Instant Genius

Latest Episodes:

How climate change is disrupting nature’s ancient symbiotic relationships May 11, 2025

Show notes

Be it a pair of wolves that mate for life, a pod of female dolphins that hunt together, or a large colony of honeybees all working together in a hive, the natural world is filled with relationships of all kinds. But some relationships run deeper than others, even to the extent that certain species literally make their homes inside the bodies of others. This is an example of a symbiotic relationship – a long-term bond that exists between organisms of different species.

In this episode, we speak to science writer Sophie Pavelle about her new book To Have or to Hold: Nature’s Hidden Relationships.

She tells us how far from being rare, symbiotic relationships occur practically everywhere in the natural world, how they come in a dizzying array of different forms, and how the fine balance underpinning these relationships that has formed over thousands of years is coming under threat from human activity and climate change.

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How catastrophes have shaped the world as we know it May 08, 2025

Show notes

The history of the Earth is littered with dramatic events that have shaped the planet itself and the lives of the human beings who live on it in profound ways. Be it floods, famine or disease pandemics. Human beings have so far survived. But what in modern times can we learn from these past catastrophes?

In this episode, we speak to author Lizzie Wade about her latest book Apocalypse: How Catastrophe Transformed Our World and Can Forge New Futures.

She tells us how even though Neanderthals died out many years ago they still live on in human DNA, how ancient civilisations that once thrived fell but their culture persists to this day and how the story of the human race is far from finished.

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How mathematics shapes human creativity May 04, 2025

Show notes

It’s commonly believed that the arts and the sciences have little in common with each other. The distinction that’s most frequently made is that the arts are creative in nature whereas the sciences are logical. But this couldn’t be further from the truth.

In this episode, we catch up with mathematician and author Marcus du Sautoy to talk about his latest book Blueprints: How mathematics shapes creativity.

He tells us how, fundamentally, mathematics is the study of patterns, structure and symmetry, how these patterns are found everywhere in music, visual art and architecture, and why we should be teaching students how to spot them in their everyday lives.

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How climate change impacts the world’s most vulnerable people May 01, 2025

Show notes

When think about climate change, we may think about global temperatures escalating, extreme weather events occurring more and more and sea levels rising. But what effect is all of this actually having on the everyday lives of the world’s population, especially those that are most vulnerable?

In this episode, we speak to Dr Friederike Otto about her latest book Climate Injustice: Why We Need to Fight Global Inequality to Combat Climate Change.

She tells us how facts and evidence and are vital if we want to combat the effects of climate change on the world’s poorest populations, how the historical effects of inequality are deeply ingrained in the issue, and why the future doesn’t have to be as bleak as some may say.

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How future materials will help save the planet Apr 27, 2025

Show notes

Everywhere we look we’re surrounded by materials of all kinds – from the fabrics we use to make our clothing, to the bricks and mortar we use to build our homes and places of work, to the complex transistors and circuits we use to build our digital devices. Life as we known it simply wouldn’t be possible without them. But what will the materials of the future look like?

In this episode, we catch up with Mark Miodownik, professor of materials and society based at University College London, best-selling author and veteran presenter of many BBC television and radio science documentaries.

He tells us how the advent of materials such as paper, bronze and ceramics transformed early humans into a truly technological species, how nano-machines are already showing promising results in several areas of medicine, and how we may one day be living in buildings that can generate their own electricity and repair themselves.

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How we can engineer humans for life beyond Earth Apr 24, 2025

Show notes

Like it or not, Earth won’t be our home forever. Whether it’s climate collapse, nuclear war, or the slow death of the Sun, life on this planet is on borrowed time. So, what happens next? If we’re serious about avoiding extinction, we’ll need to look not just beyond Earth – but far beyond our Solar System.

Our guest today believes we not only can do that, but that we must. Christopher Mason is a Professor of Physiology and Biophysics at Weill Cornell Medicine and author of The Next 500 Years: Engineering Life to Reach New Worlds. In the book, he argues that as the only species aware of life’s inevitable end, we have a moral duty to preserve it – not just our own, but all life on Earth. To do that, we’ll need to radically rethink what it means to be human. Because as things stand, our bodies are far too fragile to survive the journey.

Chris lays out an ambitious 500-year plan to reengineer human biology, making us more resilient to space travel and alien environments — and he maps out how we might go about seeding life across the stars.

So, is humanity ready to become an interstellar species? And where on Earth – or off it – do we begin?

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What contraception is doing to our bodies – and what we’ll use in future Apr 20, 2025

Show notes

Millions of people around the globe pop a daily pill or live with pieces of metal or plastic inside their bodies, all to avoid getting pregnant. But while we know our contraception works, many of us don’t know much else about it.

In this episode, we speak to Kate Muir, a woman’s health expert, documentary maker, journalist and author, whose book about hormonal contraception – Everything You Need to Know About the Pill (but were too afraid to ask) – inspired this conversation.

She tells us about what the different forms of contraception contain, how they work, how they might be affecting our minds and bodies – and what the future of baby-prevention might look like, for everyone involved.

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How to hack your brain to make better decisions Apr 17, 2025

Show notes

Every day we’re presented with hundreds if not thousands of decisions: What do we want for breakfast? Should we call our mothers or spend time with our friends? Should we go out for a workout or watch TV and eat snacks?

Of course, some of the choices we make are more significant than others and can have huge impacts on our lives. But what do these decisions say about us and how can we try to make better choices?

In this episode, we catch up with neuroscientist and professor of communication at the University of Pennsylvania Emily Falk to talk about her latest book What We Value: The Neuroscience of Choice and Change.

She tells us how certain regions of our brains are involved in the many decisions we make, how we weigh up short and long-term rewards, and how we can all make more thoughtful choices that align with our goals if we just make a few tweaks to our behaviour.

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How to actually see the Northern lights Apr 13, 2025

Show notes

These days many of us have a bucket list, a set of experiences we’d like to have at least once in our lives. Seeing the Northern Lights with our own eyes is likely top of many of these. But what is the best way to ensure that when we do take a trip to see this mysterious, ghostly phenomenon we have a genuinely once-in-a-lifetime experience?

In this episode we speak to Tom Kerss an aurora chaser, astronomer and author of the book Northern Lights: The definitive guide to auroras about the best way to see the breathtaking phenomenon of the Aurora Borealis.

He tells us when and where to go to have the best chances of seeing the Northern Lights, what we should take and wear to have the best experience, and why often it’s a better idea to put down your camera and simply enjoy the spectacle.

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Why a healthy ocean is vital for the survival of the human race and planet Earth Apr 10, 2025

Show notes

The ocean covers more than 70 per cent of our planet’s surface. Thanks to its ability to absorb the excess carbon and heat generated by climate change, its potential to generate clean energy and the bountiful source of food it provides to both humans and animals, there’s little doubt the ocean is vital for the continued survival of the human race and of the planet itself. But all is not well. Ocean temperatures are climbing, coastal water levels are rising, and extreme weather events are becoming more and more common.

In this episode we speak to special advisor on ocean issues to the United Nations Sturla Henriksen about his latest book The Ocean: How It Has Formed Our World – And Will Shape Our Destiny.

He tells us about the many challenges we are facing to keep the ocean healthy and why we need to take a more holistic approach to combat them.

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