Instant Genius

Latest Episodes:

Art and the brain, with Susan Magsamen Mar 30, 2023

Show notes

At one time or another it’s likely that we’ve all experienced the profound effect that engaging with art can have on us. Be it listening to a favourite song, reading a moving poem or walking around a much-loved gallery. But is there more to these experiences than mere entertainment?

We speak to Susan Magsamen the founder of the International Arts + Mind Lab (IAM Lab), at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine about the new book she has co-authored with Google’s Vice President of Design Ivy Ross, Your Brain on Art. She tells us exactly what is going on in our brains when we engage with art and how these powerful effects can be used to boost our health and wellbeing.

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Overcoming insomnia, with Prof Guy Leschziner Mar 26, 2023

Show notes

If you suffer from insomnia, you’ve probably heard the same old advice before: don’t drink caffeine in the afternoon, get plenty of exercise during the day, and don’t take your phone to bed. But what if you do all that and still can’t sleep?

To get more insight into insomnia and the techniques shown to overcome it, we speak to Guy Leschziner, Professor of Neurology and Sleep Medicine at King's College London.

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UK wildlife, with Dr Philip Wheeler Mar 24, 2023

Show notes

BBC’s Wild Isles, presented by Sir David Attenborough, is currently showing on Sunday evenings. The series showcases British wildlife, shining a light on some of the animals and plants we share our islands with. In this episode, we speak to Dr Philip Wheeler, a senior lecturer of ecology at the Open University. He is a consultant on Wild Isles, and here he tells us about some of the wildlife featured in the series.

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When humans become prey, with Adam Hart Mar 20, 2023

Show notes

What happens when fearsome predators like tigers, lions and crocodiles live alongside humans? Ecologist Adam Hart explores how conservation works when the species we want to protect also happens to be deadly.

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Key lessons from the world’s longest happiness study, with Prof Robert Waldinger Mar 17, 2023

Show notes

What are the most important, achievable things you can do to live a happier life? It’s a big question that’s been researched for many years by Robert Waldinger. He’s a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the man in charge of the world’s longest-running scientific study of happiness.

Waldinger joins us to discuss the key findings of this research, the biggest happiness myths and also how much money you actually need to be happy.

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Social anxiety, with Dr Ellen Hendriksen Mar 13, 2023

Show notes

Research suggests that – unless you’re a psychopath – you’ve experienced anxiety about a social situation at some point. But why? What is it that makes humans afraid of others? And how can we manage these worries? To answer these questions and much more, we’re joined by psychologist Dr Ellen Hendriksen, a world-leading expert on social anxiety and author of How To Be Yourself: Quiet Your Inner Critic And Rise Above Social Anxiety.

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Future of transportation, with Paris Marx Mar 10, 2023

Show notes

Will we soon see self-driving cars and fancy city automation? Or will existing transport finally improve? We spoke to Paris Marx, author of the book Road to Nowhere to find out what the future of transport will look like.

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Earth’s inner core, with Dr Jessica Irving Mar 06, 2023

Show notes

A recent study carried out at Peking University has found that Earth’s inner core, a giant ball of iron located in the middle of the planet, is slowing down its rotation. But what exactly does this mean?

We speak to Dr Jessica Irving, a seismologist based at the University of Bristol’s School of Earth Sciences. She tells us how scientists study the goings on deep inside Earth, what we can learn about the life cycles of planets and whether the news should be cause for alarm.

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Snakes, with Prof Mark O’Shea Mar 03, 2023

Show notes

Whether you love them or are frightened of them, you cannot deny that snakes are fascinating, adaptable creatures. They are found on every continent except Antarctica, and occupy all sorts of habitats, from deserts, to swamps, to forests, oceans and trees. In this episode, herpetologist Prof Mark O’Shea, reveals how snakes move, why we have so few species in the UK, and how venom works.

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The extraordinary psychology of Déjà vu, with Dr Akira O'Connor Feb 27, 2023

Show notes

Sorry if we’ve already asked, but do you know what causes déjà vu? Or why you experience it less as you get older? Just in case you're unsure, we got the answers from Dr Akira O’Connor, senior psychology lecturer at the University of St Andrews. In this episode, he talks us through the bizarre neuroscience of déjà vu, from what makes you more prone to it, to how you can easily create an artificial sense of déjà vu in somebody else.

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