Instant Genius

Latest Episodes:

How AI is helping us to understand how our brains learn Mar 03, 2025

Show notes

The human brain is surely one of the most complex and fascinating creations in all of nature. It’s through them that we experience the world around us, develop knowledge and skills, and carry within us memories of events and experiences that occurred decades in the past, which we can later draw on to face new challenges.

But when it comes to understanding exactly what is going on between our ears, we’re only just starting to scratch the surface. Could artificial intelligence technology help us in this quest?

In this episode, we’re joined by Prof Andrew Saxe, a computational neuroscientist based at University College London.

He tells us about the work his lab is carrying out on modelling the function of our brains using artificial intelligence, what this research has already uncovered about how our brains learn and what we can look forward to discovering in the coming decade or so.

Andrew is a finalist for the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists.

https://blavatnikawards.org/news/items/finalists-announced-2025-uk-blavatnik-awards-young-scientists/

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What our coastlines can tell us about the planet’s past and future Feb 28, 2025

Show notes

From the dramatic caves that bring to mind the pirates and smugglers of yore to the rolling sand dunes many of us likely played in as children, our coastlines are home to all manner of fascinating features, forged over centuries by crashing waves and harsh, unforgiving weather. But far from simply being picturesque, these landmarks can teach us about our planet’s past and ultimately, its future.

In this episode, we speak to writer and author Matthew Yeomans about his latest book Seascape: Notes from a Changing Coastline.

He speaks to us about the observations he made of the many and varied effects of climate change while walking along the Welsh coastline, how the threat of coastal flooding is very real and how nature-based solutions may well be the most effective way of protecting our precious coastlines.

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How to see through misleading numbers and statistics Feb 24, 2025

Show notes

Whether it’s from our friends, workmates or via various media platforms, both social and traditional, these days we’re all faced with a never-ending bombardment of information expressed through numbers, percentages and statistics. But how exactly should we go about interpreting them?

In this episode we catch up with Prof Sir David Spiegelhalter, a statistician and science communicator based at the University of Cambridge.

He shares some simple advice to help us understand how the risks and benefits of various lifestyle factors such as exercise and diet are presented to us, explains how framing can be used to make any number look big or small, and tells us what everyone, including scientists, could be doing better when we speak about numbers.

Watch the episode here.

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Prostate cancer: What is it and why is it so often missed? Feb 21, 2025

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The prostate is often misunderstood. And yet, this small part of the body is crucial. However, it is also one of the most common forms of cancer, affecting many men around the world. We spoke to Matthew Hobbs, director of research at Prostate Cancer UK who breaks down the big questions. What is a prostate, what treatments are available for prostate cancer and what does the future of diagnosis look like?

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Don't miss the upcoming Food Science miniseries! Feb 19, 2025

Show notes

Have you ever been frustrated when your carefully baked loaves come out of the oven looking more like pancakes? Or wondered why cheese tastes so good even though it’s riddled with mould? Maybe you want to learn more about how fermented foods such as kimchi and kefir are made, and why they’re so good for your gut health.

If so, don’t miss the Instant Genius Food Science miniseries, brought to you by the team behind BBC Science Focus. It’s still the same show with the same great guests, we’ll just be going deeper into the science of how the food we eat is produced and what exactly makes it taste so good.

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What meteorites tell us about life on Earth and the Universe Feb 17, 2025

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Meteorites are one of the best indicators that we can get of what is out there in Space. Helen Gordon, author of the new book The Meteorites: Encounters with Outer Space and Deep Time, talks us through these mysterious rocks landing on Earth. She touches on their cultural importance, what they tell us about our early Universe and their potential for risk.

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How psychology can help us see through propaganda Feb 14, 2025

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It can be hard to know what is true and false in a world of disinformation. But there are some tricks that people use to frame what they say and learning how to spot these can help you avoid them. We spoke to Mikael Klintman, author of the new book Framing: The Social Art of Influence to better understand how people frame situations and topics and how to not fall for it.

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How psychology can help us unlock the power of saying ‘no’ Feb 10, 2025

Show notes

Whether it’s accepting a work assignment we know we don’t have time for, attending a social occasion even though we’d much rather hunker down at home with a cup of tea, or something more serious such as not speaking up when we witness an act of discrimination, many of us find it difficult to say ‘no’. But why is this?

In this episode, we speak to psychologist Dr Sunita Sah about her latest book Defy, The Power of No in a World that Demands Yes.

She tells us how we are wired to comply, even if doing so comprises our true values, the far-reaching effect this has on our lives and the structure of society, and how by following her advice we can all unlock the power of a ‘True No’.

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How science is tackling one of the most common causes of sight loss Feb 07, 2025

Show notes

Dame Judi Dench has recently been in the news speaking about the long-term issue she’s been having with sight loss. The veteran actor has a condition known as age-related macular degeneration that currently affects around 700,000 people in the UK.

In this episode, we catch up with Prof Richard Gale, an ophthalmologist based at Hull York Medical School.

He tells us the early warning signs to look out for if you are starting to develop the condition, why it’s essential to regularly get your eyesight tested by an optician and why he’s optimistic that the development of cutting-edge treatments can help stop the condition in its tracks.

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How our brains create our sense of self Feb 03, 2025

Show notes

Over the last century or so neuroscientists around the world have been uncovering more and more about how our very identities are formed by the different cognitive functions carried out by our brains. And we now know that our identities can even be transformed by brain disorders such as stroke, dementia of head injuries.

In this episode, we catch up with neurologist Masud Husain to talk about his latest book – Our Brains, Our Selves, What a Neurologist’s Patients Taught Him about the Brain.

He takes us through some of the discoveries he has made while treating patients during his long career. We learn how a stroke led to a previously successful, motivated man to suddenly lose interest in all areas of this life, how a previously demure, shy woman began dressing flamboyantly and insulting people in the street thanks to the effects of dementia and a woman suffering from Alzheimer’s began to think that there were multiple copies of her husband.

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