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 two bite-sized masterclasses 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.
Follow us on X: @SFIGPod
551
Aleks Krotoski: What happens to your data when ...
We ask social psychologist and host of BBC Radio 4's Digital Human Aleks Krotoski about life after death.
41 min
552
Professor Fay Dowker: What is the problem of qu...
Einstein’s general relativity explains gravity, but it contradicts quantum theory – is there a solution to one of modern physics’ greatest problems?
51 min
553
Jim Davies: How do you use your imagination?
What happens in your brain when your imagination runs wild? Cognitive scientist Jim Davies explains the science behind this extraordinary mental power.
36 min
554
Mark Miodownik: Are biodegradable plastics real...
Materials scientist Mark Miodownik explains why a knee-jerk switch from single-use plastic to biodegradable alternatives could actually make things worse.
31 min
555
Dr Erin Macdonald: Is there any science in Star...
Star Trek’s science consultant Dr Erin Macdonald talks about supernovae, what a science consultant really does, and whether warp drive is possible.
26 min
556
Adam Rutherford: Can science ever be rid of rac...
Geneticist Adam Rutherford refutes ‘scientific’ claims made to affirm racist beliefs, and tells us why science needs to stand up to racism.
36 min
557
Ross Barnett: Why should we be interested in pr...
Dinosaurs get plenty enough coverage. Instead, we take a look at creatures that lived in the Pleistocene era with palaeontologist Ross Barnett.
39 min
558
Samantha Alger: What can we do to save the bees?
Pollinator specialist from the University of Vermont Samantha Alger explains the threats facing our bees, and why that’s a problem for us.
41 min
559
Marcel Danesi: Why do we want to believe lies?
Linguist Marcel Danesi reveals the shocking truth about liars, why we lie and what we can do to protect ourselves from them.
23 min
560
Dr Becky Smethurst: How do you actually find a ...
Astrophysicist and Youtuber Dr Becky discusses black holes, reveals what astronomers do all day, and explains why we need to flood Youtube with scientists.
46 min
561
Hannah Fry: How much of our lives is secretly u...
Mathematician, BBC presenter and host of this year’s Royal Society Christmas Lectures explains how mathematics props up everything that we do.
25 min
562
Adam Kay: Is Christmas really the most wonderfu...
Doctor turned comedian Adam Kay gives us a warts-and-all account of what it’s like to work on the frontline of the NHS on Christmas Day.
24 min
563
Kathryn D Sullivan: What is it really like to w...
On 11 October 1984, astronaut Kathy Sullivan made history by becoming the first American woman to walk in space. We find out what it was like.
30 min
564
Brian Switek: How did bones evolve?
Fossil fanatic Brian Switek explains what a bone actually is, and why they are so important in human history.
40 min
565
Chris Lintott: Can members of the public do rea...
BBC Sky at Night presenter and astrophysicist Chris Lintott explains how, in just a few minutes in your lunch break, you can contribute to fields from astronomy to zoology.
35 min
566
Dean Burnett: What’s going on in the teenage br...
Neuroscientist, comedian and science writer Dean Burnett explains what’s really going on in our brains when parents and teens clash.
44 min
567
Randall Munroe: How do you find the worst solut...
The creator of the webcomic xkcd, talks about why the worst solution to a problem can be the most interesting.
34 min
568
Gaia Vince: What part does culture play in our ...
Journalist and broadcaster Gaia Vince tells us how culture evolution played a big part in Homo sapiens dominance over the other hominins.
41 min
569
Jim Al-Khalili: Why should we care about scienc...
To mark the 200th episode of BBC Radio 4’s The Life Scientific, we chat to host Jim Al-Khalili about the programme and his life in science.
28 min
570
Bill Bryson: What should we know about how our ...
We speak to Bill Bryson, OBE, about his latest book uncovering the biological mechanisms hidden underneath our skin.
42 min
571
Gretchen McCulloch: How has the internet affect...
We talk to an internet linguist about how sarcasm and humour drive our use of language, the value of emoji, and the history of lol.
27 min
572
Robert Elliott Smith: Are algorithms inherently...
Algorithms are everywhere, but are they coded in such a way that makes them racist bigots that are easily manipulated, without us even knowing?
36 min
573
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
574
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
575
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