Science(ish)

Flâneur and irrepressible commentator, Rick Edwards, and "Indiana Jones in a lab coat" Dr. Michael Brooks, delve into the science behind popular culture.

Science
Natural Sciences
76
Special(ish) 014 – Piggy in the Middle
From test tube babies on Bear Grylls' 'The Island' to a violent end for poor little piggy, Rick and Michael offer an especially scientific (and potentially unethical) preview of our next Science(ish) episode, Lord of the Flies.
9 min
77
Special(ish) 013 – King of the Swingers
If you thought we were the only species capable of infidelity, think again. In this episode of Special(ish), Rick and Michael explore the cunning world of animal deception with help from primatologist, Dr. Kit Opie.
7 min
78
013 – The Abyss
Rick & Michael delve into the underwater world of James Cameron’s 'The Abyss'. Ignoring, as Michael puts it “those silly wet aliens” this episode explores the limits of the human body, liquid breathing & what lurks in the deep.https...
44 min
79
Special(ish) 012 – Stuck in the Mud
In 1990 Professor Cindy Lee Van Dover became the first woman to pilot deep-ocean submersible Alvin. In anticipation of Science(ish) episode 'The Abyss’, Cindy recalls a particularly sticky dive involving Alvin and the seabed.
5 min
80
Special(ish) 011 – The Deep
In this Specialish, world scuba diving record holder Verna Du Preez describes her experiences of the deep and talks about just how difficult it is to ascend. Dr Oliver Firth offers insight into the extreme physiology of diving.
11 min
81
012 – Alien
The boys return to the outer expanses of the universe. This time, they’re not after black holes but ET, as depicted in Ridley Scott’s classic ‘Alien’. Are we alone? What will ‘it’ look like? And are ‘they’ already amongst us?https://radiowolfgang.com...
48 min
82
Special(ish) 010 – The Great Escape
Rick and Michael deliver some strong science chat about Inky the escaping octopus, a slippery little fella who managed to slide out of his tank and make a break for the pacific ocean. But what does this mean for evolution?
5 min
83
Special(ish) 009 – Here Be Dragons
Throughout the centuries, stories of monsters and mythic creatures have remained a constant narrative presence. But what role have they played? And is the search for ET just the latest chapter in this ever-evolving tale?
5 min
84
Special(ish) 008 – Dark Night
Chris French, a professor of psychology who specialises in paranormal belief and ostensibly paranormal experiences, takes us through the terrifying ordeal of sleep paralysis and its surprising link to alien abduction.
7 min
85
Special(ish) 007 – Area 51
At the southern tip of the Nevada Desert lies an area shrouded in mystery. With aliens, spaceships, and mind control, all said to be part of its history – Area 51 is a melting pot of conspiracy.
11 min
86
011 – Minority Report
Michael and Rick gaze into the criminal crystal ball, as per Spielberg’s 2002 thriller Minority Report. Can we predict a criminal? Should we pre-convict them? And is the Universe pre-determined? Standard.https://radiowolfgang.com/s/scienceish
49 min
87
Special(ish) 006 – A Criminal Mind
Neuroscientist Jim Fallon spent years searching for patterns in the brain scans that he saw. But it wasn’t until he turned to the scans of his own brain that he stumbled upon his biggest discovery yet.
7 min
88
Special(ish) 005 – Pale Blue Dot
Milan Kundera once wrote; “While pondering the infinity of the stars, we ignore the infinity of our father.” We asked experts from our Interstellar episode if they agree.
8 min
89
010 – Interstellar
The boys go intergalactic with Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar. We’re talking gravity, we’re talking black holes, and we’re talking the theory of how every single thing in our universe came into existence. No biggie.https://radiowolfgang.com/s/scien...
49 min
90
Special(ish) 004 – Life on Mars
In anticipation of the next episode of Science(ish), we hear how the search for other habitable planets has well and truly begun.
11 min
91
Special(ish) 003 – A Head Above
Transhumanist and neurosurgeon Dr Sergio Canavero shares his big plans for 2017, which include a sharp knife, some polyethylene glycol, and a pair of human heads.
12 min
92
009 – Planet of the Apes
The boys go back to basics with an exploration of the 1968 classic Planet of the Apes. How did we humans end up on top? Could the apes ever take over? And of course will dolphins ever have hands?https://radiowolfgang.com/s/scienceish
44 min
93
Special(ish) 002 – Rise of the Machines
Following AlphaGo’s trouncing of the World ‘Go’ champion, we’ve pulled some unheard material from our Ex-Machina episode about the potential impacts of the ever-extending arm of AI, as told by contributor Jeremy Howard.
8 min
94
Special(ish) 001 – Sticks & Stones
The very first instalment of our Special(ish) sees the boys dwell on some recent field research that blurs the line between animal and human. A sign of things to come in the next episode of Science(ish), Planet of the Apes.
10 min
95
008 – The Circle
What’s the Internet doing to us? Are we being controlled by our office spaces? How transparent is online transparency? Michael, Rick and web psychologist Nathalie Nahai dissect Dave Eggars’ dystopian masterpiece The Circle.https://radiowolfgang.com/s...
50 min
96
007 – Ex Machina
Dr Michael Brooks and Rick Edwards delve into the murky world of Artificial Intelligence as depicted in Alex Garland's masterpiece Ex Machina.https://radiowolfgang.com/s/scienceish
53 min
97
006 – The Time Machine
Dr Michael ‘Morlock’ Brooks and Rick ‘Eloi’ Edwards transcend time and explore the future of humanity.https://radiowolfgang.com/s/scienceish
47 min
98
005 – Comics
Tackling all things super - the boys delve into the world of comics, superheroes and villains. Along the way, they take a look at the weird and wonderful history of animals in warfare, the power of poisonous plants, and reveal that we're a lot clo...
46 min
99
004 – The Day After Tomorrow
Dr Michael Brooks and Rick Edwards take on a world covered in ice – as depicted in The Day After Tomorrow – both literally and metaphorically. Along the way, they talk climate change, climate skeptics and, of course, salmon bacon.https://radiowolfgan...
42 min
100
003 – Jurassic Park
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it a T-Rex? No! It’s a woolly mammoth. And it’s back from the dead. Maybe. Soon. Michael and Rick are on the case.https://radiowolfgang.com/s/scienceish
45 min