Instant Genius

Every several years, the surface temperatures of the Pacific Ocean rise, triggering a climate event that has a domino effect on weather patterns across the globe. This is known as El Niño – and this year, meteorologists predict we’re in for a big one. But how exactly do these events occur, how big an effect is climate change having on their frequency and impact, and what can we expect to see in the future? In this episode, we’re joined by Prof Adam Scaife, head of long-range prediction at the Met Office in the UK. He tells us how El Niño events arise in the Pacific Ocean and spread across the globe, how they’ve been occurring cyclically for thousands of years, and why the event this year is forecasted to be the most extreme in decades. Take your curiosity further with a subscription to BBC Science Focus magazine. Every issue is packed with fascinating insights into the science behind everyday life, the latest breakthroughs and expert analysis, delivered straight to your door. Receive an extra £5 when you subscribe using the code SF5OFF, (minimum spend £20, see full terms and conditions on our website). https://www.ourmediashop.com/bbc-science-focus-magazine-pod30 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Though we’re often not aware of it, the ground beneath our feet is teeming with an abundance of life and activity – from the complex networks of fungi and tangled roots put down deep into the Earth by the plants that live on its surface to the staggering variety of organisms that make their homes in the damp and darkness of the soil. This vast, fascinating ecosystem is vital for the health of the planet but remains largely unstudied. In this episode we’re joined by Dr Frank Ashwood, a lecturer in ecology and entomology at Lincoln University, New Zealand, to talk about his latest book, The World Beneath Our Feet – The Hidden Life of Soil and Why it Matters to us All. He tells us how more than half of the planet’s biodiversity is found living within soil, how the animals that live underground have inspired innovations in medicine and technology and how we may be able to use our knowledge of soil biology on Earth to help us in our quest to establish colonies on other planets. Take your curiosity further with a subscription to BBC Science Focus magazine. Every issue is packed with fascinating insights into the science behind everyday life, the latest breakthroughs and expert analysis, delivered straight to your door. Receive an extra £5 when you subscribe using the code SF5OFF, (minimum spend £20, see full terms and conditions on our website).  https://www.ourmediashop.com/bbc-science-focus-magazine-pod30 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s widely documented that during the time of the Third Reich, the Nazi Party employed a legion of scientists to aid them in their goals of military superiority and ethnic cleansing – particularly in their pursuit of eugenics and development of cruel nerve agents and chemical weapons. It’s far less known that Heinrich Himmler, one of the primary architects of the Holocaust, considered himself to be a talented scientist and harboured a long-held, and frequently bizarre, fascination with quackery and alternative medicine. In this episode, we’re joined by physician, researcher, and author Edzard Ernst to talk about his latest book, The Leopard Lily Project – A Story of Nazi Pseudoscience. He recounts the story of a sinister plot to sterilise large swathes of the population using a herbal folk remedy, how this project arose from the wider ideology of the Nazi Party, and explains why, ultimately, the whole enterprise was doomed to failure from its inception. Take your curiosity further with a subscription to BBC Science Focus magazine. Every issue is packed with fascinating insights into the science behind everyday life, the latest breakthroughs and expert analysis, delivered straight to your door. Receive an extra £5 when you subscribe using the code SF5OFF, (minimum spend £20, see full terms and conditions on our website). https://www.ourmediashop.com/bbc-science-focus-magazine-pod30 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oftentimes in popular culture we’ll hear the term narcissist used to describe a person who has an inflated opinion of themselves, a big ego or someone who tends to overestimate their own abilities. However, in psychology, narcissistic personality disorder is defined as a diagnosable mental health condition that can cause just as many issues for those living with it as it does for those around them. In this episode we’re joined by neuroscientist and best-selling author Dr Dean Burnett, to talk about many of the misunderstandings that surround narcissistic personality disorder. He explains some of potential triggers that can lead to the development of this complex condition, why it’s innately incredibly difficult to diagnose, and how, paradoxically, many narcissists can suffer from profound feelings of self-loathing. Take your curiosity further with a subscription to BBC Science Focus magazine. Every issue is packed with fascinating insights into the science behind everyday life, the latest breakthroughs and expert analysis, delivered straight to your door. Receive an extra £5 when you subscribe using the code SF5OFF, (minimum spend £20, see full terms and conditions on our website). https://www.ourmediashop.com/bbc-science-focus-magazine-pod30 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Parkinson’s disease currently affects more than 160,000 people in the UK. It’s a complex, progressive condition that typically develops slowly over many years and causes issues with movement, balance, and quality of life, and currently has no known cure. In this episode, we’re joined by Prof David Dexter, director of research at Parkinson’s UK, to talk about the latest exciting developments in our knowledge of the disease’s progression and look forward to some cutting-edge treatments that may be available in the near future. He tells us how the different types of Parkinson’s disease affect the brain, talks us through the latest thinking on some potential causes of the condition, and shares some of the latest breakthroughs coming out of Parkinson’s labs around the world. Take your curiosity further with a subscription to BBC Science Focus magazine. Every issue is packed with fascinating insights into the science behind everyday life, the latest breakthroughs and expert analysis, delivered straight to your door. Receive an extra £5 when you subscribe using the code SF5OFF, (minimum spend £20, see full terms and conditions on our website). https://www.ourmediashop.com/bbc-science-focus-magazine-pod30 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For a large proportion of our lives, our brains seemingly work on autopilot – the many processes the brain controls hum away behind the scenes, helping us to carry out our daily tasks. But in certain scenarios, our attention takes over, giving more conscious control of our actions. These processes, such as memory, planning and our emotional responses to the situations we find ourselves in, are known as executive functions. But how exactly do they work and is there anything we can do to train them to perform more effectively? In this episode we’re joined by the neuroscientist and author Dr Adrian Owen, to talk about his latest book, Think Before You Think – Understanding Your Brain’s Mission Control. He shares his insights into how our brains operate when we’re confronted by different situations, points out some of the pitfalls built into the way we observe and respond to the world, and explains how we can all benefit from paying more attention to why we think and act in the way we do. Take your curiosity further with a subscription to BBC Science Focus magazine. Every issue is packed with fascinating insights into the science behind everyday life, the latest breakthroughs and expert analysis, delivered straight to your door. Plus, save an extra £5 when you subscribe using the code SF5OFF, (minimum spend £20, see full terms and conditions on our website). https://www.ourmediashop.com/bbc-science-focus-magazine-pod30 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What does it mean to be a living organism? What are the driving forces that motivate our thoughts and actions? Are we all simply acting the way we do thanks to the instructions built into our genes and our automatic responses to the environments we live in? In this episode we’re joined by researcher, broadcaster and author Melanie Challenger to talk about her latest book, Alive: The Hidden Intelligence of the Living World. She talks us through her ideas about how intelligence emerges from living organisms, explores the connection between the bodies and mind, and investigates the possibility of AI developing genuine intelligence. Take your curiosity further with a subscription to BBC Science Focus magazine. Every issue is packed with fascinating insights into the science behind everyday life, the latest breakthroughs and expert analysis, delivered straight to your door. Plus, save an extra £5 when you subscribe using the code SF5OFF, (minimum spend £20, see full terms and conditions on our website). https://www.ourmediashop.com/bbc-science-focus-magazine-pod30 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species in the mid-nineteenth century, his theory of evolution by natural selection turned many of the scientific ideas of the day on their heads. The influence of the book was so profound that scientists are still studying its many implications to this day. And it turns out that, if we look closely enough, we find that investigating queerness in nature frequently played a central role in Darwin’s research and thinking. In this episode, we’re joined by historian and author Dr Ross Brooks to talk about his latest book, Darwin and the Queer Origins of Life – A History of Sex and Science. He shares some of the fascinating discoveries he made from poring over the many notebooks kept by Darwin, tells us how Darwin himself frequently proclaimed that all men and women are hermaphrodites, and makes a passionate case for the need for more queer perspectives and inclusivity in science. Take your curiosity further with a subscription to BBC Science Focus magazine. Every issue is packed with fascinating insights into the science behind everyday life, the latest breakthroughs and expert analysis, delivered straight to your door. Plus, save an extra £5 when you subscribe using the code SF5OFF, (minimum spend £20, see full terms and conditions on our website). https://www.ourmediashop.com/bbc-science-focus-magazine-pod30 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Currently there are around one million people in the UK living with dementia. Despite significant advances in our understanding of the disease over the past several decades an effective cure is yet to be found. However, recent breakthroughs made by researchers around the world are showing great promise in the treatment of this devasting condition. In this episode, we’re joined by Prof Selina Wray, a neuroscientist and researcher based at University College London, to talk about the latest developments in the fight against dementia. She explains exactly what’s happening in our brains as dementia progresses, tells us about her own groundbreaking research on using stem cells to study the disease, and talks us through some of the many exciting developments that are showing great promise in our search for more effective treatments. Take your curiosity further with a subscription to BBC Science Focus magazine. Every issue is packed with fascinating insights into the science behind everyday life, the latest breakthroughs and expert analysis, delivered straight to your door. Plus, save an extra £5 when you subscribe using the code SF5OFF, (minimum spend £20, see full terms and conditions on our website). https://www.ourmediashop.com/bbc-science-focus-magazine-pod30 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Way back in 1976, NASA’s Viking landers touched down on Mars to search for potential signs of microbial life that could currently exist on the planet’s surface. Despite the mission making a number of promising discoveries, so far, no further landers have returned to the surface of the Red Planet with the aim of repeating these fascinating experiments. As such, many questions still remain as to what organisms, if any, could potentially be living within the Martian soil. In this episode, we’re joined by astrobiochemist and author Steven A. Benner to talk about his latest book, Meet the Neighbours – Life on Mars and How to Find it. He talks us through some of the scientific debates surrounding the Viking data that continue to this day, tells us how our knowledge of the evolution of life on Earth informs our search for life elsewhere in the Solar System, and explains how recent innovations in the democratisation of spacecraft technology may reignite our search for life on Mars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every single day of our lives, we’re exposed to a vast multitude of experiences and interactions with the various people, objects and technologies in the wider world that surrounds us. The chances are that many of us give these moment-to-moment encounters very little thought. But could it be that our desire for convenience, efficiency and productivity has resulted in a widening rift that has ultimately disconnected us from many of the simple pleasures that life can provide? In this episode, we’re joined by Prof Ian Bogost, a computer science and design researcher based at Washington University and author, to talk about his latest book, The Small Stuff – The Sensory Enchantment of Everyday Life. He tells us why he proposes that our lives have been incrementally dematerialised thanks to the relentless technological drive for efficiency, why we find pleasure and gratification in sensory experiences, and how, by paying more attention to the simple act of doing rather than the final outcome of our actions, we can all live more deeply enriching lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While largely viewed as a toxic waste product with no practical use, our urine is actually rich in all manner of valuable nutrients that, with a little effort, can be extracted, recycled and converted into fertiliser for use on food crops, used to make building materials or even used to generate electricity. In this episode, we’re joined by Kai Udert, a researcher based at the Swiss Federal Institute for Aquatic Science and Technology, to talk about the many ways we could be putting our pee to better use. He tells us how our current systems of dealing with wastewater came into being, what happens to our urine once we flush it down the toilet, and talks us through some ways in which we may be able to make more use of this common, overlooked resource. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s clear to all of us that the rapid progress that technology has made over the last century or so has had profound impacts on almost every aspect of our lives. But often, the impact on our emotional well-being associated with these great changes is overlooked, or, if mentioned at all, portrayed in a largely negative light. Why is this? Is it simply down to our innate fear of the new or our natural tendency to see the downsides that accompany change? Could it be the case that this mode of thinking is leading us to miss the many ways in which new technology can help our emotional lives to flourish? In this episode, we’re joined by Pamela Pavliscak, a researcher and author whose work focusses on the intersection of technology and our emotions, to talk about her latest book, All the Feels – How Technology Can Change our Emotional Lives for the Better. She tells us how often the arguments surrounding issues such as screentime and its impact on our emotional lives are lacking in nuance, how the sharing of memes and gifs has given us a new means of expressing our many complicated emotions, and how the advent of AI chatbots is, more than ever, having profound effects on the way we emotionally engage with technology. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s a good bet that if most of us were to glance around our living rooms or offices, we’d quickly spot all manner of electronic devices that are powered by microchips. Since their introduction in the 1950s, chips have become one of the fundamental building blocks of the various digital technologies we rely on in our daily lives. What impact has this had on the development of technology, economics and global politics over the last several decades, and what roles will chips continue to play in our global future? In today’s episode, we’re joined by Prof Rakesh Kumar, John Bardeen Faculty Scholar in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Illinois, to talk about his latest book, The Chip Age – How Chips Shaped Our Past and Will Define Our Future. He tells us about the key role the space race played in the rapid development of microchips, explains how the production of chips involves collaboration between countries in almost every part of the world and talks us through some of the various economic, political and environmental issues that may influence the future of this vital technology. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For most of us, music has a unique, almost supernatural, ability to trigger our emotions and memories and conjure up evocative images or even fantasies in our minds in a way that few other experiences or art forms can. But what exactly is happening in our brains when we listen to music, is there such a thing as a common musical experience that’s shared by people from different cultures and backgrounds, and can we use any of these powerful effects to help bolster our health and wellbeing? In this episode, we’re joined by Prof Elizabeth Margulis, director of the Music Cognition Lab at Princeton University, to talk about her latest book, Transported – The Everyday Magic of Musical Daydreams. She tells us how, while we may think of listening to music as a highly subjective experience, there are many universal ways people from all walks of life are affected by it, how researchers are studying this fascinating phenomenon, and how we may be able to harness these deeply human effects to help boost our mental health, wellbeing and even creativity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Most of us think about the liver as simply being the body’s filtration system that acts as a sponge that removes toxins from our bloodstreams. But the truth is it performs many more functions that are vital for our health such as acting as the primary organ in regulating our metabolisms, storing essential nutrients our bodies can draw from in times of need, and even producing proteins that help our blood to clot when we’re injured. However, changes in our lifestyles over the past several decades are leading to an alarming rise in the prevalence of damage and disease to this essential organ. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Quin Wills, a researcher and CEO of the biotech company Ochre Bio, who specialises in developing innovative new treatments to combat liver disease. He talks us through the many functions the liver performs in our bodies, explains some of the most common causes of the rise in chronic liver disease and looks forward to the future to detail some of the cutting-edge treatments that may be on the horizon to combat this growing issue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Despite affecting as many as 80 per cent of women by the age of 50, fibroids, lumps of tissue that grow in or around the womb, are not commonly discussed outside of specialist doctors’ offices. However, they can cause a whole host of health issues, such as heavy or painful periods, poor bladder control, chronic constipation, and even affect fertility and complicate childbirth. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Michelle Griffin, a women's health expert, author and former BBC Science Focus columnist, to talk about her latest book, Fibroids – Everything You Need to Know, From Symptoms to Diagnosis and Beyond. She tells us how the location of fibroids determines the specific symptoms and complications associated with them; the role hormones play in their development and growth and talks us through some of the latest developments in treating this common but overlooked condition. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It was previously thought that once our brains suffer an injury due to stroke or trauma, the potential for recovery was severely limited. But recent developments in medicine have proven that this isn’t the case; our brains are, in fact, capable of miraculous acts of healing. This is thanks to a process known as neuroplasticity, a concept that’s changing the way that medical practitioners are helping patients suffering from brain injuries regain their health. In this episode, we’re joined by neurologist and author Orlando Swayne to talk about his latest book, How to Use a Fork – Stories of Mending the Broken Brain. He tells us what happens in our brains following injury, how learning new skills can change the structure of our brains, and how we can use this process to help people recover from strokes, aneurysms and other debilitating brain injuries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When most of us think of parasites, our minds will likely turn to thoughts of the various icky creatures that can invade our bodies, make their homes there and end up making us ill. But the truth is that parasites make up a hugely significant part of all life on Earth and bring many benefits to the organisms they live in or alongside and the wider ecosystems they are a part of. As part of our Nature’s Unsung Heroes miniseries, we’re joined by Timothy Brown, a researcher based at the University of Leeds and member of the IUCN Parasite Specialist Group who works on the conservation of parasite diversity, to talk about the many ways in which parasites influence life on Earth. He tells us how our own bodies are host to trillions of different beneficial organisms, the key role parasites play in managing the balance of the animal life in the ecosystems they are part of and talks us through the most recent ideas researchers are working on to preserve these overlooked, but ecologically vital creatures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When it comes to the effects of ageing on our bodies, there are many more factors at play than simply the number of years we’ve been alive. It turns out, that for some people, there is a huge gap between their chronological age and their biological age – the scientific measure of how well our cells, tissues and organs are functioning compared to the global average. But what are the main drivers of this difference, and what can we do to keep our bodies younger and healthier for longer? In this episode, we’re joined by ageing and longevity expert and research director at Inserm in France, Jean-Marc Lemaitre to talk about his latest book, Choose Your Age – Unlocking the Cellular Science of Longevity. He talks us through the many factors that lead to some of us ageing more quickly than others, tells us what researchers can learn from how the world’s centenarians live their lives, and explains why we still don’t know what the limit for the human lifespan could be. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The truth is, when most of us think of wasps, our minds will likely go to memories of irritating winged pests landing in our drinks when we’re trying to have a nice summer picnic or perhaps one of the times we got a nasty sting when we were out playing in the park as children. It’s fair to say wasps have a pretty bad rap. But if we look more closely, it soon becomes clear that most of us are getting these fascinating insects entirely wrong. As part of our Nature’s Unsung Heroes miniseries, we’re joined by BBC broadcaster, author and entomologist based at the University of Gloucestershire Prof Adam Hart to talk about the many benefits wasps bring to the ecosystems they live in. He tells us how wasps act as the wardens or guardians of our gardens and agricultural land by keeping pests under control, how they act as essential pollinators that help the ecosystems they live in thrive, and how they act as one of the natural world’s most sophisticated architects and engineers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

These days the supplement industry is booming – supermarket shelves are stacked high with all manner of pills and powders claiming to do everything from helping us to live longer or improving our digestive health to boosting our energy levels or even improving our ability to concentrate and focus. How have we reached this point, why do many of us feel our diets aren’t giving us everything we need to stay healthy and productive, and do these supplements live up to the bold claims that many manufacturers make for them? In this episode, we’re joined by dietician and author Josie Porter to talk about her latest book, How Not to Take Supplements – A Dietician’s Guide to Thriving on Real Food. She tells us how our busy lifestyles are leading more of us to turn to dietary supplements, talks us through the rise in the consumption of protein powders and meal replacement drinks, and explains how, underlying health conditions aside, we can all get everything our bodies need to stay healthy by eating a balanced diet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Although it often goes unnoticed, plankton is the most abundant form of life in Earth’s oceans, making up 95 per cent of all oceanic biomass. These tiny organisms are responsible for generating around half of the planet’s oxygen, play a vital role in the oceans’ food chains and were around for millions of years before we humans came onto the scene. Simply put, without plankton, the world would be a very different place. As part of our Nature's Unsung Heroes miniseries, we’re joined by senior advisor to the United Nations on oceans Vincent Doumeizel to talk about his latest book, The Power of Plankton – How Plankton Made Life on Earth Possible and Why It’s Key to Our Future. He tells us how these often-ignored organisms played an essential part in the evolution of life on Earth, tells us the many ways plankton acts as the caretaker of the entire planet, and makes a passionate case for why we should be paying more attention to these fascinating, ancient organisms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every minute of every day, our bodies are flooded with a complex web of hormones – chemical messengers that travel through the bloodstream, coordinating everything from our blood pressure, body temperature, metabolic rate and even our emotions. When this system is functioning correctly, we barely notice its actions, but if it begins to misfire, it can lead to profound issues in everything from fluctuations in our energy levels or moods to the way our bodies develop as we age and even our appearance. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Saira Hameed, an endocrinologist based at Imperial College London NHS Trust and best-selling author, to talk about her latest book Signal – The Inside Story of Our Hormones. She tells us how, despite being so tiny, the many hormone-producing glands situated throughout our bodies have a huge impact on our health and wellbeing, the many issues that can arise due to the overproduction or underproduction of hormones, and the new therapies in the pipeline we may be able to use to bring our bodies back into balance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Becoming a parent is undoubtedly one of the biggest events that can occur in any of our lifetimes – suddenly we have a tiny living being to take care of that demands the majority of our thoughts, time and attention. Of course, this can at times feel overwhelming and often leads us to look for help and advice from our parents, grandparents or close friends. But what strategies do parents in the animal kingdom use to raise their young, and is there anything we humans can learn from them? As part of our Nature's Unsung Heroes miniseries, we’re joined by science writer Elizabeth Preston to talk about her latest book, The Creatures’ Guide to Caring – How Animal Parents Teach Us That Humans Were Born to Care. She tells us how orca grandmothers pitch in to help with the raising of their grandchildren, how in some species of monkeys the father takes on most of responsibility for taking care of their offspring, and how we can learn so much more about ourselves as humans by paying deeper attention to the wider world we live in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While the larger, more impressive or charismatic animal and plant species often receive the most attention, the natural world is filled with lesser-known or even misunderstood organisms without which life on planet Earth would look very different indeed. If you’d like to learn how plankton plays a vital role in regulating the health of the entire planet, how, despite being a bit icky, parasites play an essential part in helping the ecosystems they live in thrive, or why we have many fascinating lessons to learn from the different strategies animals use to raise their young, why not check out the four-part Nature’s Unsung Heroes miniseries starting Friday 5th June! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In June of every year, the LGBTQ+ community across the world comes together to celebrate Pride Month – an annual event that began in 1970 to promote awareness, visibility and equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals. In this episode, to coincide with Pride Month, we’re joined by Dr Julia Shaw, a broadcaster, best-selling author and psychologist based at University College London, to talk about the science and history of bisexuality. She tells us about the fascinating historical and scientific origins of the term bisexuality, how studies have found that there are likely far more bisexual people than you may think, and how bisexuality isn’t unique to humans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whether it’s the swab tests many of us use to help us piece together our family trees, the painstaking detective work carried out by forensic scientists, or its use in medical screening to look for signs of our predisposition to develop certain diseases, DNA science has become a regular fixture in news stories, pop culture and dinner table conversations in many of our homes. But how exactly do these processes work, what can they really tell, or not tell us, and what developments can we expect in the future? In this episode, we’re joined by Prof Turi King, the director of the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath, co-presenter of the BBC’s DNA Family Secrets and best-selling author, to talk about her latest book, The Secrets of DNA – How Genetics has Changed the World. She tells us about the fascinating stories surrounding the development of fingerprinting techniques that now allow us to identify unique individuals based on their DNA alone, how forensic scientists really use DNA science to solve crimes, and why our DNA is still hiding many more secrets that are waiting to be discovered. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Traditionally, ecologists wanting to take stock of the diversity, health and population levels of animal species within a given environment have needed to tie on their boots, get out in the field and painstakingly record what they are able to observe manually. But the emerging field of ecoacoustics – the use of sound recording to survey the biodiversity within ecosystems – is promising to be a game-changer in the way researchers are able to approach this work. As part of our Science of Sound miniseries, we’re joined by Dr Sarab Sethi, the head of the ecosystem sensing research group at Imperial College London. To talk about his work in this exciting new field. He tells us how advances in technology are providing new methods of monitoring wildlife in greater detail than ever before and why cross-collaboration between engineers and conservationists is vital in the fight against biodiversity loss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our world may look vibrant and full of color. But in reality, our human eyes are only picking up the tiniest slice of all the light shining in the Universe. To astronomers this hidden light is just as important as the red greens and blues we can see. We talk to Alfredo Carpineti about what secrets are lying in the Universe beyond human vision, while celebrating another aspect that the rainbow has come to represent - the LGBT+ community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When it comes to the sounds we encounter in the natural world, few have the beauty, elegance and variety of birdsong. But these distinctive vocalisations are not simply static calls that are common to all birds of a certain species that are passed on from one generation to the next. They vary from region to region and even evolve in single populations over time in much the same way that the style of music in the pop charts changes over time. As part of our Science of Sound miniseries, we’re joined by Dr Nilo Merino Recalde, a senior conservation scientist at the RSPB, to talk about the fascinating science behind the evolution of birdsong. He tells us about his work on tracking the evolution of birdsong as it passes from place to place and from generation to generation, how advances in AI technology are enabling birdsong researchers to learn more about this process than ever before, and what this research can tell us about the evolution of culture in the animal kingdom as a whole. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over thousands of years, human beings evolved to walk upright on two legs, efficiently and over long distances. But these days, thanks to changes in our lifestyles, we’re becoming more sedentary than ever, and this is having profound effects on our health and well-being. In this episode, we’re joined by Courtney Conley, a doctor of chiropractic medicine, and Milica McDowell, a doctor of physical therapy and exercise physiologist, to talk about their latest book, Walk – Your Life Depends on it. They tell us why the oft-quoted 10,000 steps rule has no grounding in science, and was in fact originally, dreamt up as a marketing slogan to sell pedometers in the 1960s, explain the many things the way we walk can tell us about that state of our health, and give us some advice on what we should look out for when shopping for shoes that will help us get the most benefit from our daily walks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hedgehogs are in decline all over Europe. These prickly little fellas are faced with so many threats – in their rural habitats, in our gardens, and on our roads. But new research about hedgehog hearing could help us protect these adorable creatures from going extinct. As part of our Science of Sound miniseries, we speak to Dr Sophie Lund Rasmussen, a scientist who has dedicated her life to hedgehog research and conservation. Also known as Dr Hedgehog, she’s a research fellow at the University of Oxford, and assistant professor at the University of Copenhagen. Sophie tells us all about hedgehogs – what she loves about them, and how we can do our bit to help them thrive. She also explains her recent study on ultrasound, which she hopes could significantly reduce encounters between hedgehogs and cars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, is currently thought to affect around one in 20 of the world’s population, making it one of the most prevalent types of neurodivergence. Despite this, the condition is still surrounded by stigma, misunderstanding and significant challenges in diagnosis. In this episode, we’re joined by Prof Ellie Dommett, a neuroscientist based at King’s College London, to talk about the latest thinking on this common neurodevelopmental condition. She explains why, despite its prevalence, ADHD is still commonly misunderstood, why it’s frequently diagnosed later in life, and also tells us about her work on developing effective non-pharmaceutical treatments to help those living with the disorder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The vast majority of us take listening to and appreciating music for granted. But for those of us living with hearing loss, continuing to enjoy our favourite songs, symphonies or dance tracks can be something of a challenge. Maybe we find it difficult to distinguish one instrument from another, have a reduced ability to hear pitch, or struggle to make out a song’s lyrics. As part of our Science of Sound miniseries, we’re joined by Prof Trevor Cox, an acoustic engineer based at the University of Salford, to talk about his work on the Cadenza Project – a multidisciplinary research group using the latest technology and thinking to help restore the enjoyment of music for those living with hearing loss. He tells us how most hearing aids currently on the market are optimised for speech, not music, talks about the challenges researchers face in tackling this issue due to the hugely varied frequency and dynamic range of music, and explains the innovative approaches taken by the project to help us all get the most possible enjoyment out of the music we listen to. https://cadenzachallenge.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There’s so much we don’t know about Neanderthals. Our stocky, muscular relatives went extinct around 40,000 years ago, leaving a trail of mystery in their wake – about what they were like, how they lived, and why they disappeared. But, while Neanderthals themselves have gone, fragments of their DNA live on inside us. In this episode, we speak to Prof Chris Stringer, scientific associate at London’s Natural History Museum, and author of several books, including Britain: one million years of the human story (with Rob Dinnis) and Our Human Story (with Louise Humphrey). Chris tells us all about Neanderthals, from what they looked like, to where they lived, and how they might have interacted with Homo sapiens – that’s us. He also explains why so many of us have Neanderthal genes, and what that might be doing to our health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Would you like to hear about the fascinating new discoveries astronomers are making by listening to distant stars? Learn about the cutting edge tech scientists are using to help the hearing impaired listen to music or get up to date on what the latest research is saying about the nature and purpose of birdsong.  If so, why not check out the four-part Science of Sound Miniseries starting Monday 4th May! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For thousands of years, the evolution of the human race has been driven by natural selection and the passing on of genes that have helped us to thrive in the environments we live in. However, in current times, advances in technology and rapid societal change are shaping our lives like never before. So, what impact is this having on the way we think and act, and how can we best position ourselves to navigate the age of rapid change we find ourselves in? In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Hannah Critchlow, a neuroscientist and author based at Magdalene College, University of Cambridge, to talk about her latest book, The 21st Century Brain – Cutting-edge Neuroscience to Help Us Navigate the Future. She tells us why developing emotional intelligence and connections with one another is vital if we are to succeed in a rapidly changing world, what happens in our brains in times of uncertainty, and talks us through some of the tactics we can all employ to help us succeed in the rapidly changing world we live in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

No matter our level of ability, talent or achievement, at times some of us feel like we’re a fraud and have simply been blagging our way to success. This is known as imposter syndrome. While it’s not formally recognised as a clinical mental health condition, it can still play a significant role in our wellbeing. So, why are so many of us prone to these nagging feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy, and what can we do to lessen their effect on our lives? In this episode, we’re joined by neuroscientist and bestselling author Dr Dean Burnett to talk about this common experience. He tells us how people with high levels of neuroticism or perfectionism are more likely to suffer from feelings of inadequacy, breaks down the link between self-image and our natural tendency to compare ourselves with others, and explains how self-criticism is a natural consequence of our brains’ evolution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In springtime, as the Sun rises, the early morning air is filled with the glorious sound of birdsong. This is known as the dawn chorus. But why exactly are birds so vocal at this time of the day, what purpose does it serve, and how did their songs get so complex? In this episode, we’re joined by the RSPB’s Adrian Thomas, a bird expert and author of the RSPB Guide to Birdsong. He explains how this breathtaking morning symphony is motivated by mating rituals and territorial displays, tells us about the songs of some of his favourite avian vocal superstars, and gives us some top tips on how we can best experience this stunning natural phenomenon for ourselves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Forests cover around one-third of all landmass on Earth and, as such, play a key role in the ecological health of the entire planet. However, thanks to decades of exploitation, climate pressures and natural disasters, this vital resource is beginning to struggle. So, what can we do to help these essential environments thrive? In this episode, we’re joined by Suzanne Simard, a professor of forest ecology based at the University of British Columbia, to talk about her latest book, When the Forest Breathes – Renewal and Resilience in the Natural World. She tells us about the environmental damage modern logging practices are causing to our precious natural forests, what the latest research is telling us about the measures we can take to nurture them back to health, and details the many lessons we can learn by joining forces with the indigenous people who have taken care of this key environmental resource for the last ten thousand years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For most of us, our experience of flowers is limited to sending a bouquet to our loved ones on special occasions or perhaps picking up some pretty plants from the garden centre to cheer up our homes. But if we take a wider, more nuanced view, it quickly becomes clear that flowers have played an essential role in the evolution of the vast and varied ecosystems of the planet we live on. The fact is, without them, the Earth would be a very different place indeed. In this episode, we’re joined by David George Haskell, adjunct professor of environmental sciences at Emory University and author, to talk about his latest book, How Flowers Made Our World – The Story of Nature’s Revolutionaries. He tells us how the emergence of flowering plants around 130 million years ago triggered a massive cascade in biodiversity that we’re still feeling the effects of today, how their genetic flexibility has allowed them to be so evolutionarily successful, and talks us through the huge influence they continue to have on human life and culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While we may not always be consciously aware of it, chemical processes are busy whirring away every second of every day, no matter what we’re doing or where we look. Be it the reactions that continuously occur in our own bodies to keep us alive, the manufacturing processes used to make the clothes we wear, the homes we live in and the products we rely on to make our lives more comfortable, or even in the development of the medicines we use to treat disease. In this episode, we’re joined by Prof Dame Ijeoma Uchegbu, professor of pharmaceutical neuroscience at University College London, and president of Wolfson College, Cambridge, to talk about her latest book, Chain Reaction – The Wondrous Chemistry of Everyday Life. She tells us how all of the bodily functions we take for granted are grounded in the chemistry of the atoms and molecules we’re made of, how we’ve harnessed the processes of chemistry to create the materials we rely on for our survival every single day, and how taking a moment or two to think about these fascinating processes can open us up to a whole new way of looking, not only at ourselves, but also at the world we live in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Perhaps due to poor weather, the COVID pandemic, or a simple lack of motivation, these days many of us spend a lot of our time indoors. However, wherever we live, there are always opportunities to get out into nature and learn more about the world we live in. Doing so can not only enrich our own lives by more deeply engaging with the environments that surround us but can also help scientists and researchers to gather data and make new insights that are vital for the survival of our flora and fauna. In this episode, we’re joined by Jo Harris, the education manager at the Field Studies Council. She tells us about her work helping people of all ages to get outside and learn more about the rich environments and ecosystems that are on our own doorsteps and the huge contribution that we can all make to deepen our collective knowledge of the natural world by engaging in citizen science projects. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Smelly, dirty and a bit embarrassing – we tend to treat our poo as a private matter, to be dealt with in the bathroom and then stringently ignored. But, while we may not want to discuss toilet time at the dinner table, our bowel movements can give us invaluable information about our wider health. In this episode, we speak to Dr Trisha Pasricha, a gastroenterologist, medical doctor and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, and the author of the upcoming, You’ve Been Pooping All Wrong. Trisha argues that we should treat our faecal matter with a little more curiosity and respect, as clues about our mood, diet, brain health – and more. She also explains how to upgrade your poops, in an effort to reach poophoria. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Planet Earth is currently facing its sixth mass extinction event, with hundreds of species of plants and animals being lost for good every single day. For the first time in history, this devastating loss of the world’s flora and fauna is not being caused by natural phenomena, but by the actions of human beings. However, there is still hope that, if we start to take steps in the right direction, this looming crisis can be averted. In this episode, we’re joined by environmentalist and author Natalie Kyriacou to talk about her latest book, Nature’s Last Dance – Tales of Wonder in an Age of Extinction. She tells us how the influence of humans on the planet has become so profound that many researchers say the era we are now living in should be called the Anthropocene, talks us through some of the innovative solutions conservationists around the world are putting in place to save endangered species, and explains why we need to seriously reassess our current systems of economy, law and commerce if we are to turn the situation around. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you were to mention the term gout, the chances are that most of us would think of the gluttonous sovereigns of yesteryear who ended up with the condition after years of gorging on rich foods and drinking fortified wines. But the fact is, cases of gout have been climbing significantly over the past few decades. So, what’s behind this increase and what measures can we all take to help us avoid this painful condition? In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Daniel Baumgardt, a GP and lecturer in health and life sciences at the University of Bristol, to talk about what happens in our bodies when we suffer from gout. He tells us how gout is caused by jagged acidic crystals forming in and around joints, how, far from only affecting the elderly, it’s beginning to affect more and more people in their 20s and 30s, and how suffering from an acute gout attack could be a warning sign that your cardiovascular system is also in poor health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thanks to our highly developed brains, sophisticated ability to communicate and use of advanced technology, it can be easy to think that we humans are separate from, and even superior to, the animals we share the Earth with. But the truth is that animals have profoundly influenced the progress and evolution of human beings for tens of thousands of years. In this episode, we’re joined by science writer Michael Bond to talk about his latest book, Animate – How Animals Shape the Human Mind. He tells us what the elaborate cave paintings found across the globe can teach us about our ancient ancestors’ relationship with animals, how evolution has finetuned our brains to help us recognise animals and understand their behaviour, and what we can learn about ourselves by more deeply investigating the way we treat other living beings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The human brain is undoubtedly one of the true marvels of nature. But many of the neural mechanisms that evolved to keep our ancestors alive over thousands of years are now leaving us feeling dissatisfied, anxious and depressed thanks to the rapid advances in technology and culture we now find ourselves faced with. The simple fact is, we’re living in an environment that our brains were not built to survive in. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Paul Goldsmith, an evolutionary neuroscientist, author and visiting professor at Imperial College London, to talk about his latest book, The Evolving Brain – An Ancient Tool in a Modern World. He tells us how the pressures and goals many of us are now confronted with are vastly different from the challenges faced by our ancestors, the huge impact this is having on our mental wellbeing by excessively triggering our natural stress responses and shares some advice from neuroscience we can all use to navigate the trials of modern life more healthily. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The natural world is filled with a rich tapestry of creatures, each occupying a unique evolutionary niche that helps to keep the ecosystems they live in functioning healthily. But the truth is, over the centuries, we humans have treated some of them better than others. Our tendency is to prefer cute, cuddly animals such as pandas or donkeys, or beautiful, majestic beasts such as elephants, eagles or tigers. Is it time that we had a long, hard look at this viewpoint, and extended our care and attention to the animals that we’ve traditionally viewed as ugly, creepy or even dangerous? In this episode, we’re joined by Jo Wimpenny an author and specialist in animal behaviour, to talk about her latest book, Beauty of the Beasts – Rethinking Nature’s Least Loved Animals. She tells us how the latest research is showing that snake venom can potentially give rise to a new category of medicinal drugs, how the insects we typically find disgusting such as maggots and cockroaches play a vital role as the natural caretakers of the environments they live in, and how, by rethinking our in-built prejudices, we can more deeply appreciate the richness and variety found in the natural world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There’s an entire cosmos hidden from our human eyes. The only way to see it is by looking at the Universe with a radio. We talk to Dr Emma Chapman about how she uses radio telescopes to reveal the cosmic mysteries of the Universe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How can we tell if someone we’re speaking to is being economical with the truth? Oftentimes, we’re told that the primary telltale signs lie in the use of body language – maybe someone is avoiding eye contact, touching their face a lot, or fidgeting and squirming. But there’s also a whole world of clues to look out for in the type of language that someone uses when they’re telling us lies. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Kirsty King, a lecturer in communication based at University College London, to talk about her latest book, The Language of Lies – How to Uncover the Liar in Your Life. She tells us that when people try to hide the truth, they tend to use language that distances themselves from the act they’re talking about or the people involved in it, how when we’re relating a false account of an event we tend to omit words that describe how we actually felt during it, and how even the way liars structure their sentences can be a signal that they are trying to deceive us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chances are that if any of us are looking to drop a bit of excess weight, the first thing we’ll attempt is to cut down the number of calories we’re consuming. For decades, we’ve been told that balancing the number of calories we put into to our bodies with the energy that we burn can help us to maintain a healthy weight. While this is true, could it be that we’re putting our attention and effort in the wrong place and that taking a bigger picture view of the factors that motivate our appetite is likely to be a much more successful strategy? In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Jason Fung, a physician and best-selling author based in Toronto, to talk about his latest book, The Hunger Code – Resetting Your Body’s Fat Thermostat in the Age of Ultra-processed Food. He talks us through the three key drivers that control our feelings of hunger, how our hormones are deeply connected with our appetites, and how the environments we live in have a profound effect on the food we eat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Around the world, more than 50 million people are living with some form of dementia – a number expected to triple by 2050 as populations age. But the thing is, dementia is often talked about as a kind of genetic lottery. You either get lucky and escape it, or unlucky and develop it. But what if that framing is wrong? What if far more of our brain health is within our control than we’ve been led to believe? Our guest today is Dr Majid Fotuhi, a neuroscientist who has spent decades treating and studying people with cognitive impairment. His message is a bold one: dementia is largely preventable – not with a miracle pill or silver-bullet treatment, but through the way we live. The 12-week programme he and his team have developed has helped his patients improve their memory, regain independence, and even grow new brain connections. Today, he talks us through the essentials of the programme – and what it really takes to stay sharp for life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Statistics show that half of us will experience a mental health condition of some kind by the time we turn forty. Could this be due to the increasing pressures and looming crises we’re currently facing in the modern world, overstimulating natural responses in our brains and bodies that have evolved over hundreds of thousands of years to protect us from threats? In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Joanna Cheek, a psychiatrist, psychotherapist and clinical professor based at the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Medicine, to talk about her latest book, It’s Not You, It’s the World – A Mental Health Survival Guide for Us All. She tells us how the system of alarm signals in our brains is being increasingly triggered by the rapidly changing circumstances we find ourselves in, how this is hijacking the push and pull of our natural risk/reward systems, and why connecting more deeply with the rich tapestry of the people and cultures we share the world with can help us all bring our lives back into balance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whether we’re working at a desk in an office, running a marathon or even asleep in bed, our bodies are host to thousands of chemical processes that are continually converting the food we eat into energy and repairing our bones, muscles and organs. Collectively these processes are known as the metabolism. But how are they affected by our genes, lifestyles and diet, and what can we do to make sure everything stays running smoothly? In this episode, we’re joined by Javier Gonzalez, a professor of nutrition and metabolism based at the University of Bath. He breaks down the links between our metabolisms and body types, tells us why our metabolisms aren’t necessarily fixed for life, and explains why it’s almost impossible to out exercise a poor diet if you’re looking to drop a few kilos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The human face contains more than 40 muscles, giving us an ability to visually express our thoughts and emotions that is unique in the animal kingdom. This has perhaps led to a long-held obsession to uncover the many mysteries of our faces that has persisted in everyone from artists, scientists and even anthropologists for thousands of years. But where is this trend heading? And is it doing more harm than good? In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Fay Bound-Alberti, the founder of the Centre for Technology and the Body at King’s College London, to talk about her latest book, The Face: A Cultural History. She tells us how the idea of the perfectly proportioned face that began in classical art continues to persist in today’s social media beauty trends, the various attempts that have been made over the years to determine a person’s good or bad qualities based on their facial characteristics, and explains the challenges we’re currently confronted by thanks to the rise of new technologies such as facial recognition. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We often think of our planet as an isolated island, solitary and cut off from the cosmic ocean it resides in. But the truth is, Earth is intimately connected with the Universe surrounding it. What’s more, by learning more about the Solar System around us, humanity has changed its own view of the world as well. Dr Dagomar Degroot from Georgetown University spoke to us to explore this idea in more detail. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the last several billion years, all life on Earth has progressed according to the rules of evolution by natural selection – a step-by-step process that has given rise to the fascinating complexity and beauty of all the living things we share our planet with. But now, due to advances in our knowledge of genetics and the rise of artificial intelligence, we’re on the brink of being able to design living organisms from scratch. This new field of research is known as generative biology. In this episode, we’re joined by Adrian Woolfson, a researcher who specialises in synthetic genome design, to talk about his latest book On the Future of Species – Authoring Life by Means of Artificial Biological Intelligence. He tells us how this fascinating area of research is bringing us closer to a genuine scientific revolution that could change the way we think about how life is created, the vast implications that this may have on human health and the health of our planet, and why we all need to be aware of this powerful new technology and its potential. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The chances are that if any of us were asked to describe what it feels like to be in love we’d turn to art, poetry or music to help give us the answer. But what does science have to say about this uniquely human experience? In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Justin Garcia, an evolutionary biologist and sex researcher based at the Kinsey Institute in the US, to talk about his book, The Intimate Animal: The Science of Love, Fidelity and Connection He tells us how the evolutionary history of human pair bonding led to the development of our feelings of love, how and why we seek certain characteristics in our romantic partners, and how our attitude to relationships has altered due to changes in thinking, culture, and technology. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over the past several decades, many technologists and policy makers have sought out huge, disruptive shifts in thinking in almost every area of science, business and commerce in the hope that they’d help to drive innovation forward in giant leaps, one brilliant new idea at a time. But how successful has this been, and should we instead be focusing on a more gradual, incremental approach to innovation that’s based on the steady upgrading of the systems we already have in place? In this episode, we’re joined by Albert Fox-Cahn, a visiting professor at The Centre of Governance and Human Rights at Pembroke College, Cambridge, to talk about his latest book Move Slow and Upgrade – The Power of Incremental Innovation. He tells us why we tend to overemphasise the potential impact of the Next Big Thing, how this often leads to a rush to adopt unproven, and at times, unsafe new technologies, and how applying evidence-based thinking and an upgrader’s mindset can help us to be more like the tortoise than the hare, and ultimately win the race. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If most of us are put on the spot and asked to name acts that we think would define a person as evil, it’s likely our minds would turn to murderers, rapists and war criminals, to name a few. But could it be that this commonly held conception of evil isn’t merely just an oversimplification, but rather a deeply flawed way of viewing the world based on a litany of personal biases, and one that is in dire need of readdressing? In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Julia Shaw, a broadcaster, best-selling author and psychologist based at University College London to talk about the nature of evil. She tells us why it’s vital that we accept that, given a certain set of circumstances, we’re all capable of committing terrible acts, explains the key differences between thought and action, and explains why so many of us are fascinated by true crime documentaries and dramas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From famous actors and pop stars to the legions of social media influencers with millions of views, it seems almost everyone has something to say about the best ways to boost our health and wellbeing. But is this trend leading to many of us bypassing traditional sources of health advice and care such as GP practices and government health services and instead turning to the Internet, social media and private online pharmacies to seek out information, diagnoses, and, in some cases, even prescription medicines? In this episode, we’re joined by Deborah Cohen, an award-winning medical broadcaster and author to talk about her latest book, Bad Influence – How the Internet Hijacked Our Health. She tells us how the COVID 19 pandemic kickstarted a worldwide boom in consumer healthcare that shows no sign of stopping, why celebrities and social media stars hold so much influence over important decisions that can hugely impact our lives, and points out some of the red flags we can look out for when searching for health advice online. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While the human mind is capable of great insight, original thoughts and acts of tender kindness towards others, it can also, at times, act like our own worst enemy. Feelings of worthlessness, shame and disappointment can all stem from our brain’s natural inclination for overthinking. This can give rise to a wide range of debilitating impacts on our lives, such as low self-esteem, anxiety and depression and can even lead to the development of significant physical health issues. So, why do our minds seem to sabotage us in this way and what measures can we take to free ourselves from the common traps that lead us to being stuck in endless loops of negative thinking? In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Jessamy Hibberd, a clinical psychologist and best-selling author, to talk about her latest book, The Overthinking Cure – How to Free Your Mind and Focus on What Really Matters. She tells us how common habits such as self-criticism, comparing ourselves to others, and actively avoiding our problems can all lead us to overthink, why we are all vulnerable to getting stuck in spirals of negative thoughts, and how learning to manage where we place our attention is often the first step we can all take to help us to boost our moods and wellbeing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From the terrifying, hulking beasts portrayed in blockbuster movies to the friendly, charismatic characters often found in children’s cartoons, dinosaurs have made their way into almost every corner of popular culture. However, in terms of scientific accuracy, such depictions tend to leave a lot to be desired. So, how do we know what dinosaurs really looked like, whose job is it to show us, and how exactly do they go about it? In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Mark Witton, a researcher, author and highly regarded paleoartist based at the University of Portsmouth. He outlines the detailed scientific process paleoartists follow to bring these ancient beasts to life as realistically as possible, runs us through some of the common mistakes Hollywood directors make in the name of artistic licence, and explains why the T.Rex is one of his favourite dinosaurs to draw. To see Mark’s work, check out his website www.markwitton.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At some points in our lives, we all face challenges or setbacks or find ourselves in difficult situations that can ultimately have a profound effect on our mental health and wellbeing. During such times, we need to draw on our reserves of mental resilience. But what techniques and strategies can we employ to develop this vital mental resource to enable us to better cope with whatever life throws at us? In today’s episode, we’re joined by psychologist and therapist Emanuela Brun to talk about ways we can all build our mental resilience. She tells us what happens in our brains when we’re faced by challenging situations, why we shouldn’t shy away from failure, and shares some strategies and techniques that can help us all bounce back from difficult situations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the world of games, scoring systems establish a framework that provides us with clear challenges, motivation, and ultimately delivers a huge amount of fun and pleasure. However, on the flip side, the increasing tendency to apply rankings and metrics to almost every area of our personal and professional lives can have a dehumanising effect, reducing our actions, performance, and even ourselves to a simple string of numbers. In today’s episode, we’re joined by C Thi Nguyen, a games researcher and associate professor of philosophy based at the University of Utah, to talk about his latest book, The Score – How to Stop Playing Someone Else’s Game. He explains how, in the real world, scoring systems typically fail to provide meaning by focusing on the simplest to measure outcomes, how purely numerical data is, by definition, lacking in nuance, and how, by concentrating on what we truly value, we can all break free from the tyranny of rankings and metrics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

These days, it can be easy to feel like we have too much to do and too little time to do it in. This can lead to many of us feeling overwhelmed, or in extreme cases, can lead to burnout – a state of profound physical, mental and emotional exhaustion that can have far-reaching consequences for both our mental and physical health. So, what measures can we take to regain control of our lives if we are feeling overwhelmed, and what techniques can we employ to ensure we never reach this state of crisis in the first place? In this episode, we’re joined by Claudia Hammond, a visiting professor of the Public Understanding of Psychology at the University of Sussex and presenter of BBC Radio 4’s All in the Mind, to talk about her latest book, Overwhelmed, Ways to Take the Pressure Off. She tells how the rise of perfectionism is leading to more and more of us feeling overwhelmed, why we all tend to be our own worst critics, and shares a number of evidence-based tips we can all employ to make our loads feel a little bit lighter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over the last several decades, the world has seen artificial intelligence undergo a rapid transformation. Since its beginnings in the 1950s as speculative theorising and novel thought experiments, AI has blossomed into a bona fide technological tool that can perform sophisticated tasks such as detecting signs of cancer or spotting signs of financial fraud, in many cases much more effectively than we humans can. But recently, another, more personal use for the technology has arisen – that of the AI companion. Against a backdrop of rising issues of social isolation and loneliness, more and more of us are turning to AI agents to act as friends, therapists and, in some cases, even lovers. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr James Muldoon, a sociologist based at Essex Business School, to talk about his latest book, Love Machines – How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Our Relationships. He tells us how far from being a niche activity, more than 200 million AI companions have been downloaded worldwide, how many of the people who interact with them view them as being ‘real’, and why tech companies and policymakers need to work together to ensure that our relationships with AI agents remain healthy as the technology progresses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For many of us, consuming or making art – be it listening to music, playing an instrument, reading a book, painting a watercolour or attending a dance class – is seen as a pastime or hobby, a fun way to spend an evening or Sunday afternoon. But according to the latest scientific thinking, engaging with the arts can have a profound effect on our mental and physical well-being, and may even help us to live longer, healthier lives. In this episode, we’re joined by Daisy Fancourt, a professor of psychobiology and epidemiology and head of the Social Biobehavioural Research Group at University College London, to talk about her latest book, Art Cure – The Science of How the Arts Transform Our Health. She tells us what happens in our brains and bodies when we make, perform or interact with art, how engaging with the arts may even have a beneficial effect our genes, and how medical professionals are increasingly prescribing art therapies to improve our overall health in almost every way, whether you’re three years old or 103. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There’s little doubt that we humans are a deeply social species; in many ways, our interactions with others define the very essence of who we are. But in recent times, studies have shown that we’re connecting with one another less and less, to the point where some say we may now be facing a loneliness epidemic. So, why are social interactions so vital to our health and well-being, what actually happens in our brains and bodies when we form meaningful relationships, and what measures can we take to reverse this worrying trend? In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Ben Rein, a neuroscientist, science communicator and author based at Stanford University, to talk about his latest book, Why Brains Need Friends, The Neuroscience of Social Connection – and Why We All Need More. He tells us how feel-good chemicals are released in our brains when we interact with others, how we all lie on a spectrum of introversion and extroversion and that recognising our own personalities can help us all make the most of our social interactions, and how small acts such as complimenting a stranger or putting emojis at the end of a text message can help us all to boost our social capital. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chances are that if you open your bathroom cabinet, many of the medicines you find there were first discovered by studying the chemical processes of the plants that grow all around us. But with 450,000 plant species existing in the world, the truth is that we’re only just scratching the surface of this almost limitless resource. In this episode, we’re joined by Prof Anne Osbourn, a group leader in biosynthesis research based at the John Innes Centre, Norwich, and co-founder of drug discovery platform HotHouse Therapeutics. She tells us about the long history we humans have of making use of the medicinal properties found in plants, how technological developments over the last several decades have enabled us to identify the genes and naturally occurring processes in plants that we can harness to produce life-saving drugs, and how artificial intelligence shows great promise in our search for new, innovative medicines. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Currently, around 40 per cent of children in the UK have been diagnosed with an allergy of some form or another – the most common being food allergies, eczema, asthma, and hay fever. Why is this number so alarmingly high, what can we do to treat them, and what measures can we take to ensure that our children don’t develop allergies in the first place? In this episode, we’re joined by Willem M. de Vos, a professor of microbiology based at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. He tells us how the recent rise in births by caesarean section may be contributing to the increase in childhood allergies, how exposure to microbes in early life can have a profound effect on our immune systems, and how cutting-edge microbial treatments such as faecal transplants are showing promise in our fight against this growing health epidemic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It sounds like a theory plucked from the page of a science fiction novel, but according to Enrique Gaztañaga from the University of Portsmouth, our entire Universe could be trapped inside a black hole. It's a mind-blowing theory, but it could help us better understand the fundamental nature of our reality. But how is it even possible for us to be inside a black hole? Will we ever know for sure? And what could lie beyond its boundaries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chances are that when most of us think of spinosaurs our minds will turn to the hulking, predatory sail-backed dinosaur that famously took down a T. Rex in the Jurassic Park movies. But thanks to their highly fragmented fossil records, in the real world, our knowledge of these fascinating, ancient creatures is far from complete. Where did they live? How did they live? And what did they really look like? In today’s episode, we’re joined by David Hone, a palaeontologist based at Queen Mary University of London, and Mark P. Witton, a palaeontologist and paleoartist based at the University of Portsmouth, to talk about their latest book, Spinosaur Tales, The Biology and Ecology of the Spinosaurs. They tell us how palaeontologists piece together details of dinosaurs’ appearances and behaviours by painstakingly poring over fossil records, why we shouldn’t believe everything we see in the movies, and why there’s still so much to learn about these mysterious, and at times controversial, beasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How much control do we have over our actions and decisions? For most of us, it’s likely that the answer is that, of course, all of the choices we make are our own. But it’s long been argued by some scientists and philosophers that this isn’t the case at all. Could it be that the trajectories of our lives are largely already written into our biology, genes and neural circuitry before we’re even born? In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Hannah Critchlow, a neuroscientist and author based at the University of Cambridge and recipient of the 2026 Humanist Society’s Rosalind Franklin Medal. She explains how our personalities, beliefs and actions are deeply influenced by our ancestry, genes and upbringing, what’s happening in our brains when we make a decision, and how current research is showing that accepting our predispositions can likely help us all make the most of who we are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s likely that if any of us step and of our front doors and take a moment to listen to what’s going on around us, we’ll hear the vocalisations of dozens of different animals. But why are they making these sounds and can we ever really understand what they actually mean? In this episode, we’re joined by naturalist and author Amelia Thomas to discuss her latest book What Sheep Think About the Weather, How to Listen to What Animals Are Trying to Say. She tells us how the tone that’s innate in animal vocalisations may be the mother of all communication how dogs may have evolved their barks in order to express their wants and needs to us humans and how we can all enrich our lives by listening to the sounds that naturally occur around us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s currently thought that around one billion people worldwide aren’t getting enough protein to meet their daily needs. Alongside this, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the large-scale farming of livestock and the overfishing of the Earth’s oceans to provide us with vital sources of protein are causing great harm to the environment. But could the production of more alternative protein sources, such as cultivated meat, plants like algae and duckweed and even insects, help provide us with a neat solution to both of these issues? As part of our four-part miniseries, Future of Food, we’re joined by a panel of three researchers based at The University of Sheffield: Professor of biomanufacturing Tuck Seng Wong, Professor of plant cell signalling Julie Gray and a Senior Lecturer based at the School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering, Dr Kang Lan Tee. They tell us about the latest technological developments that are helping us to produce healthy, nutritious proteins in novel ways, how many of these methods can make much more efficient use of resources such as energy and water, and why perhaps many of us could benefit from being a little more open-minded when it comes to thinking about what we put on our plates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many of us will have experienced changes in our emotional states after failing to get a good night’s sleep. Maybe we find that we lose our temper more easily or that we’re more likely to feel sad or upset. But what exactly is going on in our bodies and brains when we lack sleep that gives rise to these, often troubling, effects? In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Bogdan Matei, a medical psychiatrist and master trainer for the luxury bed brand Hästens. He tells us what happens in different areas of our brains when we don’t get enough sleep, how this affects our ability to regulate our emotions and shares some techniques we can use to mitigate the debilitating effects of sleep deprivation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

According to the United Nations, around one-third of all the food currently produced across the planet is being lost or wasted, oftentimes before it even reaches our plates. As well as the loss of essential sources of nutrition needed to feed the global population, issues in food supply chains are using up other vital resources such as water, labour and energy. So, what can we do to ensure that as much food as possible makes it from farm to fork without being wasted? As part of our four-part miniseries, Future of Food, we’re joined by Dr Natalia Falagán, an Agricultural Engineer and Senior Lecturer in Food Science and Technology at Cranfield University. She explains the need for more joined-up thinking to help connect the different stages of our food production systems, the difference between use-by and best-before dates and tells us how growing something as simple as herbs in a kitchen window box can help us all deepen our relationships with the food we eat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode was recorded on November 6th 2025. Artificial intelligence has been the movement of the moment in recent years. Since it burst to prominence in 2022, hundreds of millions of people have started using AI systems every day – for everything from writing essays to coding software, generating art and planning their lives. But with soaring valuations, constant hype, and growing concerns about how much these systems really understand, some experts and investors are starting to ask whether we’re heading for an AI bubble. One of them is Gary Marcus, a scientist, author, entrepreneur, and one of the AI industry’s most outspoken critics. Over the years, Gary has become a leading voice in debates about artificial intelligence, and many of his predictions about where the technology is heading have proven remarkably prescient. In this episode, Gary cuts through the noise and digs into hype vs reality, what current systems still can’t, and may never be able to do, and what a more reliable path forward might look like. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Recent UN data tells us that currently 670 million people around the world are going hungry. There’s little doubt that food security is one of the most serious problems that the human race is facing. How have we reached this point of crisis and what solutions can we put in place to make sure everyone on the planet has enough nutritious food to eat without causing further harm to the environment? As part of our four-part miniseries, Future of Food, we’re joined by Dr Dave Chandler, a crop researcher and agricultural scientist based at the University of Warwick. He tells us how current global food production practices are one of the most significant drivers of environmental damage and biodiversity loss, how climate change is threatening our ability to grow fresh produce to put on our plates and details some of the current thinking on how we can ensure the future of food production worldwide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Along with their vast size and habit of jumping playfully out of the water, whales are renowned for their haunting melodic vocalisations. However, after decades of research, scientists still aren’t sure why these mysterious creatures sing their other-worldly songs. Could it be a form of sexual display? Maybe it’s a method of communication? Or is it possible that the giant marine mammals are using these plaintive moans as a form of echolocation? Behavioural neuroscientist and author of the book Why Whales Sing Prof Eduardo Mercado certainly thinks so. In this episode, he tells us how whale songs can last for as long as 40 hours and be heard up to 1,000km away, how, acoustically speaking, whale songs have more in common with bat vocalisations than birdsongs and how ocean noise created by increases in fishing and shipping activity may be wreaking havoc on whales’ ability to navigate the ocean depths. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over the past several decades nutritional advice from doctors and expert researchers has largely relied on one-size-fits-all approach – eat five portions of fruit and veg a day, limit your intake of sugar and salt, stay away from overly fatty or processed foods as much as possible – but in recent times it has become clear that, while this is all good advice, the real-life picture is much more subtle. The latest research has revealed that the way we respond to the food we eat varies widely from person to person. As part of our four-part miniseries, Future of Food, we’re joined by Prof Sarah Berry, a nutritional scientist based at King’s College London and chef scientist at the ZOE. She tells us how the gathering of large-scale datasets on dietary habits is changing the way we think about nutritional science, how some of us are more sensitive to the negative effects of certain foods than others, and the key role that advances in technology are playing in the future of dietary research. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Throughout our lives we all go through several significant periods of change – puberty, young adulthood, middle age, retirement. Each comes with its own quirks and challenges, but perhaps one of the most underdiscussed of these stages is menopause. The lowering of hormone levels and eventual cessation of ovulation caused by menopause can affect women’s mental and physical health, performance in the workplace and even social life. So why is talking about it still considered so taboo? In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Saleyha Ashan, a journalist, emergency medicine doctor and researcher based at the University of Cambridge. She tells us what she’s learned from her own life experiences as a woman and medical doctor, the many, varied ways that menopause affects women’s physical and mental health and gives us advice that can help us all navigate this natural period in life more successfully. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wikipedia. It needs almost no introduction. Few websites are more well-known, more commonly used and more foundational to the web as we know it than the online encyclopedia. This week, we’re joined by its founder, Jimmy Wales, to talk about how the platform has evolved over the past two decades, the challenges of maintaining trust and neutrality in an age of misinformation, and how AI could shape Wikipedia’s future. Jimmy also shares insights from his new book, The Seven Rules of Trust, exploring what it really takes to build credibility – and why it’s more important now than ever before. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hippies, the Beatles, flower power, magic mushrooms, raves and festivals – that’s what most of us associate with psychedelics. But there is mounting evidence that these drugs could also be used medicinally, particularly to treat mental illnesses such as depression. In this episode, we speak to Prof David Nutt, a psychopharmacologist who has spent decades researching how drugs affect the brain. Now a professor at Imperial College London, David has published more than 500 research papers, eight government reports, and 40 books – including one called Psychedelics, in 2023. In this conversation, he explains how psychedelics affect the brain, how they alter people’s sense of self and perception of reality, and why they could revolutionise the future of mental health treatments. Please note that psychedelics are Class A drugs according to UK law. Anyone caught in possession of such substances can face up to seven years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both. Information and support for those affected by substance abuse can be found at bbc.co.uk/actionline. The following conversation specifically concerns psychedelics when used in a clinical context, given at low doses and under medical supervision. Please don’t try this at home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What will we all be eating in 2050? How will it be produced? And how can our diets keep us healthier for longer? If these are questions you'd like answered, why not check out the upcoming Future of Food mini-series. You'll discover how cutting-edge farming technology is helping us to produce food that's kinder to the environment, how overlooked foods such as algae and seaweed may soon become a common sight on our plates, and how new discoveries are uncovering the fascinating science of how our bodies all respond differently to the food we eat. Tune in to the weekly four-part miniseries, starting Monday 3rd November. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The commonly held story goes that we all begin life as a single cell in our mother’s womb and go on from there to develop into fully formed adult human beings composed of cells of our own creation. However, recent research is showing that this isn’t quite the full picture. Not all of the cells in our bodies come from this single starting point. We are, in fact, all host to cells that have migrated from the bodies of other people – our mothers, grandmothers, siblings and even, in some cases, complete strangers. In this episode, we’re joined by science writer Lise Barnéoud to talk about her latest book Hidden Guests - Migrating Cells and How the New Science of Microchimerism Is Redefining Human Identity. She tells us how mothers and babies share cells across the placenta during pregnancy, how these cells make their homes within our organs and persist for our entire lives, and how this mysterious process led to a woman giving birth to the genetic children of her unborn twin sister. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thanks to hundreds of years of scientific progress we now know, that like every other living thing on Earth, human beings are simply assemblages of atoms and molecules that evolved over eons through a series of complex, iterative processes. But somewhere along this long and meandering journey we developed consciousness – the deep sense of self-awareness that allows us to think, feel and even allows us to attempt to understand what’s going on in the Universe around us. In this episode, we’re joined by neuroscientist and author Dr Nikolay Kukushkin to talk about his latest book, One Hand Clapping – Unravelling the Mystery of the Human Mind. He tells us how this entire process all started millions of years ago through the interactions of atoms such as carbon and oxygen, how taking a bottom-up approach to the development of consciousness can help to explain how human beings became such complicated entities and how the advent of artificial intelligence may, or may not, influence the future evolution of our species. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stars feel like a fundamental feature of the Universe – as essential as planets, galaxies and space itself. But since we know the Universe had a beginning (the Big Bang), there must also have been a first star. Before it, there was only darkness; after it, the cosmos as we know it began to take shape. Exactly what those first stars were like – and how they transformed everything that followed – remains one of astronomy’s great mysteries. It’s a mystery that astrophysicist Dr Emma Chapman has dedicated much of her career to solving. In this episode, Emma joins us to talk about her book First Light: Switching on the Stars at the Dawn of Time, recently updated to include discoveries from groundbreaking telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Humanity is beautifully diverse. Some of that diversity is visible, but hidden beneath the surface, there is also a hidden web of genetic variation that collectively tells a story about how people have adapted to their environments, sometimes in weird and wonderful ways. In this episode, we speak to Prof. Herman Pontzer, an evolutionary anthropologist at Duke University, USA, and the author of Burn: the misunderstood science of metabolism, as well as his newest book, Adaptable: the surprising science of human diversity, which inspired this conversation. Herman tells us about how our genes can evolve over generations, how specific groups of humans have adapted to survive and thrive in different environments, and why understanding the science of diversity is so important for society as a whole. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chances are that when most of us think about the notion of crime our minds turn to acts committed against an individual – be it theft, fraud or even physical assault. But every day ecological crimes are committed against the planet we all live on that often fly under the radar despite the significant, far-reaching effects they have on all of us. In this episode, we’re joined by criminal psychologist and bestselling author, Dr Julia Shaw to talk about her latest book, Green Crime – Inside the Minds of the People Destroying the Planet, and How to Stop Them. She breaks down the factors that drive individuals and organisations to commit acts that are damaging to the environment and explains how understanding the psychology that underpins these acts can help us to keep our planet healthy for generations to come. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Be it a cold, drafty room in a creaky old country house or a still, quiet forest on a dark night, chances are that at one point or another we’ll all have entered an environment that for some reason made us feel uneasy. But what exactly makes a certain place or situation feel so creepy, and why do we get these feelings in the first place? In this episode, we’re joined by psychologist and magician Prof Richard Wiseman to talk about his work as a scientist who investigates the psychology behind paranormal phenomena. He tells us how ghostly experiences may actually have evolved to help keep us away from dangerous environments, how our brains are primed to see faces that aren’t really there, and how the state of consciousness that exists between waking and sleeping can lead us to feel the presence of threatening entities lurking in our bedrooms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chances are when we’re treated with medicines in hospital or pick up our prescriptions at the pharmacy, we don’t give much thought about how the drugs that are so vital for our health and wellbeing came to be. The fact is the journey that a new medicine takes from its beginnings in the laboratory to finally being administered to patients can be long and arduous. It typically takes the work of countless scientists, researchers and technologists toiling away behind the scenes for decades and is often fraught with failure. So exactly how does a new drug make the grade? In this episode, we’re joined by oncologist and drug researcher Dr William Pao to talk about his latest book, Breakthrough – The Quest for Life-Changing Medicines. He tells us how fundamental academic scientific lays down the bedrock for the development of a new drug, runs us through the vital importance that clinical trials play in the whole drug development process, and tells us the fascinating story of how the common everyday drug paracetamol was discovered by accident. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is our planet under threat from the depths of space? In this episode, we talk to solar physicist Dr Ryan French. Normally, Ryan is busy unravelling the mysteries of our Sun, but today we’ll be delving into a slightly darker topic – the many risks posed to our delicate planet from space. In his recent book, "Space Hazards: Asteroids, solar flares and cosmic threats”, Ryan covers all the many dangers our planet faces from space rocks, the Sun and the farthest reaches of the Universe. We run through some of the most pressing threats and find out just how worried we should be. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many of us treat our pet dogs or cats with the same love and attention that with give to our human babies, some of us give our cars or other prized possessions human names and may even, at times, talk to them. This is known as anthropomorphism – the tendency within many of us to assign human qualities to non-human animals and even inanimate objects. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Justin Gregg to talk about his latest book, Human-ish – How Anthropomorphism Makes Us Smart, Weird and Delusional. He tells us how we’ve bred our pets to look and behave in more and more human-like ways, the benefits we can all gain from attributing human-like qualities to inanimate objects such as cars or musicalminstruments, and how AI chatbots are expanding the phenomenon of anthropomorphism further than ever before. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s a little-known fact that bats are one of the most successful animals on Earth, with almost 1,500 different species currently identified. Their agility in flight and prowess as hunters, wide-ranging diversity in size and behaviour and ability to adapt to almost any environment have allowed them to conquer almost every corner of the globe. But despite their success, many species of bats are now under threat. In this episode, we’re joined by ecologist and neurobiologist Prof Yossi Yuval to talk about his latest book, The Genius Bat – Understanding our Most Mysterious Mammal. He gives us a breakdown of bats’ sophisticated ability to ‘see’ the world using sound, tells us how despite their reputation as terrifying blood-thirsty predators, vampire bats have highly developed social networks and will even share their meals with other members of their roosts, and also explains how the loss of bats could have a huge effect on the ecosystems in which they live. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thanks to their comical waddle-like way of walking, striking tuxedo-patterned plumage or graceful ability to seemingly ‘fly’ beneath the water, penguins are without doubt one of the planet’s most instantly recognisable animals. But the fact is that they are also one of its most endangered species of bird. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Peter Fretwell, lead scientist at the British Antarctic Survey, to talk about his latest book The Penguin Book of Penguins – An Expert’s Guide to the World’s Most Beloved Bird. He tells us how, despite popular belief, penguins are found all over the globe, not just in Antarctica, why exactly they have such a comical way of walking and the actions we need to take if we want to save these charismatic birds from extinction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Relatively speaking neuroscience and psychology are young fields of scientific research that only really got going over the last hundred years or so. However, during this time several stubborn myths have arisen that, zombie-like, just don’t seem to go away. In this episode, we speak to neuroscientist, best-selling author and long-time BBC Science Focus contributor Dr Dean Burnett. He tells us how much of our brain we really use, explains whether polygraphs can really tell if we’re lying, and explains the real difference between our left and right brains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When it comes to climate change, we often think of tipping points as having a huge negative effect. Be it the loss of ice sheets in the Arctic, the deforestation of the Amazon rain forest or the alteration of ocean currents, scientists have identified several key systems on the Earth that will be impossible to reverse if they cross a critical threshold. But if we look at the situation from the opposite side, there are also several positive tipping points that, given the correct momentum, can potentially halt the crisis the planet is facing. In this episode, we’re joined by Prof Tim Lenton, chair in Climate Change and Earth System Science at the University of Exeter, to talk about his latest book Positive Tipping Points – How to Fix the Climate Crisis. He tells us how the pop group A-ha helped Norway to lead the way in the adoption of electric vehicles, how government mandates can act as powerful amplifiers to get us closer to these vital climate tipping points, and how each positive tipping point can feed into another to push us closer to a greener future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From Lewis Carrol’s mysterious grinning Cheshire Cat and Jim Davis’s lazy, lasagne-loving comic strip tabby Garfield to the depictions of big cats found in palaeolithic cave art and the ancient Egyptian’s practice of worshipping cat-like deities, it’s clear we humans have had a long-standing fascination with felines. But how did this obsession with these charismatic animals begin? In this episode, we’re joined by Jerry D Moore, a professor of anthropology at California State University, Dominguez Hills, to talk about his latest book Cat Tales: A History – How We Learned to Live with Them… He tells us how ancient cultures feared and revered the big cats they shared their land with thanks to their prowess as apex predators, how human’s development of agriculture and the storage of grain gave wild cats a reliable hunting ground in which to catch rodents, and how the domestic house cats of today may have chosen to live with us and much as we chose to live with them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Despite being a land-based species, the fact is that we humans live on a planet that is largely covered by oceans. The oceans play a key role in regulating the Earth’s climate and provide us with many of the resources essential for our continued survival – even down to the oxygen we breathe. The sad truth is our oceans aren’t in good shape. But there is still hope. With directed effort we can all help to preserve this vital resource and improve the health of the planet and all who live on it. In this episode, we catch up with oceanographer, environmentalist and grandson of the legendary ocean explorer and innovator Jacques Cousteau, Philippe Cousteau Jr. He breaks down the huge importance the oceans have on the health of the planet, explains how taking positive environmental action can benefit us both culturally and economically and how educating the next generation is key to safeguarding the future of the planet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, we’re joined by Professor Omar Yaghi – a pioneer of materials chemistry whose inventions are shaping the future of clean energy, clean air, and even clean water. He’s best known for creating metal–organic frameworks, or MOFs, and covalent organic frameworks, COFs – ultra-porous materials that can capture carbon, store hydrogen, and even pull drinking water out of desert air. His work has opened up an entirely new field of chemistry, and his breakthroughs are now being developed into technologies that could help us tackle some of the biggest challenges of the 21st century. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The most commonly held narrative states that we’re all ultimately responsible for our own health and wellbeing. While there’s undoubtedly truth in this idea, the bigger picture shows that the societies we live in and the policies shaped by our governments also play a huge role in our quality of life and longevity. In this episode, we’re joined by Devi Sridhar, professor of global public health based at the University of Edinburgh, about her latest book, How Not to Die (Too Soon) – The Lies We’ve Been Sold and the Policies That Can Save Us. She explains how the key to longevity begins with education, discusses the lessons we can learn from some of the world's longest-lived populations, and outlines the positive societal changes governments can implement to help us all live longer, healthier lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Be it due to an increasingly demanding workload or responsibilities that need fulfilling at home, these days many of feel that there isn’t enough time in the day to get everything we need to get done. For many of us this can have a significant impact on our health and wellbeing. So, what can we do to improve our relationship with time? In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Ian Taylor, a psychologist based at Loughborough University, to talk about his latest book Time Hacks – The Psychology of Time and How to Spend it. He tells us how relying on willpower alone is never the best way to be more productive, why we should be getting the most important tasks on our to-do lists completed early in the day and how breaking larger intimidating goals down into smaller micro-goals can have a huge impact on our motivation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We all know the feeling: thoughts racing through your mind, nervous flutters in your belly, your heart beating hard in your chest. When your whole body is screaming at you that you’re in danger, it can feel impossible to not listen. But fear doesn’t have to hold you back. In this episode, we speak to Professor Abby Marsh, a neuroscientist at Georgetown University, in the US, who recently starred in National Geographic’s new series, Limitless: Live Better Now. In this series, scientists – including Abby – teach actor Chris Hemsworth how to conquer fear, pain and cognitive decline. Today, Abby tells us about what fear is, how it manifests in our bodies and brains, and techniques we can use to overcome or harness it, so we can live more emboldened lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s estimated that as many as one in five of the world’s population are neurodivergent. Be it ADHD, autism or dyslexia, these differences in brain function can make everyday life more difficult for many. But maybe the natural world can provide some much-needed relief. In this episode, we speak to naturalist and author Joe Harkness about his latest book Neurodivergent by Nature – Why Biodiversity Needs Neurodiversity. He tells us why many neurodivergent people don’t receive an accurate diagnosis until later in life, why many neurodivergent people are attracted to careers in conservation and how getting out in natural environments can help us all to relax and feel safe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The luteal phase of the menstrual cycle has a really bad reputation. It’s known for premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, when many menstruating people experience low mood, bloating, food cravings and sluggishness before their period arrives. In stark contrast, we think of earlier phases in the cycle as times when we feel energetic, motivated and self-confident. In this episode, we speak to Dr Sarah Hill, an evolutionary psychologist whose research focuses on women, relationships and health, and the author of This is Your Brain on Birth Control and her upcoming title, The Period Brain. She tells us what happens to the body and brain during the luteal phase, why so many of us experience unpleasant symptoms, and some little things we can do to feel our best. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re no longer living in a world before climate change. Its impacts – from rising sea levels to more extreme weather – are already upon us, and will almost certainly get worse before they get better. But beyond cutting our emissions as fast as possible, what do we need to do to survive, and hopefully thrive, in this new world?  Today’s guest, researcher and author Susannah Fisher, joins us to explore that question. In her new book Sink or Swim, she lays out two possible futures: one where we fail to adapt and face the mounting chaos, and another where we make the hard choices needed to live in a hotter world. Which one of these we end up with, she says, is up to us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Humans’ unique ability to communicate through complex systems of language is one of the key attributes that separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom. But how did this complex behaviour arise? In her latest book, The Origin of Language – How We Learned to Speak and Why, evolutionary biologist Madeleine Beekman argues that our ability to speak arose due to the need to take care of our children. She tells us how early human’s anatomy changed dramatically when our ancestors came down from the tress and began walking on two legs, how a quirk of genetics allowed humans to develop such large brains that aided the development of language, and why human’s slow development from helpless infants to functioning members of society gave rise to the need for in-group cooperation and complex modes of communication. To get the exclusive gift box from Shokz, order via this link: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4kFt10l⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For thousands of years humans have looked out into the night sky and pondered on the mysteries of the vast cosmos that we find ourselves part of. From Copernicus’ discovery that the Earth revolves around the Sun to Einstein’s revelation that gravity is the result of the curvature of spacetime, we’ve learned much about how the universe operates. But we’re still only scratching the surface. In this episode, we speak to Marcus Chown, an award-winning science writer and broadcaster and long-time contributor to BBC Science Focus. He explains why pinning down the nature of dark matter and dark energy has eluded us for so long, why we can’t get gravity to agree with the three other forces of nature, and discusses the possibility of the existence of multiple universes. To get the exclusive gift box from Shokz, order via this link: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4kFt10l⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If most of us were asked what we thought was meant by the word ‘technology’ chances are the first thing that would come to mind are inventions such as cars, medicine and computers. But economist and author David McWilliams would argue these are all physical technologies and that there’s also a whole world of social technologies out there that have shaped human progress in a similarly profound way that most of us are largely unaware of. Chief amongst these, he says, is the invention of money. In this episode, we speak to David about his latest book Money – A Story of Humanity. He tells us how the very reason that money has any value at all is based on our collective belief and trust in it as a concept, how money was much more deeply involved in turning points in human history than first meets the eye, and we need to see our relationship with money as an evolutionary process that progresses much like natural selection. To get the exclusive gift box from Shokz, order via this link: ⁠https://bit.ly/4kFt10l⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dementia doesn’t have to be terrifying. We tend to think of neurocognitive decline as something to be feared and avoided, but as the population ages, more and more of us are being diagnosed with dementia – so it might be helpful to know more about it. In this episode, we speak to Dr Sabina Brennan, a neuroscientist, psychologist, bestselling author and host of the Super Brain podcast. Her new book, Still Me: a neuroscientist’s guide to caring for someone with dementia, offers practical advice for approaching dementia care in a loving and brain-healthy way. Sabina tells us about her own experiences caring for her mother, the different ways neurocognitive decline can manifest itself, and how to find joy and fulfilment alongside dementia. To get the exclusive gift box from Shokz, order via this link: ⁠https://bit.ly/4kFt10l⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every day we all breathe in thousands of litres of air, it is, of course essential for our continued existence. But did you know that the air that surrounds us is filled with a thriving colony of life itself? This is known as the aerobiome – a population of thousands of species of bacteria, fungi and even potentially lethal viruses such as SARS-CoV-2. In this episode, we speak to science journalist and author Carl Zimmer about his latest book Air-Borne – The Hidden History of the Life We Breathe. He runs us through the fascinating history of aerobiology, outlines the key role the field played in developing the germ theory of disease, and explains how even clouds are filled with life. To get the exclusive gift box from Shokz, order via this link: ⁠https://bit.ly/4kFt10l⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rapid advances in technology over the past several decades have impacted almost every area of our lives. It could be argued that innovations in medicine and healthcare are one of technology’s biggest success stories. However, many of us are still living in poor health, particularly in our later years. Can technology once again come to our rescue and help us to not only live longer lives but to help us to stay healthier for longer? In this episode, we speak to technology journalist and author Lara Lewington about her latest book Hacking Humanity: How Technology Can Save Your Health and Your Life. She tells us how me may soon all have a ‘digital twin’ containing all of the data about our bodies and health that can be used to test the efficacy of drugs before we take them, the increasing role robotics can play in the operating theatre and the huge impact that the AI revolution can have on the future of healthcare. To get the exclusive gift box from Shokz, order via this link: ⁠https://bit.ly/4kFt10l⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why do some people become radicalised, while others remain resistant to extreme ideas? What makes one mind more vulnerable to harsh doctrines than another? In a world saturated with competing ideologies, it’s tempting to blame it on chance or circumstance. But in her compelling new book, The Ideological Brain, political neuroscientist Leor Zmigrod uncovers a deeper truth: our susceptibility to extremism is shaped by the very architecture of our minds, down to the cellular and genetic level. She explores how our cognitive traits influence ideological thinking, and crucially, why we’re not locked into any one path. To get the exclusive gift box from Shokz, order via this link: ⁠https://bit.ly/4kFt10l⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Be it at school or in the workplace, many of us are under more and more pressure to work harder for longer to ensure that we’re performing at our best. But the latest neuroscience research is discovering that we may all have this idea entirely the wrong way around. In this episode, we speak to neuroscientist Dr Joseph Jebelli to talk about his latest book The Brain at Rest: Why Doing Nothing Can Change Your Life. He tells us how overwork is leading to almost 750,000 deaths a year globally, how taking a few minutes to pause and do nothing every now and then can switch on the powerful effect of our brains’ default network, and how simply allowing our minds to wander from time to time can help us to be more creative and more productive. To get the exclusive gift box from Shokz, order via this link: ⁠https://bit.ly/4kFt10l⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Anyone who has studied maths even briefly will no doubt be familiar with the ‘equals’ sign. But there’s much more to this seemingly simple symbol and the concepts that it represents than may first meet the eye. In this episode, we speak to mathematician and author Dr Eugenia Cheng about her latest book Unequal – The Maths of When Things Do (and Don’t) Add Up. She tells us why maths doesn’t have to be intimidating, the importance of recognising different viewpoints in maths, and how a gaining a deeper understanding of maths can help us live our daily lives more effectively. To get the exclusive gift box from Shokz, order via this link: ⁠https://bit.ly/4kFt10l⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Currently, 60 per cent of people in the UK are overweight or obese. It’s likely that many of us would like to drop a few pounds if possible but with so much information on diet and weight loss available separating facts from myths can be something of a minefield. In this episode, we speak to Prof Giles Yeo, a geneticist and obesity expert based at the University of Cambridge. He tells us exactly how our bodies extract calories from the food we eat, the real effect that exercise has on our weight, and how the reward pathways in our brains are linked to our appetites. To get the exclusive gift box from Shokz, order via this link: ⁠https://bit.ly/4kFt10l⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Be it a brief power nap to help perk us up, a Sunday afternoon kip after a big lunch, or a traditional daily Spanish siesta, many of us put our heads down for a short period during the day. But where does this habit come from and is it actually good for our health? In this episode, part of our four-part Better Sleep miniseries, we speak to Valentina Paz, a psychologist based at the Universidad de la República in Uruguay and University College London. She tells us how taking naps can help to boost our attention and energy, what the ideal time for a nap actually is, and speaks about her research on the long-term protective effects that napping can have on our brains. To get the exclusive gift box from Shokz, order via this link: https://bit.ly/4kFt10l Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many of us listen to music or play an instrument for pleasure thanks to the unique effect it has on our emotions. But what exactly is going on in our bodies and brains when we listen to or play music, and can we harness the profound effects it has on us to improve our health and wellbeing? In this episode, we speak to neuroscientist, musician and author Stefan Koelsch about his latest book Good Vibrations: Unlocking the Healing Power of Music. He explains exactly what’s happening in our brains when we listen to music, how playing music can help to keep our brains young, and how new research is uncovering the powerful ways in which music can help stroke patients regain their speech and mobility, reduce the amount of anaesthetics needed during surgeries and how music’s ability to bring us together can help us to lead happier, more fulfilling lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over the past several decades it’s become abundantly clear that getting a good night’s sleep is essential for our health and wellbeing. However, currently around one in three of us often struggle to get enough shuteye thanks to the stress and anxiety caused by our hectic lifestyles. Thankfully, help is out there in the form of cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT. In this episode, part of our four-part Better Sleep miniseries, we speak to founder of The Insomnia Clinic and Silentnight sleep expert, Kathryn Pinkham. She tells us exactly what a good night’s sleep looks like, how developing a healthy sleep appetite is vital if we want to wake up feeling fresh and renewed in the morning and shares some psychological techniques we can use to help us sleep more restfully. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do our brains help us build up a picture of the world around us? It’s a question that has both beguiled and fascinated scientists for centuries. The latest thinking suggests that the brain acts like a scientist that builds up a database of previous observations and experiences and uses this to make sense of the world around us. In this episode, we speak to Daniel Yon, an experimental psychologist based at Birkbeck, University of London to talk about his latest book A Trick of the Mind: How the Brain Invents Your Reality. He tells us about the intimate link between our brains and senses, how our brains create our sense of self and make judgements about others, and how our brains come up with new theories and ideas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

More than four in ten of us in the UK are snorers. Far from being a trivial condition, snoring can have a significant impact on our ability to sleep, our partners’ ability to sleep and our health in general. In this episode, part of our four-part Better Sleep miniseries, we speak to Ryan Chin Taw Cheong, a consultant ear, nose and throat and sleep surgeon based at University College London Hospitals and the Cleveland Clinic London. He tells us about the many factors that can lead to us snoring, the difference between regular snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea, and why we shouldn’t be embarrassed to seek medical help if breathing problems during sleep are affecting our lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Humans are enthralled by stories about murder. And the mysteries we tell these days – like in the Glass Onion films or TV shows like The Residence – often follow a blueprint set by the iconic Agatha Christie. It turns out, Christie knew a whole lot about science. In this episode, we speak to Dr Kathryn Harkup, a chemist who writes about the science behind famous works of literature. Her newest book, V is for Venom: Agatha Christie’s Chemicals of Death, is her sequel to A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie, exploring Christie’s expert use of dark chemistry. She tells us about some of the poisons Christie used in her books – the brutal, the medicinal and the obscure – revealing Christie’s extensive chemical knowledge. But be warned: this conversation gets quite dark. Listener discretion is advised. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We humans spend roughly one third of our time sleeping. For the average person this adds up to around 26 years over our lifetimes. And though to the outside observer it may seem that there’s little going on, several processes are being carried out by our bodies and brains that are vital for our health and wellbeing. In this episode, part of our four-part Better Sleep miniseries, we speak to Dr Alessio Delogu, a neurobiologist based at King’s College, London, about the intimate link between sleep our memory. He tells how memories are encoded in our brains during sleep, how sleep deprivation hampers our ability to learn new skills, and shares some tips to help us keep our memory systems working in tiptop condition. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s a little-known fact that we all have two long networks of nerves that run down either side of our necks that pass signals from our brains to all of the organs in our bodies. This is known as the vagus nerve, and cutting-edge research is now uncovering how stimulating this vital part of our anatomy can help us combat a whole range of damaging health conditions. In this episode, we speak to neurosurgeon and researcher Dr Kevin J Tracey about his latest book The Great Nerve: The New Science of the Vagus Nerve and How to Harness its Healing Reflexes. He tells us how this nerve network acts as a vital conduit for communication between our brains and organs, talks us through the exciting new therapies being developed using electronic implants that stimulate the vagus nerve, and why we’re only just scratching the surface of the therapeutic potential of this understudied part of our bodies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There’s little doubt that music is an integral part of what it means to be human. But how did it first arise, how did musical instruments and compositions become ever more sophisticated and why does listening to or playing music bring us so much joy? In this episode, we speak to science writer and music producer David Darling about his latest book A Perfect Harmony: Music, Mathematics and Science. He tells us how the oldest pitched musical instrument found so far is thought to be more than 40,000 years old, the role music has played in the evolution of human culture, and what the impact AI-generated music may have on the work of human musicians and composers in the near future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The shocking fact is that alcohol is responsible for around three times more deaths globally than any other drug combined, save for tobacco. However, many of us still consume it. So how have we reached this point, and why is alcohol consumption still so deeply ingrained in human culture? In this episode, we speak to Professor David Nutt about the history of alcohol use and the many and varied effects it has on our health, lives and wellbeing. He tells us exactly what alcohol does to our bodies and brains, why some of us find it so difficult to stop drinking once we’ve started, and why education is vital if we are to limit the damage alcohol causes to public health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

 Studies show that around one in three of us aren't getting enough sleep, and this is having a huge impact on our ability to perform at our best, both at work and in our home lives. If you're someone who often wakes up in the morning feeling out of sorts, why not tune into the Instant Genius Better Sleep miniseries brought to you from the team behind BBC Science Focus. It's still the same show with the same great guests. We'll just be spending a little extra time to go deeper into how to sleep more soundly and how to reap the many health benefits that this brings. This four part special series will feature interviews with leading researchers to give you everything you need to know to get a better night's sleep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s now been more than 50 years since any human being has set foot on the Moon, but the ambition to do so again has been gathering pace over the last decade or so. But some scientists and researchers are looking further ahead and planning to establish a human presence on distant planets such as Mars. In this episode, we speak to physicist and director of the Foundation for Space Development Africa Dr Adriana Marais about her book Out of This World and Into the Next: Notes from a Physicist on Space Exploration. She tells us what plans to establish a Moon base in the coming years can teach us about living on other planets, how we’ll select the crew to take on this bold journey, and how the technology being developed can help us to live more economically and environmentally here on Earth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our everyday lives are filled with sounds of all kinds – birdsong, traffic noise, the music we choose to listen to or is played in shops and restaurants, the list is practically endless. But what impact are these sounds having on our individual health and wellbeing and the world at large? In this episode, we speak to author and founder of The Listening Society Julian Treasure about his latest book Sound Affects: How Sound Shapes Our Lives, Our Wellbeing and Our Planet. He tells us how hearing is the first sense we develop, how ambient sounds impact our health and wellbeing, and how listening more closely to what’s going on around us, rather than simply hearing, can enhance almost every aspect of our lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One in three people born today will develop dementia of some form in their lifetimes. Of these, around 60 per cent will suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. Currently, there is no cure for this debilitating condition but by raising awareness we can help to reduce its impact until the many researchers working around the world develop more effective treatments. In this episode, which coincides with this year’s Dementia Action Week, we speak to Dr Richard Oakley, Head of Research at the Alzheimer’s Society. He tells us what happens in the brain as Alzheimer’s disease develops, points out some early warning signs to look out for and talks us through some of the latest breakthroughs that may one day help us beat dementia once and for all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Although we can’t see them with the naked eye, the Earth is populated by vast numbers of tiny living organisms such as bacteria, fungi and viruses. Collectively, these organisms are known as microbes, and they have existed on the planet for billions of years. But what role did they play in the origin of complex life, how have they stuck around for so long and how can they help us shape a healthier future for the planet? In this episode, we speak to science writer and author Peter Forbes about his latest book Thinking Small and Large: How Microbes Made and Can Save Our World. He tells us the role microbes played in the evolution of multicellular life, their deep importance to the world’s ecosystems and how they may help us to produce the food, fuel and materials of the future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Be it a pair of wolves that mate for life, a pod of female dolphins that hunt together, or a large colony of honeybees all working together in a hive, the natural world is filled with relationships of all kinds. But some relationships run deeper than others, even to the extent that certain species literally make their homes inside the bodies of others. This is an example of a symbiotic relationship – a long-term bond that exists between organisms of different species. In this episode, we speak to science writer Sophie Pavelle about her new book To Have or to Hold: Nature’s Hidden Relationships. She tells us how far from being rare, symbiotic relationships occur practically everywhere in the natural world, how they come in a dizzying array of different forms, and how the fine balance underpinning these relationships that has formed over thousands of years is coming under threat from human activity and climate change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The history of the Earth is littered with dramatic events that have shaped the planet itself and the lives of the human beings who live on it in profound ways. Be it floods, famine or disease pandemics. Human beings have so far survived. But what in modern times can we learn from these past catastrophes? In this episode, we speak to author Lizzie Wade about her latest book Apocalypse: How Catastrophe Transformed Our World and Can Forge New Futures. She tells us how even though Neanderthals died out many years ago they still live on in human DNA, how ancient civilisations that once thrived fell but their culture persists to this day and how the story of the human race is far from finished. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s commonly believed that the arts and the sciences have little in common with each other. The distinction that’s most frequently made is that the arts are creative in nature whereas the sciences are logical. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. In this episode, we catch up with mathematician and author Marcus du Sautoy to talk about his latest book Blueprints: How mathematics shapes creativity. He tells us how, fundamentally, mathematics is the study of patterns, structure and symmetry, how these patterns are found everywhere in music, visual art and architecture, and why we should be teaching students how to spot them in their everyday lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When think about climate change, we may think about global temperatures escalating, extreme weather events occurring more and more and sea levels rising. But what effect is all of this actually having on the everyday lives of the world’s population, especially those that are most vulnerable? In this episode, we speak to Dr Friederike Otto about her latest book Climate Injustice: Why We Need to Fight Global Inequality to Combat Climate Change. She tells us how facts and evidence and are vital if we want to combat the effects of climate change on the world’s poorest populations, how the historical effects of inequality are deeply ingrained in the issue, and why the future doesn’t have to be as bleak as some may say. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Everywhere we look we’re surrounded by materials of all kinds – from the fabrics we use to make our clothing, to the bricks and mortar we use to build our homes and places of work, to the complex transistors and circuits we use to build our digital devices. Life as we known it simply wouldn’t be possible without them. But what will the materials of the future look like? In this episode, we catch up with Mark Miodownik, professor of materials and society based at University College London, best-selling author and veteran presenter of many BBC television and radio science documentaries. He tells us how the advent of materials such as paper, bronze and ceramics transformed early humans into a truly technological species, how nano-machines are already showing promising results in several areas of medicine, and how we may one day be living in buildings that can generate their own electricity and repair themselves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Like it or not, Earth won’t be our home forever. Whether it’s climate collapse, nuclear war, or the slow death of the Sun, life on this planet is on borrowed time. So, what happens next? If we’re serious about avoiding extinction, we’ll need to look not just beyond Earth – but far beyond our Solar System. Our guest today believes we not only can do that, but that we must. Christopher Mason is a Professor of Physiology and Biophysics at Weill Cornell Medicine and author of The Next 500 Years: Engineering Life to Reach New Worlds. In the book, he argues that as the only species aware of life’s inevitable end, we have a moral duty to preserve it – not just our own, but all life on Earth. To do that, we’ll need to radically rethink what it means to be human. Because as things stand, our bodies are far too fragile to survive the journey. Chris lays out an ambitious 500-year plan to reengineer human biology, making us more resilient to space travel and alien environments — and he maps out how we might go about seeding life across the stars. So, is humanity ready to become an interstellar species? And where on Earth – or off it – do we begin? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Millions of people around the globe pop a daily pill or live with pieces of metal or plastic inside their bodies, all to avoid getting pregnant. But while we know our contraception works, many of us don’t know much else about it.   In this episode, we speak to Kate Muir, a woman’s health expert, documentary maker, journalist and author, whose book about hormonal contraception – Everything You Need to Know About the Pill (but were too afraid to ask) – inspired this conversation.   She tells us about what the different forms of contraception contain, how they work, how they might be affecting our minds and bodies – and what the future of baby-prevention might look like, for everyone involved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every day we’re presented with hundreds if not thousands of decisions: What do we want for breakfast? Should we call our mothers or spend time with our friends? Should we go out for a workout or watch TV and eat snacks? Of course, some of the choices we make are more significant than others and can have huge impacts on our lives. But what do these decisions say about us and how can we try to make better choices? In this episode, we catch up with neuroscientist and professor of communication at the University of Pennsylvania Emily Falk to talk about her latest book What We Value: The Neuroscience of Choice and Change. She tells us how certain regions of our brains are involved in the many decisions we make, how we weigh up short and long-term rewards, and how we can all make more thoughtful choices that align with our goals if we just make a few tweaks to our behaviour. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

These days many of us have a bucket list, a set of experiences we’d like to have at least once in our lives. Seeing the Northern Lights with our own eyes is likely top of many of these. But what is the best way to ensure that when we do take a trip to see this mysterious, ghostly phenomenon we have a genuinely once-in-a-lifetime experience? In this episode we speak to Tom Kerss an aurora chaser, astronomer and author of the book Northern Lights: The definitive guide to auroras about the best way to see the breathtaking phenomenon of the Aurora Borealis. He tells us when and where to go to have the best chances of seeing the Northern Lights, what we should take and wear to have the best experience, and why often it’s a better idea to put down your camera and simply enjoy the spectacle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The ocean covers more than 70 per cent of our planet’s surface. Thanks to its ability to absorb the excess carbon and heat generated by climate change, its potential to generate clean energy and the bountiful source of food it provides to both humans and animals, there’s little doubt the ocean is vital for the continued survival of the human race and of the planet itself. But all is not well. Ocean temperatures are climbing, coastal water levels are rising, and extreme weather events are becoming more and more common. In this episode we speak to special advisor on ocean issues to the United Nations Sturla Henriksen about his latest book The Ocean: How It Has Formed Our World – And Will Shape Our Destiny. He tells us about the many challenges we are facing to keep the ocean healthy and why we need to take a more holistic approach to combat them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Humans have been fermenting foods for millennia, due to the process’s ability to enhance the flavours of what we eat and preserve it for when times are lean. Now, new science is uncovering how eating fermented food is beneficial for both our physical and mental health and how it may possibly play a key role in the food of the future by creating a source of alternative protein. In this episode we speak to Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro, Director of the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein and the Microbial Food Hub at Imperial College London. He tells us how we all eat more fermented food than we may think, why it’s so good for our guts and how cutting-edge science can help us to create tasty fermented food that is also kind to the environment. This episode is brought to you in association with EIT Food https://www.eitfood.eu/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Northern Lights are surely one of the most awe-inspiring phenomena anyone can be lucky enough to witness occurring on planet Earth. But how exactly do solar winds breezing out of the Sun and hitting our planet’s atmosphere create the enchanting phosphorescent display that dances across the night sky? In this episode we speak to Tom Kerss an aurora chaser, astronomer and author of the book Northern Lights: The definitive guide to auroras about the science behind the breathtaking phenomenon of the Aurora Borealis. He tells us how the colours of the Northern Lights are created by particles ejected from the Sun hitting the Earth’s magnetic field, how auroras also exist on other planets within the Solar System and talks us through the many things we can learn from studying this fascinating cosmic phenomenon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Baking can be hard. Measurements need to be exact and techniques perfected. But with the right tricks and by understanding the science of baking, you can become the envy of your friends with the perfect loafs and cakes. Part of our Food Science series, we spoke to Cristiana Solinas. She is the head of the National Bakery School at London South Bank University. She talks us through the science of how to make good sourdough, why your loaves are coming out too dry and busts the biggest science myths in daily baking. This episode is brought to you in association with EIT Food https://www.eitfood.eu/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This year quantum physics celebrates its 100th anniversary. And while we’ve made great progress in understanding its many intricacies and quirks, it’s likely that quantum behaviour will continue to fascinate and beguile scientists around the world for years to come. In this episode we speak to Prof Jim Al-Khalili, a theoretical physicist based at the University of Surrey, author of several best-selling books and the long-time presenter of BBC Radio 4’s The Life Scientific. He tells us about the many disagreements that have surrounded quantum theory over the past century, how the theory raises deep scientific and philosophical questions about the nature of reality itself, and why we still have so much to learn. Watch the episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whether it’s the crowning glory on the top of a pizza Margherita, layered between two pieces of bread in a sandwich laced with pickle, or simply enjoyed by itself at the end of a meal, many of us adore cheese. But how exactly is it made, what gives it its distinct flavour and how can we make so many different varieties? In this episode, we speak to Bronwen Percival, a cheese buyer for Neal's Yard Dairy in London, co-founder of the website MicrobialFoods.org and author of the book Reinventing the Wheel. She tells us about the process that leads to milk becoming cheese, why we shouldn’t be afraid of mould and why some cheeses melt so beautifully to give what pizza fans call ‘the pull’. This episode is brought to you in association with EIT Food https://www.eitfood.eu/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Be it the extravagant displays of peacocks fanning their tails, the beautiful, complex song of nightingales or the meticulous art installation-like structures built by bouwerbirds, the animal kingdom filled with a huge variety of fascinating mating rituals. But more than being mere quirks of evolution, these behaviours play a significant role in driving the process itself. In this episode, we catch up with science writer and best-selling author Matt Ridley to talk about his latest book, Birds, Sex and Beauty: The Extraordinary Implications of Darwin’s Strangest Idea. He tells us about the runaway processes that have led to the development of these flamboyant displays and behaviours, why choosing a mate may well be a popularity contest, and why it’s so important to give birth to sexy sons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chocolate has a reputation. It is sugary and bad for you. But in its purest form, it can be beneficial to your health. As part of our Food Science series, we spoke to Megan Povey, a physicist at the University of Leeds who specialises in food processing. They explain how chocolate is made, the benefits it can have on your health and what separates good and bad chocolate. This episode is brought to you in association with EIT Food https://www.eitfood.eu/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We all experience distressing or intrusive thoughts at some point in our lives but for around two to three per cent of us these can be incredibly difficult to ignore and can begin to have a significant debilitating effect on our lives. Clinically this is known as obsessive compulsive disorder or OCD – a condition that many of us will have heard of but few understand. In this episode, we speak to Dr Marjan Biria, a psychologist and neuroscientist based at University College London. She tells us about some common obsessions and compulsions experienced by those with OCD, why thoughts are not actions and why people who say they are ‘a little bit OCD’ because they like cleanliness or order are significantly misunderstanding the condition. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Despite decades of international climate summits, the ongoing work of various campaign groups and open letters signed by some of the world’s most prominent scientists highlighting the crucial need for action, carbon emissions, biodiversity loss and sea level rises are still going up across the globe. So, what are we getting wrong? In this episode, we speak to leading researcher and author Mike Berners-Lee about his latest book A Climate of Truth, Why We Need it and How to Get It. He argues that truth and honesty are key if we are to avert what he refers to as the climate polycrisis. Facts and data need to be reported frankly and clearly, policymakers and business leaders need to be held to higher standards of honesty and when it comes down to it, we can all make a difference by educating ourselves, questioning the information we’re presented with and, ultimately, voting with our wallets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

These days we’re bombarded with information and claims that purport to explain almost every conceivable aspect of our lives, be it down to the bold assertions made by policymakers, the confidence of anonymity afforded by social media or just our natural human inclination to be fooled by a well-spoken know-it-all. But exactly who are the people making these claims, how do they reach their conclusions, and really, can anyone ever actually be certain about anything? In this episode, we catch up with the statistician, epidemiologist and author Adam Kucharski to take about his latest book Proof, The Uncertain Science of Uncertainty. He tells us how Abraham Lincoln’s background as lawyer led him to study the nature of proof beyond reasonable doubt and how it helped him to win his presidency, how picking holes in previous logical thinking enabled Albert Einstein to discover some of his greatest theories, and what the COVID pandemic taught us all about the value of scientific rigour and evidence-based conclusions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The human brain is surely one of the most complex and fascinating creations in all of nature. It’s through them that we experience the world around us, develop knowledge and skills, and carry within us memories of events and experiences that occurred decades in the past, which we can later draw on to face new challenges. But when it comes to understanding exactly what is going on between our ears, we’re only just starting to scratch the surface. Could artificial intelligence technology help us in this quest? In this episode, we’re joined by Prof Andrew Saxe, a computational neuroscientist based at University College London. He tells us about the work his lab is carrying out on modelling the function of our brains using artificial intelligence, what this research has already uncovered about how our brains learn and what we can look forward to discovering in the coming decade or so. Andrew is a finalist for the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists.   https://blavatnikawards.org/news/items/finalists-announced-2025-uk-blavatnik-awards-young-scientists/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From the dramatic caves that bring to mind the pirates and smugglers of yore to the rolling sand dunes many of us likely played in as children, our coastlines are home to all manner of fascinating features, forged over centuries by crashing waves and harsh, unforgiving weather. But far from simply being picturesque, these landmarks can teach us about our planet’s past and ultimately, its future. In this episode, we speak to writer and author Matthew Yeomans about his latest book Seascape: Notes from a Changing Coastline. He speaks to us about the observations he made of the many and varied effects of climate change while walking along the Welsh coastline, how the threat of coastal flooding is very real and how nature-based solutions may well be the most effective way of protecting our precious coastlines. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whether it’s from our friends, workmates or via various media platforms, both social and traditional, these days we’re all faced with a never-ending bombardment of information expressed through numbers, percentages and statistics. But how exactly should we go about interpreting them? In this episode we catch up with Prof Sir David Spiegelhalter, a statistician and science communicator based at the University of Cambridge. He shares some simple advice to help us understand how the risks and benefits of various lifestyle factors such as exercise and diet are presented to us, explains how framing can be used to make any number look big or small, and tells us what everyone, including scientists, could be doing better when we speak about numbers. Watch the episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The prostate is often misunderstood. And yet, this small part of the body is crucial. However, it is also one of the most common forms of cancer, affecting many men around the world. We spoke to Matthew Hobbs, director of research at Prostate Cancer UK who breaks down the big questions. What is a prostate, what treatments are available for prostate cancer and what does the future of diagnosis look like? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever been frustrated when your carefully baked loaves come out of the oven looking more like pancakes? Or wondered why cheese tastes so good even though it’s riddled with mould? Maybe you want to learn more about how fermented foods such as kimchi and kefir are made, and why they’re so good for your gut health. If so, don’t miss the Instant Genius Food Science miniseries, brought to you by the team behind BBC Science Focus. It’s still the same show with the same great guests, we’ll just be going deeper into the science of how the food we eat is produced and what exactly makes it taste so good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Meteorites are one of the best indicators that we can get of what is out there in Space. Helen Gordon, author of the new book The Meteorites: Encounters with Outer Space and Deep Time, talks us through these mysterious rocks landing on Earth. She touches on their cultural importance, what they tell us about our early Universe and their potential for risk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It can be hard to know what is true and false in a world of disinformation. But there are some tricks that people use to frame what they say and learning how to spot these can help you avoid them. We spoke to Mikael Klintman, author of the new book Framing: The Social Art of Influence to better understand how people frame situations and topics and how to not fall for it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whether it’s accepting a work assignment we know we don’t have time for, attending a social occasion even though we’d much rather hunker down at home with a cup of tea, or something more serious such as not speaking up when we witness an act of discrimination, many of us find it difficult to say ‘no’. But why is this? In this episode, we speak to psychologist Dr Sunita Sah about her latest book Defy, The Power of No in a World that Demands Yes. She tells us how we are wired to comply, even if doing so comprises our true values, the far-reaching effect this has on our lives and the structure of society, and how by following her advice we can all unlock the power of a ‘True No’. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dame Judi Dench has recently been in the news speaking about the long-term issue she’s been having with sight loss. The veteran actor has a condition known as age-related macular degeneration that currently affects around 700,000 people in the UK. In this episode, we catch up with Prof Richard Gale, an ophthalmologist based at Hull York Medical School. He tells us the early warning signs to look out for if you are starting to develop the condition, why it’s essential to regularly get your eyesight tested by an optician and why he’s optimistic that the development of cutting-edge treatments can help stop the condition in its tracks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over the last century or so neuroscientists around the world have been uncovering more and more about how our very identities are formed by the different cognitive functions carried out by our brains. And we now know that our identities can even be transformed by brain disorders such as stroke, dementia of head injuries. In this episode, we catch up with neurologist Masud Husain to talk about his latest book – Our Brains, Our Selves, What a Neurologist’s Patients Taught Him about the Brain. He takes us through some of the discoveries he has made while treating patients during his long career. We learn how a stroke led to a previously successful, motivated man to suddenly lose interest in all areas of this life, how a previously demure, shy woman began dressing flamboyantly and insulting people in the street thanks to the effects of dementia and a woman suffering from Alzheimer’s began to think that there were multiple copies of her husband. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Be it a Marvel superhero, a fashion model or a professional athlete, we likely all have an image in our minds of what we wish our bodies looked like. But for some, the pressure of meeting these expectations can lead to the use of anabolic steroids in an attempt to get that Hollywood or magazine cover look. In this episode, we speak to Dr Orlanda Harvey, a senior lecturer in social work based at Bournemouth University. She tells us what steroids do to our bodies, the various motivations recreational users have for using them and the health issues, both for body and mind, that can arise from doing so. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whether it’s due to deadlines at work, an upcoming exam or a rocky personal relationship, we’ve no doubt all felt stress at some point in our lives. And while a certain amount of stress can help to motivate us and make us more productive, if things get too much, stress can have a significant effect on both our mental and physical health. In this episode, we speak to Despina Djama, a psychologist and stress researcher based at the University of Plymouth. She tells us what happens in our brains and bodies when we experience stress, explains how the reaction stems from our evolutionary fight or flight response and shares some tips and techniques we can all use to help us get through stressful times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many of us listen to music every day, perhaps to help us relax in the evening after a hard day’s work, get us through a tough workout or maybe even to allow us to feel closer to absent loved ones. There can be no doubt that music plays a huge part in what it means to be human. In this episode, we catch up with neuroscientist and musician Daniel Levitin to talk about his latest book Music as Medicine: How We Can Harness Its Therapeutic Power. He tells us what happens in our bodies and brains when we listen to music or play an instrument, explains the unique relationship between music and memory, and details how music can be used as a powerful therapeutic tool to help patients struggling from everything from Alzheimer’s disease to post traumatic stress disorder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whether it’s a sport, painting or spending hours buried in puzzles, there is a clear link between our experience of hobbies and our mental health. Part of our Healthy Start series, we spoke to Karen Mak, a senior research fellow at UCL about how hobbies can bolster our mental health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Most of us like to think we live in an equal society that offers the same opportunities to all. But unfortunately, hundreds of scientific studies say otherwise. Racial bias is essentially everywhere, often hiding in plain sight. For example, did you know that black people are as much as 50 per cent less likely to be called in for a job interview than a similarly qualified white person? Or that children of colour are more likely to be viewed as troublemakers at school? In this episode, we speak to Prof Keon West about his latest book The Science of Racism – Everything You Need to Know but Probably Don’t – Yet. He tells us how racism is so deeply baked into many of our societal systems, explains the issues surrounding the concept of ‘colour blindness’ and how we can all benefit from simply interacting with more people from different ethnicities and backgrounds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With a smartphone in our pockets at all times, social media is only ever a few clicks away. With this, problematic social media use is easy to fall into. As part of our Healthy Start series, we spoke to Niklas Ihssen, an associate professor at Durham University about what this means and how to avoid it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s commonly thought that when compared to other members of the animal kingdom we humans have a particularly poor sense of smell. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. Modern research has proven that human beings are surprisingly sophisticated sniffers, at least on par with the vast majority of other animals. In this episode, we catch up with Prof Jonas Olofsson, a psychologist based at Stockholm University, to talk about his latest book The Forgotten Sense – The New Science of Smell. He explains what happens when odour molecules enter our nasal passages and are processed by our brains, tells us how our sense of smell is intimately linked to our memories and emotions and answers the question that has been debated across countless dinner tables all over the world: can some people really identify wines just by smelling them? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This time of the year lots of us will be setting new goals for the future. Be it getting fitter, reading more or even writing that novel we always suspected we had in us. But why do so many of us fail to see these plans through? In this episode, we catch up Dr Ian Taylor a reader in motivational science based at Loughborough University. He tells us why we are prone to setting goals that are too ambitious and why starting small is usually the best approach, why we shouldn’t worry if our routine drops off now and again, and why simply having willpower isn’t the be all and end all of reaching your targets, whatever they are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Be it the recent outbreak of wars around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic or the unfortunate personal events that will undoubtedly befall us at some points in our lives, it can sometimes be difficult to look on the bright side. But is doing so even helpful? Science writer Sumit Paul-Choudhury certainly thinks so. In this episode, we catch up with him to talk about his latest book The Bright Side: Why Optimists Have the Power to Change the World. He tells us how the term was coined based on the theory that we live in the best of all possible worlds, or the optimal world if you like, why far from being unique to humans, many animals such as chickens and bumblebees also show signs of optimism, and how optimistic thinking will play a crucial role in helping us overcome the problems of the 21st Century. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Would you like to learn how to set goals and stick to them? How about cutting down the time you spend on social media? Or how about learning to cope better with stress? Why not tune in to the Instant Genius Healthy Start miniseries, brought to you from the team behind BBC Science Focus. It's still the same show, with the same great guests. We’ll just be spending a little extra time to go deeper into the science of getting the new year off to the best possible start. Starting on Monday 6th January, this four-part special series will feature interviews with leading researchers, to give you everything you need to boost your health and wellbeing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What’s your favourite food? A hamburger, a slice of cake, a pizza? Eating is something we all do every day but most of us rarely think about what actually happens in our bodies after we put food into our mouths. In this episode, we catch up with Dr Chris Van Tulleken to speak about his forthcoming Royal Institution Christmas Lecture series telling us everything we need to know about what’s happening in our bodies when we eat. He tells us what actually happens when we put food into our mouths, what’s going on in our bodies once food is in there, and why farting is just part of the process. BBC Four and iPlayer, 9pm, on 29, 30 and 31 December. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Anyone who has switched on the news even briefly this year will no doubt have seen scenes of extreme flooding occurring in all corners of the globe. But are these events getting more frequent and more severe or are we just becoming more aware of them? In this episode, we catch up with Prof Trevor Hoey, a hydrologist based at Brunel University, London. He tells us about the various climate mechanisms driving these extreme weather events, how counterintuitively severe droughts are being caused by the same processes and he also details some of the measures we can take to minimise the damage these events cause. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Be it down to our professions, taste in music or favourite sports teams we all belong to several different tribes. But what drives this instinct and what purpose does it serve? In this episode, we speak to cultural psychologist Prof Michael Morris about his latest book: Tribal – How the Cultural Instincts That Divide Us Can Help Bring Us Together. He breaks down the influence our peers have on us, explains why we look up to hero figures and why tradition has such a huge impact on our beliefs, lifestyles and identities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why do we humans seem to be so easily influenced or even fooled? On one hand this can be done for entertainment, in a Las Vegas stage magic show for example, but on another it can be used for more nefarious purposes such as con artists tricking people into sharing their bank account details. In this episode, we speak to science writer and BBC Science Focus contributor Brian Clegg to talk about his latest book: Brainjacking – The Science of Influence and Manipulation. He tells us how our emotions can make us susceptible to being tricked, the role advances in technology such as AI are increasingly playing in our ability to manipulate others and how the whole phenomenon stems from our love of a good story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Through emojis, memes, acronyms and inside jokes, the internet has forever changed how we communicate. But what is the result of that and what does it mean for how we’ll speak in the future? We spoke to linguist and author of the book Because Internet, Gretchen McCulloch, to find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Earth’s population currently stands at more than 8 billion and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. There’s little doubt that these staggering numbers are placing a huge strain on global food supplies, so what can be done for the human race to thrive and survive long into the future? In this episode, we catch up with multidisciplinary researcher and author Prof Vaclav Smil to talk about his latest book – How to Feed the World. He tells us how evolution has determined the staple foods we now rely on for nourishment, how this influences our chances of continued survival and why technology is yet to find a viable solution to the urgent issue of feeding the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Living through a mass extinction means the end of a species’ existence inevitably collides with significant events in our personal lives. But what does that mean for the people working to protect them? And why are these extinctions actually bringing them hope? We spoke to science writer Tom Lathan, author of the new book ‘Lost Wonders’, who explains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From the distinctive caw of a crow to the musky scent of a beaver, the world around us is filled with the telltale signs of animals going about their daily business. But how can we teach ourselves to pick up on them more effectively and what can we learn from doing so? In this episode, we catch up with ecologist and author George Bumann to talk about his latest book, Eavesdropping on Animals: What We Can Learn from Wildlife Conversations. He tells us how by simply opening our eyes, ears and noses when we’re out we can begin to tune into to our environment more closely and in turn learn more about the lives and behaviours of the animals we share it with. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s likely that even the most virtuous amongst us has experienced feelings of anger at some point in our lives. But is this simply a failing in our personal moral fabric or does it have more universal biological origins?   In this episode, we catch up with Guy Leschziner, a professor of neurology and sleep medicine at King’s College Hospital in London to talk about his latest book Seven Deadly Sins: The Biology of Being Human.   He tells us how activity in the emotional regions of our brains affects our behaviour, talks about the influence of testosterone on our aggressive tendencies and tells us how mutations in specific genes can predispose us to commit violent acts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the nights draw in and the temperature drops, many of us find ourselves feeling a little less jolly and a bit more sluggish than usual. But for some of us these feelings can become so severe that they are classed as a form of depression known as seasonal affective disorder. This can have a significant impact on our daily habits, relationships and ability to perform at our best. In this episode, we catch up with the founder of The Sleep Scientist Dr Sophie Bostock. She tells us how exposure to daylight affects our mood, why it’s natural to want to hunker down during the colder, darker months and how going on a daily morning walk can help us all to lift our spirits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While being cynical can feel safe, and prepared for the worst outcome, it could actually be harming your health. We spoke to Jamil Zaki, author of the new book Hope for Cynics to better understand the dangers of cynicism and how to break out of it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lots of us will have at some points in our lives woken up feeling groggy after getting a poor night’s sleep. But what causes us to have trouble sleeping, what effect does it have on our health and what can we do about it? In this episode, we catch up Prof Matt Jones, a neuroscientist based at the University of Bristol. He tells us how our sleep needs vary across our lifetimes, how not getting enough sleep can affect our ability to think straight and form memories, and why a lack of sleep can leave so many of us feeling cranky and impulsive. This episode is presented in partnership with Lumie. https://www.lumie.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Understanding who we are and where we came from is one of the most fascinating questions in science. But it’s also one of the most difficult to answer. Putting all of the pieces together requires research across several different disciplines such as genetics, anthropology and medicine. In this episode, we catch up with Professor of Human Genetics and Evolution at College de France in Paris Lluis Quintana-Murci to talk about his latest book Human Peoples: On the Genetic Traces of Human Evolution Migration and Adaptation. He tells us how the characteristics of different human populations have been shaped by the environments they live in, how our genes can protect us against disease and what we learn can from all of this about our future health and wellbeing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Research over the past few decades has proven that getting a good night’s sleep is essential for our health and wellbeing. But sometimes strange things can happen in our brains while we’re asleep. In this episode, we catch up with Dr Dan Denis, a sleep researcher and lecturer at the University of York’s department of psychology. He tells us what happens in our brains and bodies when we dream, why some of us are prone to sleepwalking and even sleep eating, and talks about the strange phenomenon of lucid dreaming. This episode is presented in partnership with Lumie. https://www.lumie.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We may pride ourselves on our intelligence, but humans perhaps actually have to thank our ability to process and communicate information for our species’ success. In this episode, we speak to ‘The History of Information’ author Chris Haughton about the evolutionary adaptations, technologies and moments in our history that propelled us forward – and what he thinks is coming next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We all know we should be eating a good diet to keep ourselves healthy, but did you know your diet can have a significant impact on how well you sleep? In this episode, we speak to Dr Piril Hepsomali, a psychologist and sleep researcher based at the University of Reading. She tells us how consuming caffeine affects our sleep, why we feel tired after eating a big Sunday lunch and what actually happens if you eat cheese before going to bed. This episode is presented in partnership with Lumie. https://www.lumie.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Since its launch on Christmas Day 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope has delivered some of the most stunning images of space we’ve ever seen, peering deeper into the cosmos than ever before. But as awe-inspiring as these images are, data about the history of the Universe being collected by the telescope are perhaps even more mind-blowing. In this episode, we catch up with Sky at Night Presenter Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock to talk about her new book Webb’s Universe: The Space Telescope Images that Reveal our Cosmic History. She tells us how the telescope is shedding new light on what we know about the birth of stars and galaxies, how it’s teaching us more about the structure and atmospheres of distant exoplanets and what she’s most excited about it discovering in the future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our bodies have in-built clocks that allow us to sync our daily activities to a roughly 24-hour cycle. This determines everything from our sleep patterns to our appetites and even dictates the time of day we are most likely to perform at our best. However, not all of our body clocks keep the same time – some of us prefer early mornings while some of us prefer late nights. What’s more, alterations in external time, such as crossing time zones or changes to and from daylight saving time can play havoc with this finely tuned internal system. In this episode, we catch up with Dr Beatriz Bano, a neuroscientist based at the University of Manchester. She tells us the role exposure to daylight plays in setting our body clocks, how they change over our lifetimes and how we can set up our daily routines to ensure we are well rested and performing at our best. This episode is presented in partnership with Lumie. https://www.lumie.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Since the discovery of the double helix by Francis Crick, James Watson and Rosalind Franklin in the 1950s, human knowledge of DNA and genetics has grown almost immeasurably. We now know that genes affect every aspect of our lives, from our appearance, our health and even our personality. But more than this, our genes are a living document of our evolutionary past, an ancient document that, if read properly, can reveal almost everything about how we came to be how we are. In this episode, we’re joined by the evolutionary biologist and multi-million selling author Richard Dawkins to speak about his latest book The Genetic Book of the Dead: A Darwinian Reverie. He tells us how different species of animals hit on the same evolutionary strategies despite being separated by multiple continents, how natural selection doesn’t necessarily always follow the perfect path and how a scientist of the future may one day be able to read the genetic code of any living animal like a book to uncover its entire evolutionary past. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you find it hard to get out of bed first thing in the morning? Maybe you feel your energy levels starting to wane in the afternoon? Or perhaps you struggle to fall asleep in the first place? Why not tune into the Instant Genius How to Hack Your Sleep miniseries, brought to you from the team behind BBC Science Focus. It's still the same show, with the same great guests. We’ll just be spending a little extra time to go deeper into the science of all things related to sleep. Starting on Monday 21 October, this four-part special series will feature interviews with some of the leading figures in sleep research to give you everything you need to get the most out of your shuteye. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We all love our dogs and want to do what’s best for them but, unfortunately, they aren’t able to talk to us to let us know when something isn’t going well for them. So how can we make sure we’re doing our best to keep them safe and happy? In this episode, we catch up dog expert and author Zazie Todd to talk about her latest book, Bark!: The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog. She teaches us about some key body language cues to look out for to tell when your dog is feeling anxious, shares her top tips on buying a healthy puppy, and explains why it’s always a good idea to let your dog have a good old sniff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you’re anything like Kelly and Zach Weinersmith, the idea of a mass human migration to space is exciting but, well, a little flawed. As they say in their new book, A City on Mars (shortlisted for this year's Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize): “An Earth with climate change and nuclear war and, like, zombies and werewolves is still a way better place than Mars.” In this episode, we speak to Kelly about why we’re not likely to see billionaires rocketing off to Mars-based bunkers, what we might eat when we live in space, and how close we really are to moving to Mars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For a relatively small country, England is home to an astonishing variety of habitats. From the low-lying grasses, gorse and heather that make up the heathland to the many rivers that make their way across our countryside and cities, each landscape has its own individual characteristics and charms. In this episode, we catch up with farmer and best-selling nature writer John Lewis-Stempel to talk about his new book England: A Major Natural History in 12 Habitats. He takes us on a tour of some of the country’s unique habitats, speaks about the flora and fauna we can enjoy there and tells us how the best way to interact with nature is to get your hands dirty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Did you know that according to some psychologists we have two minds, not one? The first of these is our regular, analytical mind – the part of us that processes language and is home to our ego – and the second is a more primitive, animal mind that responds to our environment in a more automatic, intuitive way. It is argued that learning how to listen more closely to our animal minds can help us to overcome stress, anxiety and trauma. In this episode, we catch up with psychologist and author Steve Biddulph to talk about his latest book Wild Creature Mind. He tells how our ‘gut feelings’ are a way of our animal minds trying to tell us something, talks us through some simple techniques we can use to help us be more in touch with our animal minds, and explains how simply being a bit kinder to ourselves is a great place to start. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A state of absolute focus, able to complete a single task or activity effortlessly, flow states are desirable. But how can you achieve one and can they be turned on and off? We spoke to Julia Christensen, author of the new book The Pathway to Flow to find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices