Instant Genius

Do you ever find yourself going about your daily business when suddenly an unpleasant thought pops into your head? These are known as intrusive thoughts. The majority of us experience them without any ill effects. However, for some people they can be highly distressing. In this episode we catch up with Dr Scott Cairney, a senior lecturer in psychology at the University of York. He tells us all about what is going on in our brains when we have intrusive thoughts, what we can do to limit their impact on our lives and the connection they have to sleep. To take part in a short survey related to sleep and intrusive thoughts produced by Scott and his team, please click here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

These days, largely thanks to science fiction movies, most of us will be familiar with the idea of black holes – regions of spacetime where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape it. But what about white holes? In this episode we catch up with theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli, author of the book White Holes: Inside the Horizon. He tells us all about his ground-breaking work investigating what is happening inside black holes, how they can give birth to white holes and how white holes may be the best candidate for dark matter yet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whether its from work, home life or just general pressure, more and more people are suffering from burnout. But what is it, and how can you beat it? We spoke to Sarah Boss, clinical director at The Balance to find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In October, Kew Gardens released a report inspired by a dream of Charles Darwin’s. Described as the most comprehensive plant database ever produced, the State of the World’s Plants and Fungi 2023 report not only details the discoveries of over 18,000 new plant and fungi species since 2020 – but also the fact that many of these are already threatened with extinction. We spoke to one of the scientists behind the report – Dr Matilda Brown, conservation science analyst at RGB Kew – to learn more about why plants are disappearing all over the world and what we can do to save them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There can be few animals as iconic and instantly recognisable as pandas. The black and white bears are beloved the world over thanks to their distinctive appearance, entertaining personalities and relative scarcity. In this episode we catch up with Kristine Gandia a researcher based at the University of Sterling. She tells us what she has learnt during her time observing and studying these fascinating animals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sougwen Chung is one of the TIMES 100 most influential people in AI. Through the use of AI, robotics and other forms of futuristic tech, she creates mindblowing artwork. But how does she do it, what are the ethical considerations and where does she see art going in the future? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Around a decade ago, beavers were spotted in the rivers of southwest England for the first time in 400 years. But exactly what impact have they made on the waterways they live in during this time? In this episode we speak to Prof Richard Brazier, a researcher based at the University of Exeter and co-director of the Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste. He tells us what he and his team have learned from studying these charismatic and often misunderstood animals over the last ten years, and how they provide a compelling argument for the reintroduction of other species. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Not all failures are equal. In fact, some of them can present us with valuable opportunities to learn new things and make new discoveries. The trick is failing in the right way. In this episode we catch up with Amy Edmondson, Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School and author of the book The Right Kind of Wrong: Why Learning to Fail Can Teach us to Thrive. She tells us how to identify different types of failure, how we can examine their causes and how we can learn to fail better to make our lives richer and more rewarding. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Future human races may indeed live extra-terrestrial lives. But how will we reproduce and continue survival once we’re in space? To find out, we spoke to space gynaecologist – yes, you read that right – Dr Varsha Jain from the University of Edinburgh. We cover everything from the myths about women’s bodies in space that stopped them being allowed on the early missions, right through to the impacts of space on a pregnancy, and the future of space babies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Artificial intelligence has grown drastically in recent years, entering everything from art to medicine. We talk to Nigel Cannings, an expert in artificial intelligence to better understand the ethics behind AI and copyright, working rights and energy consumption. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When it comes to the climate crisis, energy is one of the biggest and most complex topics. To help us break it down into something more manageable, we spoke to engineer Dr Bart Kolodziejczyk from Monash University in Australia. (Bart has advised everyone from the UN to the World Economic Forum on clean energy technologies). In this episode, Bart tells us about the surprising energy transition that he predicts will happen after renewables, the research he’s working on that could reduce global carbon emissions by a whopping 10 per cent, and what you can do to help transition our energy towards a sustainable future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If we learnt anything from the COVID-19 pandemic it was that, as a society, we owe a huge debt to the scientists around the world that work, day in, day out, on developing medicines to keep us healthy and to fight disease. But how does this process work? In this episode we catch up with Prof Simon Ward, Director of the Medicines Discovery Institute at Cardiff University. He tells us about the journey a new medicine has to take, starting from its initial inception in the lab, through various rigorous clinical trials before it can finally be used in clinics and hospitals around the world to save lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We humans depend on the Earth’s natural resources for our very existence so it’s vital that we take as good care of them as we can. However, it’s abundantly clear that the environment isn’t in great shape at the moment. In this special six-part series we explore the different factors affecting the sustainability of our natural resources, investigate what their current state is and discuss what we could be doing to take better care of them. And in this episode, we’re delving into the biggest myths of biodegradability, which itself is actually a rather misleading term. To debunk the biggest biodegradability mistruths we’re joined by Mark Miodownik, a professor of materials science at University College London, and author of Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shape Our Man-Made World. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We humans depend on the Earth’s natural resources for our very existence so it’s vital that we take as good care of them as we can. However, it’s abundantly clear that the environment isn’t in great shape at the moment. In this special six-part series we explore the different factors affecting the sustainability of our natural resources, investigate what their current state is and discuss what we could be doing to take better care of them. Smart materials are a tool that have grown in popularity in recent years. Able to change properties back and forth, these materials can be used to revolutionise everything from the clothing industry to the buildings that we live in, making our world both smarter and more sustainable. We’re joined by Anna Ploszajski, a material scientist and writer to find out more about these materials. She guides us through shape-shifting clothes, heat-absorbing roof tiles and everything in-between. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We humans depend on the Earth’s natural resources for our very existence so it’s vital that we take as good care of them as we can. However, it’s abundantly clear that the environment isn’t in great shape at the moment. In this special six-part series we explore the different factors affecting the sustainability of our natural resources, investigate what their current state is and discuss what we could be doing to take better care of them. Thanks to its ease of manufacture, versatility and durability plastic can be used for making everything from packaging and building materials to children’s toys and clothing. But the material’s great success comes with an equally big downside – how do we dispose of it once we are finishing using it? In this episode we catch up with Dr Costas Vellis, a lecturer in resource efficiency systems at the University of Leeds. He tells us how widespread plastic pollution is, how we have reached this point and what we can do to solve the problem. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Like it or not, food plays a central role in all of our lives. It’s so important that whole societies and economies have formed around it, wars are fought over it, and, now, the way we consume it is having profound impacts on the planet. So just how stable are the food systems on which most of us depend? In this episode, Prof Tim Benton, research director at Chatham House, joins the podcast to talk about food security. Tim has been working on issues in food, ecology, biodiversity, sustainability for 30 years. We humans depend on the Earth’s natural resources for our very existence, so it’s vital that we take as good care of them as we can. However, it’s abundantly clear that the environment isn’t in great shape at the moment. In this special six-part series we explore the different factors affecting the sustainability of our natural resources, investigate what their current state is, and discuss what we could be doing to take better care of them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Most of us are aware that an asteroid strike led to the extinction of the dinosaurs some 66 million years ago. But fewer are aware that this was just one of several mass extinction events to have occurred throughout the Earth’s history. In this episode we catch up Prof Michael Benton, a palaeontologist based at the University of Bristol and author of the new book Extinctions: How Life Survives, Adapts and Evolves. He tells us all about the previous extinctions that have changed the balance of life on Earth, how they happened and what we can learn about the future of the planet by studying them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What’s beyond our Universe? Will time travel ever be possible? And what might aliens look like? All huge questions that today we’re asking a special guest, Neil DeGrasse Tyson – astrophysicist and author of the new book To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery. In a wide-ranging conversation, DeGrasse Tyson unpacks the biggest scientific mysteries of our Universe, from whether space is really empty, to if humans are actually smart enough to make sense of the cosmos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why is it that cats sleep so much? Can they be taught any tricks? And are dogs actually smarter than cats? These are just some of the questions you might have wondered about our feline friends, questions we’re putting to Dr Zazie Todd. Todd is a dog and cat behaviour expert and is the author of Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy. In this episode, she unpacks the most misunderstood cat body language, the science behind making a cat like you, and the simple things you can do to upgrade a cat’s life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lose weight, gain more energy, boost your metabolism and even live for longer: these are some of the claims made by the adherents of fasting and time-restricted eating. But was does the science say? In this episode we catch up with Prof Javier Gonzalez, a physiologist based at the University of Bath’s Department of Health. He tells us all about the effects fasting has on our bodies and brains, breaks down some of the myths surrounding it and tells us the safest way we should go about it if we’re thinking about giving it a try. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are we alone in the Universe? It’s probably one of the most hotly debated questions in science today. In this episode we catch up with theoretical physicist Prof Avi Loeb, author of the new book Interstellar – The Search for Extraterrestrial Life and our Future Beyond Earth. He talks to us about the tantalising possibility that we have already observed alien technology travelling through space, why we should be doing more to look for it and what he found on his recent expedition to retrieve Interstellar material from the depths of the Pacific Ocean. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mere mention of the word ‘testosterone’ is likely to bring to mind images of bodybuilders with bulging muscles or angry, aggressive men that are constantly spoiling for a fight. But what does the science really say? In this episode we catch up with Dr Channa Jayasena, an endocrinologist based at Imperial College London. He helps us to break down some of the myths surrounding this often-misunderstood hormone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When an animal is extinct that means we’ll never see the likes of it again, right? Well, not quite. Not if biotechnology and genetic engineering company Colossal Biosciences have anything to say about. A few years ago the company launched with the bold aim of bringing animals such as woolly mammoths, dodos and Tasmanian Tigers back from extinction. In this episode we catch up with Ben Lamm, founder and CEO of Colossal Biosciences. He tells us all about how the ambitious project got started, how they plan to bring back extinct animals and why we might being seeing baby mammoths sooner than we think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From picking out what to wear in the morning, to choosing your profession or where to live, life is full of decisions, both big and small. But what can science do to help us make better choices? In this episode we catch up with Prof Sherheryar Banuri, a behavioural economist based at the University of East Anglia and author of the new book The Decisive Mind: how to Make the Right Choice Every Time. He talks to us about how even the smallest of decisions can have a huge impact on our lives, the traps we should look out for when making decisions and the simple changes we can make in our lives to make better choices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

According to the World Health Organization, dementia currently affects an estimated 55 million people worldwide. But despite its prevalence, there is very little in the way of effective treatments. In this episode we catch up with Tara Spires-Jones, Professor at the UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Edinburgh and President of the British Neuroscience Association. She tells us all about the different types of dementia, how they progress and the latest thinking on how we can beat the disease once and for all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

AI, deepfakes and advanced technology has made scams more advanced than ever. We spoke to Oli Buckley, a professor of cyber security at the University of East Anglia to learn what these scams look like and how to avoid them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you consider yourself to have a good memory? Perhaps you can recall the minor details of events that occurred years ago. But how about remembering something that didn’t even happen? This is known as a false memory, and we all have them. In this episode we catch up with Dr Julia Shaw, a psychologist at University College London and author of The Memory Illusion. She tells us all about the ways in which false memories can trick our brains and how it is even possible to implant a false memory into a person’s head. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’ve all heard of ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. But there’s actually a lot scientists don’t for sure know about the condition. From its causes, to what actually defines the disorder – or if it’s a disorder at all – is all hotly debated. To guide us through the latest ADHD research, we’re joined by one of the world’s biggest experts on the topic, Professor Edmund Sonuga-Barke. He’s professor of Developmental Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience at King’s College London. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Artificial intelligence has a new role. It is acting as people’s friends, mentors and even romantic partners. But what are the ethics of this, and is it what we can expect in the future? We spoke to Marco Dehnert, an expert in human-machine relationships to understand more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We now know that the deep sea is full of bizarre creatures, and these have found a special place in our imaginations. But some people have their eyes on a different sort of ocean riches: the rare minerals and metals embedded in underwater mountains and rocks for use in everything from phones to electric cars. At the time of recording, representatives from countries around the world have just decided to delay a decision on deep sea mining laws by two years. So what’s the deal with the seabed, and why is everyone talking about it right now? Marine biologist Dr Helen Scales joins us for today’s podcast to talk about deep sea mining, the lures of the ocean’s resources, and the fine balance between exploration and exploitation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you’re looking to lose a bit of weight, it’s easy to get lost in the complex and often contradictory health advice you can find online, from the fad diets, to the extreme exercise regimes. But what actually works? To answer this and much more, we’re joined by Dr Adam Collins, Associate Professor of Nutrition at the University of Surrey. He unpacks the science-backed core principles of weight loss, why losing muscle alongside fat can be an issue, and what actually happens in your body during a calorie deficit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you ever feel like a fraud in your everyday life, and everyone’s about to find out you don’t really belong? If so, you’ve likely experience imposter syndrome – a pattern of self-doubt that persists despite all your accomplishments. Why is it these feelings emerge? And can a person actually be cured of imposter syndrome? To answer these questions and much more, we’re joined by Dr Jessamy Hibberd, Clinical Psychologist and author of book The Imposter Cure: How to stop feeling like a fraud and escape the mind-trap of imposter syndrome. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last month saw the hottest June on record – and, while July has seen heavy downpours in the UK, much of Europe and the US experienced life-threatening heatwaves. As things heat up, aquifers shrivel – and London’s 90-day supply of water means the city is never far from its taps running dry. That’s Day Zero: a benchmark that several cities around the world have come alarmingly close to – or, in some cases, even reached – in the last decade. But what happens when that day comes? In today’s episode we speak to Professor Priti Parikh, infrastructure engineer at University College London, about the looming threat of Day Zero and how household tricks all the way national innovations can offer promising solutions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A recent study found that nearly 50 per cent of adults in the UK reported having feelings of loneliness, at least occasionally. It’s a fairly shocking stat, but what effect is this having on our collective health? In this episode we catch up Prof Andrea Wigfield, director of the Centre for Loneliness Studies at Sheffield Hallam University. She tells about the different types of loneliness we can feel, the risks it poses to our mental and physical health and what we can do to limit its impact. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Octopuses are surely one of the most unusual animals on Earth. They have eight limbs, three hearts, a doughnut-shaped brain and bleed blue blood. It’s little wonder, then, that they have inspired awe and curiosity in everyone from artists and filmmakers to biologists and science fiction writers. In this episode we catch up David Scheel, professor of marine biology at Alaska Pacific University. He tells us what he has learned in his 25 years of studying these fascinating animals, and what new discoveries he made when writing his book, Many Things Under a Rock: The Mysteries of Octopuses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Would you call yourself a bit of a hugger? Or does the mere thought of a stranger brushing past you in a cafe make your skin crawl? When it comes to being touched, we all have our own attitudes and opinions. But what can science tell us about this understudied and often misunderstood sense? In this episode we catch up with Prof Michael Banissy, a social neuroscientist based at Goldsmiths University in London and author of the new book When we Touch. He tells us all about the fascinating discoveries he has made about everything from the effects of mother’s skin-to-skin contact on a new born’s growth and development to the boost in performance sports team’s get when they regularly hit high fives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we’re talking about allergies. Everything from hay-fever to serious nut allergies plague our daily life, but why do we get them? I’m joined by Theresa Macphail, to discuss this topic. She’s the author of the new book Allergic: How our immune system reacts to a changing world. She explains what allergies are, why some are more dangerous than others, and whether there is a possible future where we no longer have to worry about allergies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For many, working only four days a week – and enjoying a longer weekend – might sound like a pipe dream: However, some workplaces are now experimenting with just that. 61 UK companies recently piloted a four-day workweek, with above 90 per cent of them continuing the scheme after the six-month trial. What impact does a four-day workweek have on a person’s productivity, mental health and physical wellbeing? And are there many drawbacks to working less? To answer this and much more, we’re joined by Alex Pang, productivity researcher, author of Work Less, Do More and programme director at non-profit organisation 4 Day Week Global. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Even before the global COVID pandemic, simple mention of the word ‘virus’ was likely to send shivers down most of our spines. But it turns out not all viruses are nasties. Ever heard of a phage? They are a type of virus that infect bacteria. Despite being one of the most common forms of life on Earth we still only know very little about them. However, current research suggests they may just be one of our greatest allies in the fight against superbugs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the UK builds more nuclear reactors, there is an increasing pressure to find somewhere to put the waste. But what actually is nuclear waste? Does it actually look like a bright green sludge? Where does currently go? To answer these questions I’m joined by Dr Lewis Blackburn, nuclear materials scientist at the University of Sheffield. He talks about the incredible research going into sealing, burying and locking away nuclear waste, the relationship between nuclear and space (and why we can’t just fire off our nuclear waste on a rocket), and the vast timescales when it comes to nuclear waste that go beyond human lives, including the people working on them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whether your goal is mastering a new skill or losing weight, you’ll know the importance of motivation and effective planning. And one intriguing new field of psychology called Functional imagery training may help here. As an increasing number of compelling studies show, vividly visualising attaining your goal and the road bumps along the way could leave you better motivated when setbacks occur. That’s why functional imagery training is now being used by athletes and the military. How does it work? And how promising are the results? We speak to Dr Jon Rhodes, lecturer in psychology at the University of Plymouth, to find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From kimchi to kombucha to kefir, you’ve probably noticed that fermented foods are trendy right now. They appeal to the daring, but also to people who may not even know they are eating fermented foods when they enjoy their beer, bread, and cheese. In fact, these fermented goodies have actually been around for hundreds of years – but what actually are they, and why do we like them? This week, I’m joined by Andrea Sella – a professor of chemistry at University College London and a keen fermenter. Speaking to Andrea behind the scenes of the Cheltenham Science Festival, we discussed the importance of sugars to creating and digesting food, why and how we overcome disgust responses to get pleasure out of fermented foods, and how new fermentation techniques could help us lower our greenhouse gas emissions – along with some chemist’s tips for creating delicious fermented meals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thinking about retiring? Or maybe someone in your family is. Hopefully, we’ll all reach the age where we can at some point. But how can we navigate it in good mental and physical health, for ourselves and our loved ones? In this episode we speak to Tania Wiseman, associate professor of occupational therapy at Swansea University. She runs us through what can happen to us when we retire and how to best cope with it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At our core, humans are deeply curious about the unknown – and ghostly spirits are no exception. From Hamlet to The Sixth Sense to Ghostbusters, the excitement or horror of encountering ghosts or spirits is ingrained in the human imagination. But for many people it’s very real: for people who feel someone’s presence who isn’t there, or see someone or something, or hear voices. In this episode of Instant Genius, we spoke to psychologist Ben Alderson-Day ahead of the Cheltenham Science Festival about why some of us believe in ghosts, science mediums and psychological disorders, and what makes someone more likely to feel presences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Be it in the office or at home, it’s likely there’s at least one narcissist in your life. But what exactly are the key traits of narcissism? Are narcissists necessarily bad people? And how can you tell if you’re one? To answer these questions and much more, we’re joined by Dr Erica Hepper, lecturer in psychology at the University of Surrey. She also unpacks the key misconceptions about narcissism, its causes, and whether narcissists can ever change their behaviour. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Currently only 14 per cent of UK rivers are rated as having a ‘good’ ecological status. Agricultural runoff and the release of untreated sewage are the leading causes of water pollution. But why are rivers in such a bad way and what can we do about it? In this episode we speak to Dr Tanja Radu, senior lecturer in water engineering at Loughborough University. She tells us how we’ve reached this point in river pollution, the risk it poses to human health and what we can do to set things right. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode we speak to Thomas Curran, Assistant Professor of Psychological and Behavioural Sciences at the London School of Economics and author of The Perfection Trap – The Power of Good Enough in a World that Always wants more. He tells us why perfectionism is on the rise, why that’s a bad thing and what we can do about it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You may have heard the phrase ‘we know more about the moon than the deep sea’ – it’s now an old phrase, dating back to 1948. In fact, we actually know quite a bit more about the ocean than you might think – which physicist and oceanographer Helen Czerski shows in her new book Blue Machine. But it’s still full mysteries, and that’s why Helen says that the secrets of the moon and the ocean are incomparable, because when it comes to the ocean there is just so much more to know, and we urgently need to uncover more. In this episode we speak to Helen about some of the secrets hidden – and found – in the ocean’s currents, including shipwrecks and missing planes, what we’ve learned from rubber ducks and Finding Nemo, and the swirling currents in underwater rivers and waterfalls. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode we speak to Alexandra Horowitz, professor of canine cognition at Barnard College, Columbia University and author of Inside of a Dog – What Dogs, See, Smell and Know. She tells us what your dog is trying to tell you when they stare at you, what causes them to tilt their heads from side to side and why so many of them seem to like rolling in poo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It goes without saying that breasts get a lot of attention. But less focus is given to the science behind them: why do we have them? Why are they all different, and does it matter? What happens when things go wrong? GP and author Dr Philippa Kaye is out to change that in her latest book, Breasts: An Owner’s Guide. In today’s podcast she tells us about the science of human breasts, the benefits – and costs – of having them, current research in breast cancer and sports, and how to take care of yours. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices