Instant Genius
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Instant Genius
Whether you’re curious about getting healthy, the Big Bang or the science of cooking, find out everything you need to know with Instant Genius. The team behind BBC Science Focus Magazine talk to world-leading experts to bring you two bite-sized masterclasses on a new subject each week...
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666 episodi
How we define intelligent life
What does it mean to be a living organism? What are the
driving forces that motivate our thoughts and actions? Are we all simply acting the way...
Exploring Darwin’s ideas through a queer lens
When Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species in the mid-nineteenth century, his theory of evolution by natural selection turned many of the...
On the frontlines of our fight against dementia
Currently there are around one million people in the UK living with dementia. Despite significant advances in our understanding of the disease over th...
Why the search for life on Mars is far from over
Way back in 1976, NASA’s Viking landers touched down on Mars to search for potential signs of microbial life that could currently exist on the planet’...
Why rediscovering simple pleasures may be the key to happiness
Every single day of our lives, we’re exposed to a vast multitude of experiences and interactions with the various people, objects and technologies in...
Why human urine may be our most untapped natural resource
While largely viewed as a toxic waste product with no practical use, our urine is actually rich in all manner of valuable nutrients that, with a littl...
How new technology can change our emotional lives for the better
It’s clear to all of us that the rapid progress that technology has made over the last century or so has had profound impacts on almost every aspect o...
The birth, evolution and future of microchips
It’s a good bet that if most of us were to glance around our living rooms or offices, we’d quickly spot all manner of electronic devices that are powe...
What we can learn from music’s ability to evoke images in our minds
For most of us, music has a unique, almost supernatural, ability to trigger our emotions and memories and conjure up evocative images or even fantasie...
Why the liver is the body’s most misunderstood organ
Most of us think about the liver as simply being the body’s filtration system that acts as a sponge that removes toxins from our bloodstreams. But the...
Why this common women’s health condition is so misunderstood
Despite affecting as many as 80 per cent of women by the age of 50, fibroids, lumps of tissue that grow in or around the womb, are not commonly discus...
The miraculous healing ability of our brains
It was previously thought that once our brains suffer an injury due to stroke or trauma, the potential for recovery was severely limited. But recent d...
How parasites play a vital role as caretakers of Earth’s ecosystems
When most of us think of parasites, our minds will likely turn to thoughts of the various icky creatures that can invade our bodies, make their homes...
How to keep your body younger for longer
When it comes to the effects of ageing on our bodies, there are many more factors at play than simply the number of years we’ve been alive. It turns o...
Why wasps are one of the planet’s most misunderstood insects
The truth is, when most of us think of wasps, our minds will likely go to memories of irritating winged pests landing in our drinks when we’re trying...
Why you probably don’t need to be taking dietary supplements
These days the supplement industry is booming – supermarket shelves are stacked high with all manner of pills and powders claiming to do everything fr...
Why this tiny organism is essential for the health of the planet
Although it often goes unnoticed, plankton is the most abundant form of life in Earth’s oceans, making up 95 per cent of all oceanic biomass. These ti...
What happens in our bodies when our hormones misfire
Every minute of every day, our bodies are flooded with a complex web of hormones – chemical messengers that travel through the bloodstream, coordinati...
What we can learn about parenting from the animal kingdom
Becoming a parent is undoubtedly one of the biggest events that can occur in any of our lifetimes – suddenly we have a tiny living being to take care...
Don’t miss the upcoming Nature’s Unsung Heroes miniseries!
While the larger, more impressive or charismatic animal and plant species often receive the most attention, the natural world is filled with lesser-kn...
Why bisexuality is everywhere
In June of every year, the LGBTQ+ community across the world comes together to celebrate Pride Month – an annual event that began in 1970 to promote a...
The past, present and future of DNA science
Whether it’s the swab tests many of us use to help us piece together our family trees, the painstaking detective work carried out by forensic scientis...
Why ecoacoustics is the future of conservation
Traditionally, ecologists wanting to take stock of the diversity, health and population levels of animal species within a given environment have neede...
Unlocking the invisible rainbows of the Universe
Our world may look vibrant and full of color. But in reality, our human eyes are only picking up the tiniest slice of all the light shining in the Uni...
Why birdsong is the pop music of the natural world
When it comes to the sounds we encounter in the natural world, few have the beauty, elegance and variety of birdsong. But these distinctive vocalisati...
Why walking more is the best thing you can do to boost your health
Over thousands of years, human beings evolved to walk upright on two legs, efficiently and over long distances. But these days, thanks to changes in o...
How ultrasound tech could save hedgehogs
Hedgehogs are in decline all over Europe. These prickly little fellas are faced with so many threats – in their rural habitats, in our gardens, and on...
Why ADHD is so challenging to diagnose
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, is currently thought to affect around one in 20 of the world’s population, making it one of the mos...
Inside the project helping the hearing-impaired listen to music
The vast majority of us take listening to and appreciating music for granted. But for those of us living with hearing loss, continuing to enjoy our fa...
Why your Neanderthal genes may be affecting your health
There’s so much we don’t know about Neanderthals. Our stocky, muscular relatives went extinct around 40,000 years ago, leaving a trail of mystery in t...
Don't miss the upcoming Science of Sound Miniseries!
Would you like to hear about the fascinating new discoveries astronomers are making by listening to distant stars? Learn about the cutting edge tech s...
How to help your brain thrive in a rapidly changing world
For thousands of years, the evolution of the human race has been driven by natural selection and the passing on of genes that have helped us to thrive...
How to break free from imposter syndrome
No matter our level of ability, talent or achievement, at times some of us feel like we’re a fraud and have simply been blagging our way to success. T...
The dawn chorus – why birds sing at the break of day
In springtime, as the Sun rises, the early morning air is filled with the glorious sound of birdsong. This is known as the dawn chorus. But why exactl...
How to save the planet’s forests
Forests cover around one-third of all landmass on Earth and, as such, play a key role in the ecological health of the entire planet. However, thanks t...
How flowers played a key role of the evolution of life on Earth
For most of us, our experience of flowers is limited to sending a bouquet to our loved ones on special occasions or perhaps picking up some pretty pla...
How chemistry underpins every area of our lives
While we may not always be consciously aware of it, chemical processes are busy whirring away every second of every day, no matter what we’re doing or...
How to engage more deeply with the natural world
Perhaps due to poor weather, the COVID pandemic, or a simple lack of motivation, these days many of us spend a lot of our time indoors. However, where...
You’ve been pooping wrong, but here’s how to fix it
Smelly, dirty and a bit embarrassing – we tend to treat our poo as a private matter, to be dealt with in the bathroom and then stringently ignored. Bu...
Why it’s not too late to reverse Earth’s extinction crisis
Planet Earth is currently facing its sixth mass extinction event, with hundreds of species of plants and animals being lost for good every single day....