Science Focus Podcast

Thanks to their comical waddle-like way of walking, striking tuxedo-patterned plumage or graceful ability to seemingly ‘fly' beneath the water, penguins are without doubt one of the planet's most instantly recognisable animals. But the fact is that they are also one of its most endangered species of bird. In this episode, we're joined by Dr Peter Fretwell, lead scientist at the British Antarctic Survey, to talk about his latest book The Penguin Book of Penguins – An Expert's Guide to the World's Most Beloved Bird. He tells us how, despite popular belief, penguins are found all over the globe, not just in Antarctica, why exactly they have such a comical way of walking and the actions we need to take if we want to save these charismatic birds from extinction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Relatively speaking neuroscience and psychology are young fields of scientific research that only really got going over the last hundred years or so. However, during this time several stubborn myths have arisen that, zombie-like, just don't seem to go away. In this episode, we speak to neuroscientist, best-selling author and long-time BBC Science Focus contributor Dr Dean Burnett. He tells us how much of our brain we really use, explains whether polygraphs can really tell if we're lying, and explains the real difference between our left and right brains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When it comes to climate change, we often think of tipping points as having a huge negative effect. Be it the loss of ice sheets in the Arctic, the deforestation of the Amazon rain forest or the alteration of ocean currents, scientists have identified several key systems on the Earth that will be impossible to reverse if they cross a critical threshold. But if we look at the situation from the opposite side, there are also several positive tipping points that, given the correct momentum, can potentially halt the crisis the planet is facing. In this episode, we're joined by Prof Tim Lenton, chair in Climate Change and Earth System Science at the University of Exeter, to talk about his latest book Positive Tipping Points – How to Fix the Climate Crisis. He tells us how the pop group A-ha helped Norway to lead the way in the adoption of electric vehicles, how government mandates can act as powerful amplifiers to get us closer to these vital climate tipping points, and how each positive tipping point can feed into another to push us closer to a greener future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From Lewis Carrol's mysterious grinning Cheshire Cat and Jim Davis's lazy, lasagne-loving comic strip tabby Garfield to the depictions of big cats found in palaeolithic cave art and the ancient Egyptian's practice of worshipping cat-like deities, it's clear we humans have had a long-standing fascination with felines. But how did this obsession with these charismatic animals begin? In this episode, we're joined by Jerry D Moore, a professor of anthropology at California State University, Dominguez Hills, to talk about his latest book Cat Tales: A History – How We Learned to Live with Them… He tells us how ancient cultures feared and revered the big cats they shared their land with thanks to their prowess as apex predators, how human's development of agriculture and the storage of grain gave wild cats a reliable hunting ground in which to catch rodents, and how the domestic house cats of today may have chosen to live with us and much as we chose to live with them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Despite being a land-based species, the fact is that we humans live on a planet that is largely covered by oceans. The oceans play a key role in regulating the Earth's climate and provide us with many of the resources essential for our continued survival – even down to the oxygen we breathe. The sad truth is our oceans aren't in good shape. But there is still hope. With directed effort we can all help to preserve this vital resource and improve the health of the planet and all who live on it. In this episode, we catch up with oceanographer, environmentalist and grandson of the legendary ocean explorer and innovator Jacques Cousteau, Philippe Cousteau Jr. He breaks down the huge importance the oceans have on the health of the planet, explains how taking positive environmental action can benefit us both culturally and economically and how educating the next generation is key to safeguarding the future of the planet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, we're joined by Professor Omar Yaghi – a pioneer of materials chemistry whose inventions are shaping the future of clean energy, clean air, and even clean water. He's best known for creating metal–organic frameworks, or MOFs, and covalent organic frameworks, COFs – ultra-porous materials that can capture carbon, store hydrogen, and even pull drinking water out of desert air. His work has opened up an entirely new field of chemistry, and his breakthroughs are now being developed into technologies that could help us tackle some of the biggest challenges of the 21st century. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The most commonly held narrative states that we're all ultimately responsible for our own health and wellbeing. While there's undoubtedly truth in this idea, the bigger picture shows that the societies we live in and the policies shaped by our governments also play a huge role in our quality of life and longevity. In this episode, we're joined by Devi Sridhar, professor of global public health based at the University of Edinburgh, about her latest book, How Not to Die (Too Soon) – The Lies We've Been Sold and the Policies That Can Save Us. She explains how the key to longevity begins with education, discusses the lessons we can learn from some of the world's longest-lived populations, and outlines the positive societal changes governments can implement to help us all live longer, healthier lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Be it due to an increasingly demanding workload or responsibilities that need fulfilling at home, these days many of feel that there isn't enough time in the day to get everything we need to get done. For many of us this can have a significant impact on our health and wellbeing. So, what can we do to improve our relationship with time? In this episode, we're joined by Dr Ian Taylor, a psychologist based at Loughborough University, to talk about his latest book Time Hacks – The Psychology of Time and How to Spend it. He tells us how relying on willpower alone is never the best way to be more productive, why we should be getting the most important tasks on our to-do lists completed early in the day and how breaking larger intimidating goals down into smaller micro-goals can have a huge impact on our motivation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We all know the feeling: thoughts racing through your mind, nervous flutters in your belly, your heart beating hard in your chest. When your whole body is screaming at you that you're in danger, it can feel impossible to not listen. But fear doesn't have to hold you back. In this episode, we speak to Professor Abby Marsh, a neuroscientist at Georgetown University, in the US, who recently starred in National Geographic's new series, Limitless: Live Better Now. In this series, scientists – including Abby – teach actor Chris Hemsworth how to conquer fear, pain and cognitive decline. Today, Abby tells us about what fear is, how it manifests in our bodies and brains, and techniques we can use to overcome or harness it, so we can live more emboldened lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's estimated that as many as one in five of the world's population are neurodivergent. Be it ADHD, autism or dyslexia, these differences in brain function can make everyday life more difficult for many. But maybe the natural world can provide some much-needed relief. In this episode, we speak to naturalist and author Joe Harkness about his latest book Neurodivergent by Nature – Why Biodiversity Needs Neurodiversity. He tells us why many neurodivergent people don't receive an accurate diagnosis until later in life, why many neurodivergent people are attracted to careers in conservation and how getting out in natural environments can help us all to relax and feel safe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The luteal phase of the menstrual cycle has a really bad reputation. It's known for premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, when many menstruating people experience low mood, bloating, food cravings and sluggishness before their period arrives. In stark contrast, we think of earlier phases in the cycle as times when we feel energetic, motivated and self-confident. In this episode, we speak to Dr Sarah Hill, an evolutionary psychologist whose research focuses on women, relationships and health, and the author of This is Your Brain on Birth Control and her upcoming title, The Period Brain. She tells us what happens to the body and brain during the luteal phase, why so many of us experience unpleasant symptoms, and some little things we can do to feel our best. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're no longer living in a world before climate change. Its impacts – from rising sea levels to more extreme weather – are already upon us, and will almost certainly get worse before they get better. But beyond cutting our emissions as fast as possible, what do we need to do to survive, and hopefully thrive, in this new world?  Today's guest, researcher and author Susannah Fisher, joins us to explore that question. In her new book Sink or Swim, she lays out two possible futures: one where we fail to adapt and face the mounting chaos, and another where we make the hard choices needed to live in a hotter world. Which one of these we end up with, she says, is up to us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Humans' unique ability to communicate through complex systems of language is one of the key attributes that separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom. But how did this complex behaviour arise? In her latest book, The Origin of Language – How We Learned to Speak and Why, evolutionary biologist Madeleine Beekman argues that our ability to speak arose due to the need to take care of our children. She tells us how early human's anatomy changed dramatically when our ancestors came down from the tress and began walking on two legs, how a quirk of genetics allowed humans to develop such large brains that aided the development of language, and why human's slow development from helpless infants to functioning members of society gave rise to the need for in-group cooperation and complex modes of communication. To get the exclusive gift box from Shokz, order via this link: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4kFt10l⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For thousands of years humans have looked out into the night sky and pondered on the mysteries of the vast cosmos that we find ourselves part of. From Copernicus' discovery that the Earth revolves around the Sun to Einstein's revelation that gravity is the result of the curvature of spacetime, we've learned much about how the universe operates. But we're still only scratching the surface. In this episode, we speak to Marcus Chown, an award-winning science writer and broadcaster and long-time contributor to BBC Science Focus. He explains why pinning down the nature of dark matter and dark energy has eluded us for so long, why we can't get gravity to agree with the three other forces of nature, and discusses the possibility of the existence of multiple universes. To get the exclusive gift box from Shokz, order via this link: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4kFt10l⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If most of us were asked what we thought was meant by the word ‘technology' chances are the first thing that would come to mind are inventions such as cars, medicine and computers. But economist and author David McWilliams would argue these are all physical technologies and that there's also a whole world of social technologies out there that have shaped human progress in a similarly profound way that most of us are largely unaware of. Chief amongst these, he says, is the invention of money. In this episode, we speak to David about his latest book Money – A Story of Humanity. He tells us how the very reason that money has any value at all is based on our collective belief and trust in it as a concept, how money was much more deeply involved in turning points in human history than first meets the eye, and we need to see our relationship with money as an evolutionary process that progresses much like natural selection. To get the exclusive gift box from Shokz, order via this link: ⁠https://bit.ly/4kFt10l⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dementia doesn't have to be terrifying. We tend to think of neurocognitive decline as something to be feared and avoided, but as the population ages, more and more of us are being diagnosed with dementia – so it might be helpful to know more about it. In this episode, we speak to Dr Sabina Brennan, a neuroscientist, psychologist, bestselling author and host of the Super Brain podcast. Her new book, Still Me: a neuroscientist's guide to caring for someone with dementia, offers practical advice for approaching dementia care in a loving and brain-healthy way. Sabina tells us about her own experiences caring for her mother, the different ways neurocognitive decline can manifest itself, and how to find joy and fulfilment alongside dementia. To get the exclusive gift box from Shokz, order via this link: ⁠https://bit.ly/4kFt10l⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every day we all breathe in thousands of litres of air, it is, of course essential for our continued existence. But did you know that the air that surrounds us is filled with a thriving colony of life itself? This is known as the aerobiome – a population of thousands of species of bacteria, fungi and even potentially lethal viruses such as SARS-CoV-2. In this episode, we speak to science journalist and author Carl Zimmer about his latest book Air-Borne – The Hidden History of the Life We Breathe. He runs us through the fascinating history of aerobiology, outlines the key role the field played in developing the germ theory of disease, and explains how even clouds are filled with life. To get the exclusive gift box from Shokz, order via this link: ⁠https://bit.ly/4kFt10l⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rapid advances in technology over the past several decades have impacted almost every area of our lives. It could be argued that innovations in medicine and healthcare are one of technology's biggest success stories. However, many of us are still living in poor health, particularly in our later years. Can technology once again come to our rescue and help us to not only live longer lives but to help us to stay healthier for longer? In this episode, we speak to technology journalist and author Lara Lewington about her latest book Hacking Humanity: How Technology Can Save Your Health and Your Life. She tells us how me may soon all have a ‘digital twin' containing all of the data about our bodies and health that can be used to test the efficacy of drugs before we take them, the increasing role robotics can play in the operating theatre and the huge impact that the AI revolution can have on the future of healthcare. To get the exclusive gift box from Shokz, order via this link: ⁠https://bit.ly/4kFt10l⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why do some people become radicalised, while others remain resistant to extreme ideas? What makes one mind more vulnerable to harsh doctrines than another? In a world saturated with competing ideologies, it's tempting to blame it on chance or circumstance. But in her compelling new book, The Ideological Brain, political neuroscientist Leor Zmigrod uncovers a deeper truth: our susceptibility to extremism is shaped by the very architecture of our minds, down to the cellular and genetic level. She explores how our cognitive traits influence ideological thinking, and crucially, why we're not locked into any one path. To get the exclusive gift box from Shokz, order via this link: ⁠https://bit.ly/4kFt10l⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Be it at school or in the workplace, many of us are under more and more pressure to work harder for longer to ensure that we're performing at our best. But the latest neuroscience research is discovering that we may all have this idea entirely the wrong way around. In this episode, we speak to neuroscientist Dr Joseph Jebelli to talk about his latest book The Brain at Rest: Why Doing Nothing Can Change Your Life. He tells us how overwork is leading to almost 750,000 deaths a year globally, how taking a few minutes to pause and do nothing every now and then can switch on the powerful effect of our brains' default network, and how simply allowing our minds to wander from time to time can help us to be more creative and more productive. To get the exclusive gift box from Shokz, order via this link: ⁠https://bit.ly/4kFt10l⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Anyone who has studied maths even briefly will no doubt be familiar with the ‘equals' sign. But there's much more to this seemingly simple symbol and the concepts that it represents than may first meet the eye. In this episode, we speak to mathematician and author Dr Eugenia Cheng about her latest book Unequal – The Maths of When Things Do (and Don't) Add Up. She tells us why maths doesn't have to be intimidating, the importance of recognising different viewpoints in maths, and how a gaining a deeper understanding of maths can help us live our daily lives more effectively. To get the exclusive gift box from Shokz, order via this link: ⁠https://bit.ly/4kFt10l⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Currently, 60 per cent of people in the UK are overweight or obese. It's likely that many of us would like to drop a few pounds if possible but with so much information on diet and weight loss available separating facts from myths can be something of a minefield. In this episode, we speak to Prof Giles Yeo, a geneticist and obesity expert based at the University of Cambridge. He tells us exactly how our bodies extract calories from the food we eat, the real effect that exercise has on our weight, and how the reward pathways in our brains are linked to our appetites. To get the exclusive gift box from Shokz, order via this link: ⁠https://bit.ly/4kFt10l⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Be it a brief power nap to help perk us up, a Sunday afternoon kip after a big lunch, or a traditional daily Spanish siesta, many of us put our heads down for a short period during the day. But where does this habit come from and is it actually good for our health? In this episode, part of our four-part Better Sleep miniseries, we speak to Valentina Paz, a psychologist based at the Universidad de la República in Uruguay and University College London. She tells us how taking naps can help to boost our attention and energy, what the ideal time for a nap actually is, and speaks about her research on the long-term protective effects that napping can have on our brains. To get the exclusive gift box from Shokz, order via this link: https://bit.ly/4kFt10l Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many of us listen to music or play an instrument for pleasure thanks to the unique effect it has on our emotions. But what exactly is going on in our bodies and brains when we listen to or play music, and can we harness the profound effects it has on us to improve our health and wellbeing? In this episode, we speak to neuroscientist, musician and author Stefan Koelsch about his latest book Good Vibrations: Unlocking the Healing Power of Music. He explains exactly what's happening in our brains when we listen to music, how playing music can help to keep our brains young, and how new research is uncovering the powerful ways in which music can help stroke patients regain their speech and mobility, reduce the amount of anaesthetics needed during surgeries and how music's ability to bring us together can help us to lead happier, more fulfilling lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over the past several decades it's become abundantly clear that getting a good night's sleep is essential for our health and wellbeing. However, currently around one in three of us often struggle to get enough shuteye thanks to the stress and anxiety caused by our hectic lifestyles. Thankfully, help is out there in the form of cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT. In this episode, part of our four-part Better Sleep miniseries, we speak to founder of The Insomnia Clinic and Silentnight sleep expert, Kathryn Pinkham. She tells us exactly what a good night's sleep looks like, how developing a healthy sleep appetite is vital if we want to wake up feeling fresh and renewed in the morning and shares some psychological techniques we can use to help us sleep more restfully. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do our brains help us build up a picture of the world around us? It's a question that has both beguiled and fascinated scientists for centuries. The latest thinking suggests that the brain acts like a scientist that builds up a database of previous observations and experiences and uses this to make sense of the world around us. In this episode, we speak to Daniel Yon, an experimental psychologist based at Birkbeck, University of London to talk about his latest book A Trick of the Mind: How the Brain Invents Your Reality. He tells us about the intimate link between our brains and senses, how our brains create our sense of self and make judgements about others, and how our brains come up with new theories and ideas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

More than four in ten of us in the UK are snorers. Far from being a trivial condition, snoring can have a significant impact on our ability to sleep, our partners' ability to sleep and our health in general. In this episode, part of our four-part Better Sleep miniseries, we speak to Ryan Chin Taw Cheong, a consultant ear, nose and throat and sleep surgeon based at University College London Hospitals and the Cleveland Clinic London. He tells us about the many factors that can lead to us snoring, the difference between regular snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea, and why we shouldn't be embarrassed to seek medical help if breathing problems during sleep are affecting our lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Humans are enthralled by stories about murder. And the mysteries we tell these days – like in the Glass Onion films or TV shows like The Residence – often follow a blueprint set by the iconic Agatha Christie. It turns out, Christie knew a whole lot about science. In this episode, we speak to Dr Kathryn Harkup, a chemist who writes about the science behind famous works of literature. Her newest book, V is for Venom: Agatha Christie's Chemicals of Death, is her sequel to A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie, exploring Christie's expert use of dark chemistry. She tells us about some of the poisons Christie used in her books – the brutal, the medicinal and the obscure – revealing Christie's extensive chemical knowledge. But be warned: this conversation gets quite dark. Listener discretion is advised. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We humans spend roughly one third of our time sleeping. For the average person this adds up to around 26 years over our lifetimes. And though to the outside observer it may seem that there's little going on, several processes are being carried out by our bodies and brains that are vital for our health and wellbeing. In this episode, part of our four-part Better Sleep miniseries, we speak to Dr Alessio Delogu, a neurobiologist based at King's College, London, about the intimate link between sleep our memory. He tells how memories are encoded in our brains during sleep, how sleep deprivation hampers our ability to learn new skills, and shares some tips to help us keep our memory systems working in tiptop condition. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's a little-known fact that we all have two long networks of nerves that run down either side of our necks that pass signals from our brains to all of the organs in our bodies. This is known as the vagus nerve, and cutting-edge research is now uncovering how stimulating this vital part of our anatomy can help us combat a whole range of damaging health conditions. In this episode, we speak to neurosurgeon and researcher Dr Kevin J Tracey about his latest book The Great Nerve: The New Science of the Vagus Nerve and How to Harness its Healing Reflexes. He tells us how this nerve network acts as a vital conduit for communication between our brains and organs, talks us through the exciting new therapies being developed using electronic implants that stimulate the vagus nerve, and why we're only just scratching the surface of the therapeutic potential of this understudied part of our bodies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There's little doubt that music is an integral part of what it means to be human. But how did it first arise, how did musical instruments and compositions become ever more sophisticated and why does listening to or playing music bring us so much joy? In this episode, we speak to science writer and music producer David Darling about his latest book A Perfect Harmony: Music, Mathematics and Science. He tells us how the oldest pitched musical instrument found so far is thought to be more than 40,000 years old, the role music has played in the evolution of human culture, and what the impact AI-generated music may have on the work of human musicians and composers in the near future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The shocking fact is that alcohol is responsible for around three times more deaths globally than any other drug combined, save for tobacco. However, many of us still consume it. So how have we reached this point, and why is alcohol consumption still so deeply ingrained in human culture? In this episode, we speak to Professor David Nutt about the history of alcohol use and the many and varied effects it has on our health, lives and wellbeing. He tells us exactly what alcohol does to our bodies and brains, why some of us find it so difficult to stop drinking once we've started, and why education is vital if we are to limit the damage alcohol causes to public health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

 Studies show that around one in three of us aren't getting enough sleep, and this is having a huge impact on our ability to perform at our best, both at work and in our home lives. If you're someone who often wakes up in the morning feeling out of sorts, why not tune into the Instant Genius Better Sleep miniseries brought to you from the team behind BBC Science Focus. It's still the same show with the same great guests. We'll just be spending a little extra time to go deeper into how to sleep more soundly and how to reap the many health benefits that this brings. This four part special series will feature interviews with leading researchers to give you everything you need to know to get a better night's sleep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's now been more than 50 years since any human being has set foot on the Moon, but the ambition to do so again has been gathering pace over the last decade or so. But some scientists and researchers are looking further ahead and planning to establish a human presence on distant planets such as Mars. In this episode, we speak to physicist and director of the Foundation for Space Development Africa Dr Adriana Marais about her book Out of This World and Into the Next: Notes from a Physicist on Space Exploration. She tells us what plans to establish a Moon base in the coming years can teach us about living on other planets, how we'll select the crew to take on this bold journey, and how the technology being developed can help us to live more economically and environmentally here on Earth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our everyday lives are filled with sounds of all kinds – birdsong, traffic noise, the music we choose to listen to or is played in shops and restaurants, the list is practically endless. But what impact are these sounds having on our individual health and wellbeing and the world at large? In this episode, we speak to author and founder of The Listening Society Julian Treasure about his latest book Sound Affects: How Sound Shapes Our Lives, Our Wellbeing and Our Planet. He tells us how hearing is the first sense we develop, how ambient sounds impact our health and wellbeing, and how listening more closely to what's going on around us, rather than simply hearing, can enhance almost every aspect of our lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One in three people born today will develop dementia of some form in their lifetimes. Of these, around 60 per cent will suffer from Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia. Currently, there is no cure for this debilitating condition but by raising awareness we can help to reduce its impact until the many researchers working around the world develop more effective treatments. In this episode, which coincides with this year's Dementia Action Week, we speak to Dr Richard Oakley, Head of Research at the Alzheimer's Society. He tells us what happens in the brain as Alzheimer's disease develops, points out some early warning signs to look out for and talks us through some of the latest breakthroughs that may one day help us beat dementia once and for all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Although we can't see them with the naked eye, the Earth is populated by vast numbers of tiny living organisms such as bacteria, fungi and viruses. Collectively, these organisms are known as microbes, and they have existed on the planet for billions of years. But what role did they play in the origin of complex life, how have they stuck around for so long and how can they help us shape a healthier future for the planet? In this episode, we speak to science writer and author Peter Forbes about his latest book Thinking Small and Large: How Microbes Made and Can Save Our World. He tells us the role microbes played in the evolution of multicellular life, their deep importance to the world's ecosystems and how they may help us to produce the food, fuel and materials of the future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Be it a pair of wolves that mate for life, a pod of female dolphins that hunt together, or a large colony of honeybees all working together in a hive, the natural world is filled with relationships of all kinds. But some relationships run deeper than others, even to the extent that certain species literally make their homes inside the bodies of others. This is an example of a symbiotic relationship – a long-term bond that exists between organisms of different species. In this episode, we speak to science writer Sophie Pavelle about her new book To Have or to Hold: Nature's Hidden Relationships. She tells us how far from being rare, symbiotic relationships occur practically everywhere in the natural world, how they come in a dizzying array of different forms, and how the fine balance underpinning these relationships that has formed over thousands of years is coming under threat from human activity and climate change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The history of the Earth is littered with dramatic events that have shaped the planet itself and the lives of the human beings who live on it in profound ways. Be it floods, famine or disease pandemics. Human beings have so far survived. But what in modern times can we learn from these past catastrophes? In this episode, we speak to author Lizzie Wade about her latest book Apocalypse: How Catastrophe Transformed Our World and Can Forge New Futures. She tells us how even though Neanderthals died out many years ago they still live on in human DNA, how ancient civilisations that once thrived fell but their culture persists to this day and how the story of the human race is far from finished. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's commonly believed that the arts and the sciences have little in common with each other. The distinction that's most frequently made is that the arts are creative in nature whereas the sciences are logical. But this couldn't be further from the truth. In this episode, we catch up with mathematician and author Marcus du Sautoy to talk about his latest book Blueprints: How mathematics shapes creativity. He tells us how, fundamentally, mathematics is the study of patterns, structure and symmetry, how these patterns are found everywhere in music, visual art and architecture, and why we should be teaching students how to spot them in their everyday lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When think about climate change, we may think about global temperatures escalating, extreme weather events occurring more and more and sea levels rising. But what effect is all of this actually having on the everyday lives of the world's population, especially those that are most vulnerable? In this episode, we speak to Dr Friederike Otto about her latest book Climate Injustice: Why We Need to Fight Global Inequality to Combat Climate Change. She tells us how facts and evidence and are vital if we want to combat the effects of climate change on the world's poorest populations, how the historical effects of inequality are deeply ingrained in the issue, and why the future doesn't have to be as bleak as some may say. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Everywhere we look we're surrounded by materials of all kinds – from the fabrics we use to make our clothing, to the bricks and mortar we use to build our homes and places of work, to the complex transistors and circuits we use to build our digital devices. Life as we known it simply wouldn't be possible without them. But what will the materials of the future look like? In this episode, we catch up with Mark Miodownik, professor of materials and society based at University College London, best-selling author and veteran presenter of many BBC television and radio science documentaries. He tells us how the advent of materials such as paper, bronze and ceramics transformed early humans into a truly technological species, how nano-machines are already showing promising results in several areas of medicine, and how we may one day be living in buildings that can generate their own electricity and repair themselves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Like it or not, Earth won't be our home forever. Whether it's climate collapse, nuclear war, or the slow death of the Sun, life on this planet is on borrowed time. So, what happens next? If we're serious about avoiding extinction, we'll need to look not just beyond Earth – but far beyond our Solar System. Our guest today believes we not only can do that, but that we must. Christopher Mason is a Professor of Physiology and Biophysics at Weill Cornell Medicine and author of The Next 500 Years: Engineering Life to Reach New Worlds. In the book, he argues that as the only species aware of life's inevitable end, we have a moral duty to preserve it – not just our own, but all life on Earth. To do that, we'll need to radically rethink what it means to be human. Because as things stand, our bodies are far too fragile to survive the journey. Chris lays out an ambitious 500-year plan to reengineer human biology, making us more resilient to space travel and alien environments — and he maps out how we might go about seeding life across the stars. So, is humanity ready to become an interstellar species? And where on Earth – or off it – do we begin? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Millions of people around the globe pop a daily pill or live with pieces of metal or plastic inside their bodies, all to avoid getting pregnant. But while we know our contraception works, many of us don't know much else about it.   In this episode, we speak to Kate Muir, a woman's health expert, documentary maker, journalist and author, whose book about hormonal contraception – Everything You Need to Know About the Pill (but were too afraid to ask) – inspired this conversation.   She tells us about what the different forms of contraception contain, how they work, how they might be affecting our minds and bodies – and what the future of baby-prevention might look like, for everyone involved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every day we're presented with hundreds if not thousands of decisions: What do we want for breakfast? Should we call our mothers or spend time with our friends? Should we go out for a workout or watch TV and eat snacks? Of course, some of the choices we make are more significant than others and can have huge impacts on our lives. But what do these decisions say about us and how can we try to make better choices? In this episode, we catch up with neuroscientist and professor of communication at the University of Pennsylvania Emily Falk to talk about her latest book What We Value: The Neuroscience of Choice and Change. She tells us how certain regions of our brains are involved in the many decisions we make, how we weigh up short and long-term rewards, and how we can all make more thoughtful choices that align with our goals if we just make a few tweaks to our behaviour. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

These days many of us have a bucket list, a set of experiences we'd like to have at least once in our lives. Seeing the Northern Lights with our own eyes is likely top of many of these. But what is the best way to ensure that when we do take a trip to see this mysterious, ghostly phenomenon we have a genuinely once-in-a-lifetime experience? In this episode we speak to Tom Kerss an aurora chaser, astronomer and author of the book Northern Lights: The definitive guide to auroras about the best way to see the breathtaking phenomenon of the Aurora Borealis. He tells us when and where to go to have the best chances of seeing the Northern Lights, what we should take and wear to have the best experience, and why often it's a better idea to put down your camera and simply enjoy the spectacle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The ocean covers more than 70 per cent of our planet's surface. Thanks to its ability to absorb the excess carbon and heat generated by climate change, its potential to generate clean energy and the bountiful source of food it provides to both humans and animals, there's little doubt the ocean is vital for the continued survival of the human race and of the planet itself. But all is not well. Ocean temperatures are climbing, coastal water levels are rising, and extreme weather events are becoming more and more common. In this episode we speak to special advisor on ocean issues to the United Nations Sturla Henriksen about his latest book The Ocean: How It Has Formed Our World – And Will Shape Our Destiny. He tells us about the many challenges we are facing to keep the ocean healthy and why we need to take a more holistic approach to combat them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Humans have been fermenting foods for millennia, due to the process's ability to enhance the flavours of what we eat and preserve it for when times are lean. Now, new science is uncovering how eating fermented food is beneficial for both our physical and mental health and how it may possibly play a key role in the food of the future by creating a source of alternative protein. In this episode we speak to Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro, Director of the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein and the Microbial Food Hub at Imperial College London. He tells us how we all eat more fermented food than we may think, why it's so good for our guts and how cutting-edge science can help us to create tasty fermented food that is also kind to the environment. This episode is brought to you in association with EIT Food https://www.eitfood.eu/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Northern Lights are surely one of the most awe-inspiring phenomena anyone can be lucky enough to witness occurring on planet Earth. But how exactly do solar winds breezing out of the Sun and hitting our planet's atmosphere create the enchanting phosphorescent display that dances across the night sky? In this episode we speak to Tom Kerss an aurora chaser, astronomer and author of the book Northern Lights: The definitive guide to auroras about the science behind the breathtaking phenomenon of the Aurora Borealis. He tells us how the colours of the Northern Lights are created by particles ejected from the Sun hitting the Earth's magnetic field, how auroras also exist on other planets within the Solar System and talks us through the many things we can learn from studying this fascinating cosmic phenomenon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Baking can be hard. Measurements need to be exact and techniques perfected. But with the right tricks and by understanding the science of baking, you can become the envy of your friends with the perfect loafs and cakes. Part of our Food Science series, we spoke to Cristiana Solinas. She is the head of the National Bakery School at London South Bank University. She talks us through the science of how to make good sourdough, why your loaves are coming out too dry and busts the biggest science myths in daily baking. This episode is brought to you in association with EIT Food https://www.eitfood.eu/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This year quantum physics celebrates its 100th anniversary. And while we've made great progress in understanding its many intricacies and quirks, it's likely that quantum behaviour will continue to fascinate and beguile scientists around the world for years to come. In this episode we speak to Prof Jim Al-Khalili, a theoretical physicist based at the University of Surrey, author of several best-selling books and the long-time presenter of BBC Radio 4's The Life Scientific. He tells us about the many disagreements that have surrounded quantum theory over the past century, how the theory raises deep scientific and philosophical questions about the nature of reality itself, and why we still have so much to learn. Watch the episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices