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.
501
Monica Grady: What is the future of space science?
For World Space Week, 4–10 October, Professor Monica Grady celebrates the innovations that have come from advances in space science and technology.
35 min
502
Dr Tilly Blyth: How has art influenced science?
Dr Tilly Blyth, Head of Collections & Principal Curator at the Science Museum, discusses art’s relationship with science: as an observer, friend and critic.
38 min
503
Richard Dawkins: Can we live in a world without...
We speak to Richard Dawkins, the leading voice on evolution and atheism, about how he lost his faith and found a new community with science.
40 min
504
Does data discriminate against women? – Carolin...
We talk to Caroline Criado Perez about the gender data gap and how it causes everything from mild inconvenience to potential fatality.
39 min
505
How do you launch a successful space mission? –...
When the European Space Agency launches a mission into space, Mark McCaughrean explains the hurdles they have to leap to finally get it off the ground.
50 min
506
What does our skin tell us about ourselves? – D...
We talk to Dr Monty Lyman about what the skin is for, why vanity is good for you, and what kind of creatures inhabit our skin.
41 min
507
Are Generation Z our only hope for the future? ...
If you think the future looks bleak, you’re not alone, but the next generation might have just the mentality we need for a rosier outlook on life.
38 min
508
Is an implantable electronic device the future ...
Researchers in Australia have developed an implantable thread – a sutrode – that could cure disease by stimulating nerve fibres.
18 min
509
How accurately can we predict the weather? – An...
We talk about the history of weather forecasts, why we shouldn’t trust the icons on weather apps, and whether we’ll ever have a minute-by-minute forecast.
33 min
510
What happened at Bluedot festival 2019? – Libby...
Now in its fourth year, Bluedot is a staple in our festival calendar. We chat to three speakers about science, their work and the Bluedot experience.
33 min
511
What does a world with an ageing population loo...
We can’t reverse the slow march of time, but as people live longer and the birth rate declines, how can we manage a world with an ageing population?
33 min
512
What does it mean to be a man? – Gary Barker
Male stereotypes are under increasing scrutiny. Psychologist Gary Barker explains why they are harmful, and what a progressive form of masculinity could look like.
38 min
513
Dr Guy Leschziner: What is your brain doing whi...
While your body switches off, your brain kicks in, and the quality of your sleep has a lot to do with what it’s working on.
33 min
514
What can the father of Gaia theory tell us abou...
On the eve of the visionary scientist's 100th birthday, James Lovelock, creator of Gaia theory, reflects on his life and career.
28 min
515
Could leaving nature to its own devices be the ...
Rewilding Britain is calling for vast swathes of land to be restored to nature, we get the lowdown from environmental researcher Mark Lynas.
18 min
516
Is there really no such thing as a fish? – Andr...
We get meta and do a science podcast about doing science podcasts with two of the stars of the hugely popular, er, podcast, No Such Thing As A Fish.
36 min
517
Is racism creeping into science? – Angela Saini
According to Angela Saini’s new book, Superior, there is an ongoing revival of race science, which is being fuelled by a rise in extremism and right-wing views.
42 min
518
Can we really predict when doomsday will happen...
How long does the human species have left? William Poundstone explains the controversial formula that thinks it might be sooner than you think (or not).
36 min
519
Is body positivity the answer to body image iss...
We live in a society that values looks, but only if they fit into a restrictive set of ideals. Is loving your body the key to defeating body image issues?
26 min
520
Why is the Moon landing still relevant 50 years...
If you were to picture the Moon landing in your head right now, you could probably conjure up images of Neil Armstrong’s famous first steps, accompanied by his inspirational (and often misquoted) speech, despite it happening many years before most of u...
27 min
521
Can science explain everything? – Michael Blast...
Smoking kills - but it doesn't kill everyone. So why can't we predict which smokers will live? The answer is uncertainty in the data.
33 min
522
Is the cure for cancer hiding in human breast m...
Two decades ago a group of Swedish researchers chanced upon an intriguing compound with tumour-killing properties hidden within human breast milk. Dubbed HAMLET, short for Human α-lactalbumin, the substance has so far come through in vitro and animal t...
21 min
523
Why is Leonardo Da Vinci’s scientific legacy so...
We talk to Martin Clayton, Head of Prints and Drawings for Royal Collection Trust at Windsor Castle, about Da Vinci’s lasting scientific legacy,500 years after his death.
28 min
524
Is gene editing inspiring or terrifying? – Ness...
With gene editing we’re close to curing certain diseases, but at the same time, rogue scientists are experimenting in ways considered unethical by the wider medical community. What does the future look like for gene editing, and for the human race?
30 min
525
What if the Earth’s magnetic field died? – Jim ...
What if we lost the Earth’s magnetic field? That’s the question Professor Jim Al-Khalili tackles in his new novel, Sunfall. What threats from space does that leave us vulnerable to, and how might we protect ourselves?
37 min