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Dr Tilly Blyth: How has art influenced science?
25 september 2019 · 41 min
Science and art have not always been separately defined. Leonardo Da Vinci studied anatomy, neuroscientist Cajal created beautiful drawings of the cells in the cerebellum and hippocampus, and the painter John Constable observed the skies with an almost scientific study.
Though their pursuits have diverged into distinct fields, the relationship between art and science has remained tightly woven together.
Documenting the history of this tumultuous relationship is The Art of Innovation. Comprised of a 20-part BBC Radio 4 series, an exhibition at the Science Museum and an accompanying book, The Art of Innovation shows how scientific discoveries have influenced, and been influenced by, artists and the general public.
Editorial assistant Amy Barrett visited the Science Museum’s Dana Research Centre and Library to meet the Head of Collections & Principle Curator at the Science Museum and the co-host of The Art of Innovation radio series, Dr Tilly Blyth.
The Science Museum’s major free exhibition runs from now until the 24 January 2020. You can also read 20 stories from the history of art and science in The Art of Innovation (£25, Transworld).
Image: A Philosopher Giving that Lecture on an Orrery, in which a Lamp is put in the Place of the Sun, by Joseph Wright, exhibited 1776, oil on canvas © Derby Museums Trust
Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast: Lees meerWhy is Leonardo da Vinci’s scientific legacy so often overlooked? – Martin Clayton
What can the father of Gaia theory tell us about our future? – James Lovelock
Richard Dawkins: Can we live in a world without religion?
Do you believe in magic? – Gustav Kuhn
Is religion compatible with science? – John Lennox
Inside the mind of a comedian – Robin Ince
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Richard Dawkins: Can we live in a world without religion?
18 september 2019 · 43 min
Richard Dawkins is considered one of the top British intellectuals of the 21st Century. He’s known for his opinions on atheism and his books on evolution. In his most recent book, Outgrowing God, he talks about his own experience with religion, and how science offers us a far more convincing and concrete view of the world we live in.
We sat down with Richard to discuss his views on faith, flat-earthers and Facebook.
Let us know what you think of the episode with a review or a comment wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast: Lees meerIs religion compatible with science? – John Lennox
Does data discriminate against women? – Caroline Criado Perez
What does a world with an ageing population look like? – Sarah Harper
Are Generation Z our only hope for the future? – John Higgs
Is racism creeping into science? – Angela Saini
How can we save our planet? – Sir David Attenborough
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Does data discriminate against women? – Caroline Criado Perez
11 september 2019 · 42 min
When Apple launched its health tracker app HealthKit in 2014, they promised users the ability to track everything from their blood pressure to their copper intake – but not their periods.
This seems like a startling oversight, but Apple aren’t alone in failing to consider women’s needs. For example, it wasn’t until 2015 that the EU required new cars to be tested on a female crash-test dummy.
Caroline Criado Perez, whose book Invisible Women (£16.99, Chatto and Windus) has been shortlisted for the 2019 Royal Society Science Book Prize, calls this the gender data gap, and it appears in everything from public policy to medical research.
In this episode of the Science Focus Podcast, we talk to Caroline about the gender data gap and how it causes everything from mild inconvenience to potential fatality.
She speaks to BBC Science Focus online assistant Sara Rigby.
Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast which we think you will find interesting: Lees meerWhy aren’t there more women in science?
Is racism creeping into science? – Angela Saini
Is religion compatible with science? – John Lennox
Is body positivity the answer to body image issues? – Phillippa Diedrichs
What makes me ‘me’? – Aoife McLysaght
Inequality in science – Angela Saini
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How do you launch a successful space mission? – Mark McCaughrean
4 september 2019 · 53 min
Launching a rocket into space doesn’t come cheap. That much won’t surprise anybody, but what goes into the planning, construction and the science before the mission even gets off the ground? And when it’s up there, what does it do, and what makes it a success?
One man that knows how to put a space project together is Mark McCaughrean, senior advisor for science and exploration at the European Space Agency. During his 10 years at ESA, he’s worked on numerous projects, including the Rosetta mission to land a probe on a comet, and the enormous James Webb Space Telescope.
Ahead of his talk at ESA's Space Rocks event on 21 September 2019, he talks to BBC Science Focus Online Editor Alexander McNamara about how to build a space project from start to finish, why studying space is so important for life on Earth, and reaching out through the power of rock music.
We now have more than 85 episodes of the Science Focus Podcast, each of which is still well worth a listen. Here are a few that you might find interesting: Lees meerWhat happened at Bluedot festival 2019? – Libby Jackson, Tom Shakespeare and Danielle George
Is there anybody out there? – Mike Garrett
What asteroids can tell us about our Solar System – Natalie Starkey
Why is the Moon landing still relevant 50 years on? – Kevin Fong
The most mysterious objects in the Universe – Colin Stuart
Project Discovery and its search for exoplanets - Bergur Finnbogason
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What does our skin tell us about ourselves? – Dr Monty Lyman
28 augustus 2019 · 44 min
The largest organ in the body isn’t the lungs or the brain, but the skin. Our skin performs a vast array of functions for us, from protecting us from disease to helping us make friends.
Dr Monty Lyman, author of The Remarkable Life of The Skin (£20, Bantam Press), calls skin the ‘Swiss Army Organ’ because of all the tasks it carries out.
Monty talks to BBC Science Focus Online assistant Sara Rigby about what the skin is for, why vanity is good for you, and what kind of creatures inhabit our skin.
We now have more than 75 episodes of the Science Focus Podcast, each of which is still well worth a listen. Here are a few that you might find interesting: Lees meerIs an implantable electronic device the future of medicine? – Gordon Wallace
What is your brain doing while you sleep? – Dr Guy Leschziner
Is the cure for cancer hiding in human breast milk? – Professor Catharina Svanborg
Is gene editing inspiring or terrifying? – Nessa Carey
Can we slow down the ageing process? – Sue Armstrong
Is body positivity the answer to body image issues? – Phillippa Diedrichs
Follow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard
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Are Generation Z our only hope for the future? – John Higgs
21 augustus 2019 · 41 min
If you grew up on a steady stream of Hollywood blockbusters filled with killer robots, alien invasions and apocalyptic natural disasters, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the future looks pretty bleak. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be that way.
In fact, according John Higgs, a writer who specialises in finding previously unsuspected narratives hidden in obscure corners of our history and culture, the group of adults of school-leaving age might be just the sort of individuals we need if we’re going to avoid the dystopian future science fiction would have us believe inevitable.
In his book, The Future Starts Here (£20, Orion), he explains why this Generation Z have inherited a world apparently on the brink of self-destruction, and why their enthusiasm for wider social networks will be key to a brighter future.
He speaks to BBC Science Focus Online editor Alexander McNamara about what Star Trek can teach us about generational attitudes, the desire for meaning over stuff, and why life on Mars would be rubbish, and who kicks things off by asking him why he decided to write a book about the future.
We now have more than 75 episodes of the Science Focus Podcast, each of which is still well worth a listen. Here are a few that you might find interesting: Lees meerHow can we save our planet? – Sir David Attenborough
There is no Plan B for planet Earth – Lord Martin Rees
What we got wrong about pandas and teenagers
What does a world with an ageing population look like? – Sarah Harper
Can we really predict when doomsday will happen? – William Poundstone
Is body positivity the answer to body image issues? – Phillippa Diedrichs
Follow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard
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Is an implantable electronic device the future of medicine? – Gordon Wallace
14 augustus 2019 · 22 min
Materials scientist Gordon Wallace is the director of ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science at the University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. He is developing the ‘sutrode’, a medical device made from graphene that combines the electrical properties of an electrode with the mechanical properties of a suture.
The device is wrapped around damaged or malfunctioning nerve bundles and used to stimulate them and return their regular function. Though still in its early stages, the technology may one day be used to treat epilepsy, schizophrenia, and in the production of next generation prosthetics.
He speaks to BBC Science Focus commissioning editor Jason Goodyer in this episode of the Science Focus Podcast.
We now have more than 75 episodes of the Science Focus Podcast, each of which is still well worth a listen. Here are a few that you might find interesting: Lees meerIs the cure for cancer hiding in human breast milk? – Professor Catharina Svanborg
Is gene editing inspiring or terrifying? – Nessa Carey
Can we slow down the ageing process? – Sue Armstrong
What is your brain doing while you sleep? – Dr Guy Leschziner
What does a world with an ageing population look like? – Sarah Harper
Is racism creeping into science? – Angela Saini
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How accurately can we predict the weather? – Andrew Blum
7 augustus 2019 · 36 min
Hurricane Sandy hit the east coast of the United States in October 2012, causing $65bn of damage. Remarkably, weather forecasters managed to predict its impact on the US eight days in advance, when it was barely even a storm.
How did forecasts get to be so good? It’s a story that begins with the invention of the telegraph and ends with supercomputers.
We talk to Andrew Blum, author of The Weather Machine (£16.99, Bodley Head), about the history of weather forecasting, why we shouldn’t trust the icons on our weather apps, and whether we’ll ever have an accurate minute-by-minute forecast.
He speaks to BBC Science Focus online assistant Sara Rigby.
Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast which we think you will find interesting: Lees meerWhat's going on with the weather? – Dann Mitchell
Could leaving nature to its own devices be the key to meeting the UK’s climate goals? – Mark Lynas
Can we really predict when doomsday will happen? – William Poundstone
What if the Earth’s magnetic field died? – Jim Al-Khalili
Why is the magnetic north pole moving? – Ciaran Beggan
Are we facing an insect apocalypse? – Brad Lister
Follow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard
Image: Actor and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio stares at a visual showing Hurricane Sandy using data from Goddard Earth Observing System Model © NASA/Goddard/Rebecca Roth
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What happened at Bluedot festival 2019? – Libby Jackson, Tom Shakespeare and Danielle George
31 juli 2019 · 36 min
In mid-July this year, science and music lovers alike donned their Wellington boots and rain ponchos and made the journey to Jodrell Bank Observatory for the fourth annual Bluedot festival.
The star-studded line-up included Helen Sharman; the first British astronaut, Jim Al-Khalili; science writer and author, an incredible 3-D concert experience from Kraftwerk and the post-punk sounds of New Order.
We sent BBC Science Focus’ new editorial assistant Amy Barrett to the festival, where she chatted to a few of the speakers at the event. Not bad for your first week in a new job, eh?
First up was, Libby Jackson, Human Exploration Programme Manager at the UK Space Agency, who took to the Mission Control stage to talk about the future of space exploration and the UK’s role in that future. While some looked back across the fifty years since the Apollo Moon Landings, she talked to Amy about advances in the space industry, human exploration and the Bluedot experience.
Also in attendance at the festival was Tom Shakespeare, professor of disability research at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Tom was involved in three events over the weekend, talking assistive technology, the ethics of genetics and being an activist.
Finally, back at Jodrell Bank where she began her career, Danielle George brought the invisible Universe to light. She spoke to us about the Lovell Radio Telescope based at Jodrell, new endeavours such as the SKA (Square Kilometre Array telescope project) and what we can learn from looking at our skies.
Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast which we think you will find interesting: Lees meerWhy is the Moon landing still relevant 50 years on? – Kevin Fong
What asteroids can tell us about our Solar System – Natalie Starkey
Is there anybody out there? – Mike Garrett
Could these gloves be the future of music? – Imogen Heap
Everything that’s wrong with the human body – Nathan Lents
Inside the mind of a comedian – Robin Ince
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What does a world with an ageing population look like? – Sarah Harper
24 juli 2019 · 36 min
We can’t reverse the slow march of time, but thanks to the wonders of technology and modern medicine, we have a lot more of it in our lives. But as people live longer, and the birth rate declines, how are we going to manage a world with an ageing population?
That one of the questions Sarah Harper, Professor of Gerontology at the University of Oxford, has been trying to find an answer for.
She talks to BBC Science Focus editorial assistant Helen Glenny about how we cope with dramatic shifts in population, what effect it has on natural resources and climate change, and a quirk in our retirement age that suggests we should start drawing our pension aged 103.
How Population Change Will Transform Our World by Sarah Harper is available now (£9.99, OUP)
Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast which we think you will find interesting: Lees meerCan we slow down the ageing process? – Sue Armstrong
How can we save our planet? – Sir David Attenborough
Is religion compatible with science? – John Lennox
What does it mean to be happy? – Helen Russell
There is no Plan B for planet Earth – Lord Martin Rees
How emotions are made – Lisa Feldman Barrett
Follow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard
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What does it mean to be a man? – Gary Barker
17 juli 2019 · 41 min
In the past few years, traditional male stereotypes have come under increasing scrutiny.
These stereotypes often come under the term ‘Toxic masculinity’, which has been widely used to explain certain male actions and characteristics that conform to established gender roles, which do harm to both themselves or the society that they live in.
Gary Barker has a PhD in developmental psychology and studies how we raise and socialise boys and men. In the late 1990s he founded Promundo, which carries out global research into men, boys and masculinities, and recently discovered that that in the UK, this these negative stereotypes could be costing the economy an additional £3.8bn a year.
He speaks to BBC Science Focus editorial assistant Helen Glenny about why these stereotypes are harmful, and what a new, progressive form of masculinity could look like.
Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast: Lees meerIs racism creeping into science? – Angela Saini
Is body positivity the answer to body image issues? – Phillippa Diedrichs
What does it mean to be happy? – Helen Russell
Is religion compatible with science? – John Lennox
Why aren’t there more women in science?
What makes me ‘me’ – Aoife McLysaght
Follow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard
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Dr Guy Leschziner: What is your brain doing while you sleep?
10 juli 2019 · 36 min
For most of us, switching off the light and curling up in a warm, cosy bed is the welcome reward for a good day done (or much-needed respite from a bad one).
But not everybody can soak up their allotted hours in joyful slumber before the alarm goes off. In fact, according to the Mental Health Foundation, it is estimated that 20 per cent of adults suffer from some form of insomnia, while many more of us experience issues like sleep walking, sleep apnoea and night terrors.
Dr Guy Leschziner is a world-renowned neurologist and sleep physician, whose new book The Nocturnal Brain: Nightmares, Neuroscience and the Secret World of Sleep (£16.99, Simon & Schuster) attempts to unpick some of the mysteries around what is happening to your body whilst you doze off in the land of Nod.
In this podcast, we find out what is happening in our brain while we dream, how to get a better night’s sleep, and whether sleep tech and apps are all they’re all cracked up to be.
He speaks to BBC Science Focus Online Editor Alexander McNamara.
Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast: Lees meerHow to get a good night's sleep – Alice Gregory
Exploding Head Syndrome – Brian Sharpless
The neuroscience of happiness – Dean Burnett
Is religion compatible with science? – John Lennox
What it’s really like to die – Dr Kathryn Mannix
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What can the father of Gaia theory tell us about our future? - James Lovelock
3 juli 2019 · 32 min
This week on the Science Focus Podcast, we spend some time with James Lovelock – the visionary scientist and environmental thinker who this month turns 100 years old.
James Lovelock is best known as the creator of the Gaia hypothesis, which proposes that our planet and all the life on it functions as a single self-regulating organism.
Less well known is that he also developed scientific instruments for NASA missions to Mars; he invented the electron capture detector, with which he became the first person to detect the widespread presence of CFCs in the atmosphere; and he even carried out influential work in cryopreservation, bringing frozen hamsters back to life.
James Lloyd, staff writer at BBC Science Focus, visited Lovelock at his Dorset home to look back at his life and achievements.
If you like what you hear, then please rate, review, and share with anybody you think might enjoy our podcast.
You can also subscribe and leave us a review on your favourite podcast apps. Also, if there is anybody you’d like us to speak to, or a topic you want us to cover, then let us know on Twitter at @sciencefocus.
Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast: Lees meerHow can we save our planet? – Sir David Attenborough
Why is Leonardo da Vinci’s scientific legacy so often overlooked? - Martin Clayton
There is no Plan B for planet Earth – Lord Martin Rees
Could leaving nature to its own devices be the key to meeting the UK’s climate goals? – Mark Lynas
Are we facing an insect apocalypse? – Brad Lister
Air pollution is killing us, here's how you can stop it – Gary Fuller
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Could leaving nature to its own devices be the key to meeting the UK’s climate goals? - Mark Lynas
26 juni 2019 · 21 min
The UK government’s official climate advisors recently reported that the country’s greenhouse gas emissions must fall to zero by 2050 in order to tackle the growing threat of manmade climate change.
However, it seems unlikely that we will be able to reach this target by simply burning less fossil fuel and cutting down on international travel. So what else can be done?
Environmental charity Rewilding Britain thinks that the answer is to let large areas of the country return to their pre-agricultural state to restore natural carbon sequestering environments such as peat bogs, heaths and salt marshes.
In this episode of the Science Focus Podcast BBC Science Focus commissioning editor Jason Goodyer talks to environmental researcher Mark Lynas about the potential beneficial effects of rewilding.
We now have more than 75 episodes of the Science Focus Podcast, each of which is still well worth a listen. Here are a few that you might find interesting: Lees meerCan science explain everything? – Michael Blastland
What if the Earth’s magnetic field died? – Jim Al-Khalili
How can we save our planet? – Sir David Attenborough
Are we facing an insect apocalypse? – Brad Lister
Air pollution is killing us, here’s how you can stop it – Gary Fuller
There is no Plan B for planet Earth – Lord Martin Rees
Follow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard
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Is there really no such thing as a fish? – Andrew Hunter Murray and Dan Schreiber
19 juni 2019 · 39 min
We like to think our Science Focus Podcast is something really rather special (really, you should tell all your mates about it). But let’s face it, it pales in comparison to the hugely popular podcast No Such Thing As A Fish, which bagged Apple’s prestigious ‘Best New Podcast’ award in 2014.
Numerous awards later, including the 2019 Heinz Oberhummer Award in science communication, they have amassed a whopping 700,000 subscribers for their irreverent podcast about the weird and wacky things they’ve discovered over the past week.
We can’t resist the opportunity to get meta and do a science podcast about doing a science podcast, so we sent Online Editor Alexander McNamara to meet two of the show's stars, Andrew Hunter Murray and Dan Schreiber, where they chewed the ‘facts’ about Isaac Newton lecturing to empty theatres, meeting scientists who suggest putting fake eyes on a cow’s backside, and the logistics around building a statue out of sausages.
We also put their fact-checking skills to the test with a little quiz pulled from the Q&A section of BBC Science Focus Magazine. Why don’t you play along as well and let us know how you get by tweeting us @sciencefocus.
Please remember to rate and review our show wherever you download your podcasts from.
Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast: Lees meerDo you believe in magic? – Gustav Kuhn
What happens when maths goes horribly, horribly wrong? – Matt Parker
What does it mean to be happy? – Helen Russell
Inside the mind of a comedian – Robin Ince
Finding the fun in science – Dara Ó Briain
This is how to invent everything – Ryan North
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Is racism creeping into science? – Angela Saini
12 juni 2019 · 45 min
After World War II, mainstream science denounced eugenics and the study of racial differences. Yet there remained a staunch group of scientists who continued to research race. For a few decades, these people remained on the fringes of research. Yet now, in the 21st Century, fuelled by a rise in the far right and extremist views, an increasing number of researchers are framing race as a biological construct rather than a social one.
Yet even well-meaning scientists continue to use racial categories in genetics and medicine, betraying their belief that there are biological differences between us, and that race can explain differences in intelligence and disease susceptibility.
In her new book, Superior, Angela Saini explores the concept of race. She interviews anthropologists, historians, social scientists and geneticists and finds that time after time, the science is retrofitted to accommodate race.
Here, she talks to BBC Science Focus production editor Alice Lipscombe-Southwell.
Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast: Lees meerIs body positivity the answer to body image issues? – Phillippa Diedrichs
Is religion compatible with science? – John Lennox
What makes me 'me'? – Aoife McLysaght
Should we be worried about sex robots? – Kate Devlin
Inequality in science – Angela Saini
Why aren't there more women in science?
Follow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard
Image: Nazi officials use callipers to measure an ethnic German's nose. The Nazis developed a system of facial measurement that was supposedly a way of determining racial descent. The compiled results, based on biased samples, were used to back up the Nazi claim that Germans were a pure and superior "Aryan" race © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images
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Can we really predict when doomsday will happen? – William Poundstone
5 juni 2019 · 39 min
In this episode of the Science Focus Podcast, we’re going to try to guess when the end of the world will happen.
Don’t worry, it’s not as gloomy as it might sound. Those people waving ‘The End is Nigh!’ placards are probably completely wrong about an immanent doomsday… Probably.
There is a formula that has circulated for the last 50 years which suggests we can pinpoint the end of something with a reasonable amount of certainty. It has been used to predict any number of things, including successful stock market investments, the run of Broadway shows and even how many Harry Potter books go missing from local libraries.
But since the 1990s, it has sparked considerable debate among theorists about when humanity as we know it will come to an end.
We ask William Poundstone - whose new book How To Predict Everything (£12.99, Oneworld) explains the history of this enigmatic equation - how long we have left as a species on this planet, whether we can shift the odds in our favour, and how we can predict, well, pretty much everything else.
How long do you think we have left, and why? Let us know on Twitter at @sciencefocus, and don’t forget to rate and review us wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast: Lees meerWhat if the Earth’s magnetic field died? – Jim Al-Khalili
How can we save our planet? – Sir David Attenborough
There is no Plan B for planet Earth – Lord Martin Rees
The future of humanity – Michio Kaku
Are we facing an insect apocalypse? – Brad Lister
This is how to invent everything – Ryan North
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Is body positivity the answer to body image issues? – Phillippa Diedrichs
29 mei 2019 · 30 min
We live in a society that values looks, but only if they fit into a restrictive set of ideals regarding size and shape, age, skin colour, as well as many other features of our bodies.
The result is an immense pressure to look a certain way. According to a recent survey by the Mental Health Foundation, one in five adults in the UK had experienced shame over their body at some point in the last year.
The rise of social media has provided a platform for a rebellion against these ideals in the form of body positivity, which advocates loving your body, even the parts that don’t fit the ideal standards of beauty.
So, is loving your body the key to defeating body image issues? Or is it making the problem worse?
In this podcast we speak to Professor Phillippa Diedrichs, a psychologist at the Centre for Appearance Research at the University of the West of England. She takes us through the importance of a healthy body image and the research into how body positivity could help or harm.
Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast: Lees meerWhat psychology can tell us about suicide – Jesse Bering
The neuroscience of happiness – Dean Burnett
Are video games good for us? – Pete Etchells
Can we slow down the ageing process? – Sue Armstrong
What does it mean to be happy? – Helen Russell
There’s no such thing as Blue Monday – Sir David Spiegelhalter
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Why is the Moon landing still relevant 50 years on? – Kevin Fong
22 mei 2019 · 31 min
If you were to picture the Moon landing in your head right now, you could probably conjure up images of Neil Armstrong’s famous first steps, accompanied by his inspirational (and often misquoted) speech, despite it happening many years before most of us were even born.
But this remarkable achievement did not come easily, and the decade-long mission culminated in the final nerve wracking 13 minutes it took the Moon lander to arrive safely on the surface.
This moment, and the people who contributed to this landmark occasion in our quest to explore space, are the subject of a new BBC podcast series, 13 Minutes To The Moon.
We caught up with the show’s host, Kevin Fong, about the show, and he tells us why the Moon landing still inspires us today, what it was like speaking to the people who ran mission control, and where our next Moon shot will be.
Remember, if you like what you hear then please rate and review the episode wherever you listen to your podcasts. It really helps get the show out there, which means we can bring you even more interviews with the people at the forefront of science.
Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast: Lees meerThe mindset behind the Moon landing – Richard Wiseman
What asteroids can tell us about our Solar System – Natalie Starkey
What NASA's InSight will tell us about Mars – Bruce Banerdt
There is no Plan B for planet Earth – Lord Martin Rees
The most mysterious objects in the Universe – Colin Stuart
What if the Earth’s magnetic field died? – Jim Al-Khalili
Follow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard
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Can science explain everything? – Michael Blastland
15 mei 2019 · 36 min
We know a lot. In scientific studies, we can count data, observe trends, infer links and calculate risks. But we also spend a lot of time ignoring noise – the unexplained variations in our results that we can’t account for. Take smoking for example. We all know that smoking kills, but it doesn’t kill everyone, and we can’t predict which lifelong smokers will be struck down by lung cancer, and which won’t.
In his new book The Hidden Half (£14.99, Atlantic Books), Michael Blastland discusses how, even in the most tightly controllable situations, we often still see variations in outcomes. He argues that our unwillingness to admit uncertainty can affect science, economics, politics and business, sometimes with disastrous consequences.
But it’s not all bad news. New research that shows that admitting the extent to which we’re not sure could make us seem more trustworthy. And he explains that even though we don’t know everything, experts and the scientific method are still the most important places for us to turn to for guidance.
He talks to Helen Glenny, editorial assistant at BBC Science Focus Magazine, in this week’s episode of the Science Focus Podcast.
If you like what you hear, then please rate, review, and share with anybody you think might enjoy our podcast.
You can also subscribe and leave us a review on your favourite podcast apps. Also, if there is anybody you’d like us to speak to, or a topic you want us to cover, then let us know on Twitter at @sciencefocus.
Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast: Lees meerWhat happens when maths goes horribly, horribly wrong? – Matt Parker
There’s no such thing as Blue Monday – Sir David Spiegelhalter
What’s the deal with algorithms? – Hannah Fry
Inside the mind of a comedian – Robin Ince
Is the cure for cancer hiding in human breast milk? – Professor Catharina Svanborg
Is gene editing inspiring or terrifying? – Nessa Carey
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Is the cure for cancer hiding in human breast milk? – Professor Catharina Svanborg
8 mei 2019 · 24 min
Two decades ago a group of Swedish researchers chanced upon an intriguing compound with tumour-killing properties hidden within human breast milk. Dubbed HAMLET, short for Human α-lactalbumin, the substance has so far come through in vitro and animal trials with flying colours. With human trials currently underway, could HAMLET be the drug to finally give us the upper hand in the war against cancer? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Why is Leonardo Da Vinci’s scientific legacy so often overlooked? – Martin Clayton
1 mei 2019 · 31 min
It’s been 500 years since the death of Leonardo Da Vinci, and he’s remembered mainly for his great works of art, like The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa. But he was also a scientist, working across disciplines like anatomy, engineering, and architecture.
Sadly, his scientific research was never published and his engineering ambitions went largely unrealised. However, through his sketches and drawings we can see his anatomical discoveries, his plans for machines, and his investigations into the world around him. We can see what was occupying his mind, allowing us to piece together clues about the mysteries he aspired to solve.
So to mark the anniversary of his death, 200 of those drawings will go on display at the Queen’s Gallery next to Buckingham palace in the exhibition Leonardo da Vinci: A Life in Drawing. In this episode, we talked to Martin Clayton, Head of Prints and Drawings for Royal Collection Trust at Windsor Castle, about Da Vinci’s lasting scientific legacy. We ask him about the work he was doing, how he influenced the scientific disciplines he experimented with, and what we should remember him for.
He speaks to BBC Science Focus editorial assistant Helen Glenny in this week’s episode of the Science Focus Podcast.
If you like what you hear, then please rate, review, and share with anybody you think might enjoy our podcast.
You can also subscribe and leave us a review on your favourite podcast apps. Also, if there is anybody you’d like us to speak to, or a topic you want us to cover, then let us know on Twitter at @sciencefocus.
Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast: Lees meerRemembering Professor Stephen Hawking
The mindset behind the Moon landing – Richard Wiseman
Belka and Strelka: Russia’s canine cosmonauts – Vix Southgate
Identifying Jack the Ripper: old clues, new science
This is how to invent everything – Ryan North
Is religion compatible with science? – John Lennox
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Is gene editing inspiring or terrifying? – Nessa Carey
25 april 2019 · 33 min
In 2012, scientists developed a method to edit any part of the human genome, and the implications were astounding. Now, we’re starting to see the technology’s potential; we will soon cure previously untreatable diseases, but at the same time, rogue scientists are experimenting in ways considered unethical by the wider medical community. So where does gene editing go from here?
In this week's Science Focus Podcast, Nessa Carey, author of the book Hacking the Code Of Life: How gene editing will rewrite our futures (£12.99, Icon) explains how gene editing was developed, how it works, and why it holds so much promise for medical science. We talked to her about the potential ways this technology could be mishandled, and how we should go about making ethical decisions around when and for whom gene editing is used.
What does a future like where we can manipulate the human genome to any end? Should we be inspired, or terrified?
She speaks to BBC Science Focus editorial assistant Helen Glenny.
If you like what you hear, then please rate, review, and share with anybody you think might enjoy our podcast.
You can also subscribe and leave us a review on your favourite podcast apps. Also, if there is anybody you’d like us to speak to, or a topic you want us to cover, then let us know on Twitter at @sciencefocus.
Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast: Lees meerEating for your genes - Giles Yeo
Can we slow down the ageing process?
What makes me 'me'? - Aoife McLysaght
The genetic hunt for the Loch Ness Monster - Neil Gemmell
Everything that’s wrong with the human body - Nathan Lents
Transhumanism: using technology to live forever - Mark O’Connell
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What if the Earth’s magnetic field died? – Jim Al-Khalili
17 april 2019 · 40 min
Theoretical physicist and science communicator Professor Jim Al-Khalili has taken a break from writing popular science books to write his first novel. Sunfall (£16.99, Bantam Press) is a science fiction thriller set in the year 2041, when the Earth’s magnetic field has started to die, leaving life on Earth vulnerable to threats from space.
Scientists and engineers are thrown into a race against time to protect the Earth. All the science in the novel, from the futuristic technology to the apocalyptic event, are based on real science, as we understand it now.
In this episode, Jim explains how the Earth’s magnetic field protects us, how being a scientist helped inform his writing, and why fiction can be a frontier for science communication.
If you like what you hear, then please rate, review, and share with anybody you think might enjoy our podcast.
You can also subscribe and leave us a review on your favourite podcast apps. Also, if there is anybody you’d like us to speak to, or a topic you want us to cover, then let us know on Twitter at @sciencefocus.
Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast: Lees meerHow can we save our planet? - Sir David Attenborough
Why is the magnetic north pole moving? - Ciaran Beggan
There is no Plan B for planet Earth – Lord Martin Rees
Why AI is not the enemy – Jim Al-Khalili
Is there anybody out there? – Mike Garrett
Building a base on the Moon, and crafting believable sci-fi – Andy Weir
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Are video games good for us? - Pete Etchells
10 april 2019 · 34 min
In this week's Science Focus Podcast, we dive into the world of video games. Over the past couple of decades, video games have often got a bad rap, blamed for everything from aggression and violence to addiction and mental health problems.
But what does the research actually say? Dr Pete Etchells is a psychologist at Bath Spa University who researches the behavioural effects of video games. In his first book, Lost in a Good Game (£14.99, Icon Books), he gets to the bottom of our relationship with games, and reveals a more positive side to our game-playing habits.
He speaks to BBC Science Focus staff writer James Lloyd.
If you like what you hear, then please rate, review, and share with anybody you think might enjoy our podcast.
You can also subscribe and leave us a review on your favourite podcast apps. Also, if there is anybody you’d like us to speak to, or a topic you want us to cover, then let us know on Twitter at @sciencefocus.
Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast: Lees meerWhat does it mean to be happy? – Helen Russell
Why ASMR gives you tingles – Emma WhispersRed
What we got wrong about pandas and teenagers
What’s the deal with algorithms? – Hannah Fry
Changing our behaviour with virtual reality – Jeremy Bailenson
Project Discovery and its search for exoplanets
Follow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard
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Do you believe in magic? – Gustav Kuhn
3 april 2019 · 32 min
Abracadbra! Prestidigitation! We know that these words hold no intrinsic power, but when we hear them, we are instantly transported away to a land of magic and wonder; where the impossible becomes reality right before our eyes.
So why, as rational human beings, are we instantly drawn to magic, and what makes us delight in seeing a rabbit pulled from a hat, despite knowing full well that we are being fooled into thinking it was never already there in the first place?
Those are the sort of questions expert in cognitive psychology, magician, and author of Experiencing the Impossible: The Science of Magic (£20.00, MIT Press), Gustav Kuhn, is currently trying to solve at his Magic Lab at Goldsmith’s University.
In this week’s Science Focus Podcast, he talks to sciencefocus.com editor Alexander McNamara about why we believe in magic, what actually happens in our brain when we watch tricks, and how understanding magic can help us make sense of a world filled with fake news and misinformation.
Image © Getty Images
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How can we save our planet? - Sir David Attenborough
27 maart 2019 · 38 min
We speak to Sir David Attenborough, naturalist and host of the new Netflix show Our Planet, and two of the show’s producers about the essential changes we need to make to save our home. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Can we slow down the ageing process? - Sue Armstrong
20 maart 2019 · 35 min
As the size of the ageing population rises, the field of gerontology, the study of ageing, is bursting with discoveries. How and why do we age? What can be done to slow the ageing process, and how do we improve our health spans, rather than our life spans? Sue Armstrong discusses what she found when writing her book Borrowed Time: The Science of How and Why We Age. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Matt Parker: What happens when maths goes horribly, horribly wrong?
13 maart 2019 · 32 min
Sums are hard, but imagine the consequences when getting the wrong answer leads to disaster. Comedian and maths whizz Matt Parker explains what happens when rounding errors and miscalculations get the better of our equations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Why is the magnetic north pole moving? - Ciaran Beggan
6 maart 2019 · 30 min
The Earth’s magnetic north pole is rocketing towards Siberia at 50 kilometres per year, making the maps of the magnetic field out of date faster than expected. Why is it moving, what does this mean for us, and what can we expect it to do in the future? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Are we facing an insect apocalypse? - Brad Lister
27 februari 2019 · 37 min
When Professor Brad Lister returned to Puerto Rico to track insect populations, he found he was only catching a fraction of the amount he’d seen 40 years ago. When he analysed what he’d caught, he saw a 98 per cent decline in insects on the ground. What’s causing this huge loss, and what does it mean for the future of our planet? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Is religion compatible with science? - Professor John Lennox
20 februari 2019 · 36 min
This week, we delve into the complex relationship between science and religion. Why invoke a god to explain the world, the argument goes, when science does a perfectly good job? Professor John Lennox, however, begs to differ. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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What does it mean to be happy? - Helen Russell
13 februari 2019 · 33 min
What does it mean to be happy? The pleasure of doing nothing, the sense of community from performing a haka, or drinking in your pants? Helen Russell, author of The Atlas of Happiness, explains what happiness means to different people around the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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How geology can influence elections - Lewis Dartnell
6 februari 2019 · 26 min
Astrobiologist Lewis Dartnell is here to talk about how the Earth's ancient geography has influenced the development of human civilisations, and how it still affects our behaviour today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The mindset behind the Moon landing – Richard Wiseman
30 januari 2019 · 39 min
The men and women of the Apollo program needed a particular mindset to land astronauts on the Moon – Richard Wiseman explains how you can harness this mentality to achieve your own Moon shots. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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How technology is changing politics – Jamie Susskind
23 januari 2019 · 38 min
Jamie Susskind explains how the politics of the future will be shaped by the technology influencing our lives today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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There’s no such thing as Blue Monday - Sir David Spiegelhalter
16 januari 2019 · 24 min
Statistician and Professor of the Public Understanding of Risk in the Statistical Laboratory at the University of Cambridge Sir David Spiegelhalter explains the pseudoscience behind Blue Monday, the power of numbers, and how to spot a dodgy stat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The most mysterious objects in the Universe - Colin Stuart
9 januari 2019 · 23 min
From 'Oumuamua to Planet Nine, astronomy writer and Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society Colin Stuart counts down the five strangest cosmic enigmas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Eating for your genes - Giles Yeo
3 januari 2019 · 41 min
Dr Giles Yeo studies the relationship between our genetic make-up and how we’re eating, and knows that poor self-control isn’t entirely to blame for the obesity epidemic. He’s here to talk about how our genes influence how hungry we feel and how much we eat, and what we should do about it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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What makes me 'me'? - Aoife McLysaght
26 december 2018 · 30 min
Evolutionary geneticist Aoife McLysaght is joining Alice Roberts as a guest at this year’s Royal Institution Christmas Lectures. Together, they’re exploring where we come from, what makes us human, and what makes each of us unique. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Why ASMR gives you tingles – Emma WhispersRed
19 december 2018 · 21 min
We chat to YouTuber Emma WhispersRed ASMR about how she got into making the videos, why she thinks people find them so soothing, and why she wants to get the phenomenom officially recognised as a form of therapy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Air pollution is killing us, here’s how you can stop it – Gary Fuller
12 december 2018 · 56 min
Pollution scientist Gary Fuller explains how bad our air is, what causes it, and how we can stop this invisible killer. Lees meer
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Should we be worried about sex robots? – Kate Devlin
5 december 2018 · 32 min
AI ethicist Dr Kate Devlin has done a deep dive into intimacy with machines for her new book Turned On: Science, Sex and Robots. She’s looked into society’s gradually changing attitudes towards sex tech and visited the companies making the world’s most advanced sex robots, and she’s here to tell us what it all means. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Filming a Dynasty - Nick Lyon
28 november 2018 · 45 min
The latest Sir David Attenborough-narrated BBC Natural History Unit Landmark Series is called Dynasties, and it tracks power struggles within animal groups. We talk to Nick Lyon, the producer of an episode about Zimbabwe’s Painted Wolves, to see how he captured an incredible fight for dominance in the wild. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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There is no Plan B for planet Earth – Lord Martin Rees
21 november 2018 · 33 min
Astronomer Royal Lord Martin Rees explains how unless we make significant changes now, the prospects for the human species are beginning to look bleak. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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What NASA’s InSight will tell us about Mars - Bruce Banerdt
14 november 2018 · 27 min
By drilling into the surface of Mars, NASA’s InSight mission could help us discover more about the structure of the Red Planet, and maybe help us understand the formation of other planets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The genetic hunt for the Loch Ness Monster - Neil Gemmell
7 november 2018 · 23 min
Professor Neil Gemmell on his project to survey the genetic diversity of Loch Ness using cutting-edge environmental DNA techniques, and maybe find clues about the Loch Ness Monster. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Robin Ince: Inside the mind of a comedian
31 oktober 2018 · 43 min
Comedians often take to the stage to talk about the quirks of the human race, and comedian Robin Ince has years of experience in that area. In his new book, he’s adding insights from neuroscientists and psychologists to talk about creativity, imagination, trauma and why people become comics in the first place. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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How to get a good night’s sleep - Alice Gregory
24 oktober 2018 · 28 min
Sleep psychologist Prof Alice Gregory on the science behind a satisfying slumber Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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What makes a robot a robot? – Dr Lucy Rogers
17 oktober 2018 · 40 min
This week we speak to Dr Lucy Rogers, who casts aside any Hollywood depictions of skull-crushing Terminators, and look at the real-life robots that are making a positive impact in our lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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