The Curiosity Vault

There are more than 200 different types of cancer, and despite new drugs and treatments making incredible progress over the years, according to Cancer Research UK, cancer still causes around 167,000 lives a year. The fight is far from over. This is partly because our bodies are complex with around 20,000 genes in every cell, and although research has made huge advances in pinpointing which of these genes the cancer might be reliant on, there is so much we still don’t know about them. Join Dr Alice Roberts, Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham, this week on The Curiosity Vault as she sits down with two scientists on the cutting-edge of cancer research: Dr Susanne Gatz, a doctor specialising in childhood cancers, and researcher Dr Claire Shannon-Lowe, who looks at the relationship between viruses and cancer. Together, they’ll get to grips with one very big question, how can we cure cancer? The Curiosity Vault is a Fresh Air Production for The University of Birmingham. It’s produced by Harriet Wells and Izzie Clarke. If you want to find out more about the amazing research at the University of Birmingham – and about how you can be part of the journey, follow the link HERE, and remember to follow now for free so you never miss an episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2015 a striped dress went viral. It took the world by storm, even appearing on national news – but why? Some people swore it was blue with black stripes, and others that it was white with gold stripes. How? It’s all down to perception. This week on The Curiosity Vault we’re exploring how perception can, quite literally in some cases, colour our world, as we ask the question, how can experience change our reality? Join Dr Alice Roberts, Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham, as she unpacks the answer with delusional-belief researcher Dr Ema Sullivan-Bissett and clinical psychologist Dr Emma Černis, who studies dissociative experiences. The Curiosity Vault is a Fresh Air Production for The University of Birmingham. It’s produced by Harriet Wells and Izzie Clarke. If you want to find out more about the amazing research at the University of Birmingham – and about how you can be part of the journey, follow the link HERE, and remember to follow now for free so you never miss an episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We live in a watery world - over 70% of the earth’s surface is covered in it. And, we need it – and not just to drink. It’s key to health, sanitation, agriculture, food, the ecosystem, transportation - the list goes on. But with so many pressures on this precious resource, the tiniest of changes can have far-reaching consequences, sometimes with devastating effects. Join Dr Alice Roberts, Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham, this week on The Curiosity Vault as she sits down with nanotoxicologist Dr Iseult Lynch, and environmental sustainability expert Adenike Akinsemolu. Together, they tackle the urgent question, how can we make water safe for all? The Curiosity Vault is a Fresh Air Production for The University of Birmingham. It’s produced by Harriet Wells and Izzie Clarke. If you want to find out more about the amazing research at the University of Birmingham – and about how you can be part of the journey, follow the link HERE, and remember to follow now for free so you never miss an episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Videos, photos, memes, DMs - social media is where many of us go to express ourselves, connect with others, and share our stories. Most of us use it every day and out of 4.8 billion internet users worldwide, over 20% use TikTok. But, along with the viral cat videos and endless holiday snaps has come the rise of cancel culture, cyberbullying, and isolation - despite an increasingly connected world. Join Dr Alice Roberts, Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham, as she explores our dependence on social media and its place in our future with the University of Birmingham’s Dr Sophie King Hill and Dr Ruth Page. Together, they’ll ask, how can we make social media a force for good? The Curiosity Vault is a Fresh Air Production for The University of Birmingham. It’s produced by Harriet Wells and Izzie Clarke. If you want to find out more about the amazing research at the University of Birmingham – and about how you can be part of the journey, follow the link HERE, and remember to follow now for free so you never miss an episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stories are everywhere. They can unite us, they can enrage us, they’re part of what makes us human. But why? Why are they so fundamental to the way we communicate? What do stories illicit in us that make them universally understood? Join Dr Alice Roberts, Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham, this week on The Curiosity Vault as she dissects the science of storytelling with best-selling novelist Professor Ruth Gilligan, and sociologist Dr Saba Hussain. Together, they’re asking the question, how powerful is storytelling? The Curiosity Vault is a Fresh Air Production for The University of Birmingham. It’s produced by Harriet Wells and Izzie Clarke. If you want to find out more about the amazing research at the University of Birmingham – and about how you can be part of the journey, follow the link HERE, and remember to follow now for free so you never miss an episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Space is really big. Infinite even. When you look up and peer into our cosmic neighbourhood, you’ll find moons, asteroids, planets, and galaxies, alongside a few thousand satellites and spacecrafts that have embarked on a journey into the vast expanse. But how do these spacecrafts get up there? How do they know where to go? And how do we not lose them in space? Join Dr Alice Roberts, Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham, as she opens up The Curiosity Vault in search of an answer. She’s enlisted planet-discovering astrophysicist Dr Georgina Dransfield and Dr Leah Alconcel, a space engineer who’s worked on the Cassini, Cluster and JUICE missions, to tackle the question, how do you plan a mission to space? The Curiosity Vault is a Fresh Air Production for The University of Birmingham. It’s produced by Harriet Wells and Izzie Clarke. If you want to find out more about the amazing research at the University of Birmingham – and about how you can be part of the journey, follow the link HERE, and remember to follow now for free so you never miss an episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever wondered how you’d plan a mission to Space?Or how we can make social media a force for good? Have you thought about how we can make water safe for all, or how our experiences can change our reality? What about the power of storytelling? And whether there will ever be a cure for cancer? Join Dr. Alice Roberts from the University of Birmingham, as she opens the doors to The Curiosity Vault in search of answers to the biggest questions facing science and society today. Helping Alice on her quest are leading experts from the University of Birmingham, who also share how their own curiosity led them to where they are now. So if you are thinking about your next steps into Higher Education, grab your thinking caps and follow or subscribe for free to The Curiosity Vault now. The Curiosity Vault is a Fresh Air production for The University of Birmingham. The producer is Harriet Wells, the executive producer is Izzie Clarke. If you want to find out more about the amazing research at the University of Birmingham – and about how you can be part of the journey, follow the link HERE, and remember to follow now for free so you never miss an episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.