Instant Genius

Latest Episodes:

Ultra-processed Food with Dr Chris van Tulleken May 04, 2023

Show notes

Have you ever struggled to put that packet of biscuits back in the cupboard after opening them? Or found yourself dialling for your favourite takeaway more often than you’d really like to? If so, it sounds like you’ve been under the influence of ultra-processed food. But what exactly are they and what are they doing to our bodies when we consume them?

In this episode I speak to Dr Chris van Tulleken, BBC TV presenter and infectious diseases doctor based at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London. He tells me about the surprising discoveries he made about UPF when writing his latest book – Ultra-Processed People - Why Do We All Eat Stuff That Isn’t Food … and Why Can’t We Stop?

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How the battle for space will change the world, with Tim Marshall Apr 30, 2023

Show notes

As space travel becomes more common, questions are being raised over laws in space, how it will be split up amongst countries and even the risk of potential star wars. We spoke to author Tim Marshall to find out about the future of space politics.

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Out-of-body experiences, with Dr Jane Aspell Apr 27, 2023

Show notes

Out-of-body experiences have long fascinated humans, with accounts of people feeling as if they’ve floated above their own bodies going back thousands of years. But what causes them? Intriguing new findings by neuroscientists could provide some answers.

One such researcher is Dr Jane Aspell, head of the Self and Body lab at Anglia Ruskin University. She joins us to explain what happens in the brain during an out-of-body experience – and how virtual reality and the metaverse can replicate these events.

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A bold new theory of dyslexia, with Prof Usha Goswami Apr 23, 2023

Show notes

About 1 in 10 people in the UK have dyslexia, which is a neurological difference that can result in difficulties learning to read and write. But what exactly causes it? Scientists aren’t in full agreement, but our guest this episode – Professor Usha Goswami, a leading neuroscientist at the University of Cambridge – poses one intriguing theory.

Her work so far suggests that dyslexia is not a visual disorder, but rather a difference in how sound and rhythm are processed in the brain. She joins us to explain all.

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The fight to keep our brains private, with Nita Farahany Apr 20, 2023

Show notes

In the not too distant future, we could all be wearing wearables that scan our brain waves, understanding how we feel, think and act. Before then, author Nita Farahany argues that we need to rethink our rules to privacy to include our brains.

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The science of hay fever, with Sam White Apr 16, 2023

Show notes

Hay fever is something huge parts of the population deal with every year, but what actually causes it, is it genetic and is it something that is faced all over the world? We spoke to Dr Sam White, a senior lecturer of immunology and genetics at Nottingham Trent University to find out more about this common issue.

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The multiverse, with Lord Martin Rees Apr 13, 2023

Show notes

The idea of the multiverse, a hypothetical group of coexisting multiple universes, has long been a staple of science fiction books and movies but the theory is actually grounded in bona fide science. It has been gathering momentum amongst cosmologists for several decades but what exactly does the theory say and what evidence is there to back it up?

In this episode, we’re joined by the Astronomer Royal and fellow of Trinity College Cambridge, Lord Martin Rees. He tells us about his thoughts on the possibility of the existence of the multiple universes, what parallel universes might look like and how our universe evolved to produce the ideal conditions for life.

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Synchronizing your body clock, with Prof Russell Foster Apr 09, 2023

Show notes

Your body clock, or circadian rhythm, doesn’t just influence your energy levels throughout the day. Recent studies have revealed that your internal timekeeper also has a significant impact on your bodyweight, immune system, mental health, sleep quality and more.

How can this be possible? And what are the simple things you can do to live more in sync with your biological timepiece? To answer these questions and more, we’re joined by Russell Foster, professor of circadian neuroscience at the University of Oxford and author of Life Time: The New Science Of The Body Clock, And How It Can Revolutionize Your Sleep And Health.

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The origin of the Universe, with Prof Thomas Hertog Apr 06, 2023

Show notes

When the University of Leuven professor of theoretical physics Thomas Hertog first met famed cosmologist Stephen Hawking he found himself confronted with two questions: “Why is the Universe the way it is? Why are we here?”. The two would go onto to seek answers to these profound questions during a close collaboration that lasted for twenty years.

In this episode, Prof Hertog tells us about his time working with Hawking, his new book, On the Origin of Time, and the path that led the two of them to hit upon the revolutionary new theory that the laws of physics are born and evolve as the Universe they govern takes shape.

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How human disease changed history, with Dr Jonathan Kennedy Apr 02, 2023

Show notes

Over time, we have become infected with various viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms, which have had a huge impact on our evolution and history. In this episode, Dr Jonathan Kennedy, a reader in politics and global health, tells us about the close links between disease and colonialism, how infection shaped the migration of humans out of Africa, and what we can all learn from the COVID pandemic.

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