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PODCAST

Instant Genius

Whether you’re curious about getting healthy, the Big Bang or the science of cooking, find out everything you need to know with Instant Genius. The team behind BBC Science Focus Magazine talk to world-leading experts to bring you a bite-sized masterclass on a new subject each week. New episodes are released every Monday and Friday and you can subscribe to Instant Genius on Apple Podcasts to access all new episodes ad-free and all old episodes of Instant Genius Extra. Watch full episodes of Instant

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All Episodes

35:26

How to easily trigger your flow state

Instant Genius ·

2024/09/29

A state of absolute focus, able to complete a single task or activity effortlessly, flow states are desirable. But how can you achieve one and can they be turned on and off? We spoke to Julia Christensen, author of the new book The Pathway to Flow to find out.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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38:36

Why smartphones really aren’t that bad for your kids

Instant Genius ·

2024/09/26

Thanks to the advent of the smartphone, we now have in our pockets more computing power than NASA needed to put human beings on the Moon. With it comes access to vast amounts of information, both good and bad, and the ability to communicate like never before. But what impact is this having on our children’s lives and how should we approach their smartphone use?In this episode, we’re joined by neuroscientist, author and BBC Science Focus columnist Dr Dean Burnett to talk about his latest book Why

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24:47

How changes in our chromosomes could lead to the end...

Instant Genius ·

2024/09/22

The Y chromosome is responsible for making people male, but according to recent research, we could see it disappear in the future. So what will happen when the Y chromosome is gone? We spoke to Jenny Graves, a geneticist at La Trobe University to find out.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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32:58

How to think about uncertainty more scientifically

Instant Genius ·

2024/09/19

Often, we’ll hear it said that we live in an uncertain world. Upon hearing this, most of us respond, well of course we do. But what does the term uncertainty actually mean when analysed under a scientific lens and how can we think about it more rationally.In this episode, we catch up with Prof Sir David Spiegelhalter, Chair of the Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication in the Centre for Mathematical Sciences at the University of Cambridge, to talk about his new book, The Art of

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42:03

Free will is an illusion. Here’s why

Instant Genius ·

2024/09/15

Free will, as defined by the Encyclopedia Britannica, is the “supposed power or capacity of humans to make decisions or perform actions independently of any prior event or state of the universe”.In a previous episode, neuroscientist Kevin Mitchell argued that human evolution has indeed equipped us with the capacity for genuine free will. Go and check it out if you haven’t already. Now, we turn the spotlight on the opposing view. In his latest book, Determined: Life Without Free Will, renowned

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32:42

What is toxic positivity, and how can you avoid it?

Instant Genius ·

2024/09/12

Being a positive person can be good for your health and social relationships. But can you take it too far? In this episode, we talk to psychologist Dr Linda Blair about what ‘toxic positivity’ is and why it’s bad, how to spot it, and how to stop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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35:09

Life as a brain surgeon

Instant Genius ·

2024/09/08

Thanks to the years and years spent poring over textbooks to study the inner workings of the brain, the high level of manual dexterity required to perform operations and the mental pressures that come with taking patients’ lives in your hands, there can be little doubt the journey to becoming a brain surgeon is one of the most challenging any of us can embark upon.So, what exactly does it take to become a successful brain surgeon and what does the day-to-work reality look like when the years of

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33:07

The healing power of nature

Instant Genius ·

2024/09/05

Do you ever feel a bit stressed and think that taking a walk in the woods is just the thing to calm your mind? Maybe you take a moment to listen to the birdsong around you to lift your mood during your lunch hour. Or maybe you feel a deep sensation of relaxation when you hear the sound of a gently flowing brook.Over the past decade or so new evidence on what is going on in our bodies when we interact with nature has emerged leading to some fascinating discoveries showing how forming a deeper

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32:16

How science is helping us restore the Earth’s atmosphere

Instant Genius ·

2024/09/01

In his book, Into The Clear Blue Sky, Rob Jackson asks an important question, can we really restore the Earth’s atmosphere within our lifetime? He talks us through how this could be possible through technology and genuine effort from civilisation.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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35:37

Why you're probably not getting enough fibre – and...

Instant Genius ·

2024/08/29

New, so-called ‘superfoods’ frequently find their own moment in the spotlight. But what if there was one type of food that really did help with everything?Well, microbiome scientist, dietician and ex-chef Dr Emily Leeming thinks that the magic ingredient could be fibre. Following the release of her book Genius Gut, we spoke about how eating more fibre can not only improve your day-to-day life, but also lower your risk of death – from bettering your mood to helping you control your appetite, and

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37:40

Surprising facts about weird animal abilities

Instant Genius ·

2024/08/25

Animals can do some pretty cool things, but the world is full of bizarre adaptations you’ve probably never heard of or not given much thought to. In this episode, we speak to vet and TV presenter Dr Jess French, whose new book The Animal Body explains some of the everyday magic of animal anatomy to children.From slug teeth to self-healing abilities, Jess gives us her most surprising facts and busts some common myths – and even does a special impression of a white-handed gibbon. Learn more about

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35:13

How thinking more radically can help us see the...

Instant Genius ·

2024/08/22

These days we’re constantly bombarded with information, be it from television, social media, friends and family or simply from the world around us. But how do we interpret this information, what role do our beliefs play and how can we harness the power of critical thinking in our daily lives.In this episode, we catch up with Peter Lamont, a professor of history and theory of psychology at the University of Edinburgh to talk about his latest book Radical Thinking: How to see the bigger picture. He

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37:36

Why your plants are more intelligent than you think

Instant Genius ·

2024/08/18

Right now, in labs and lecture halls all around the world, there’s a war raging. Not a physical war of fists and gunfire, but a war of ideas, and of research and of fact.The battle ground is this: Could it be that we animals are not alone in our ability to make decisions, to feel the world around us, to listen and communicate, maybe even be conscious. In short, could it be that plants are intelligent too? Today’s guest is Zoë Schlanger, a staff writer at The Atlantic covering the environment, and

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30:25

How science can help us predict the future

Instant Genius ·

2024/08/15

The future can be scary, but what if there was a way for us to understand it a little better? Tom Chivers believes there is. His new book Everything Is Predictable explains how Bayes Theorem, a statistical model, can explain the world around us and, in some cases, help us predict the future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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33:31

Why we form one-sided 'parasocial' relationships with...

Instant Genius ·

2024/08/11

It is easy to feel like we know celebrities, and even love them. But these people don’t know who we are, so is it healthy? We spoke to Karen Shackleford, a media psychologist to better understand the one-sided world of parasocial relationships.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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28:33

Superhumans and the end of ageing: Renowned futurist...

Instant Genius ·

2024/08/08

Ray Kurzweil has made many accurate predictions about AI in the past. Having worked in the area of AI research for 61 years, he is one of the longest standing experts in the field. Now, he’s back with a new book titled The Singularity Is Nearer, breaking down his expectations for our future.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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28:12

How fungi is vital to life on Earth

Instant Genius ·

2024/08/04

Mention the word 'fungi' and it’s likely many of our minds will turn to the mushrooms we enjoy sliced on the top of our favourite pizza or bowl of pasta. But there’s more to these fascinating organisms than this. Without fungi we’d have no yeast to make bread or brew beer and no penicillin to treat infections.In this episode, we catch up physician and immunology researcher Arturo Casadevall to talk about his latest book What if Fungi Win? He tells us about the essential role fungi plays in the

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28:51

Peak Performance: Have we reached peak human...

Instant Genius ·

2024/08/01

These days, top athletes are breaking fewer and fewer world records. But why is this occurring, and does it mean that we are close to reaching the limits of human sporting performance?In this episode, we catch up with Dr Jonathan Taylor, a senior lecturer in sport and exercise at Teesside University. He tells us the role our genes play in our athletic performance, the limits our musculature and cardiovascular systems play, and why it’s unlikely to mean that we’ll lose interest in playing and

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29:37

Peak Performance: How to recover faster and come back...

Instant Genius ·

2024/07/28

Whether we’re lifting weights in the gym, going for an outdoor run or competing in sports, any kind of physical activity takes its toll on our bodies. So, what should we be doing when we’re not exercising to make sure our bodies stay in top condition?In this episode, we catch up with James Betts, professor of metabolic physiology at the University of Bath. He tells us how to refuel after a gruelling workout, why there’s little evidence on the effectiveness of ice baths and why muscle soreness is

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25:39

Peak Performance: The secret tricks athletes use to...

Instant Genius ·

2024/07/25

When we watch professional sports people, we’re no doubt in awe of their physical prowess. But how are their performances affected by what’s going on in their minds, how do they get their headspace ready to perform at their best and what can us mere mortals learn from them? In this episode, we catch up with Tim Woodman, a professor of performance psychology based at Bangor University. He tells us what role motivation plays in our ability to perform, how anyone can benefit from practising

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