Podcasts about University College London

Can supplements really help us live longer or is the longevity industry selling expensive false hope? To discuss this and more with Anton was Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Longitudinal Studies at University College London and the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing, Saul Newman.

In this episode, I sat down one of my dream guests… fellow podcaster Ben Luke, contributing editor of The Art Newspaper and presenter of its podcasts ‘A brush with...' and ‘The Week in Art'. I speak to Ben about his background and the path that brought him to one of the art world's most prominent publications. We talk about the podcasts he hosts at TAN (The Art Newspaper), how they came about, and what it actually looks like to build something from within an existing institution rather than going independent.I ask him about any potential trade-offs of an intrapreneurial approach: the perks, the constraints, and what anyone thinking of pitching a project to their employer might want to consider. We also speak in depth about his book, What is Art For?. I ask him how it came together, why he chose to weave contemporary artist interviews with historical reflections, and how he approaches the art of the interviewing as a method in itself.Thank you Ben for coming on the podcast!- - - - - If you love what we do, support ALL ABOUT ART on PATREON!  ⁠https://www.patreon.com/allaboutart⁠Keep up to date on Instagram @allaboutartpodcast  ⁠https://www.instagram.com/allaboutartpodcast/⁠ ABOUT THE HOST:I am an Austrian-American art historian, curator, and writer. I obtained my BA in History of Art at University College London and my MA in Arts Administration and Cultural Policy at Goldsmiths, University of London. My specializations are in contemporary art and the contemporary art market along with accessibility, engagement, and the demystification of the professional art sector.SOCIALS: Instagram⁠ @alexandrasteinacker https://www.instagram.com/alexandrasteinackerand LinkedIn at ⁠Alexandra Steinacker-Clark⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-steinacker/This episode is produced at Synergy https://synergy.tech/the-clubhouse/the-podcast-studio/ COVER ART: Lisa Schrofner a.k.a Liser⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.liser-art.com/ and Luca Laurence https://www.graffitikunst.at/Research and Creative Assistant: Iris Epstein 

Chameleon is a film by Helen Sear, made in 2012, duration 10 minutes and 41 seconds. This silent film begins in complete darkness in the dead of night, and gradually, a golden sunflower in full bloom, just before going to seed, emerges. Out of frame, the only light source, a single torch with adjustable focus, is used to slowly illuminate the petals that gently sway in the night's breeze. The torch's focus is gradually modified to intensify the light beam onto the centre of the flower. The sunflower begins to take on the impression of an ambiguous moving, staring eye, similar to that of a chameleon that can move in all directions and each eye independently. It then recedes back into the darkness as the torch's focus is reset. Artist, Helen Sear, said: “Sunflowers have always been very iconic in the history of art, including, obviously, Van Gogh, Ai Weiwei, Rose Finn-Kelcey, Man Ray, and many others. And I wanted to try and make a piece of work, which added another dimension to the already much depicted sunflower. “I'm very interested in the kind of porousness between animal, vegetable and mineral, and how sometimes, these things merge together. And while I was looking at the sunflower in its state of full bloom, and just before it was going to seed, I thought it looked very much like an eye that was looking directly at myself. So I wondered how I might be able to capture this feeling, where the flower could in some way become alive or somewhere between a plant or an animal or a mythical being, that is actually looking straight back at the viewer, in a way, looking at them straight in the eye.” Helen Sear's practice focuses on the co-existence of human, animal, and natural environments and is rooted in an interest in Magic Realism, Surrealism and Conceptual Art. She studied Fine Art at Reading University and University College London, Slade School, her practice coming to prominence in the late 1980s, when she worked primarily with mixed-media installation, performance and video. Photography remains a central subject and medium in her work, which often challenges the dominance of the eye and the fixed-point perspective associated with the camera lens, and explores the potential of the artwork to activate and elicit feeling. Sear was the first woman to represent Wales with a solo exhibition at the 56th Venice Biennale 2015, presenting a suite of new works…the rest is smoke. She was elected a Royal Academician in 2024.

Having begun his BA in German at King's College London, Thomas Crew completed his degree at Royal Holloway, spending an intercalated year studying philosophy and teaching English in Berlin. He took his MA in European Culture and Thought at University College London, which was generously funded by the London Arts and Humanities Partnership, before completing his PhD at the University of Cambridge. As part of his doctoral research, supervised by Dr Martin Ruehl, Dr Crew spent two years as a Hanseatic Scholar at Berlin's Humboldt University, while plumbing the archives at the city's Academy of Arts. He joined Warwick as a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow in 2023 and welcomes enquires from students, scholars and members of the public on any aspect of his work.---Become part of the Hermitix community:Hermitix Twitter - ⁠⁠ / hermitixpodcast⁠⁠ Hermitix Discord - ⁠⁠ / discord Support Hermitix:Hermitix Subscription - ⁠⁠https://hermitix.net/subscribe/⁠⁠ Patreon - ⁠⁠ www.patreon.com/hermitix⁠⁠ Donations: - ⁠⁠https://www.paypal.me/hermitixpod⁠⁠Hermitix Merchandise - ⁠⁠http://teespring.com/stores/hermitix-2⁠⁠Bitcoin Donation Address: 3LAGEKBXEuE2pgc4oubExGTWtrKPuXDDLKEthereum Donation Address: 0xfd2bbe86d6070004b9Cbf682aB2F25170046A996

MRI scans are a familiar part of MS care – but what are they actually showing, and what might future scans reveal? In this episode of Living Well with MS, host Geoff Allix speaks with MRI physicist Bhavana Solanky from the Queen Square MS Centre at University College London, where she develops advanced MRI markers to better understand multiple sclerosis.  Bhavana explains how MRI is used to diagnose and monitor MS, from spotting new lesions to helping clinicians understand disease activity over time. She also explores how different types of MRI scans work, why the same scanner can produce several kinds of images, and how advanced techniques such as sodium MRI and spectroscopy are helping researchers look beyond visible lesions.  The conversation also covers why research volunteers are so important and how future scans could become faster and more comfortable.  Watch this episode on YouTube. Keep reading for the topics, timestamps, and our guest's bio.  01:20 Meet MRI physicist Bhavana Solanky  01:57 Using MRI like a giant camera  02:46 Why MRI shows more than an x-ray  03:33 From astrophysics to MS research  05:17 How MRI scans create brain images  07:48 How active MS lesions can appear  08:25 Why MRI matters for MS diagnosis  09:50 The main MRI scans used in MS  12:35 One scanner, several different image types  13:28 Advanced MRI, sodium scans and spectroscopy  16:51 Why volunteers are vital to MS research  18:39 What sodium MRI research is finding  20:39 Why sodium MRI is not about dietary salt  22:10 Faster scans and future MS research  24:33 Why monitoring scans remain important  Learn more about Bhavana's work and career  New to Overcoming MS? Learn why lifestyle matters in MS - begin your journey at our 'Get started' page Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub Visit the Overcoming MS website Follow us on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest Don't miss out: Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS here. Make sure you sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS. Support us: If you enjoy this podcast and want to help us continue creating future podcasts, please leave a donation here. Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org. If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review.

At this year's PEGS Boston, industry experts gathered on a panel to explore how AI and machine learning are deployed in biologics R&D today. Moderated by Peter M. Tessier, Ph.D., Albert M. Mattocks professor of pharmaceutical sciences and chemical engineering at University of Michigan, the panel consisted of Andrew Buchanan, Ph.D., head of discovery at a stealth-mode biotech company; Norbert Furtmann, Ph.D., head of biologics AI and design of large molecules research at Sanofi; Konrad S. Krawczyk, Ph.D., founder and CSO at NaturalAntibody SA; Andrew C.R. Martin, Ph.D., emeritus professor of bioinformatics and computational biology at University College London; Melody Shahsavarian, Ph.D., senior director of data strategy and digital transformation of biotherapeutics discovery research at Eli Lilly & Company; and Bernhardt L. Trout, Ph.D., professor of chemical engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Links from this episode:  Pharmaceutical Sciences & Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan University of Michigan Sanofi NaturalAntibody SA Bioinformatics, UCL Biosciences Computational Biology, UCL University College London   Eli Lilly & Company 

Helen Pearson, PhD, is an award-winning biomedical journalist at Nature, named European Science Journalist of the Year in 2025. She teaches science writing at University College London. BEYOND BELIEF is her second, just published book. THE LIFE PROJECT was her first. The points we covered include:—The evolution of evidence over 8 decades, moving from rationalism, expert opinion, hunches (eminence-based) to empiricism, evidence-based—The enormous devastating adverse impact of Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care book from a single sentence change, leading to an epidemic of sudden infant death syndrome. And how it ultimately got corrected. —The term evidence-based medicine was coined in 1991 at McMaster University—Iain Chalmers, Archie Cochrane and the Cochrane Collaboration“The scandalous failure of science to cumulate evidence scientifically”—Iain Chalmers—Systematic reviews—Natural experiments (such as with Shingles)—Resistance to change“Challenging a doctor's conventional way of practice is like hitting him in the intellectual testicles”—Drummond Rennie, past JAMA editor —Evidence-based practice (and not) in the Covid pandemic—Recent examples of challenging dogma (kindly stones, thymus involution)—AI and misinformation, false evidenceThank you Harshi Peiris, Ph.D., Ageless Mind Project, Anthony Higgins, E West, MagnaAnimus, and many others for tuning into my live video with Helen Pearson! Join me for my next live video in the app.A big thanks to Ground Truths subscribers from every US state and 212 countries. Your subscription to these free essays and podcasts makes my work in putting them together worthwhile. If you're not a subscriber, please join!If you found this interesting PLEASE share it!Paid subscriptions are voluntary and all proceeds from them go to support Scripps Research. They do allow for posting comments and questions, which I do my best to respond to. Please don't hesitate to post comments and give me feedback. Let me know topics that you would like to see covered.Many thanks to those who have contributed—they have greatly helped fund our summer internship programs for the past two years. It enabled us to accept and support a record number of 51 summer interns coming in 2026! These are high school, college and medical students selected from thousands of applicants. We couldn't do this expanded program without the funds coming in throughGround Truths. Get full access to Ground Truths at erictopol.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Annika Theodoulou speaks to Dr Vera Buss, a Senior Research Fellow at University College London, and Professor Leonie Brose, a Professor of Addictions & Public Health at King's College London, UK. The interview covers Vera and Leonie's research article examining the association between the national ‘Swap to Stop' programme offering free vapes for smoking cessation and quit attempts in England.Background on the Swap to Stop program in England [01:10]The motivations behind the study [01:50]The Smoking Toolkit Study and using an Interrupted Time Series Analysis [03:00]The key findings of the study [04:50]The factors which Vera and Leonie adjusted for [07:00]The policy landscape in England regarding vaping as a smoking cessation aid [07:41]What can other countries learn from the findings [09:12]The surprising results of this study [09:50]The implications of the findings for policy and practice [10:36]About Annika Theodoulou: Annika is a Research Fellow at the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction at Flinders University, South Australia. Her work focuses on health behaviours, including smoking cessation and weight management, with an emphasis on evidence synthesis. She completed a Doctor of Philosophy in Primary Health Care at the University of Oxford, where her research examined socioeconomic inequalities in smoking cessation behaviours and outcomes using quantitative and qualitative methods. Her doctoral research was funded by the Society for the Study of Addiction and The Rotary Foundation. Annika is an Associate Editor of Nicotine & Tobacco Research and holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences and a Master of Clinical Science from the University of Adelaide.About Vera Buss: Vera is a Senior Research Fellow in Behavioural Science at the UCL Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group and part of the Behavioural Research UK consortium. Her research focuses on understanding and monitoring tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption across Great Britain, drawing on the Smoking and Alcohol Toolkit Studies to evaluate national policies and population‑level behaviour change. Alongside her research, Vera co‑leads undergraduate and postgraduate teaching on health psychology and statistics for public health.About Leonie Brose: Leonie is Professor of Addictions & Public Health at King's College London and Director of the National Institutes for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Policy Research Unit in Addictions. Most of Leonie's research has focused on tobacco control, smoking cessation, smoking and mental health and newer nicotine products and she has co-authored six government-commissioned reviews on vaping. Leonie is active in the Society for the Study of Addiction, the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco and its European chapter. She also contributes as an Editorial Board member for Addiction and Nicotine & Tobacco Research and as Programme Lead for the MSc Addictions at King's. Leonie is an Associate Editor for Addiction and a Trustee for the SSA.Original article: Associations between the national ‘Swap to Stop' programme offering free vapes for smoking cessation and quit attempts in England: Results from a population-based survey https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70332The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information.Music by Jack Shakespeare Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amyloid-targeting monoclonal antibody treatments have ushered in a new era of Alzheimer's disease therapies after decades of research and clinical trials. A recent review published by Cochrane, a global, independent, non-profit network of researchers, professionals, patients and carers regarded as a gold standard for producing and promoting trusted, high-quality health information, has a different perspective on these therapies. The review found these treatments produce “little to no difference” in cognition and offer few benefits while increasing risks for adverse effects. Drs. Cynthia Carlsson, a clinical trialist, David Wolk, a clinician, and Henrik Zetterberg, a biomarker and disease biology expert, join the podcast to break down the review and their concerns, as well as highlight how this review could impact clinical care, research and public policy. Guests: Cynthia Carlsson, MD, MS, director, Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute, Clinical Core leader, Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC), Louis A. Holland, Sr., Professor in Alzheimer's Disease, geriatrician, University of Wisconsin (UW) School of Medicine and Public Health; David Wolk, MD, director, Penn ADRC, co-director, Penn Memory Center, co-director, Penn Institute on Aging, professor of neurology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine; and Henrik Zetterberg, MD, PhD, professor of neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, visiting professor, UW–Madison and University College London, Biomarker Core co-leader, Wisconsin ADRC Show Notes Read Cochrane's review, “Amyloid‐beta‐targeting monoclonal antibodies for people with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer's disease,” on the Cochrane Library website. Learn more about Dr. Carlsson and Dr. Zetterberg at their profiles on the Wisconsin ADRC website and about Dr. Wolk at his profile on the Penn Memory Center website. Watch and listen to Dr. Carlsson's past episode, “A Closer Look at the Lecanemab Clinical Trials,” on our YouTube channel or on our website. Listen to Dr. Wolk's past episode, “LATE, Explained,” on our website. Listen to Dr. Zetterberg's past episode, “The Future of Fluid Biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias,” on our website. Connect with us Find transcripts and more at our website. Email Dementia Matters: dementiamatters@medicine.wisc.edu Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center's e-newsletter. Enjoy Dementia Matters? Consider making a gift to the Dementia Matters fund through the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer's. All donations go toward outreach and production. Learn about Dr. Chin's book, When Memory Fades: What to Expect at Every Stage, from Early Signs to Full Support for Alzheimer's and Dementia, out June 2, 2026.

At the SOAP meeting in Montreal, Desiree Chappell and Monty Mythen interview Dr. Marie Louise Meng, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology at Duke University Department of Anesthesiology and her former cardio-obstetric fellow Liliane Ernst, assistant professor in the Obstetric and Gynecologic Anesthesia section Wake Forest University. The conversation focuses on cardio-obstetric anesthesia, hemodynamics, monitoring, and patient-centered care. Meng describes building multidisciplinary "pregnancy heart teams" to plan management for complex cardiac disease in pregnancy and reduce birth trauma. Ernst discusses research using the Premier database on preexisting atrial fibrillation in pregnancy (about 25 per 100,000 deliveries) and associated management and outcomes. They review cases including mechanical circulatory support with an Impella to prolong pregnancy and highlight knowledge gaps about placental perfusion and pulsatility, including Fontan physiology. Meng outlines individualized hemodynamic monitoring for labor and C-sections, emphasizes recognizing hypertensive instability, and details preeclampsia with severe features, its end-organ criteria, incidence, disparities, postpartum follow-up challenges, and potential use of remote monitoring and noninvasive cardiac output/SVR monitoring to guide therapy. Monty Mythen, founding editor-in-chief of TopMedTalk, is now Senior Vice President, Scientific Liaison, BD Advanced Patient Monitoring. He is also Emeritus Professor of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, University College London, UK. Desirée Chappell, former co-editor-in-chief of TopMedTalk, is now Director of Medical Affairs and Medical Science Liaison, BD Advanced Patient Monitoring. She is also a CRNA at NorthStar Anesthesia, USA. -- Join us at Evidence Based Perioperative Medicine (EBPOM) World Congress 2026 in London. Be part of a global conversation as clinicians from around the world gather between 7-9th July at the British Library in London. Three days of evidence-based perioperative medicine, global insights, and expert debate—featuring speakers including Michael Marmot and Ken Rockwood. Register here - EBPOM World Congress 2026

Dr Anne Irfan argues that recognition of Palestine must extend beyond the territory of the West Bank and Gaza to include the rights, experiences and political agency of Palestinians worldwide, particularly the millions living as refugees.Drawing on historical research into Palestinian displacement, refugee camps and the history of UNRWA, Dr Irfan explores how the Nakba continues not only through the loss of land, but also through efforts to fragment Palestinian identity and marginalise Palestinian voices in international discourse.The session explores:Why recognition of Palestine should include recognition of all Palestinians, including refugees and diaspora communities.The concept of the Nakba as an ongoing process rather than a single historical event.The displacement of Palestinians during 1948 and the creation of one of the world's largest refugee populations.The importance of the right of return and its place in international law and Palestinian political identity.Early international responses to Palestinian refugees and the ways in which Palestinian identity was often obscured or depoliticised.The history of Palestinian refugee camps as centres of political organisation, community life and national consciousness.The origins and evolution of UNRWA and its relationship with Palestinian refugee communities.Palestinian resistance to efforts aimed at permanent resettlement outside Palestine.The central role of education in Palestinian refugee communities and national identity.Contemporary refugee activism, including campaigns centred on the right of return and solidarity across the Palestinian diaspora.Dr Irfan highlights the ways in which Palestinian refugees have consistently asserted their political agency, challenged attempts to erase their identity and maintained connections to Palestine across generations. She argues that refugee communities have played a central role in shaping Palestinian political history and continue to do so today.The presentation concludes by examining the relevance of refugee history to current events in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon, and by arguing that meaningful recognition must encompass the full Palestinian people, wherever they live.Recorded at the Britain Palestine Project annual conference, Recognition is the Beginning, held at the Greenwood Theatre, London, on 2 June 2026.Dr Anne Irfan is a historian of the modern Middle East and Lecturer in Interdisciplinary Race, Gender and Postcolonial Studies at University College London. Her research focuses on Palestinian history, refugee communities, international organisations and the politics of displacement. She is the author of Refuge and Resistance: Palestinians and the International Refugee System and is widely recognised for her work on the history of UNRWA, Palestinian refugees and the global dimensions of the Palestinian struggle.

Join Joel Brierre, Founder & CEO of KVI, for a frank and wide-ranging conversation on one of the most fascinating — and complex — frontiers in modern medicine and entrepreneurship: 5-MeO-DMT.Joel has been a pioneer in the modern psychedelic movement, specifically in the realm of 5-MeO-DMT, applying classical non-dual yogic philosophy as geography for both preparation and integration from the entheogenic experience. With KVI, he has built an ecosystem that sits at the intersection of retreat operations, academic research, and emerging biotech — collaborating with top universities including University College London to study the effects of 5-MeO-DMT in naturalistic ceremonial settings.In this episode, we go deep on what it actually takes to build, fund, and scale a company in a grey-area market — and why the science behind this molecule may reshape psychiatry, neuroscience, and drug development for decades to come.

Some bereaved listeners whose relatives had money put away with National Savings and Investments are facing weeks and months of delay in getting their own money. It comes as NS&I works to track down the accounts of tens of thousands of people who had died, after it admitted keeping nearly half a billion pounds in its coffers that should have been passed to their estates. The state-owned bank has apologised and says its working hard on its plan to ensure those affected are paid what is owed to them, along with returning the processing of current and new bereavement claims to their normal time-frame.The cost of borrowing has been held steady by the Bank of England. On Thursday its Monetary Policy Committee held the Bank Rate at 3.75%. How is that affecting mortgage deals?And, how can young people, who're out of work, find a job? Dan Whitworth reports on a scheme run by the charity Spear to address barriers to work. It comes as University College London publishes research which finds being out of work and education between ages 16 and 24 has long-term consequences for people's employment and finances in midlife. Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Jo Krasner Researcher: Catherine Lund Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson(First broadcast 12pm, Saturday 2nd May 2026)

In his final years, Richard Feynman's curiosity took him to some surprising places. We hear from his companions on the trips he took — and one he wasn't able to. (Part three of a three-part series originally published in 2024.)    SOURCES:  Alan Alda, actor and screenwriter. Barbara Berg, friend of Richard Feynman. Helen Czerski, physicist and oceanographer at University College London. Michelle Feynman, photographer and daughter of Richard Feynman. Cheryl Haley, friend of Richard Feynman. Debby Harlow, friend of Richard Feynman. Ralph Leighton, biographer and film producer. Charles Mann, science journalist and author. John Preskill, professor of theoretical physics at the California Institute of Technology. Lisa Randall, professor of theoretical particle physics and cosmology at Harvard University. Christopher Sykes, documentary filmmaker. Stephen Wolfram, founder and C.E.O. of Wolfram Research; creator of Mathematica, Wolfram|Alpha, and the Wolfram Language.   RESOURCES:  I Love My Wife..., directed by Ian Tierney (2020). Quantum Man: Richard Feynman's Life in Science, by Lawrence M. Krauss (2011). Perfectly Reasonable Deviations From the Beaten Track: Selected Letters of Richard P. Feynman, edited by Michelle Feynman (2005). The Pleasure of Finding Things Out, by Richard Feynman (1999). The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark, by Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan (1995). Genius: The Life and Science of Richard Feynman, by James Gleick (1992). The Quest for Tannu Tuva, by Christopher Sykes (1988) “What Do You Care What Other People Think?” by Richard Feynman and Ralph Leighton (1988). The Second Creation: Makers of the Revolution in Twentieth-century Physics, by Robert Crease and Charles Mann (1986). Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!, by Richard Feynman and Ralph Leighton (1985). Fun to Imagine, BBC docuseries (1983).   EXTRAS:  “The Curious, Brilliant, Vanishing Mr. Feynman,” series by Freakonomics Radio (2024). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Earth is a living planet. But how much life is there, and what is it doing? We will discuss the distribution of biomass on Earth, and compare the effects of microbes, wild animals, domesticated animals. The aim of this lecture is to provide concrete examples of how life is woven in with the rest of the planetary engine, expanding the importance of biodiversity from sentiment alone to a matter of survival for both whole ecosystems and our own civilisation.This lecture was recorded by Helen Czerski on the 23th of March 2026 at Bernard's Inn Hall, LondonHelen Czerski is a physicist and oceanographer with a passion for science, sport, books, creativity, hot chocolate and investigating the interesting things in life. She is a Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at University College London and her research focus is the physics of breaking waves and bubbles at the ocean surface. These bubbles change underwater sound and light, help transfer gases from ocean to atmosphere (helping the ocean breathe) and also eject ocean material into the air. She has spent months working on research ships in the Antarctic, the Pacific, the North Atlantic and the Arctic, and is an experienced field scientist. Helen has been a regular science presenter on the BBC for 15 years, covering the physics of the natural world in BBC2 landmark documentaries (including ‘Orbit', ‘Operation iceberg' and ‘Supersenses'), and the physics of everyday life in a range of BBC4 documentaries (including ‘From ice to fire: The incredible science of temperature', ‘Sound waves: The symphony of physics', and ‘Colour: The spectrum of science', along  with many others). She currently co-hosts BBC Radio 4's flagship climate and environment programme Rare Earth. Helen's first book Storm in a Teacup won the Italian Asimov Prize and the Louis J. Battan Author prize from the American Meteorological Society. Blue Machine won the Wainwright Prize for Conservation Writing. She was awarded the Institute of Physics Gold Medal in 2018 for her work on physics communication, and an Honorary Fellowship of the British Science Association in 2020. She has been a Trustee of Royal Museums Greenwich since 2018, and was one of the 2020 Royal Institution Christmas Lecturers, giving her Lecture on the topic of the ocean. The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/living-planetGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham College's mission, please consider making a donation: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-today Website:  https://gresham.ac.ukX: https://x.com/GreshamCollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/greshamcollege.bsky.social TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@greshamcollegeSupport Us: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-todaySupport the show

What exactly is a biennale, and why do they matter in the art world? In this solo episode, I'm breaking down one of the art world's most iconic and contested formats, from its origins at the very first Venice Biennale in 1895 to the sprawling, politically charged mega-exhibitions we know today.In the episode, we move through the history of how biennales evolved from nationalist showcases into curator-led events grappling with postcolonial discourse, identity politics, and climate change. I then touch on some of the most influential editions across Venice, São Paulo, Kassel, and beyond. We get into the controversies, including the the Dana Schutz and Open Casket debate at the 2017 Whitney Biennial, the board resignation that followed artist protests in 2019, and the antisemitism scandal that overshadowed Documenta 15 in 2022.Sources:Paintings from the Venice Biennale – ListoryIn 1895, the 1st Venice Biennale faces its first censorship scandal – Arte BrasileirosThe Dana Schutz Emmett Till painting controversy at the Whitney Biennial – The GuardianWarren Kanders resigns from Whitney Museum board – The New York TimesStatement by Taring Padi on dismantling People's Justice – Documenta FifteenWho Killed the Independent Curator? – Frieze- - - - - If you love what we do, support ALL ABOUT ART on PATREON!  ⁠https://www.patreon.com/allaboutart⁠Keep up to date on Instagram @allaboutartpodcast  ⁠https://www.instagram.com/allaboutartpodcast/⁠ ABOUT THE HOST:I am an Austrian-American art historian, curator, and writer. I obtained my BA in History of Art at University College London and my MA in Arts Administration and Cultural Policy at Goldsmiths, University of London. My specializations are in contemporary art and the contemporary art market along with accessibility, engagement, and the demystification of the professional art sector.SOCIALS: Instagram⁠ @alexandrasteinacker https://www.instagram.com/alexandrasteinackerand LinkedIn at ⁠Alexandra Steinacker-Clark⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-steinacker/This episode is produced at Synergy https://synergy.tech/the-clubhouse/the-podcast-studio/ COVER ART: Lisa Schrofner a.k.a Liser⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.liser-art.com/ and Luca Laurence https://www.graffitikunst.at/Research and Creative Assistant: Iris Epstein

Leading Irish neuroimmunologist Prof. Denise Fitzgerald has been awarded €6.26 million Research Professorship funding from Research Ireland to investigate ways that ageing affects how the immune system helps repair brain tissue in illnesses such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The funding means that over the next five years, Prof. Fitzgerald – who has, until now, been based exclusively in Queen's University Belfast – will lead a research team of ten based in Trinity College Dublin and partnering with FutureNeuro Research Ireland Centre for Translational Brain Science, St James's Hospital and Beaumont Hospital to discover why our immune cells become less able to coax brain stem cells to repair damage as we age. This research combines immunology, neuroscience and regenerative biology to tackle this complex problem. Prof. Fitzgerald said: "This ambitious programme of research will uncover new insights into fundamental changes in the older immune system that has a knock-on effect on brain repair. This new knowledge can then be used to develop pioneering regenerative treatment for MS and other neurological conditions. To speed this up, we are embedding research into new clinical trials led by consultant neurologist, Hugh Kearney. "This will increase the opportunities for people with MS in Ireland to access experimental treatments early, as well as to co-produce research with us as key public members of the research programme. Through this neuroimmunology research programme we will train the next generation of scientists, doctors and health professionals, side-by-side, in partnership with the public." Commenting on the announcement, Dr Diarmuid O'Brien, CEO of Research Ireland commented: "Research Ireland is pleased to support Prof. Fitzgerald's critically important work over the next five years, with the investment facilitating an additional 11 research positions, comprising postdocs, PhDs, research assistants and senior research fellows. Funding excellent research talent is a key part of our recently launched strategy, as is addressing Ireland's opportunities and challenges in areas such as public health. I look forward to seeing the outputs and impact of Prof. Fitzgerald's endeavours over the coming years." Through this appointment, Prof. Fitzgerald will divide her role between Trinity College Dublin and Queen's University Belfast, promoting all-island collaboration across neuroimmunology and other research areas. She will be an investigator at FutureNeuro, the RCSI-based Research Ireland Centre that aims to translate breakthroughs in understanding of brain structure and function to transform the patient journey for people with neurological diseases. She also brings extensive international collaboration with world-leading experts at Cambridge University, University College London, the University of Toronto, the Institute of Neuroscience – Alicante, the Wellcome Sanger Institute and Maynooth University. Prof. Colin Doherty, head of the School of Medicine in Trinity and a Principal Investigator with FutureNeuro said: "I have known Denise for some time and have marvelled at the quality of her research into one of the great and challenging areas of medical science. We are delighted that she will be leading a team here in Trinity while retaining her links with Queen's, strengthening all-island collaboration in neuroimmunology and creating exciting new opportunities across the wider FutureNeuro research network." See more stories here. Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find...

Many studies focus on how Russia doesn't work and why. There's a laundry list of reasons. Corruption. Autocracy. Imperialism. Exceptionalism. But, how, then, does Russia work? Because there are people, a state, and society. What greases the wheels? Alena Ledeneva has made this question the focus of her career. For her, it's the informal networks and practices that allow the system, with all its deficiencies, to function. Her new book, Russian Pendulum, is a synthesis of her three books on informality. But instead of focusing on post-Soviet Russia, she examines the long duree of informality through the concept of paradox. For example, the Soviet paradox, “Shops are empty, but fridges are full.” Ledeneva says that this paradox contains a hidden informal relation that ameliorates shortage. She also takes a novel approach to this subject using sculpture and music to represent the paradoxes and practices of Russian everyday life. We at the Eurasian Knot wanted to know more. So we put the question to Ledeneva–How does Russia work? And what does that say about Russia's historical development over the last few centuries? Russian Pendulum has a soundtrack: “The System Made Me Do It,” available on Spotify and elsewhere. Guest:Alena Ledeneva is Professor of Politics and Society at the University College London and a founder of the Global Informality Project. She's the author of the trilogy: Russia's Economy of Favours (1998), How Russia Really Works (2006), Can Russia Modernize? (2013), Her new book is The Russian Pendulum: Paradoxes, Practices and Patterns published by UCL Press. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Building on the concepts introduced in the previous episode Rethinking the Design and Conduct of Kidney Trials, this episode explores how innovative ideas in nephrology research can be translated into practical trial strategies. Experts discuss novel approaches to trial design, evolving endpoint selection, and the importance of engaging patients, clinicians, regulators, and other stakeholders throughout the research process. Drawing on insights from the ISN Consensus Meeting on Changing Paradigms of Studies in CKD (Vancouver, Nov 22-23, 2024), the discussion highlights how more pragmatic and implementation-focused trials can help generate evidence that is meaningful for clinical practice and patient care worldwide. Speakers Adeera Levin Professor of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Canada, and Past-President of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN). Dr. Levin is a global leader in kidney health research, with extensive experience in chronic kidney disease (CKD) management, clinical trials, and international health system strengthening. David Wheeler Professor of Kidney Medicine at University College London, UK and Honorary Consultant Nephrologist at the Royal Free Hospital. His research focuses on the management of chronic kidney disease and the evaluation of therapies through large-scale clinical trials. He was co-principal investigator of the landmark DAPA-CKD trial and served as Co-Chair of KDIGO from 2012–2019.  Kevin Weinfurt Professor and Vice Chair of Faculty, Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, USA. Dr. Weinfurt is a behavioural scientist specializing in patient-reported outcomes (PROMs), ethical aspects of research participation, and improving the relevance of clinical trials to patients lived experiences. Hiddo J. Lambers Heerspink Professor of Clinical Trials and Personalized Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands. Dr. Heerspink's work bridges pharmacology, nephrology, and precision medicine, focusing on optimizing kidney and cardiovascular outcomes through innovative clinical trial design and biomarker discovery. To read more, explore the related paper Changing Paradigms of Studies in Kidney Diseases published in Kidney International. 

From the Manhattan Project to the Challenger investigation, the physicist Richard Feynman loved to shoot down what he called “lousy ideas.” Today, the world is awash in lousy ideas — so maybe it's time to get some more Feynman in our lives? (Part one of a three-part series originally published in 2024.)   SOURCES: Helen Czerski, physicist and oceanographer at University College London. Michelle Feynman, photographer and daughter of Richard Feynman. Ralph Leighton, biographer and film producer. Charles Mann, science journalist and author. John Preskill, professor of theoretical physics at the California Institute of Technology. Stephen Wolfram, founder and C.E.O. of Wolfram Research; creator of Mathematica, Wolfram|Alpha, and the Wolfram Language.   RESOURCES: "How Legendary Physicist Richard Feynman Helped Crack the Case on the Challenger Disaster," by Kevin Cook (Literary Hub, 2021). Challenger: The Final Flight, docuseries (2020). Perfectly Reasonable Deviations From the Beaten Track: Selected Letters of Richard P. Feynman, edited by Michelle Feynman (2005). The Pleasure of Finding Things Out, by Richard Feynman (1999). Genius: The Life and Science of Richard Feynman, by James Gleick (1992). “What Do You Care What Other People Think?” by Richard Feynman and Ralph Leighton (1988). "Mr. Feynman Goes to Washington," by Richard Feynman and Ralph Leighton (Engineering & Science, 1987). The Second Creation: Makers of the Revolution in Twentieth-century Physics, by Robert Crease and Charles Mann (1986). Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!, by Richard Feynman and Ralph Leighton (1985). "The Pleasure of Finding Things Out," (Horizon S18.E9, 1981). "Los Alamos From Below," by Richard Feynman (UC Santa Barbara lecture, 1975).   EXTRAS: "Exploring Physics, from Eggshells to Oceans," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2023). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Frances Brodsky believes that writing her three mystery novels set in the world of bench science has improved her scientific writing. “I love making up titles for my books and chapters,” she says. “One of the best ways to train someone in the lab to focus on their project is for them to come up with the title of a paper that they want to write. That tells them where they're going. Also, when I interview people, I ask them: ‘What is the title of the thesis you plan to write?'​​​​​​​”Brodsky, a cell biologist at University College London, writes under the pseudonym B. B. Jordan. Her books feature Celeste Braun, a virologist in San Francisco, California, who uses her scientific expertise to solve mysteries and fight crime. “Sitting down to write these novels, my scientific writing became markedly better,” she says. “The exercise of fiction writing helped me put my work into a narrative.​​​​​​​”In the penultimate episode of this six-part podcast series on creativity in science, Brodsky says the discipline of writing a novel has also taught her perseverance, adding: “When you start a writing project, you have to stick with it to get it to the end. Sticking with something and having faith that it will work out is a really good quality to have.​​​​​​​” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Holistic AI was one of the first companies built specifically to govern, audit, and red team AI systems. As co-founder and co-CEO Emre Kazim explains, its original thesis was that AI governance would mirror data governance: a compliance-driven regime. He now believes the better analogy is cybersecurity: a more technical, incident-driven discipline where best practices emerge from real-world events and propagate across industry, rather than descending from abstract regulatory frameworks. Kazim argues this shift has significant implications for who owns AI governance inside enterprises, what skills they need, and why documentation-and-reporting vendors are unlikely to capture the core of the market. Kazim also makes the case that human-in-the-loop oversight, long treated as the default answer to AI risk, has become untenable as systems grow more dynamic and agentic. He distinguishes between two enterprise adoption patterns: a democratic model in which every employee has a copilot, and a vanguard model in which a small number of mission-critical agentic systems drive most of the value and demand most of the governance attention. Finally, he argues that meaningful research capacity will be the price of entry for AI governance firms going forward. Dr. Emre Kazim is the co-founder and co-CEO of Holistic AI, an AI governance platform company spun out of University College London in 2020. He previously served as a Research Fellow in UCL's Department of Computer Science. Kazim has published more than 50 peer-reviewed articles on AI ethics and governance, serves as a member of the OECD's Network of Experts on AI, and is involved with the NIST AI Safety Institute. Transcript Towards Algorithm Auditing (Royal Society Open Science, 2024) What is AI Governance? (Holistic Blog, February 2026)

Pendant des décennies, les scientifiques se sont moqués des minuscules bras du Tyrannosaurus rex. Comment un prédateur de près de 12 mètres de long, doté d'une morsure terrifiante, pouvait-il avoir des bras aussi ridiculement petits ? On a proposé toutes sortes d'explications : ils servaient à se relever, à tenir un partenaire pendant l'accouplement ou encore à éviter d'être mordus par d'autres T. rex pendant les repas. Mais une nouvelle étude menée par des chercheurs de University College London et de l'University of Cambridge apporte une réponse bien plus convaincante. Les chercheurs ont étudié 82 espèces de dinosaures carnivores appelés théropodes, le groupe auquel appartenait le T. rex. Leur découverte est surprenante : les petits bras ne seraient pas simplement une conséquence du gigantisme du dinosaure. Ils seraient directement liés à l'évolution… de sa tête.En analysant les fossiles, les scientifiques ont remarqué une forte corrélation entre deux caractéristiques : plus un dinosaure possédait un crâne massif et une mâchoire puissante, plus ses bras avaient tendance à rétrécir. Autrement dit, chez certains grands prédateurs, la tête serait progressivement devenue l'arme principale, rendant les bras de moins en moins utiles. Le T. rex représente l'exemple ultime de cette évolution. Son crâne était incroyablement robuste, capable de produire l'une des morsures les plus puissantes de toute l'histoire animale. Ses dents, longues comme des bananes dentelées, pouvaient broyer des os. Face à une telle machine de guerre, les bras perdaient peu à peu leur importance.Selon les chercheurs, cette transformation serait liée à l'apparition de proies gigantesques, comme les énormes dinosaures herbivores à long cou appelés sauropodes. Essayer d'attraper un animal de plusieurs dizaines de tonnes avec des griffes devenait peu pratique. Il était beaucoup plus efficace de mordre violemment et de maintenir la proie avec la mâchoire. Les scientifiques parlent même d'un phénomène de “use it or lose it” : “utilise-le ou perds-le”. En évolution, un organe qui devient moins utile peut progressivement diminuer au fil des générations. Les bras du T. rex auraient donc rétréci parce qu'ils n'étaient plus essentiels à la chasse.Cela ne veut pas dire qu'ils étaient totalement inutiles. Les bras du T. rex restaient étonnamment musclés et puissants pour leur taille. Mais ils n'étaient plus l'outil principal du prédateur.Finalement, les petits bras du T. rex racontent une grande histoire d'évolution : celle d'un animal dont la tête est devenue si redoutable qu'elle a littéralement remplacé ses membres antérieurs. Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

A new giant dinosaur has been uncovered in Thailand: the largest ever found in South-East Asia.More than 100 million years ago, Nagatitan towered over the Earth — and has now been described by a team of researchers from the UK and Thailand.  Jonathan Webb speaks with Thitiwoot Sethapanichsakul, a PhD student at University College London who was part of the team that discovered and named this prehistoric behemoth.You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science editor and presenter Jonathan Webb on the ABC Listen app (Australia). You'll find episodes on animal behaviour, human health, space exploration and so much more.Get in touch with us: labnotes@abc.net.auFeaturing:Thitiwoot Sethapanichsakul, PhD student University College LondonFurther information:The first sauropod dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous Khok Kruat Formation of Thailand enriches the diversity of somphospondylan titanosauriforms in southeast AsiaThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

This is a preview of a premium episode. To listen to the full thing, visit our Susbtack: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/colin-fisher In jazz, there's a concept called minimal structures — a rhythmic framework, a harmonic pattern, an implied order of solos. Just enough to hold the band together, but plenty of space for autonomous creativity. It's a useful lens for thinking about how any team works, and it comes directly from today's guest. Colin Fisher was a professional jazz trumpet player before he became one of the leading researchers on group dynamics. He's now an Associate Professor of Organizations and Innovation at University College London, with a PhD in Organizational Behavior from Harvard, and his new book is The Collective Edge. In it, he makes a case that we systematically underestimate the role groups play in every breakthrough we celebrate. We love stories about lone geniuses — Newton, Einstein, Miles Davis — but when you peel back almost any one of them, you find a group behind it. We just tend to forget that part, because our brains are wired to remember heroes, not ensembles. Ask everyone on a six-person team how much credit they deserve for the group's output, and one study found the total came to 235%. In this conversation, we get into why teams are 6.3 times more likely than individuals to produce breakthrough work, why the sorting hat in Harry Potter is actually the series' true villain, and why 84% of managers try to coach their way out of team problems when the real fix is structural. We also talk about the dangers of using competition to motivate creative teams, why the ideal team size hovers around 4.5 people, and what it would take to pull our increasingly individualistic world back toward something more collective — without tipping into the other extreme. Bio Colin M. Fisher is an Associate Professor at University College London's School of Management and the author of The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups (Avery/Penguin Random House), translated into ten languages. His research on group dynamics, creativity, and improvisation has been published in top academic journals and featured in BBC, Harvard Business Review, NPR, Forbes, and The Times. Before earning his PhD in Organizational Behavior from Harvard, Colin was a professional jazz trumpet player and longtime member of the Either/Orchestra. He lives in London with his wife and two children, and can sometimes be found sitting in at jazz jams around the city. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Body composition goals, particularly bodyfat loss, are among the most common reasons people seek support from a nutritionist or health and fitness professional. While the principles are well established, the challenge is helping individuals apply them consistently in real-world conditions. Many people struggle due to hunger, unrealistic expectations, emotional eating, inconsistent routines, or overly restrictive dieting approaches. These challenges can make fat loss difficult to sustain, even when someone understands what they "should" be doing. In this episode,  Luke Hanna discusses practical strategies for improving body composition, including food diaries, energy-density manipulation, preloads, mindful eating, and realistic goal-setting. The discussion emphasizes identifying individual barriers, collaborating with clients, and building repeatable behaviours that support both fat loss and long-term maintenance. Luke Hanna holds a Master's degree in Obesity and Clinical Nutrition from University College London and a degree in Sport and Exercise Science from the University of Portsmouth. He currently works as a nutrition coach and personal trainer. Timestamps: [03:15] Interview [05:39] Client assessment basics [11:59] Alternatives to tracking [13:57] Volume eating [18:56] Preloads before meals [22:25] Snacking and hunger types [26:44] Habits and food environment [30:40] Managing expectations [33:51] Transition to maintenance [39:09] Key ideas (premium-only) Links: Go to episode page (with resources) Join the Sigma newsletter for free Subscribe to Sigma Nutrition Premium Instagram: @lukehannanutrition

Luke Nichter is the James H. Cavanaugh Endowed Chair in Presidential Studies at Chapman University, a Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, and, for 2026-27, a Visiting Research Fellow at the Centre on US Politics at University College London. This conversation will look at Johnson and his presidency, what can be revealed by his administration and reflects more about the history and current state of our country.

Rory McGowan sits down with an honorary fellow at the University College London, Dr Kavi Samra, to talk about AI's role in revision. GCSE exams are underway, with A Levels not too far behind. How is AI being used by students, and how are companies trying to design AI to make it appropriate and reliable for exam purposes?

This lecture was recorded by Helen Czerski on the 19th of February 2026 at Barnard's Inn Hall, LondonHelen Czerski is a physicist and oceanographer with a passion for science, sport, books, creativity, hot chocolate and investigating the interesting things in life. She is a Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at University College London and her research focus is the physics of breaking waves and bubbles at the ocean surface. These bubbles change underwater sound and light, help transfer gases from ocean to atmosphere (helping the ocean breathe) and also eject ocean material into the air. She has spent months working on research ships in the Antarctic, the Pacific, the North Atlantic and the Arctic, and is an experienced field scientist. The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/groundGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://gresham.ac.uk/support/Website:  https://gresham.ac.ukTwitter:  https://twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeSupport the show

It's ten years since the Briefing Room was first transmitted in May 2016. And what a decade it's been. To mark the tenth anniversary the programme looks at the biggest changes at home and abroad since that momentous day in British broadcasting. We've had Brexit, a pandemic, the Gaza war, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Donald Trump - twice. It is hard to remember such a time. So David Aaronovitch's three expert guests will help him answer the question: are we even the same people as we were back then? Guests: Anand Menon, Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs, King's College London Bronwen Maddox, Director and CEO, Chatham House Meg Russell, Professor of British and Comparative Politics in the Department of Political Science at University College London. Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Caroline Bayley, Kirsteen Knight, Sally Abrahams Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound engineers: James Beard and Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

It's the return of Merlin. Not the birdsong identification app this time, but the Rolls-Royce Merlin - engine of the historic Supermarine Spitfire warplane. The Case Reports trio are faced with another set of patient puzzles to work through in this latest episode. In the first case (1:25), a 68-yo man, retired from farming, presents with a 6-year history of behavioural changes. Most notably, he had developed a sense of great pleasure in listening to engine sounds, like those of the historic aircraft flying over his house. He had become increasingly emotionally detached and ritualistic, and gained a sweet tooth. MR scans of the brain revealed an uncommon syndrome. https://pn.bmj.com/content/26/2/169 The second case (21:15) relates to a 47-yo woman who developed abnormal movements in all of her limbs. She had undergone a complex cardiac surgery 12 years before, and another prolonged cardiac surgery within recent weeks. The case discusses the longterm follow-up of her treatment for these involuntary movements. https://pn.bmj.com/content/26/2/157    The case reports discussion is hosted by Prof. Martin Turner¹, who is joined by Dr. Ruth Wood² and Dr. Babak Soleimani³ for a group examination of the features of each presentation, followed by a step-by-step walkthrough of how the diagnosis was made. These case reports and many others can be found in the October 2025 issue of the journal. (1) Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neuroscience at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, and Consultant Neurologist at John Radcliffe Hospital. (2) Clinical Lecturer in Neurology at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, and an Honorary Neurology SpR at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery. (3) Clinical Research Fellow, Oxford Laboratory for Neuroimmunology and Immunopsychiatry, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford Please subscribe to the Practical Neurology podcast on your favourite platform to get the latest podcast every month. If you enjoy our podcast, you can leave us a review or a comment on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3vVPClm) or Spotify (https://bit.ly/4aXF46i). We'd love to hear your feedback on social media - @PracticalNeurol. Production and editing by Brian O'Toole. Thank you for listening.

Nadine Dijkstra is a Principal Investigator at the Institute of Neurology at UCL. Her research in Imaging Neuroscience explores how the brain generates mental images and differentiates them from actual perception. Utilizing neuroimaging, psychophysics, machine learning, and computational modeling, Dijkstra addresses fundamental questions about the overlap between perception and imagery.Recently, Dijkstra has been leading the Imagine Reality Lab at UCL's Department of Imaging Neuroscience, focusing on the intersection of imagination and reality. Dijkstra's 2023 paper in Nature Communications showed the brain evaluates images against a 'reality threshold' to distinguish between images and perception. Her work also investigates how changes in these neural processes could impact mental health.Check out our new series, Ideas for Our Time: https://youtu.be/nYS4FylZJ2QDon't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions on the episode!To witness such debates live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/And visit our website for many more articles, videos, and podcasts like this one: https://iai.tv/You can find everything we referenced here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Trying to personalize learning for neurodivergent learners—but finding that traditional approaches still fall short? Wondering how to meet diverse needs without lowering rigor or managing several pathways at once? In this episode, I sit down with Rory, an innovative educator and founder of Barefoot Technology Academy, to explore how student-driven, project-based learning creates powerful, personalized experiences—especially for gifted and neurodivergent learners. You'll hear how shifting from curriculum-first to interest-driven learning unlocks deep engagement, motivation, and growth.

In this episode of Crossing Channels, Richard Westcott talks to Sumedha Deshmukh and Bruno Biais about whether the future of money can be truly inclusive. They explore the promise and limits of cryptocurrency, asking whether it offers a genuine alternative to existing financial systems or risks reproducing the same forms of exclusion, volatility and mistrust. The conversation examines why crypto may be useful in places where monetary and banking institutions are weak, but also why it can expose less informed users to new risks. They also discuss stablecoins, digital public infrastructure, regulation, trust and governance, and what policymakers need to consider if digital finance is to serve people's real needs rather than simply benefiting those who are already better connected and better informed.Season 5 Episode 6 transcriptListen to this episode on your preferred podcast platformFor more information about the Crossing Channels podcast series and the work of the Bennett School of Public Policy and IAST visit our websites at https://www.bennettschool.cam.ac.uk/ and https://www.iast.fr/.Follow us on Linkedin, Bluesky and X. With thanks to:Audio production by Alice WhaleyAssociate production by Burcu Sevde SelviVisuals by Tiffany Naylor and Pauline AlvesMore information about our host and guests:Podcast hostRichard Westcott is an award-winning journalist who spent 27 years at the BBC as a correspondent/producer/presenter covering global stories for the flagship Six and Ten o'clock TV news as well as the Today programme. Last year, Richard left the corporation and he is now the communications director for Cambridge University Health Partners and the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, both organisations that are working to support life sciences and healthcare across the city.Podcast guestsBruno Biais, a professor at HEC Paris, and associate researcher at TSE, holds a PhD in finance from HEC. He is a fellow of the Econometric Society and the Finance Theory group and has been scientific adviser to the NYSE, Euronext, European Central Bank and Bank of England. His current research project, titled "Welfare, Incentives, and Dynamic Equilibrium" benefits from the support of the European Research Council (ERC Advanced Grant).Sumedha Deshmukh, formerly of the Bennett School of Public Policy, is currently a Research Fellow at University College London and the Ada Lovelace Institute. Her research focuses on the economic and societal impacts of digital technologies, with a particular interest in technology governance and public policy. Previously, she led multi-stakeholder technology governance initiatives at the World Economic Forum. She holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge, as well as a Master of Public Policy and BA in Economics from the University of Virginia. 

What if the most common diagnostic tool in men's health for the last 30 years was actually failing millions of patients?” For decades, the "blind" prostate biopsy was the gold standard a primitive 'hit or miss' approach that often missed aggressive tumors while over-treating harmless ones. But then came the PRECISION trial, a research earthquake that proved we've been doing it wrong.In this episode, we are joined by the architect of that revolution: Professor Veeru Kasivisvanathan. A Professor of Urology at University College London and a consultant at Cleveland Clinic London, Prof. Veeru is the elite surgeon-scientist who convinced a global medical community to stop stabbing in the dark. He led the landmark trials that made MRI the mandatory gatekeeper for prostate cancer, saving countless men from unnecessary invasive procedures. If you've ever wondered why your doctor is ordering an MRI before a needle, or why "contrast dye" might be a thing of the past, this conversation is your roadmap.In this episode, you'll learn:The Precision Paradigm: Why a third of men can safely avoid a biopsy altogether if their MRI is clear.The Prime Trial Breakthrough: Why high-quality "biparametric" scans mean you can likely skip the Gadolinium contrast without losing accuracy.The Focal Therapy Landscape: How "male lumpectomies" using HIFU and Cryotherapy are preserving potency and continence.The Future of "Robotic Nerve-Sparing": How pre-operative mapping is allowing surgeons to operate with a level of visibility once thought impossible.Timestamps:00:00 – Introduction: Is the "Blind" Biopsy Failing Men?01:30 – Meet Prof. Veeru Kasivisvanathan: The Surgeon-Scientist.04:15 – What Inspired the PRECISION Trial?08:45 – The Problem with the 30-Year "Standard of Care."12:20 – MRI as the Gatekeeper: Avoiding Unnecessary Biopsies.15:45 – The UK vs. US Healthcare Systems: Why Cost and Ethics Matter.21:00 – The PRIME Trial: Biparametric vs. Multiparametric MRI.28:30 – Is Gadolinium Contrast "Toxic"? Understanding the Risks.34:15 – MRI Quality Control: Why the Radiologist Matters More Than the Machine.40:30 – Genomic Biomarkers vs. Imaging: Do We Need Both?44:45 – Treatment Paradigms: Focal Therapy (HIFU/Cryo) explained.49:15 – When to Choose a Robotic Prostatectomy Over Focal Therapy.53:00 – How to Find Prof. Veeru and Closing Thoughts.Key Resources Mentioned:Prof. Veeru's Profile: University College London (UCL) & Cleveland Clinic London.The PRECISION Trial: Published in the New England Journal of Medicine.The BURST Research Collaborative: A global network of 30,000+ patients.___________________________________

This lecture was recorded by Robin May on the 22nd of April 2026 at Barnard's Inn Hall, LondonProfessor of Infectious Disease at the University of Birmingham, and (interim) Chief Scientist at the UK Health Security Agency, Robin May was appointed Gresham Professor of Physic in May 2022. Between July 2020 and September 2025 he served as Chief Scientific Adviser at the Food Standards Agency (FSA).Professor May's early training was in Plant Sciences at the University of Oxford, followed by a PhD on mammalian cell biology at University College London and the University of Birmingham. After postdoctoral research on gene silencing at the Hubrecht Laboratory, The Netherlands, he returned to the UK in 2005 to establish a research program on human infectious diseases. He was Director of the Institute of Microbiology and Infection at the University of Birmingham from 2017-2020. The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/music-mindGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://gresham.ac.uk/support/Website:  https://gresham.ac.ukTwitter:  https://twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeSupport the show

The threads of Salem's history stretch around the world to build Salem's stories; from Hawaii, to Mauritius, to Japan, and of course to the United Kingdom. And Jeffrey was just recently in the UK and explored some cool Salem connections! Join Jeffrey and Sarah, your favorite Salem tour guides, as Jeffrey recounts his adventures and what he found. In episode 185 where Sarah talked about Sarah Remond's studies in England at the University College London, and from episode 172, when we discussed the play John Proctor is the Villain, Jeffrey found where she lived and saw the play! And what about Salem's founder, Roger Conant, he's from England too, a little village called East Budleigh down in Devon, Jeffrey had to check it out!   https://www.ucl.ac.uk/racism-racialisation/about-us/sarah-parker-remond-plaque-unveiling https://www.ucl.ac.uk/racism-racialisation/sarah-parker-remond-centre https://royalcourttheatre.com/events/john-proctor-is-the-villain/ https://www.eastbudleigh.org.uk/out-and-about.html   Interested in Salem The Podcast Merch!?  CLICK HERE! Interested in supporting the Podcast? Looking for more Salem content? CLICK HERE! www.salemthepodcast.com NEW INSTAGRAM - @salemthepod Email - hello@salemthepodcast.com   Book a tour with Sarah at Bewitched Historical Tours   www.bewitchedtours.com Book a tour with Jeffrey at Salem Uncovered Tours  www.salemuncoveredtours.com    Intro/Outro Music from Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/unfamiliar-faces License code: NGSBY7LA1HTVAUJE

The threads of Salem's history stretch around the world to build Salem's stories; from Hawaii, to Mauritius, to Japan, and of course to the United Kingdom. And Jeffrey was just recently in the UK and explored some cool Salem connections! Join Jeffrey and Sarah, your favorite Salem tour guides, as Jeffrey recounts his adventures and what he found. In episode 185 where Sarah talked about Sarah Remond's studies in England at the University College London, and from episode 172, when we discussed the play John Proctor is the Villain, Jeffrey found where she lived and saw the play! And what about Salem's founder, Roger Conant, he's from England too, a little village called East Budleigh down in Devon, Jeffrey had to check it out!   https://www.ucl.ac.uk/racism-racialisation/about-us/sarah-parker-remond-plaque-unveiling https://www.ucl.ac.uk/racism-racialisation/sarah-parker-remond-centre https://royalcourttheatre.com/events/john-proctor-is-the-villain/ https://www.eastbudleigh.org.uk/out-and-about.html   Interested in Salem The Podcast Merch!?  CLICK HERE! Interested in supporting the Podcast? Looking for more Salem content? CLICK HERE! www.salemthepodcast.com NEW INSTAGRAM - @salemthepod Email - hello@salemthepodcast.com   Book a tour with Sarah at Bewitched Historical Tours   www.bewitchedtours.com Book a tour with Jeffrey at Salem Uncovered Tours  www.salemuncoveredtours.com    Intro/Outro Music from Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/unfamiliar-faces License code: NGSBY7LA1HTVAUJE

Economists and politicians have turned him into a mascot for free-market ideology. Some on the left say the right has badly misread him. In this updated replay of a 2022 episode, we hold a very Smithy tug of war.   SOURCES: Eamonn Butler, co-founder and director of the Adam Smith Institute. Glory Liu, a political scientist and Adam Smith scholar at Georgetown University. Mariana Mazzucato, professor in the economics of innovation and public value at University College London. Dennis Rasmussen, a professor of political science at Syracuse University. Russ Roberts, president of Shalem College in in Jerusalem; host of the EconTalk podcast; and author. Craig Smith, Adam Smith Senior Lecturer in the Scottish Enlightenment at the University of Glasgow.   RESOURCES: Adam Smith's America: How a Scottish Philosopher Became an Icon of American Capitalism, by Gloria Liu (2022). "Henry and Adam: A Deep and Special Friendship," by Benny Higgins (Adam Smith Panmure House Perspective, 2020). "Rescuing Adam Smith From Myth and Misrepresentation," (The Economist, 2018). The Infidel and the Professor: David Hume, Adam Smith, and the Friendship That Shaped Modern Thought, by Dennis C. Rasmussen (2017). How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life: An Unexpected Guide to Human Nature and Happiness, by Russ Roberts (2014). "British Privatization — Taking Capitalism to the People," by John Moore (Harvard Business Review, 1992). Free to Choose: A Personal Statement, by Milton Friedman and Rose Friedman (1990). The Essential Adam Smith, edited by Robert L. Heilbroner (1986). An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, by Adam Smith (1776). The Theory of Moral Sentiments, by Adam Smith (1759).   EXTRAS: "In Search of the Real Adam Smith," series by Freakonomics Radio (2022). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Boats passing, waves lapping along the sides of buildings in the city of canals… and I am sitting outside the Icelandic Pavilion, peeking into the Pocket Universe created by artist Ásta Fanney Sigurðardóttir. For this Biennale Exclusive episode, I speak to Ásta about her work and the exhibition she created for this year's Venice Biennale In Minor Keys, but I also got to speak to Cecilie Ragnheiðardóttir Gaihede, the Director of the Icelandic Art Centre, and the co-curator of Pocket Unviverse, Margrét Áskelsdóttir. I ask them about their roles, what the experience has been like to put together a national pavilion for an international stage, why it's important to participate in the Venice Biennale as a nation, and so much more.- - - - - If you love what we do, support ALL ABOUT ART on PATREON!  ⁠https://www.patreon.com/allaboutart⁠Keep up to date on Instagram @allaboutartpodcast  ⁠https://www.instagram.com/allaboutartpodcast/⁠ ABOUT THE HOST:I am an Austrian-American art historian, curator, and writer. I obtained my BA in History of Art at University College London and my MA in Arts Administration and Cultural Policy at Goldsmiths, University of London. My specializations are in contemporary art and the contemporary art market along with accessibility, engagement, and the demystification of the professional art sector.SOCIALS: Instagram⁠ @alexandrasteinacker https://www.instagram.com/alexandrasteinackerand LinkedIn at ⁠Alexandra Steinacker-Clark⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-steinacker/COVER ART: Lisa Schrofner a.k.a Liser⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.liser-art.com/ and Luca Laurence https://www.graffitikunst.at/

TODAY on the GWA Podcast: esteemed art historian Briony Fer on the avant-garde icon, Sophie Taeuber-Arp. The Professor of History of Art at University College London and a Fellow of the British Academy, Briony Fer is one of the leading art historians in the world. Writing and publishing extensively on modern and contemporary art, specialising in the history of abstraction in the 20th century, Fer has curated monumental exhibitions on artists such as Anni Albers at the Tate Modern, Louise Bourgeois at the National Museum, Oslo, Eva Hesse at the Fruitmarket, Mel Bochner at Whitechapel, and more But the reason we are speaking with Fer today is because she has also just curated an exhibition “Sophie Taeuber-Arp: The Rule of Curves” at Hauser & Wirth Paris, and published a stunning book on the great artist, dancer, performer, puppet maker, bag weaver, teacher, stained-glass maker, sculptor, architect, and so much more, Sophie Taeuber-Arp… Born in Switzerland in 1889, Taeuber-Arp is famously associated with the Dada movement, a group of artists who formed post-devastation of World War I to make sense of a nonsensical world. Performing dance routines set to Hugo Ball poetry and turning to her geometric abstractions, full of explosions of colour, that can look equally mechanical as they are made with a human hand – as Fer writes, "diagrammatic and decorative” – Taebuer-Arp was at the forefront of modernism, conjuring new ways of working with form and colour, and exploring – and twisting – the grid, the icon of modern art, for the modern world - and I can't wait to find out more. The book: https://shop.hauserwirth.com/products/sophie-taeuber-arp-la-regle-des-courbes-the-rule-of-curves THIS EPISODE IS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY THE LEVETT COLLECTION: www.famm.com/en/ www.instagram.com/famm_mougins // www.merrellpublishers.com/9781858947037 Follow us: Katy Hessel: @thegreatwomenartists / @katy.hessel Sound editing by Mikaela Carmichael Music by Ben Wetherfield

If you have endometriosis and you're thinking about your fertility, this is one of those conversations I really want you to hear.In this episode, I sat down with Dr. Shirin Khanjani, Consultant Gynaecologist and accredited subspecialist in reproductive medicine and surgery, to properly unpack what's actually going on when endometriosis and fertility collide.This chat comes off the back of the government's Renewed Women's Health Strategy, which has once again highlighted just how many women are still being dismissed, delayed, or left without answers. And when it comes to endometriosis, the reality is still pretty shocking. On average, it takes seven to eight years to get a diagnosis.So this episode is about what happens next. Once you finally have that diagnosis, what do you actually need to know?We talk through everything, from how surgery can affect your egg reserve, to why IVF isn't a one-size-fits-all approach for endometriosis patients, to the emotional weight of trying to navigate all of this at the same time.What we cover in this episodeWhy endometriosis has been one of the biggest gaps in women's health and how that is slowly starting to shift The many different ways endometriosis can show up, from period pain to IBS, fatigue, back pain and infertility Why diagnosis still takes years and what you can do to advocate for yourself What to ask for at GP level and how to push for proper investigations The nuance around surgery and when it can help fertility or potentially reduce egg reserve What happens to ovarian reserve when chocolate cysts are removed Why fertility preservation, like egg or embryo freezing, should be considered before surgery in some cases How endometriosis changes IVF protocols and why specialist care matters The impact of fluid-filled tubes on implantation and when surgery becomes necessary The emotional and psychological toll of managing endometriosis alongside fertility treatment Why continuity of care makes such a difference to outcomes Common misconceptions around natural conception with endometriosis Why waiting too long without investigation can cost valuable reproductive time The impact of endometriosis in the workplace and why awareness still matters Why endometriosis and IVF is not one-size-fits-allOne of the biggest takeaways from this conversation is that standard IVF pathways don't always apply if you have endometriosis.Dr. Khanjani explains that specialist protocols often need to include:Managing oestrogen levels carefully during stimulation Navigating more complex egg collections due to scar tissue or cysts Using antibiotics during egg collection to reduce inflammation risk Supporting the body after collection to keep endometriosis under control Her advice is simple but important. When you walk into a clinic, ask directly if they have specific protocols for endometriosis patients. If they don't, that tells you something.Misconceptions we really need to clear upThere are a few things Dr. Khanjani is very clear on:You can still fall pregnant naturally with endometriosis. The chances may be lower, but it's not impossible Egg quality is not automatically worse. IVF outcomes can be comparable once eggs are retrieved Surgery is not always the first step. In some cases, it can delay treatment or reduce egg reserve Being told to “just keep trying” without investigation can waste valuable time There isn't one perfect pathway. Everything needs to be individualised About Dr. Shirin KhanjaniDr. Shirin Khanjani is a Consultant Gynaecologist and accredited subspecialist in reproductive medicine and surgery.She holds a PhD from Imperial College London and is an Honorary Associate Professor at University College London. In her NHS role at UCLH, she focuses on low ovarian reserve, recurrent implantation failure and endometriosis.She is also a co-founder of Fitzrovia Fertility, a London clinic built around genuinely personalised, evidence-based care.Find out more: https://fitzroviafertility.co.uk https://fitzroviafertility.co.uk/about-usWhy this conversation mattersI hear from so many of you who've been dismissed, misdiagnosed, or passed from one specialist to another for years.By the time you get to a fertility clinic, you're often already exhausted, anxious, and unsure who to trust.This episode is about helping you feel more informed and more prepared. So when you walk into those conversations, you know what to ask and what to look out for.This episode is for you if you are:Newly diagnosed and trying to understand what this means for your fertility Considering surgery and want to understand the impact on your egg reserve About to start IVF and unsure whether your clinic has the specialist knowledge needed Trying to conceive and being told to wait without investigation Supporting someone navigating all of the above Support and resourcesThe Fertility Podcast is the official podcast for Fertility Action, a charity providing education, support and campaigning for fairer access to fertility treatment.Fertility Action runs free drop-in support sessions twice a week. No sign-up needed.This episode is sponsored by Wild NutritionNavigating supplements when you are trying to conceive can feel overwhelming.Wild Nutrition offers free one-to-one consultations with nutritional therapists so your support is tailored to your specific situation.Their supplements are formulated for optimal absorption, with 31 carefully selected nutrients including folate, zinc and B vitamins, and are trusted by over 50,000 couples.As a listener of The Fertility Podcast, you can get:50% off for 3 months A free personal consultation Visit: https://wildnutrition.com/fertilitypodcast Terms and conditions applySupport the podcastI'm climbing the Three Peaks this June to raise funds for Fertility Action. Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon in 24 hours.If this podcast has helped you in any way, even a small donation would mean a lot and you'll get a shout-out on a future episode.Here's how you can donate: Everyone who donates will get a shout-out on a future episode , so listen out for your name!Stay connectedFollow me on Instagram: @fertilitypoddyIf you haven't already, please subscribe and leave a review. It really helps more people find the podcast.Thank you, as always, for your ear holes. Until next time.

Join the  Uplift Community App TODAY!  If you have ever had that quiet nudge that something in your home environment might be working against your health, you are not imagining it. And surprisingly, the culprit might be your lightbulbs. Dr. Glen Jeffery, a leading light researcher at University College London, is uncovering what our modern light environment is doing to our metabolism, aging, blood sugar, and even our vision. His findings are the kind that make you want to walk through your house and rethink every bulb. The science is new, the implications are big, and the solution is far simpler than you would expect. This conversation is practical, eye-opening, and honestly a little shocking. If you use red light therapy, LED bulbs, or spend most of your day indoors, this is the episode you need. What You Will Learn Why LED lights are missing the wavelengths your body needs for healthy metabolism What NASA discovered when healthy astronauts started showing pre-diabetic markers The truth about red light therapy panels and why more is not better Why sitting by a window is not the same as going outside What the research really says about red light and collagen Why timing matters and why red light works best before disease takes hold The simple, inexpensive bulb swap that can start rebalancing your light environment today Timestamps (0:00) – Introduction: why light is either helping or harming us every day (2:12) – What's missing from LED light that your body actually needs (The "Red Gap") (4:23) – How LEDs disrupt metabolism, blood sugar, and accelerate aging (7:13) – Why this story is so fresh and who's most vulnerable  (9:23) – Do windows protect you? The surprising answer about infrared-blocking film (10:56) – Why going outside beats sitting by a window every single time (12:17) – How to use a red light panel correctly (avoiding the "overdose" effect) (17:22) – Alli's red light routine: identifying if she is over-exposing herself (20:43) – Red light masks, open eyes, and what Dr. Jeffery is actually worried about (24:27) – The red light and collagen myth debunked: Why it's about energy, not just aesthetics (25:29) – Why red light therapy works best before disease takes hold (28:12) – Blue light from devices: less scary than we thought, but still worth managing (31:48) – The halogen bulb swap: practical, affordable, and backed by real experiments   WATCH ALLI  ON YOUTUBE   Links to great things we discussed:    Uplift App Wise Woman Era I hope you loved this episode!

What can chemistry reveal about what it means to be human? On Radio 4's weekly conversation programme, Tom Sutcliffe leads a conversation that ranges from the molecules within us to the experimental pioneers who transformed our understanding of the material world.Professor Dame Ijeoma Uchegbu discusses Chain Reaction, her vivid and deeply personal journey into the chemistry underpinning everything we touch, consume and inhabit. She brings to life the chemical bonds that hold our bodies together and the reactions that sustain all life, while recounting her own story, from childhood in post war Nigeria to a groundbreaking career designing treatments for blindness.Science historian Kit Chapman introduces The Age of Alchemy, tracing the long, global evolution of chemistry before it became a modern science. Travelling from ancient Sri Lankan steel forges to Egyptian alchemical texts and Chinese herbal laboratories, he reveals how early experimenters, merging mysticism, medicine and metallurgy, laid crucial foundations for scientific method and discovery.Professor Mark Miodownik set up the Institute for Making at University College London and is Royal Society Professor of Public Engagement with Science. He is a leading materials scientist who has led work on plastic waste and biodegradable plastics. He discusses the latest research on the chemical composition of the things we are making, and the things we throw away. Producer: Ruth Watts

From bombing fishing boats in the Caribbean, to kidnapping Nicolás Maduro, to the Iran War, the Trump administration seems to operate like it has just as much immunity from international law as John Roberts says it has domestically. They're probably not wrong.Guest: Philippe Sands, professor of law at University College London,Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From bombing fishing boats in the Caribbean, to kidnapping Nicolás Maduro, to the Iran War, the Trump administration seems to operate like it has just as much immunity from international law as John Roberts says it has domestically. They're probably not wrong.Guest: Philippe Sands, professor of law at University College London,Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From bombing fishing boats in the Caribbean, to kidnapping Nicolás Maduro, to the Iran War, the Trump administration seems to operate like it has just as much immunity from international law as John Roberts says it has domestically. They're probably not wrong.Guest: Philippe Sands, professor of law at University College London,Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's time for another BIG and BRILLIANT adventure into the world of science on this week’s Science Quest! In Science in the News, butterfly numbers across the UK are in decline, bird experts are warning people not to use feeders this summer, and Dr Thomas Clements from the University of Reading explains how a 300-million-year-old fossil, once thought to be an octopus, was misidentified and what it really reveals about life on Earth long ago. It’s time for your questions too. Owen wants to know what the deadliest animal is, and Neil Lambert from King’s College London tackles a big, mind-bending question from Atlas: why is the world 3D and not 2D? Dangerous Dan introduces the great grey owl, a silent hunter with incredible senses. Then we step into the Brain Box with Professor Jonathan Tennyson from University College London to explore exoplanets and discover what lies beyond our Solar System. Plus, in Galaxy Gala, we head to Deep Space High to learn all about stars and what makes them shine. What we learn about: • Why butterfly numbers are falling in the UK• Why bird feeders might be risky in summer• A fossil that scientists got wrong• What the world's deadliest animal is• The great grey owl• What exoplanets are and where they exist All that and more on this week’s Science Quest!Join Fun Kids Podcasts+: https://funkidslive.com/plusSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we explore a groundbreaking development in the diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME) — a condition that affects millions worldwide, yet remains notoriously difficult to identify… Joining the podcast to discuss this topic are Alexandre Akoulitchev and Dmitry Pshezhetskiy, who break down a novel blood test designed to detect biological signatures associated with chronic fatigue. Their work centers on cutting-edge epigenetic science and biomarker discovery, offering new possibilities for more objective and earlier diagnosis of complex, hard-to-measure conditions. Hit play to discover: How a blood-based biomarker test may help identify chronic fatigue syndrome. The role of epigenetics in understanding complex, "invisible" illnesses. The four key symptoms of ME/CFS, and why it's so difficult to diagnose. How inflammation signals can contribute to chronic fatigue. Alexandre Akoulitchev is a molecular biologist specializing in genome regulation and chromatin architecture. He is a cofounder of Oxford BioDynamics and the creator of its EpiSwitch biomarker platform. He earned his PhD in cell biology from University College London. Dmitry Pshezhetskiy is a Professorial Research Fellow at Norwich Medical School and an academic clinician focused on cancer biology and therapeutic research. He completed his academic training at Moscow State University, Montréal institutions, and leading research centers in France, building a strong background in molecular medicine and translational research. You can connect with Alexandre Akoulitchev here and Dmitry Pshezhetskiy here!