Whether you’re curious about getting healthy, the Big Bang or the science of cooking, find out everything you need to know in under 30 minutes with Instant Genius. The team behind BBC Science Focus Magazine talk to world-leading experts to bring you a bite-sized masterclass on a new subject each week.Then when you’ve mastered the basics with Instant Genius. Dive deeper with Instant Genius Extra, where you’ll find longer, richer discussions about the most exciting ideas in the world of science and technology. Only available on Apple Podcasts. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Similar Podcasts

The Infinite Monkey Cage
Brian Cox and Robin Ince host a witty, irreverent look at the world through scientists' eyes.

TED Talks Daily
Every weekday, TED Talks Daily brings you the latest talks in audio. Join host and journalist Elise Hu for thought-provoking ideas on every subject imaginable — from Artificial Intelligence to Zoology, and everything in between — given by the world's leading thinkers and creators. With TED Talks Daily, find some space in your day to change your perspectives, ignite your curiosity, and learn something new.

In Machines We Trust
A podcast about the automation of everything. Host Jennifer Strong and the team at MIT Technology Review look at what it means to entrust artificial intelligence with our most sensitive decisions.
Fungal infections, with Dr Rebecca Drummond
The World Health Organisation recently released a report stating that fungal infections currently kill around 2 million people a year and that they present a growing threat to human life. For anyone who has been watching HBO’s fungal zombie TV series The Last of US this may be cause for alarm. But how big is the threat of fungal infections, how well equipped are we to deal with them and could a fungus ever really turn us all into mindless zombies? We speak to Dr Rebecca Drummond, Associate Professor of Immunology and Immunotherapy, at the University of Birmingham. She tells us about the fascinating lifecycles of fungi, the threats they pose to human life and why we should be doing more to protect ourselves from them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
How to get more time in your day, with Dr Ashley Whillans
Constantly feeling like you never have enough hours in your day? Then you’re actually experiencing what psychologists call ‘time famine’. And it could be having major implications on your health, happiness and even productivity. So, how do you get more time? Social psychologist Ashley Whillans, author of Time Smart, unpacks key strategies that could help you reframe your time and feel more in control of your day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The world’s ageing population and the ticking demographic time bomb, with Prof Jane Falkingham
It was recently reported that China has entered an era of negative population growth, after demographic statistics revealed a drop in numbers for the first time since 1961. And they are not alone, many other countries across the world are also experiencing dramatic falls in birth rates. This had led some researchers to suggest that many countries are facing a so-called demographic time bomb that will leave them with an ageing population and a shortfall of people of working age.We speak to Prof Jane Falkingham of the University of Southampton’s Centre for Research on Ageing. She tells us more about the world’s ageing population, how we have reached this point and what we can do to lessen its impact. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The science of persuasion, with Prof Vanessa Bohns
How strong your powers of persuasion? Probably a lot greater than you realise. That’s according to social psychologist Vanessa Bohns, professor of organizational behaviour at Cornell University and author of book You Have More Influence Than You Think. In this episode, she explains the power of compliments, a concept called behavioural contagion, and how to convince somebody to do you a favour. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Light pollution, with Dr Greg Brown
A recent study carried out by the Globe at Night project – a citizen science program involving more than 50,000 observations from volunteers around the world – has found that the brightness of the night sky has increased by an average of 7 to 10 per cent a year for the last decade. This trend is making it increasingly difficult to observe the stars, especially from built-up urban areas.We speak to Dr Greg Brown, an astronomer and science communicator based at the Royal Observatory Greenwich. He tells us how bad the current situation really is, what it means for laypeople, astronomers and animals, and what measures we can take to get our view of the stars back. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How to enhance your focus with sound, with Dr Nick Perham
What music will improve your concentration most? Could the hubbub of a coffee shop increase your attention span? And what’s the deal with white noise? To answer all your questions about how to best use sound to boost your focus, we’re joined by Dr Nick Perham, reader in applied cognitive psychology at Cardiff Metropolitan University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How ChatGPT could revolutionise education, with Sam Illingworth
ChatGPT is a tool that can create essays, poems, full movie script and more from a simple worded prompt. We spoke to Sam Illingworth, an associate professor in the department of Learning Enhancement at Edinburgh Napier University to learn how it will change the education system Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The electrome, with Sally Adee
Every cell in our body – bones, skin, muscle, nerves – has a tiny voltage, like a battery. This bioelectricity enables our brains to send messages, but can also help us heal from injury and develop in the womb. In her new book, We Are Electric, science journalist Sally Adee explores our body’s electrome, and reveals the ways it could help us treat cancer, regenerate cells, and even halt ageing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Big Garden Birdwatch, with Adrian Thomas
From 27-29 January the RSPB (The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) will invite the nation to count the birds in our green spaces. Adrian Thomas, the RSPB’s chief expert on gardening for wildlife, joins us to explain what one of the world’s biggest crowd science projects has taught us so far and he shares the simple steps you can take to make your back garden more welcoming to birds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Emotions, with Dr Dean Burnett
Ever wondered what is happening in your body and brain when you feel an emotion? How to better cope with negatives ones? Or why we even have them in the first place? We speak to neuroscientist and author Dr Dean Burnett about the surprising discoveries he made when writing his new book: Emotional Ignorance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Biodiversity, with Dr Andrew Terry
In December 2022, representatives from governments and other official bodies from around the world met in Montreal for COP15: The UN Biodiversity Conference. Amongst the many things discussed was the so-called 30 by 30 target – the pledge to conserve 30 per cent of the planet’s terrestrial and marine habitat by 2030.In this episode, Terry, tells us about the significance of the target, the current state of the Earth’s biodiversity and what role we can all play in reversing its devastating loss. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How to change your habits, with Dr Gabija Toleikyte
Struggling to form a new habit? Or kick an unhelpful one? While behaviour change is doubtlessly difficult, it can be made easier with a few simple psychological tools. To explain this and the neuroscience of habit formation, we speak to Dr Gabija Toleikyte, lecturer in Psychology at Sheffield Hallam University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The food of the future, with Evan Fraser
Will we be eating lab-made meats in the future, or will vegetarianism be the new norm? And what will happen to the world’s thriving farming culture? We spoke to Evan Fraser, Director of the Arrell Food Institute to find out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Forensic science comes to the Christmas Lectures, with Professor Dame Sue Black
Ever heard someone say: “I know them like the back of my hand”? It turns out the back of your hand can actually provide a forensic scientist with enough information to identify you. In this episode, forensic anthropologist Professor Dame Sue Black explains how the new science of digital identification works and discusses what we can expect from her upcoming Christmas Lectures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Zombie viruses in the Arctic, with Dr Arwyn Edwards
The world’s polar regions are melting. Beneath the ice lurks all kind of microbes, but how much of a threat do they really present? Microbiologist Dr Arwyn Edwards of Aberystwyth University joins us to explore the threat of so-called ‘zombie viruses’ and he explains where the real danger lies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.