on track

Lesley Paterson had a Fecal Microbial Transplant to treat her Lyme Disease.
Mukbang goes McBang: can you palette this Scottish attempt at the South Korean phenomenon of filming yourself eating?

You can make a healthy(ish) living in South Korea by filming yourself eating.
Quiz time! How well do you know your Pride flags?

Learn about some of the many flags you’ll see at Pride and what they represent.
Golf is supposed to be a sport for everyone — so why, in the professional game, do women still struggle for equality?

Its history of racial and gender discrimination — and those who overcame both.
The Pride of Glasgow — a city historically intolerant to gay lifestyles now celebrates its fabulous LGBTQ+ community

How a city has changed its perceptions of the community for the better.
‘Be safe’ — an evocative combination of poetry and animation created to challenge the everyday ‘women-villifying’ expression

Poet Eleanor Capaldi and animator Holly Summerson combined their considerable talents.
The remote Scottish island where having 7 jobs is considered normal — and how moving there saved one young woman’s life

Sarah Moore moved to North Ronaldsay and became the person she “was always meant to be”.
“It’s the content of what I say that’s important, not the delivery” – the stutter sufferer turned his life around with a bold career move

Adam Black doesn’t hide his stutter anymore.
When Donald Trump met Miss Scotland — and offered her a job

Something – or someone – about his 2012 visit really caught his attention.
Should Scotland cheer on England at the World Cup?

Do Scottish people want football to come home?
3 top tips on how to go ‘zero waste’ during festival season

Kate Chambers shares her suggestions on how to minimise your waste at festivals.
Nothing but net: the Syrian girl learning to play basketball and make friends — all funded from the seized proceeds of crime

She fled her homeland and is getting a new start, thanks to a government scheme.
‘Making video games isn’t just for boys’ — a 7-year-old girl investigates gender imbalance in the gaming industry

Eva met with Melissa Knox to talk about the issue of how few women make video games.
The Bay City Rollers — Scotlandʼs first and biggest boy band

The boys from Edinburgh became a global phenomenon.
A year ago, visually impaired Sam met her new guide dog Ziggy — and that’s when the hard work really began

Sam and Ziggy have experienced highs and lows since they began working together.
Prize-winning, rapping author Loki: talking openly about poverty and addiction ‘gave my life currency’ (and fans like J.K. Rowling!)

Darren McGarvey – aka Loki the Rapper – on the varied approach he takes to his career.
‘Disagreeing well’ — the lesson in civility other politicians could learn from Kezia Dugdale’s ‘Romeo & Juliet’ romance

The former Scottish Labour leader believes in “a lovely lesson for the whole country”.
‘How to become an adventurer’ 🔍 — the search engine query that turned into a dream job teaching whitewater rafting

Johannes Tulin is a whitewater rafting instructor living in Scotland
Why the viral hit of railway revellers dancing on a Dundee train platform might NOT be what we all thought...

Was this ceilidh at a Dundee train station impromptu or a posh perk?
The haven for children in a high-rise area of deprivation — and the inspiring head teacher who helped make it happen

Julie Carey is a childcare champion.
Everything you know about dealing with angry people is wrong

A former hostage negotiator reveals how to deal with someone else’s anger.
An unexpected saviour for shrinking bee populations? The school lunch club inspiring a new generation of beekeepers

Annan Academy’s Bee Club is proving popular with students.
The man behind England’s first World Cup anthem proves that some Scots are able to support the ‘auld enemy’ at the World Cup

Glasgow-born Lonnie Donegan sang ‘World Cup Willie’ for England’s 1966 campaign.

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