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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Dr Tilly Blyth: How has art influenced science?
Science and art have not always been separately defined. Leonardo Da Vinci studied anatomy, neuroscientist Cajal created beautiful drawings of the cells in the cerebellum and hippocampus, and the painter John Constable observed the skies with an almost scientific study.Though their pursuits have diverged into distinct fields, the relationship between art and science has remained tightly woven together.Documenting the history of this tumultuous relationship is The Art of Innovation. Comprised of a 20-part BBC Radio 4 series, an exhibition at the Science Museum and an accompanying book, The Art of Innovation shows how scientific discoveries have influenced, and been influenced by, artists and the general public.Editorial assistant Amy Barrett visited the Science Museum’s Dana Research Centre and Library to meet the Head of Collections & Principle Curator at the Science Museum and the co-host of The Art of Innovation radio series, Dr Tilly Blyth.The Science Museum’s major free exhibition runs from now until the 24 January 2020. You can also read 20 stories from the history of art and science in The Art of Innovation (£25, Transworld).Image: A Philosopher Giving that Lecture on an Orrery, in which a Lamp is put in the Place of the Sun, by Joseph Wright, exhibited 1776, oil on canvas © Derby Museums TrustListen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast:Why is Leonardo da Vinci’s scientific legacy so often overlooked? – Martin ClaytonWhat can the father of Gaia theory tell us about our future? – James LovelockRichard Dawkins: Can we live in a world without religion?Do you believe in magic? – Gustav KuhnIs religion compatible with science? – John LennoxInside the mind of a comedian – Robin InceFollow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Richard Dawkins: Can we live in a world without religion?
Richard Dawkins is considered one of the top British intellectuals of the 21st Century. He’s known for his opinions on atheism and his books on evolution. In his most recent book, Outgrowing God, he talks about his own experience with religion, and how science offers us a far more convincing and concrete view of the world we live in.We sat down with Richard to discuss his views on faith, flat-earthers and Facebook.Let us know what you think of the episode with a review or a comment wherever you listen to your podcasts.Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast:Is religion compatible with science? – John LennoxDoes data discriminate against women? – Caroline Criado PerezWhat does a world with an ageing population look like? – Sarah HarperAre Generation Z our only hope for the future? – John HiggsIs racism creeping into science? – Angela SainiHow can we save our planet? – Sir David AttenboroughFollow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Does data discriminate against women? – Caroline Criado Perez
When Apple launched its health tracker app HealthKit in 2014, they promised users the ability to track everything from their blood pressure to their copper intake – but not their periods.This seems like a startling oversight, but Apple aren’t alone in failing to consider women’s needs. For example, it wasn’t until 2015 that the EU required new cars to be tested on a female crash-test dummy.Caroline Criado Perez, whose book Invisible Women (£16.99, Chatto and Windus) has been shortlisted for the 2019 Royal Society Science Book Prize, calls this the gender data gap, and it appears in everything from public policy to medical research.In this episode of the Science Focus Podcast, we talk to Caroline about the gender data gap and how it causes everything from mild inconvenience to potential fatality.She speaks to BBC Science Focus online assistant Sara Rigby.Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast which we think you will find interesting:Why aren’t there more women in science?Is racism creeping into science? – Angela SainiIs religion compatible with science? – John LennoxIs body positivity the answer to body image issues? – Phillippa DiedrichsWhat makes me ‘me’? – Aoife McLysaghtInequality in science – Angela SainiFollow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
How do you launch a successful space mission? – Mark McCaughrean
Launching a rocket into space doesn’t come cheap. That much won’t surprise anybody, but what goes into the planning, construction and the science before the mission even gets off the ground? And when it’s up there, what does it do, and what makes it a success?One man that knows how to put a space project together is Mark McCaughrean, senior advisor for science and exploration at the European Space Agency. During his 10 years at ESA, he’s worked on numerous projects, including the Rosetta mission to land a probe on a comet, and the enormous James Webb Space Telescope.Ahead of his talk at ESA's Space Rocks event on 21 September 2019, he talks to BBC Science Focus Online Editor Alexander McNamara about how to build a space project from start to finish, why studying space is so important for life on Earth, and reaching out through the power of rock music.We now have more than 85 episodes of the Science Focus Podcast, each of which is still well worth a listen. Here are a few that you might find interesting:What happened at Bluedot festival 2019? – Libby Jackson, Tom Shakespeare and Danielle GeorgeIs there anybody out there? – Mike GarrettWhat asteroids can tell us about our Solar System – Natalie StarkeyWhy is the Moon landing still relevant 50 years on? – Kevin FongThe most mysterious objects in the Universe – Colin StuartProject Discovery and its search for exoplanets - Bergur FinnbogasonFollow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
What does our skin tell us about ourselves? – Dr Monty Lyman
The largest organ in the body isn’t the lungs or the brain, but the skin. Our skin performs a vast array of functions for us, from protecting us from disease to helping us make friends.Dr Monty Lyman, author of The Remarkable Life of The Skin (£20, Bantam Press), calls skin the ‘Swiss Army Organ’ because of all the tasks it carries out.Monty talks to BBC Science Focus Online assistant Sara Rigby about what the skin is for, why vanity is good for you, and what kind of creatures inhabit our skin.We now have more than 75 episodes of the Science Focus Podcast, each of which is still well worth a listen. Here are a few that you might find interesting:Is an implantable electronic device the future of medicine? – Gordon WallaceWhat is your brain doing while you sleep? – Dr Guy LeschzinerIs the cure for cancer hiding in human breast milk? – Professor Catharina SvanborgIs gene editing inspiring or terrifying? – Nessa CareyCan we slow down the ageing process? – Sue ArmstrongIs body positivity the answer to body image issues? – Phillippa DiedrichsFollow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Are Generation Z our only hope for the future? – John Higgs
If you grew up on a steady stream of Hollywood blockbusters filled with killer robots, alien invasions and apocalyptic natural disasters, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the future looks pretty bleak. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be that way.In fact, according John Higgs, a writer who specialises in finding previously unsuspected narratives hidden in obscure corners of our history and culture, the group of adults of school-leaving age might be just the sort of individuals we need if we’re going to avoid the dystopian future science fiction would have us believe inevitable.In his book, The Future Starts Here (£20, Orion), he explains why this Generation Z have inherited a world apparently on the brink of self-destruction, and why their enthusiasm for wider social networks will be key to a brighter future.He speaks to BBC Science Focus Online editor Alexander McNamara about what Star Trek can teach us about generational attitudes, the desire for meaning over stuff, and why life on Mars would be rubbish, and who kicks things off by asking him why he decided to write a book about the future.We now have more than 75 episodes of the Science Focus Podcast, each of which is still well worth a listen. Here are a few that you might find interesting:How can we save our planet? – Sir David AttenboroughThere is no Plan B for planet Earth – Lord Martin ReesWhat we got wrong about pandas and teenagersWhat does a world with an ageing population look like? – Sarah HarperCan we really predict when doomsday will happen? – William PoundstoneIs body positivity the answer to body image issues? – Phillippa DiedrichsFollow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Is an implantable electronic device the future of medicine? – Gordon Wallace
Materials scientist Gordon Wallace is the director of ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science at the University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. He is developing the ‘sutrode’, a medical device made from graphene that combines the electrical properties of an electrode with the mechanical properties of a suture.The device is wrapped around damaged or malfunctioning nerve bundles and used to stimulate them and return their regular function. Though still in its early stages, the technology may one day be used to treat epilepsy, schizophrenia, and in the production of next generation prosthetics.He speaks to BBC Science Focus commissioning editor Jason Goodyer in this episode of the Science Focus Podcast.We now have more than 75 episodes of the Science Focus Podcast, each of which is still well worth a listen. Here are a few that you might find interesting:Is the cure for cancer hiding in human breast milk? – Professor Catharina SvanborgIs gene editing inspiring or terrifying? – Nessa CareyCan we slow down the ageing process? – Sue ArmstrongWhat is your brain doing while you sleep? – Dr Guy LeschzinerWhat does a world with an ageing population look like? – Sarah HarperIs racism creeping into science? – Angela SainiFollow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
How accurately can we predict the weather? – Andrew Blum
Hurricane Sandy hit the east coast of the United States in October 2012, causing $65bn of damage. Remarkably, weather forecasters managed to predict its impact on the US eight days in advance, when it was barely even a storm.How did forecasts get to be so good? It’s a story that begins with the invention of the telegraph and ends with supercomputers.We talk to Andrew Blum, author of The Weather Machine (£16.99, Bodley Head), about the history of weather forecasting, why we shouldn’t trust the icons on our weather apps, and whether we’ll ever have an accurate minute-by-minute forecast.He speaks to BBC Science Focus online assistant Sara Rigby.Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast which we think you will find interesting:What's going on with the weather? – Dann MitchellCould leaving nature to its own devices be the key to meeting the UK’s climate goals? – Mark LynasCan we really predict when doomsday will happen? – William PoundstoneWhat if the Earth’s magnetic field died? – Jim Al-KhaliliWhy is the magnetic north pole moving? – Ciaran BegganAre we facing an insect apocalypse? – Brad ListerFollow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and FlipboardImage: Actor and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio stares at a visual showing Hurricane Sandy using data from Goddard Earth Observing System Model © NASA/Goddard/Rebecca Roth See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
What happened at Bluedot festival 2019? – Libby Jackson, Tom Shakespeare and Danielle George
In mid-July this year, science and music lovers alike donned their Wellington boots and rain ponchos and made the journey to Jodrell Bank Observatory for the fourth annual Bluedot festival.The star-studded line-up included Helen Sharman; the first British astronaut, Jim Al-Khalili; science writer and author, an incredible 3-D concert experience from Kraftwerk and the post-punk sounds of New Order.We sent BBC Science Focus’ new editorial assistant Amy Barrett to the festival, where she chatted to a few of the speakers at the event. Not bad for your first week in a new job, eh?First up was, Libby Jackson, Human Exploration Programme Manager at the UK Space Agency, who took to the Mission Control stage to talk about the future of space exploration and the UK’s role in that future. While some looked back across the fifty years since the Apollo Moon Landings, she talked to Amy about advances in the space industry, human exploration and the Bluedot experience.Also in attendance at the festival was Tom Shakespeare, professor of disability research at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Tom was involved in three events over the weekend, talking assistive technology, the ethics of genetics and being an activist.Finally, back at Jodrell Bank where she began her career, Danielle George brought the invisible Universe to light. She spoke to us about the Lovell Radio Telescope based at Jodrell, new endeavours such as the SKA (Square Kilometre Array telescope project) and what we can learn from looking at our skies.Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast which we think you will find interesting:Why is the Moon landing still relevant 50 years on? – Kevin FongWhat asteroids can tell us about our Solar System – Natalie StarkeyIs there anybody out there? – Mike GarrettCould these gloves be the future of music? – Imogen HeapEverything that’s wrong with the human body – Nathan LentsInside the mind of a comedian – Robin InceFollow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
What does a world with an ageing population look like? – Sarah Harper
We can’t reverse the slow march of time, but thanks to the wonders of technology and modern medicine, we have a lot more of it in our lives. But as people live longer, and the birth rate declines, how are we going to manage a world with an ageing population?That one of the questions Sarah Harper, Professor of Gerontology at the University of Oxford, has been trying to find an answer for.She talks to BBC Science Focus editorial assistant Helen Glenny about how we cope with dramatic shifts in population, what effect it has on natural resources and climate change, and a quirk in our retirement age that suggests we should start drawing our pension aged 103.How Population Change Will Transform Our World by Sarah Harper is available now (£9.99, OUP)Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast which we think you will find interesting:Can we slow down the ageing process? – Sue ArmstrongHow can we save our planet? – Sir David AttenboroughIs religion compatible with science? – John LennoxWhat does it mean to be happy? – Helen RussellThere is no Plan B for planet Earth – Lord Martin ReesHow emotions are made – Lisa Feldman BarrettFollow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
What does it mean to be a man? – Gary Barker
In the past few years, traditional male stereotypes have come under increasing scrutiny.These stereotypes often come under the term ‘Toxic masculinity’, which has been widely used to explain certain male actions and characteristics that conform to established gender roles, which do harm to both themselves or the society that they live in.Gary Barker has a PhD in developmental psychology and studies how we raise and socialise boys and men. In the late 1990s he founded Promundo, which carries out global research into men, boys and masculinities, and recently discovered that that in the UK, this these negative stereotypes could be costing the economy an additional £3.8bn a year.He speaks to BBC Science Focus editorial assistant Helen Glenny about why these stereotypes are harmful, and what a new, progressive form of masculinity could look like.Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast:Is racism creeping into science? – Angela SainiIs body positivity the answer to body image issues? – Phillippa DiedrichsWhat does it mean to be happy? – Helen RussellIs religion compatible with science? – John LennoxWhy aren’t there more women in science?What makes me ‘me’ – Aoife McLysaghtFollow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Dr Guy Leschziner: What is your brain doing while you sleep?
For most of us, switching off the light and curling up in a warm, cosy bed is the welcome reward for a good day done (or much-needed respite from a bad one).But not everybody can soak up their allotted hours in joyful slumber before the alarm goes off. In fact, according to the Mental Health Foundation, it is estimated that 20 per cent of adults suffer from some form of insomnia, while many more of us experience issues like sleep walking, sleep apnoea and night terrors.Dr Guy Leschziner is a world-renowned neurologist and sleep physician, whose new book The Nocturnal Brain: Nightmares, Neuroscience and the Secret World of Sleep (£16.99, Simon & Schuster) attempts to unpick some of the mysteries around what is happening to your body whilst you doze off in the land of Nod.In this podcast, we find out what is happening in our brain while we dream, how to get a better night’s sleep, and whether sleep tech and apps are all they’re all cracked up to be.He speaks to BBC Science Focus Online Editor Alexander McNamara.Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast:How to get a good night's sleep – Alice GregoryExploding Head Syndrome – Brian SharplessThe neuroscience of happiness – Dean BurnettIs religion compatible with science? – John LennoxWhat it’s really like to die – Dr Kathryn MannixFollow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
What can the father of Gaia theory tell us about our future? - James Lovelock
This week on the Science Focus Podcast, we spend some time with James Lovelock – the visionary scientist and environmental thinker who this month turns 100 years old.James Lovelock is best known as the creator of the Gaia hypothesis, which proposes that our planet and all the life on it functions as a single self-regulating organism.Less well known is that he also developed scientific instruments for NASA missions to Mars; he invented the electron capture detector, with which he became the first person to detect the widespread presence of CFCs in the atmosphere; and he even carried out influential work in cryopreservation, bringing frozen hamsters back to life.James Lloyd, staff writer at BBC Science Focus, visited Lovelock at his Dorset home to look back at his life and achievements.If you like what you hear, then please rate, review, and share with anybody you think might enjoy our podcast.You can also subscribe and leave us a review on your favourite podcast apps. Also, if there is anybody you’d like us to speak to, or a topic you want us to cover, then let us know on Twitter at @sciencefocus.Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast:How can we save our planet? – Sir David AttenboroughWhy is Leonardo da Vinci’s scientific legacy so often overlooked? - Martin ClaytonThere is no Plan B for planet Earth – Lord Martin ReesCould leaving nature to its own devices be the key to meeting the UK’s climate goals? – Mark LynasAre we facing an insect apocalypse? – Brad ListerAir pollution is killing us, here's how you can stop it – Gary FullerFollow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Could leaving nature to its own devices be the key to meeting the UK’s climate goals? - Mark Lynas
The UK government’s official climate advisors recently reported that the country’s greenhouse gas emissions must fall to zero by 2050 in order to tackle the growing threat of manmade climate change.However, it seems unlikely that we will be able to reach this target by simply burning less fossil fuel and cutting down on international travel. So what else can be done?Environmental charity Rewilding Britain thinks that the answer is to let large areas of the country return to their pre-agricultural state to restore natural carbon sequestering environments such as peat bogs, heaths and salt marshes.In this episode of the Science Focus Podcast BBC Science Focus commissioning editor Jason Goodyer talks to environmental researcher Mark Lynas about the potential beneficial effects of rewilding.We now have more than 75 episodes of the Science Focus Podcast, each of which is still well worth a listen. Here are a few that you might find interesting:Can science explain everything? – Michael BlastlandWhat if the Earth’s magnetic field died? – Jim Al-KhaliliHow can we save our planet? – Sir David AttenboroughAre we facing an insect apocalypse? – Brad ListerAir pollution is killing us, here’s how you can stop it – Gary FullerThere is no Plan B for planet Earth – Lord Martin ReesFollow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Is there really no such thing as a fish? – Andrew Hunter Murray and Dan Schreiber
We like to think our Science Focus Podcast is something really rather special (really, you should tell all your mates about it). But let’s face it, it pales in comparison to the hugely popular podcast No Such Thing As A Fish, which bagged Apple’s prestigious ‘Best New Podcast’ award in 2014.Numerous awards later, including the 2019 Heinz Oberhummer Award in science communication, they have amassed a whopping 700,000 subscribers for their irreverent podcast about the weird and wacky things they’ve discovered over the past week.We can’t resist the opportunity to get meta and do a science podcast about doing a science podcast, so we sent Online Editor Alexander McNamara to meet two of the show's stars, Andrew Hunter Murray and Dan Schreiber, where they chewed the ‘facts’ about Isaac Newton lecturing to empty theatres, meeting scientists who suggest putting fake eyes on a cow’s backside, and the logistics around building a statue out of sausages.We also put their fact-checking skills to the test with a little quiz pulled from the Q&A section of BBC Science Focus Magazine. Why don’t you play along as well and let us know how you get by tweeting us @sciencefocus.Please remember to rate and review our show wherever you download your podcasts from.Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast:Do you believe in magic? – Gustav KuhnWhat happens when maths goes horribly, horribly wrong? – Matt ParkerWhat does it mean to be happy? – Helen RussellInside the mind of a comedian – Robin InceFinding the fun in science – Dara Ó BriainThis is how to invent everything – Ryan NorthFollow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.