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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

35:42

The hidden life in the air we breathe

Instant Genius ·

2025/07/20

Every day we all breathe in thousands of litres of air, it is, of course essential for our continued existence. But did you know that the air that surrounds us is filled with a thriving colony of life itself? This is known as the aerobiome – a population of thousands of species of bacteria, fungi and even potentially lethal viruses such as SARS-CoV-2. In this episode, we speak to science journalist and author Carl Zimmer about his latest book Air-Borne – The Hidden History of the Life We

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33:59

How future tech will help you stay healthier for longer

Instant Genius ·

2025/07/17

Rapid advances in technology over the past several decades have impacted almost every area of our lives. It could be argued that innovations in medicine and healthcare are one of technology’s biggest success stories. However, many of us are still living in poor health, particularly in our later years. Can technology once again come to our rescue and help us to not only live longer lives but to help us to stay healthier for longer?In this episode, we speak to technology journalist and author Lara

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40:08

Why your brain might be wired for extremism

Instant Genius ·

2025/07/13

Why do some people become radicalised, while others remain resistant to extreme ideas? What makes one mind more vulnerable to harsh doctrines than another? In a world saturated with competing ideologies, it’s tempting to blame it on chance or circumstance. But in her compelling new book, The Ideological Brain, political neuroscientist Leor Zmigrod uncovers a deeper truth: our susceptibility to extremism is shaped by the very architecture of our minds, down to the cellular and genetic level. She

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30:24

How working too hard is damaging your health and...

Instant Genius ·

2025/07/10

Be it at school or in the workplace, many of us are under more and more pressure to work harder for longer to ensure that we’re performing at our best. But the latest neuroscience research is discovering that we may all have this idea entirely the wrong way around.In this episode, we speak to neuroscientist Dr Joseph Jebelli to talk about his latest book The Brain at Rest: Why Doing Nothing Can Change Your Life. He tells us how overwork is leading to almost 750,000 deaths a year globally, how

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31:51

How the maths of sameness and difference can change...

Instant Genius ·

2025/07/06

Anyone who has studied maths even briefly will no doubt be familiar with the ‘equals’ sign. But there’s much more to this seemingly simple symbol and the concepts that it represents than may first meet the eye. In this episode, we speak to mathematician and author Dr Eugenia Cheng about her latest book Unequal – The Maths of When Things Do (and Don’t) Add Up. She tells us why maths doesn’t have to be intimidating, the importance of recognising different viewpoints in maths, and how a gaining a

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46:49

Busting the biggest weight loss myths

Instant Genius ·

2025/07/03

Currently, 60 per cent of people in the UK are overweight or obese. It’s likely that many of us would like to drop a few pounds if possible but with so much information on diet and weight loss available separating facts from myths can be something of a minefield.In this episode, we speak to Prof Giles Yeo, a geneticist and obesity expert based at the University of Cambridge. He tells us exactly how our bodies extract calories from the food we eat, the real effect that exercise has on our weight,

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24:13

Better Sleep: The hidden power of napping

Instant Genius ·

2025/07/01

Be it a brief power nap to help perk us up, a Sunday afternoon kip after a big lunch, or a traditional daily Spanish siesta, many of us put our heads down for a short period during the day. But where does this habit come from and is it actually good for our health? In this episode, part of our four-part Better Sleep miniseries, we speak to Valentina Paz, a psychologist based at the Universidad de la República in Uruguay and University College London. She tells us how taking naps can help to boost

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31:22

The new science of music as medicine

Instant Genius ·

2025/06/26

Many of us listen to music or play an instrument for pleasure thanks to the unique effect it has on our emotions. But what exactly is going on in our bodies and brains when we listen to or play music, and can we harness the profound effects it has on us to improve our health and wellbeing?In this episode, we speak to neuroscientist, musician and author Stefan Koelsch about his latest book Good Vibrations: Unlocking the Healing Power of Music. He explains exactly what’s happening in our brains

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33:48

Better Sleep: How psychology can help you beat insomnia

Instant Genius ·

2025/06/22

Over the past several decades it’s become abundantly clear that getting a good night’s sleep is essential for our health and wellbeing. However, currently around one in three of us often struggle to get enough shuteye thanks to the stress and anxiety caused by our hectic lifestyles. Thankfully, help is out there in the form of cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT. In this episode, part of our four-part Better Sleep miniseries, we speak to founder of The Insomnia Clinic, Kathryn Pinkham. She

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33:40

How your brain builds your picture of reality

Instant Genius ·

2025/06/19

How do our brains help us build up a picture of the world around us? It’s a question that has both beguiled and fascinated scientists for centuries. The latest thinking suggests that the brain acts like a scientist that builds up a database of previous observations and experiences and uses this to make sense of the world around us.In this episode, we speak to Daniel Yon, an experimental psychologist based at Birkbeck, University of London to talk about his latest book A Trick of the Mind: How the

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33:56

Better Sleep: How snoring affects our health

Instant Genius ·

2025/06/15

More than four in ten of us in the UK are snorers. Far from being a trivial condition, snoring can have a significant impact on our ability to sleep, our partners’ ability to sleep and our health in general.In this episode, part of our four-part Better Sleep miniseries, we speak to Ryan Chin Taw Cheong, a consultant ear, nose and throat and sleep surgeon based at University College London Hospitals and the Cleveland Clinic London. He tells us about the many factors that can lead to us snoring,

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41:16

The science behind Agatha Christie’s poisons

Instant Genius ·

2025/06/12

Humans are enthralled by stories about murder. And the mysteries we tell these days – like in the Glass Onion films or TV shows like The Residence – often follow a blueprint set by the iconic Agatha Christie. It turns out, Christie knew a whole lot about science. In this episode, we speak to Dr Kathryn Harkup, a chemist who writes about the science behind famous works of literature. Her newest book, V is for Venom: Agatha Christie’s Chemicals of Death, is her sequel to A is for Arsenic: The Poisons

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28:07

Better Sleep: The deep connection between sleep and...

Instant Genius ·

2025/06/08

We humans spend roughly one third of our time sleeping. For the average person this adds up to around 26 years over our lifetimes. And though to the outside observer it may seem that there’s little going on, several processes are being carried out by our bodies and brains that are vital for our health and wellbeing.In this episode, part of our four-part Better Sleep miniseries, we speak to Dr Alessio Delogu, a neurobiologist based at King’s College, London, about the intimate link between sleep

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42:44

How to harness the healing power of the body’s...

Instant Genius ·

2025/06/05

It’s a little-known fact that we all have two long networks of nerves that run down either side of our necks that pass signals from our brains to all of the organs in our bodies. This is known as the vagus nerve, and cutting-edge research is now uncovering how stimulating this vital part of our anatomy can help us combat a whole range of damaging health conditions.In this episode, we speak to neurosurgeon and researcher Dr Kevin J Tracey about his latest book The Great Nerve: The New Science of

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31:26

The evolution of music, its impact on human culture...

Instant Genius ·

2025/06/01

There’s little doubt that music is an integral part of what it means to be human. But how did it first arise, how did musical instruments and compositions become ever more sophisticated and why does listening to or playing music bring us so much joy?In this episode, we speak to science writer and music producer David Darling about his latest book A Perfect Harmony: Music, Mathematics and Science. He tells us how the oldest pitched musical instrument found so far is thought to be more than 40,000

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40:55

Why we should rethink our relationship with alcohol

Instant Genius ·

2025/05/29

The shocking fact is that alcohol is responsible for around three times more deaths globally than any other drug combined, save for tobacco. However, many of us still consume it. So how have we reached this point, and why is alcohol consumption still so deeply ingrained in human culture? In this episode, we speak to Professor David Nutt about the history of alcohol use and the many and varied effects it has on our health, lives and wellbeing. He tells us exactly what alcohol does to our bodies

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0:46

Don't miss the upcoming Better Sleep miniseries!

Instant Genius ·

2025/05/27

Studies show that around one in three of us aren't getting enough sleep, and this is having a huge impact on our ability to perform at our best, both at work and in our home lives. If you're someone who often wakes up in the morning feeling out of sorts, why not tune into the Instant Genius Better Sleep miniseries brought to you from the team behind BBC Science Focus.It's still the same show with the same great guests. We'll just be spending a little extra time to go deeper into how to sleep

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38:28

How humans may soon become an interplanetary species

Instant Genius ·

2025/05/25

It’s now been more than 50 years since any human being has set foot on the Moon, but the ambition to do so again has been gathering pace over the last decade or so. But some scientists and researchers are looking further ahead and planning to establish a human presence on distant planets such as Mars. In this episode, we speak to physicist and director of the Foundation for Space Development Africa Dr Adriana Marais about her book Out of This World and Into the Next: Notes from a Physicist on Space

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36:48

The listening hacks that can transform your health

Instant Genius ·

2025/05/22

Our everyday lives are filled with sounds of all kinds – birdsong, traffic noise, the music we choose to listen to or is played in shops and restaurants, the list is practically endless. But what impact are these sounds having on our individual health and wellbeing and the world at large? In this episode, we speak to author and founder of The Listening Society Julian Treasure about his latest book Sound Affects: How Sound Shapes Our Lives, Our Wellbeing and Our Planet. He tells us how hearing is

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35:23

How new research is combatting Alzheimer’s disease

Instant Genius ·

2025/05/18

One in three people born today will develop dementia of some form in their lifetimes. Of these, around 60 per cent will suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. Currently, there is no cure for this debilitating condition but by raising awareness we can help to reduce its impact until the many researchers working around the world develop more effective treatments.In this episode, which coincides with this year’s Dementia Action Week, we speak to Dr Richard Oakley, Head of

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