Whether you’re curious about getting healthy, the Big Bang or the science of cooking, find out everything you need to know in under 30 minutes with Instant Genius. The team behind BBC Science Focus Magazine talk to world-leading experts to bring you a bite-sized masterclass on a new subject each week.Then when you’ve mastered the basics with Instant Genius. Dive deeper with Instant Genius Extra, where you’ll find longer, richer discussions about the most exciting ideas in the world of science and technology. Only available on Apple Podcasts. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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Radiolab

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Data Viz Today

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Helping you become a more effective information designer. You want to create effective data visualizations. That’s hard work. There are so many decisions to make, like chart type, annotations, and color! Will this podcast help? Host and fellow data viz designer Alli Torban is in the trenches with you. She shares the latest tools and methods that she’s discovered while on the job and interviewing top designers. If you’re an analyst, journalist, or designer who wants to hone your skills with specific tactics, then this show could be just what you need.

Flies, with Dr Erica McAlister

October 20, 2022 31:32 30.27 MB Downloads: 0

Yes, we moan about them biting us, landing on our food and invading our picnics, but did you know that flies are extremely important pollinators? And they also polish off a lot of the dead and decomposing stuff in nature, making the world a better place for us to live? Dr Erica McAlister, the curator of flies at the Natural History Museum, tells us why we should give these insects a little more love. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Medical Detection Dogs, Dr Claire Guest

October 16, 2022 43:00 51.61 MB Downloads: 0

Can animals sniff out cancer? Absolutely they can! It turns out that a dog’s incredible sense of smell can sniff out prostate cancer from a urine sample. Indeed, one recent study suggested that a dog can detect lung cancer from someone’s breath. So how do they do it? And how is this incredible talent being deployed in the real world? We talk to the co-founder of the Medical Detection Dogs charity Dr Claire Guest to find out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Holding the Universe in your hands, with Dr Kimberly Arcand

October 13, 2022 31:41 38.04 MB Downloads: 0

What if you could hold a supernova in the palm of your hand? Or what if you could listen to a black hole? Dr Kimberly Arcand, a data visualiser for NASA, explains how astrophysics is moving beyond flat 2D images and how you can get involved at home. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The science of learning music, with Adrianna Barton

October 09, 2022 16:49 16.15 MB Downloads: 0

Picking up an instrument is something we’ve all done, or thought about doing. But what is actually going on in our brains when we do? We talk to health writer and cellist Adriana Barton about her book: Wired for Music – A search for health and joy through the science of sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The science and soul of music, with prof Susan Rogers

October 06, 2022 43:29 41.75 MB Downloads: 0

Why do you love the songs that you do? Why does music have such a powerful hold over us? Can you love music without being musical? Neuroscientist prof Susan Rogers, who at one time worked with Prince as the audio engineer for Purple Rain, reveals what science can tell us about our musical taste, what our favourite songs might tell us about ourselves and, of course, what it was like to work with Prince. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Faecal transplants, with Dr Benjamin Mullish

October 02, 2022 24:41 23.71 MB Downloads: 0

The Food and Drink Administration in the States has recently recommended the use of faecal transplants to treat various bacterial infections. We spoke to Dr Benjamin Mullish, a researcher at Imperial College London’s Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, about this promising new technique. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The future of self-driving cars, with Jack Stilgoe

September 29, 2022 29:03 34.87 MB Downloads: 0

Jack Stilgoe, a professor of science and technology policy, talks us through the future of self-driving cars, upcoming changes to the law surrounding them, and how they could change society. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The heart, with Sian Harding

September 25, 2022 34:11 41.02 MB Downloads: 0

Sian Harding, author of The Exquisite Machine: The new science of the heart, explains how the heart works, how to keep it healthy and the future of research into this essential organ. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jupiter in opposition, with Dr Jonathan Nichols

September 22, 2022 33:13 31.9 MB Downloads: 0

On Monday 26 September, Jupiter will make its closest approach to Earth for 59 years, giving astronomers and stargazers a unique opportunity to observe and study the planet. To mark this moment, we spoke to planetary scientist Dr Jonathan Nichols from Leicester University, to understand the significance of this cosmological event and find out how new research is rewriting what we know about the enigmatic giant in our midst. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spider season, with Prof Adam Hart

September 18, 2022 23:41 22.74 MB Downloads: 0

It’s that time of year again when we start to notice spiders coming into our homes. But what is the cause of this so-called ‘spider season’ and can any UK spiders actually cause us harm? Entomologist Prof Adam Hart from the University of Gloucester gives us the lowdown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NASA’s DART asteroid deflection mission, with Tim Gregory

September 15, 2022 14:10 13.61 MB Downloads: 0

Geologist and chemist Tim Gregory tells us what to look out for when NASA’s DART spacecraft completes its year-long journey and crashes into an asteroid. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dung beetles, with Sally-Ann Spence

September 11, 2022 30:38 36.76 MB Downloads: 0

Dung beetles are incredibly important insects. They keep fields clean by munching through dung, help aerate soil, and act as a food source for various animals. Dung beetle expert Sally Ann Spence tells us all about these little insects, reveals where you can find them, and explains why we should look after them. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

Artemis’s First Launch, with Libby Jackson

September 08, 2022 35:08 33.74 MB Downloads: 0

Over the last couple of weeks Artemis has had two failed attempts at its first launch. Libby Jackson, the Exploration Science Manager for the UK space agency explains what went wrong, why failures are all part of the process and what’s in store for us all when we finally make it back to the moon. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

Space weather, with Sean Elvidge

September 04, 2022 22:19 21.43 MB Downloads: 0

Jason Goodyer talks with Sean Elvidge on everything you need to know about weather in space. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bringing back the Tasmanian tiger from extinction, with Helen Pilcher

September 01, 2022 45:31 43.7 MB Downloads: 0

When we bring back a species after it’s gone extinct, are we bringing back the real thing? Would we create a woolly mammoth or a hairy elephant? Biologist Helen Pilcher explains whether we can really bring back species from the dead, and how the research could help us protect species under threat of extinction. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.