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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How the James Webb Space Telescope is helping us discover the secrets of the cosmos
In the short time since its launch in 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope has produced some absolutely breathtaking images of the cosmos. And there’s much more to come. In this episode I speak to the head of Space Science at the UK Space Agency Dr Caroline Harper about her new book Unseen Universe: New secrets of the cosmos revealed by the James Webb Space Telescope. We talk about some of the highlights of the telescope has delivered so far, including incredibly detailed images of Jupiter, its Moon and some of the most distant stars and galaxies ever observed, how it can look for extra-terrestrial life on exoplanets, and also about some of the future space missions that Dr Harper is most excited about. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
How dreaming affects our creativity
Have you ever had a difficult decision to make and after much thought and deliberation decided that you should sleep on it and see how you feel in the morning? I’d venture most of us have at one point or another. But is there any science to back up this common habit? In this episode, the second of a two-part series, I speak to neurosurgeon and bestselling author Rahul Jandial about his new book This is Why You Dream: What your sleeping brain reveals about your waking life. We talk about the strange phenomenon of sleep paralysis, how the dreaming brain can work alongside the waking brain to help us solve problems, and what we can learn from the weird and wonderful phenomenon of lucid dreaming. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
What happens in our brains when we dream?
The chances are most of us will remember at least one dream we’ve had recently. But where do dreams come from, why is their content often universal across different cultures, and what can we learn from studying nightmares? In this episode, the first of a series of two, I speak to neurosurgeon and bestselling author Rahul Jandial about his new book This is Why You Dream: What your sleeping brain reveals about your waking life. We talk about what’s going on in the different areas of our brains when we dream, how the dreaming brain differs from the waking brain, and the intimate links that exist between our emotions, imagination and ability to dream. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
How the evolution of eggs has shaped life on Earth
If most of us hear the word ‘egg’ it’s likely our minds will immediately turn to the hens’ eggs that we enjoy fried, poached or scrambled for our breakfast. But on closer inspection it turns out that the natural world is filled with all manner of different kinds of eggs that are as varied and fascinating as the animals that produce them. And what’s more, eggs have helped to shape life on Earth as much as life has shaped them. In this episode I speak to zoologist and award-winning science writer Jules Howard about his new book Infinite Life: A Revolutionary Story of Eggs, Evolution and Life on Earth. He tells us about the fascinating evolution of eggs over hundreds of millions of years, the strange and varied forms they’ve taken over all of this time, and how the story all began with jellyfish. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
How our everyday rituals affect our happiness and wellbeing
Do you brush your teeth before you shower in the morning, or do you shower first? Perhaps you like to give yourself a pep talk in the bathroom mirror before you’re about to give an important presentation at work. Or maybe you always cook a particular meal on special occasions. These are all examples of the personal rituals that many of us perform in our daily lives. But where do they come from, why are we so attached to them, and can they really help us to have a better day or make a more successful presentation? In this episode I speak to Prof Michael Norton, a behavioural scientist based at Harvard University. He tells me about the fascinating discoveries he made while writing his new book The Ritual Effect: The Transformative Power of Our Everyday Actions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
How making the right dietary choices can help to keep us healthy in every stage of our lives
From the time that we are first developing in the womb right through until we are in our old age, the food we eat has a huge impact on our health and wellbeing. But exactly what should we be feeding our infants, how do the dietary choices we make as adolescents affect us later in life and how can we approach nutrition as we age to make sure we stay healthy for as long as possible? In this episode I speak to Dr Federica Amati, a medical scientist and head nutritionist at the ZOE project. We talk about the latest thinking on nutritional science she outlines in her book Every Body Should Know This: The Science of Eating for a Lifetime of Health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The psychology and neuroscience of nostalgia
Whether they’re triggered by looking through old family photographs, hearing a piece of music you haven’t heard for years or eating a favourite childhood snack, feelings of nostalgia often come flooding into our hearts and minds. But what is going on in our brains when we have these feelings? In this episode I catch up with writer and historian Dr Agnes Arnold-Forster a writer, author of the new book Nostalgia: A History of a Dangerous Emotion. She tells us how this intriguing emotion has gone from being thought of as a deadly disease to being used as a therapy to treat degenerative cognitive conditions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The neuroscience of remembering and forgetting
We all forget things from time to time, it’s a normal part of everyday life. But according to the latest research in neuroscience, it is forgetting, not remembering that is the brain’s default action. So why is this? In this episode I speak to Prof Charan Ranganath, director of the Dynamic Memory Lab at UC Davis and author of the book Why We Remember: The Science of Memory and How it Shapes Us. He tells us how memories form in our brains, how they are intimately linked to our emotions and imagination, and why we often walk into another room and forget why we went there in the first place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Is our orbital space at breaking point?
When it comes to thinking about sustainability, most of us usually keep our feet on the ground. But as we extend our reach beyond this small rocky planet and out into the solar system, is it time to think about how we use space sustainably too? Our guest today is Aaron Boley, Associate Professor of astronomy and astrophysics at The University of British Columbia and co-author of Who Owns Space?: International Law, Astrophysics and the Sustainable development of space. With hundreds of thousands of satellites planned for launch in the next few years, Aaron is warning that our orbital space is getting too crowded and could be heading for a dangerous point of no return. Is there still time for us to learn from our mistakes down at ground level and build a sustainable future among the stars? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
How to build a quantum computer
There is little doubt that the advent of the computer has had one of the most far-reaching impacts of any invention in the history of mankind. These days, it’s difficult for most of us to imagine life without them. But building ever faster processors is becoming something of a challenge. The solution to this could be quantum computers – machines so powerful they can tackle problems that would take even the biggest supercomputers we have today billions of years to solve. In this episode I speak to Prof Winfried Hensinger, director of the Sussex Centre for Quantum Technologies. We talk about his work on creating the world’s first large-scale quantum computer, how it works, and how quantum computers could help scientists do everything from breaking complex forms of encryption to creating innovative new medicines. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
How to keep your immune system healthy
We often hear about the importance of our immune system, but how can we maintain it and keep it healthy? The answer is easier than you might think. We spoke to Bobby Cherayil, the author of the new book The Logic Of Immunity, deciphering an enigma to learn more about the importance of a healthy immune system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The potential health benefits of green tea
Be it drank first thing in the morning, as an afternoon pick-me-up or to soothe our souls after hearing some bad news, we Brits love a cup of tea. But over recent years, the traditional cup of black builders’ tea has found a new rival vying for our attention in cafés and on supermarket shelves – its more traditional cousin green tea. Many people are making the change not for reasons of flavour but for its supposed health benefits. But is there any truth in this? In this episode I speak to Justin Roberts, a professor of nutritional physiology based at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge. He tells us all about the nutritional content and potential health benefits we can gain from drinking this ancient beverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
How the mind affects physical health and vice versa
For years researchers around the world have viewed the brain and body as separate entities, to be treated using different methods and even in different hospitals. However, recent discoveries have turned this picture on its head. We now know that our brains and immune systems are intimately linked and have a huge influence on each other. In this episode I speak to Dr Monty Lyman a medical doctor, researcher and author who studies the relationship between the mind and the immune system. We talk about the latest science he outlines in his book The Immune Mind: The New Science of Health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
How AI will make the world a better place, not bring it to an end
Artificial Intelligence can seem scary, especially with rapid advancements, but what if it actually improves our future? We spoke to Nick Bostrum, a leading philosopher at the University of Oxford and author of the new book Deep Utopia to find out why AI could be a force for positive change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Busting social media diet and nutrition myths
These days as many as 60 per cent of us are turning to the Internet or social media to get health advice. It’s a staggering number, especially when you consider the fact that literally anyone, regardless of their background or qualifications, can set up an account and start giving out lifestyle or dietary tips that can have a huge effect on our wellbeing. In this episode I speak to Dr Idz, an NHS doctor with a background in nutritional research. He’s has made it his mission to fight the misinformation doled out on social media and provide scientifically accurate health advice. In doing so, he has racked up almost 2 million followers on TikTok and almost 300k on Instagram. He tells us about some of the most common, and potentially dangerous, nutrition myths that abound on social media that he busts in his book Saturated Facts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices