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.
426
Matt Parker, Helen Arney and Steve Mould: What ...
We speak to the ‘three spoken nerds’ about science comedy, the incredible facts of ice, and their new Podcast of Unnecessary Detail.
51 min
427
Merlin Sheldrake: How have fungi shaped the world?
Our lives have always been entangled with fungi, says biologist Merlin Sheldrake, and the future of this relationship is full of possibility.
38 min
428
Sue Black: What stories do our skeletons tell?
Professor Sue Black reveals how forensic anthropologists search for the criminal secrets that are etched on the bones of victims.
44 min
429
Professor Trevor Cox: Was Stonehenge an ancient...
Engineers have 3D-printed a scale model of Stone Henge in order to investigate the effect its structure would have had on conversations, rituals, and music.
29 min
430
Dr Julia Shaw: Why do we do bad things?
Criminal psychologist Dr Julia Shaw says we should ditch the idea of ‘evil’ and instead try to understand people who do bad things.
42 min
431
James Hamblin: Should we all stop showering?
Five years ago, Dr James Hamblin stopped showering. He says most ‘skincare’ might actually be harming us, and wants to challenge what it means to be clean.
36 min
432
Katie Mack: How will the Universe end?
Astrophysicist Dr Katie Mack explains five possible apocalypses, from the Universe gradually fading out to a ‘quantum bubble of death’.
40 min
433
Rana el Kaliouby: What if computers could read ...
Rana el Kaliouby believes that software needs to be able to detect our emotions and cognitive states. She explains how she’s teaching AI to do just that.
34 min
434
Dr Rachel Brown: Why are some COVID-19 patients...
A recent study has found that some COVID-19 patients can suffer from neurological complications, including delirium, brain inflammation, stroke and nerve damage.
24 min
435
The Urban Birder: What wildlife can city-dwelle...
Having always been fascinated by birds, David Lindo, known as the Urban Birder, turned a hobby into a career to encourage everyone to look to the skies.
45 min
436
Dr Michael Mosley: Why is sleep so important?
BBC presenter and Science Focus columnist Dr Michael Mosley talks sleep: what it is, why we need it and how to get more of it.
33 min
437
Ritu Raman: Can you build with biology?
Mechanical engineer Ritu Raman explains how to integrate biology into engineering and what these remarkable devices can do.
28 min
438
Project Discovery: Could computer games help fi...
Find out how players of the online game Eve Online are using their gaming time to help unlock the mysteries of the coronavirus.
43 min
439
Dr Jacob Bleacher: Why do we need to go back t...
NASA's Chief Exploration Scientist for human exploration explains how deep space will affect astronauts and why now is the time to go back to the Moon.
32 min
440
Subhadra Das: What part has science played in r...
Historian and museum curator Subhadra Das explains how science history played a part in fuelling the racism seen in society today.
30 min
441
Brendan Walker: Where is the best place to sit ...
We say our feelings can be like a rollercoaster, but as it turns out, the psychology of our emotions has influenced rollercoaster design from the beginning.
46 min
442
Leonard Mlodinow: How did Stephen Hawking make ...
In this republished episode of the Science Focus Podcast we discuss the life of the great physicist Professor Stephen Hawking with one of his co-authors.
25 min
443
Pragya Agarwal: When does bias become prejudice?
Dr Pragya Agarwal explains where our biases come from and why it’s important to recognise and unlearn them to help make the world a better, fairer place.
40 min
444
Anthony David: Why is there still such stigma a...
Neuropsychiatrist Professor Anthony David talks about why mental health stigma exists and whether it’s getting any better.
36 min
445
Luck, the paranormal and the Moon landings - Ev...
Richard Wiseman reveals what studying illusions can tell us about the human mind, why magicians make great psychologists and how you can make your own luck.
27 min
446
Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac: Has ...
Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac were major figures in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement and say we must meet net-zero carbon emissions targets.
42 min
447
Illusions and Magic - Everything you ever wante...
Richard Wiseman reveals what studying illusions can tell us about the human mind, why magicians make great psychologists and how you can make your own luck.
24 min
448
Elisa Raffaella Ferrè: What happens to the brai...
Psychologist Dr Elisa Raffaella Ferrè explains how a lack of gravity might change the way we think.
31 min
449
Sonia Contera: How will nanotechnology revoluti...
One of the world’s leading nanotech pioneers explains how it could help us target cancer cells, deliver drugs and fight antibiotic resistance.
36 min
450
Neil Shubin: How do big changes in evolution ha...
Evolutionary biologist Neil Shubin explains how life made the jump from land to water and how dinosaurs took to the air.
35 min