Made of Stronger Stuff

Latest Episodes:

Taste Jan 20, 2022

Show notes

Psychologist Kimberley Wilson and Dr Xand van Tulleken continue their journey around the human body, asking what our insides can reveal about our lives and the world around us.

Taste buds are on the menu for this episode, as Xand delves into how taste receptors are found all over the body, and might have implications for how well we tolerate illness. Kimberley reveals how much of taste is actually down to our minds. Plus, they meet the UK Chilli Queen, a woman on a quest to be the spiciest champion in the world.

Producer: Georgia Mills Researcher: Leonie Thomas Executive Producer: Robert Nicholson A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

Feet Jan 13, 2022

Show notes

Psychologist Kimberley Wilson and Dr Xand van Tulleken continue their journey around the human body, asking what our insides can reveal about our lives and the world around us.

This time, Xand and Kimberley marvel at the imperfect feats of engineering that are the arches of our feet, exploring how these arches are the key to our capacity to run, whether we should ditch our shoes for good, and finding out which animal has the ultimate foot.

Producer: Georgia Mills Researcher: Leonie Thomas Executive Producer: Robert Nicholson A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

Made of Stronger Stuff Series 2 Jan 06, 2022

Show notes

Psychologist Kimberley Wilson and Dr Xand van Tulleken tell us about the new series.

T Cells Apr 14, 2021

Show notes

Psychologist Kimberley Wilson and Dr Xand van Tulleken take a journey around the human body, asking what it can tell us about our innate capacity for change. In this episode, they zoom in on T cells: a type of white blood cell that forms a critical part of the body’s ability to fight off infection.

Xand and Kimberley discover how scientists are hacking into the immune system and hear the story of 5-year-old Zac, who has undergone an innovative form of immunotherapy for leukemia.

Producer: Dan Hardoon Researcher: Emily Finch Executive Producer: Kate Holland A Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 4

Serotonin Apr 07, 2021

Show notes

Psychologist Kimberley Wilson and Dr Xand van Tulleken take a journey around the human body, asking what it can tell us about our innate capacity for change. In this episode, they explore serotonin - a chemical involved in everything from sleep to bowel function, appetite to blood clotting.

Xand and Kimberley find out why serotonin’s reputation as the “happy chemical” is misleading, explore the interaction between serotonin and dopamine in sex drive, and hear about new approaches to treating depression using psychoactive drugs.

Producer: Dan Hardoon Researcher: Emily Finch Executive Producer: Kate Holland A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

The Hippocampus Mar 31, 2021

Show notes

Psychologist Kimberley Wilson and Dr Xand van Tulleken take a journey around the human body, asking what it can tell us about our innate capacity for change. In this episode, they peep inside the brain's temporal lobes in search of the hippocampus: the seahorse-shaped seat of memory.

The pair meet a memory athlete who reveals his techniques, explore how new insights from neuroscience can help us make better memories, and Kimberley gives Xand a memory test he’ll (hopefully) never forget...

Producer: Dan Hardoon Researcher: Emily Finch Executive Producer: Kate Holland A Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 4

The Vagus Nerve Mar 24, 2021

Show notes

Psychologist Kimberley Wilson and Dr Xand van Tulleken take a journey around the human body, asking what it can tell us about our innate capacity for change. In this episode, Kimberley and Xand are on the trail of the body’s longest cranial nerve – the vagus nerve – a critical highway which unites the body and brain, and a key part of the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for rest and relaxation.

They discover why you really are what you eat, find out how vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is being used to treat conditions including epilepsy and depression, and explore the future of bioelectronic medicine. And they answer the question: how much influence do our bodies have over our minds?

Producer: Dan Hardoon Executive Producer: Kate Holland A Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 4

The Hands Mar 17, 2021

Show notes

They hear about a neural-enabled prosthetic hand which can relay the sensation of touch, and discover the brain’s extraordinary ability to accommodate extra fingers and missing limbs.

Producer: Dan Hardoon Researcher: Emily Finch Executive Producer: Kate Holland A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

The Liver Mar 10, 2021

Show notes

They explore the amazing science of liver regeneration, discover the unexpected roots of our cravings for alcohol and fatty foods, and hear the poignant story of the first person in the UK to give part of their liver to a stranger.

Producer: Dan Hardoon Researcher: Emily Finch Executive Producer: Kate Holland A Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 4

The Nipples Mar 03, 2021

Show notes

Psychologist Kimberley Wilson and Dr Xand van Tulleken take a journey around the human body, to find out what it can tell us about our innate capacity for change. In this episode, Kimberley and Xand examine the nipples – the least rude naughty bits!

They hear from a nipple tattooist, explore why nipples are both milk dispensers and erogenous zones, and question why some nipples spark more outrage than others.

Producer: Dan Hardoon Researcher: Emily Finch Executive Producer: Kate Holland A Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 4

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected