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PODCAST

Why? with Emma Kennedy

The podcast for curious minds. Every Wednesday, Emma Kennedy delves into the science and psychology of why we are the way we are. Emma is joined by leading experts and some of science"s brightest minds to answer the big questions you never knew how to ask. Why do people join cults? Why do we need the moon? Why are we drawn to evil? Why do we have fetishes? Find out all of this and more on Why? from the makers of Oh God, What Now? and The Bunker . Follow us on social media: Threads Instagram Bluesky

science mental health

All Episodes

22:56

Should we trust AI to run our lives?

Why? with Emma Kennedy ·

2023/12/11

Artificial Intelligence already controls complex systems that humans depend on, from keeping thousands of planes safe in the sky to autocorrect saving our blushes when we mis-spell ‘Wednesday’. But are we in danger of handing AI too much control? Could machine learning outgrow its human masters? Researchers recently had to turn off two AI chatbots when they invented their own language that humans couldn’t decipher – and that won’t be the last time AI runs ahead of us. Can we really trust Artificial

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26:26

Should we trust AI to run our lives?

Why? with Emma Kennedy ·

2023/12/11

Artificial Intelligence already controls complex systems that humans depend on, from keeping thousands of planes safe in the sky to autocorrect saving our blushes when we mis-spell ‘Wednesday’. But are we in danger of handing AI too much control? Could machine learning outgrow its human masters? Researchers recently had to turn off two AI chatbots when they invented their own language that humans couldn’t decipher – and that won’t be the last time AI runs ahead of us. Can we really trust Artificial

en

22:40

Why can’t I forget embarrassing memories?

Why? with Emma Kennedy ·

2023/12/07

Why do we always remember the worst things that happened to us and never the best? Excruciating memories of past mistakes have a tendency to haunt us, popping up uninvited to make us cringe and sweat the way good memories just don’t. Why? If every new experience creates new neural pathways in our brain, could we disconnect the ones we don’t want to revisit? Neuroscientist Dr Dean Burnett joins Luke Turner to find out whether these toe-curling memories serve a biological purpose beyond basic

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19:10

Why can’t I forget embarrassing memories?

Why? with Emma Kennedy ·

2023/12/07

Why do we always remember the worst things that happened to us and never the best? Excruciating memories of past mistakes have a tendency to haunt us, popping up uninvited to make us cringe and sweat the way good memories just don’t. Why? If every new experience creates new neural pathways in our brain, could we disconnect the ones we don’t want to revisit? Neuroscientist Dr Dean Burnett joins Luke Turner to find out whether these toe-curling memories serve a biological purpose beyond basic

en

21:11

Are we the first intelligent life on Earth?

Why? with Emma Kennedy ·

2023/12/04

We like to think we’re the pinnacle of intelligent life, but were humans really the first to evolve conceptual, self-aware, logical consciousness on Earth? Could an advanced technological civilisation have emerged before? If so, what happened to it? And if our planet produces many kinds of intelligence – octopuses have nine brains! – what is it about Earth that makes intelligent life likely to evolve here? Evolutionary biologist and writer Dr. Henry Gee joins Ananyo Bhattacharya to talk about the

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24:41

Are we the first intelligent life on Earth?

Why? with Emma Kennedy ·

2023/12/04

We like to think we’re the pinnacle of intelligent life, but were humans really the first to evolve conceptual, self-aware, logical consciousness on Earth? Could an advanced technological civilisation have emerged before? If so, what happened to it? And if our planet produces many kinds of intelligence – octopuses have nine brains! – what is it about Earth that makes intelligent life likely to evolve here? Evolutionary biologist and writer Dr. Henry Gee joins Ananyo Bhattacharya to talk about the

en

31:58

Will living in space mess with my mind?

Why? with Emma Kennedy ·

2023/11/30

We hear a lot about the technology of space travel, but what about the psychology of leaving Earth for the loneliness of space? If you were strapped inside a rocket hurtling through space, what would it do to your state of mind? Could you still collaborate, concentrate and carry out your vital work? Or would you give in to rising panic as the only home you’ve ever known becomes a tiny blue speck that would take years to return to – if ever? Space psychologist Dr Nick Kanas joins Anna Machin to

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28:28

Will living in space mess with my mind?

Why? with Emma Kennedy ·

2023/11/30

We hear a lot about the technology of space travel, but what about the psychology of leaving Earth for the loneliness of space? If you were strapped inside a rocket hurtling through space, what would it do to your state of mind? Could you still collaborate, concentrate and carry out your vital work? Or would you give in to rising panic as the only home you’ve ever known becomes a tiny blue speck that would take years to return to – if ever?Space psychologist Dr Nick Kanas joins Anna Machin to

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23:43

What's at the earth’s core and can we use it?

Why? with Emma Kennedy ·

2023/11/27

At the very centre of the earth, scientists have just discovered a new, previously unknown geological layer inside our world’s dense inner core. What is this strange new fifth layer composed of? How could we not know what’s beneath our feet, albeit very far down? And could we use it somehow?Professor Hrvoje Tkalčić tells Luke Turner how his research group made this discovery and how the inner inner core may be small, but it plays a mighty mighty role in all our lives.Every Monday and Thursday WHY

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27:13

What's at the earth’s core and can we use it?

Why? with Emma Kennedy ·

2023/11/27

At the very centre of the earth, scientists have just discovered a new, previously unknown geological layer inside our world’s dense inner core. What is this strange new fifth layer composed of? How could we not know what’s beneath our feet, albeit very far down? And could we use it somehow? Professor Hrvoje Tkalčić tells Luke Turner how his research group made this discovery and how the inner inner core may be small, but it plays a mighty mighty role in all our lives. Every Monday and Thursday WHY

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28:21

Can we stop our bodies ageing?

Why? with Emma Kennedy ·

2023/11/23

Could you be forever young? Humans have fantasised about stopping or even reversing the ravages of age for as long as we’ve told stories – but now science is coming closer to making it happen. The global anti-ageing market is worth over $62 billion and the super-rich like Jeff Bezos are pouring billions into research against ageing. Will science soon be able to literally turn back the bodyclock? Dr Andrew Steele tells Olly Mann about the science of ageing, how biologists are reaching down to the

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24:51

Can we stop our bodies ageing?

Why? with Emma Kennedy ·

2023/11/23

Could you be forever young? Humans have fantasised about stopping or even reversing the ravages of age for as long as we’ve told stories – but now science is coming closer to making it happen. The global anti-ageing market is worth over $62 billion and the super-rich like Jeff Bezos are pouring billions into research against ageing. Will science soon be able to literally turn back the bodyclock?Dr Andrew Steele tells Olly Mann about the science of ageing, how biologists are reaching down to the

en

23:39

How can I travel faster than light?

Why? with Emma Kennedy ·

2023/11/20

Faster-than-light space travel has been a staple of science fiction since before the Starship Enterprise first went warp-speed. But could it ever really happen? Are we discovering potential ways to get round Einstein’s iron rule about spacetime’s speed limit? And could the secret to travelling at the speed of light be hidden within the underground tunnels at CERN? Theoretical physicist Dr Sabine Hossenfelder explains the latest thinking on ‘FTL’ to Anna Machin. Please fasten your seatbelts. Every

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20:09

How can I travel faster than light?

Why? with Emma Kennedy ·

2023/11/20

Faster-than-light space travel has been a staple of science fiction since before the Starship Enterprise first went warp-speed. But could it ever really happen? Are we discovering potential ways to get round Einstein’s iron rule about spacetime’s speed limit? And could the secret to travelling at the speed of light be hidden within the underground tunnels at CERN?Theoretical physicist Dr Sabine Hossenfelder explains the latest thinking on ‘FTL’ to Anna Machin. Please fasten your seatbelts.Every

en

27:43

What will humans look like in a million years?

Why? with Emma Kennedy ·

2023/11/16

Humans now have more control over our long-term evolution than ever before. Developments in DNA research could mean we can by-pass natural selection and dictate our own biological destiny. But where is it leading? We time-travel forward a million years and check in on our (very) distant cousins to see if they resemble us at all. Will they even be recognisably human?Dr Anders Sandberg of Oxford University’s Future of Humanity Institute discusses the future of our species with Ananyo

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31:13

What will humans look like in a million years?

Why? with Emma Kennedy ·

2023/11/16

Humans now have more control over our long-term evolution than ever before. Developments in DNA research could mean we can by-pass natural selection and dictate our own biological destiny. But where is it leading? We time-travel forward a million years and check in on our (very) distant cousins to see if they resemble us at all. Will they even be recognisably human? Dr Anders Sandberg of Oxford University’s Future of Humanity Institute discusses the future of our species with Ananyo

en

30:54

Is time real?

Why? with Emma Kennedy ·

2023/11/13

Time seems pretty reliable in our everyday lives – but is it as dependable as we think? According to Einstein, both gravity and speed can warp time. Some think time is just a product of our consciousness. Is it even real… whatever “real” is? Sam Baron, Professor of Philosophy at the Australian Catholic University and co-author of Out Of Time, tells Anna Machin how we all have our own ‘clock’ which doesn’t tick at the same pace as anyone else’s… and whether time is just a construct after

en

27:24

Is time real?

Why? with Emma Kennedy ·

2023/11/13

Time seems pretty reliable in our everyday lives – but is it as dependable as we think? According to Einstein, both gravity and speed can warp time. Some think time is just a product of our consciousness. Is it even real… whatever “real” is? Sam Baron, Professor of Philosophy at the Australian Catholic University and co-author of Out Of Time, tells Anna Machin how we all have our own ‘clock’ which doesn’t tick at the same pace as anyone else’s… and whether time is just a construct after all. Guest:

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23:30

Are we already receiving messages from aliens?

Why? with Emma Kennedy ·

2023/11/09

Who hasn’t looked up at the stars at some point and thought maybe there are other intelligent creatures out there? Astronomers scan the cosmos and they’ve found plenty of intriguing but inconclusive signals so far. Are they no more than magnetic waves from far off dead planets, or something more?Dr. Franck Marchis, Senior Planetary Astronomer at the SETI Institute (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence), tells Luke Turner about the groundbreaking research the institute is doing and how you can

en

27:00

Are we already receiving messages from aliens?

Why? with Emma Kennedy ·

2023/11/09

Who hasn’t looked up at the stars at some point and thought maybe there are other intelligent creatures out there? Astronomers scan the cosmos and they’ve found plenty of intriguing but inconclusive signals so far. Are they no more than magnetic waves from far off dead planets, or something more? Dr. Franck Marchis, Senior Planetary Astronomer at the SETI Institute (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence), tells Luke Turner about the groundbreaking research the institute is doing and how you can

en

147 results

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