Instant Genius

Whether you’re curious about getting healthy, the Big Bang or the science of cooking, find out everything you need to know 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.

New episodes are released every Monday and Friday and you can subscribe to Instant Genius on Apple Podcasts to access all new episodes ad-free and all old episodes of Instant Genius Extra.

Watch full episodes of Instant Genius on BBC Science Focus Magazine's YouTube channel.

Science
Technology
301
How the battle for space will change the world,...
31 min
302
Out-of-body experiences, with Dr Jane Aspell
26 min
303
A bold new theory of dyslexia, with Prof Usha G...
27 min
304
The fight to keep our brains private, with Nita...
23 min
305
The science of hay fever, with Sam White
19 min
306
The multiverse, with Lord Martin Rees
35 min
307
Synchronizing your body clock, with Prof Russel...
32 min
308
The origin of the Universe, with Prof Thomas He...
29 min
309
How human disease changed history, with Dr Jona...
26 min
310
Art and the brain, with Susan Magsamen
28 min
311
Overcoming insomnia, with Prof Guy Leschziner
33 min
312
UK wildlife, with Dr Philip Wheeler
23 min
313
When humans become prey, with Adam Hart
33 min
314
Key lessons from the world’s longest happiness ...
34 min
315
Social anxiety, with Dr Ellen Hendriksen
34 min
316
Future of transportation, with Paris Marx
24 min
317
Earth’s inner core, with Dr Jessica Irving
22 min
318
Snakes, with Prof Mark O’Shea
41 min
319
The extraordinary psychology of Déjà vu, with D...
26 min
320
Winter storms, with Alex Deakin
13 min
321
The science of lying, with Professor Richard Wi...
30 min
322
Fungal infections, with Dr Rebecca Drummond
How realistic is the parasitic fungal infections central to the plot of HBO’s The Lats of Us?
24 min
323
How to get more time in your day, with Dr Ashle...
Constantly feeling like you never have enough hours in your day? Then you’re actually experiencing what psychologists call ‘time famine’. And it could be having major implications on your health, happiness and even productivity. So, how do you get more time? Social psychologist Ashley Whillans, author of Time Smart, unpacks key strategies that could help you reframe your time and feel more in control of your day.<br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
34 min
324
The world’s ageing population and the ticking d...
<p>It was recently reported that China has entered an era of negative population growth, after demographic statistics revealed a drop in numbers for the first time since 1961. And they are not alone, many other countries across the world are also experiencing dramatic falls in birth rates. This had led some researchers to suggest that many countries are facing a so-called demographic time bomb that will leave them with an ageing population and a shortfall of people of working age.</p><br><p>We speak to Prof Jane Falkingham of the University of Southampton’s Centre for Research on Ageing. She tells us more about the world’s ageing population, how we have reached this point and what we can do to lessen its impact.</p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
26 min
325
The science of persuasion, with Prof Vanessa Bohns
How strong are your powers of persuasion? Probably a lot greater than you realise. That’s according to social psychologist Vanessa Bohns, professor of organizational behaviour at Cornell University and author of book&nbsp;<em>You Have More Influence Than You Think</em>. In this episode, she explains the power of compliments, a concept called behavioural contagion, and how to convince somebody to do you a favour.<br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
30 min