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
601
Can we slow down the ageing process? - Sue Arms...
As the size of the ageing population rises, the field of gerontology, the study of ageing, is bursting with discoveries. How and why do we age? What can be done to slow the ageing process, and how do we improve our health spans, rather than our life sp...
32 min
602
Matt Parker: What happens when maths goes horri...
Sums are hard, but imagine the consequences when getting the wrong answer leads to disaster. Comedian and maths whizz Matt Parker explains what happens when rounding errors and miscalculations get the better of our equations.
28 min
603
Why is the magnetic north pole moving? - Ciaran...
The Earth’s magnetic north pole is rocketing towards Siberia at 50 kilometres per year, making the maps of the magnetic field out of date faster than expected. Why is it moving, what does this mean for us, and what can we expect it to do in the future?
26 min
604
Are we facing an insect apocalypse? - Brad Lister
When Professor Brad Lister returned to Puerto Rico to track insect populations, he found he was only catching a fraction of the amount he’d seen 40 years ago. When he analysed what he’d caught, he saw a 98 per cent decline in insects on the ground. Wha...
34 min
605
Is religion compatible with science? - Professo...
This week, we delve into the complex relationship between science and religion. Why invoke a god to explain the world, the argument goes, when science does a perfectly good job? Professor John Lennox, however, begs to differ.
32 min
606
What does it mean to be happy? - Helen Russell
What does it mean to be happy? The pleasure of doing nothing, the sense of community from performing a haka, or drinking in your pants? Helen Russell, author of The Atlas of Happiness, explains what happiness means to different people around the world.
30 min
607
How geology can influence elections - Lewis Dar...
Astrobiologist Lewis Dartnell is here to talk about how the Earth's ancient geography has influenced the development of human civilisations, and how it still affects our behaviour today.
22 min
608
The mindset behind the Moon landing – Richard W...
The men and women of the Apollo program needed a particular mindset to land astronauts on the Moon – Richard Wiseman explains how you can harness this mentality to achieve your own Moon shots.
36 min
609
How technology is changing politics – Jamie Sus...
Jamie Susskind explains how the politics of the future will be shaped by the technology influencing our lives today.
35 min
610
There’s no such thing as Blue Monday - Sir Davi...
Statistician and Professor of the Public Understanding of Risk in the Statistical Laboratory at the University of Cambridge Sir David Spiegelhalter explains the pseudoscience behind Blue Monday, the power of numbers, and how to spot a dodgy stat.
21 min
611
The most mysterious objects in the Universe - C...
From 'Oumuamua to Planet Nine, astronomy writer and Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society Colin Stuart counts down the five strangest cosmic enigmas.
20 min
612
Eating for your genes - Giles Yeo
Dr Giles Yeo studies the relationship between our genetic make-up and how we’re eating, and knows that poor self-control isn’t entirely to blame for the obesity epidemic. He’s here to talk about how our genes influence how hungry we feel and how much w...
38 min
613
What makes me 'me'? - Aoife McLysaght
Evolutionary geneticist Aoife McLysaght is joining Alice Roberts as a guest at this year’s Royal Institution Christmas Lectures. Together, they’re exploring where we come from, what makes us human, and what makes each of us unique.
27 min
614
Why ASMR gives you tingles – Emma WhispersRed
We chat to YouTuber Emma WhispersRed ASMR about how she got into making the videos, why she thinks people find them so soothing, and why she wants to get the phenomenom officially recognised as a form of therapy
18 min
615
Air pollution is killing us, here’s how you can...
Pollution scientist Gary Fuller explains how bad our air is, what causes it, and how we can stop this invisible killer.
53 min
616
Should we be worried about sex robots? – Kate D...
AI ethicist Dr Kate Devlin has done a deep dive into intimacy with machines for her new book Turned On: Science, Sex and Robots. She’s looked into society’s gradually changing attitudes towards sex tech and visited the companies making the world’s most...
29 min
617
Filming a Dynasty - Nick Lyon
The latest Sir David Attenborough-narrated BBC Natural History Unit Landmark Series is called Dynasties, and it tracks power struggles within animal groups. We talk to Nick Lyon, the producer of an episode about Zimbabwe’s Painted Wolves, to see how he...
42 min
618
There is no Plan B for planet Earth – Lord Mart...
Astronomer Royal Lord Martin Rees explains how unless we make significant changes now, the prospects for the human species are beginning to look bleak.
30 min
619
What NASA’s InSight will tell us about Mars - B...
By drilling into the surface of Mars, NASA’s InSight mission could help us discover more about the structure of the Red Planet, and maybe help us understand the formation of other planets.
24 min
620
The genetic hunt for the Loch Ness Monster - Ne...
Professor Neil Gemmell on his project to survey the genetic diversity of Loch Ness using cutting-edge environmental DNA techniques, and maybe find clues about the Loch Ness Monster.
20 min
621
Robin Ince: Inside the mind of a comedian
Comedians often take to the stage to talk about the quirks of the human race, and comedian Robin Ince has years of experience in that area. In his new book, he’s adding insights from neuroscientists and psychologists to talk about creativity, imaginati...
40 min
622
How to get a good night’s sleep - Alice Gregory
Sleep psychologist Prof Alice Gregory on the science behind a satisfying slumber
25 min
623
What makes a robot a robot? – Dr Lucy Rogers
This week we speak to Dr Lucy Rogers, who casts aside any Hollywood depictions of skull-crushing Terminators, and look at the real-life robots that are making a positive impact in our lives.
37 min
624
Finding the fun in science - Dara Ó Briain
Comedian Dara Ó Briain thinks the word nerd has been co-opted by too many people who don’t deserve it: Infinity Wars fans, for example. Studying maths and mathematical physics at university, he’s a true nerd, with a favourite science joke that backs th...
24 min
625
The psychology of suicide - Jesse Bering
Psychologist and science writer Jesse Bering explains the factors that lead someone to take their own life, and how we might be able to help those who are at risk.
35 min