Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea

Extra: Could Europa Clipper Detect Life on Jupiter's Moon?

14 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Fabian Klenner is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Washington

The Evolution of Eggs!

12 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Jules Howard - Zoological Correspondent and Author of Infinite Life: A Revolutionary Story of Eggs, Evolution and Life on Earth

Extra: Ant Supercolonies

08 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

John Whitfield is a Science journalist and Author

Space Elevators

05 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Professor Arun Misra is a Thomas Workman Emeritus Professor in Mechanical Engineering at McGill University.

Extra: Why Don't Woodpeckers Get Concussed?

30 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sam Van Wessenbergh is a Research Professor in the Laboratory for Functional Morphology of the Department of Biology at the University of Antwerp

The Interstellar Workshop

28 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Joseph Meany is a Science consultant and board member of the IRG (Interstellar Research Group)

Extra: Extinctions: How Life Survives, Adapts and Evolves

23 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Mike Benton is Professor of Vertebrate Palaeontology at University of Bristol and author of Extinctions: How Life Survives, Adapts and Evolves

The Purpose of the Universe

21 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Philip Goff is Professor of Philosophy at Durham University and author of Why? The Purpose of the Universe

Extra: Could We Cure Brain Tumours?

16 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Bryan Choi - Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at Harvard Medical School and Associate Director of the Centre for Brain Tumour Immunology and Immuno...

Near Death Experiences

15 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Jimo Borjigin is Associate Professor of Molecular & Integrative Physiology at the University of Michigan

Gold: Where Are We?

07 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Vanessa Collingridge is an Author, Broadcaster and Doctor of Historical CartographyHelene Courtois is Professor of Astrophysics at the University of L...

Gold: DARPA - The Pentagon's Brain

05 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Annie Jacobsen is a Bestselling author & Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of DARPA - The Pentagon's Brain

Extra: Studying psi

02 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Chris French is Emeritus Professor and Former Head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at the University of London and author of The Science o...

Nuclear War: A Scenario

31 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Annie Jacobsen is a Bestselling author & Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of Nuclear War: A Scenario

The Science of Menstruation

27 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Jennifer Gunter is a Gynaecologist & author of Blood: The Science, Medicine and Mythology of Menstruation

Eat, Poop, Die

24 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Joe Roman - Conservation biologist and marine ecologist at the University of Vermont and Author of Eat, Poop, Die: How Animals Make Our World

Extra: Enhancing Daylight

19 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Jonathan speaks with Professor Brian Norton from the Tyndall National Institute

The Nocebo Effect

17 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Charlotte Blease is Associate Professor in the Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Sweden and co-author of The Nocebo Eff...

Extra: The Ice Cube Neutrino Observatory

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Francis Halzen is Professor of Physics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Principle Investigator at the Ice Cube Neutrino Observatory

Who Owns The Moon?

10 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Professor AC Grayling is a Philosopher and Author of Who Owns the Moon?: In Defence of Humanity’s Common Interests in Space

Extra: Brain Fog

05 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s almost exactly 4 years since the Covid 19 pandemic came to these shores and although thankfully the pandemic is over, there is still a lot to l...

Why We Humans Can Get Used To Just About Anything

03 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Jonathan speaks to Cass Sunstein - Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard and Co-Author of "Look Again: The Power of Noticing What Was Always...

Futureproof Extra: A New Habitat in the Pacific Garbage Patch

27 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Jonathan is joined by Jim Carlton - Professor of Marine Sciences, Emeritus, Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts

Why Do Humans Grow Up So Slowly?

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Jonathan is joined by Brenna Hassett - Lecturer in forensic osteology and archaeology at the University of Central Lancashire and author of Growing Up...

Documentary Special: Scorched Earth

18 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this special edition of Futureproof, Jonathan joins researchers from DIAS as they travel to a volcano on the Galapagos Islands. Funded by Coimisiú...

Extra: Managing Stress Via The Gut

13 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Jonathan speaks to Professor John Cryan from UCC

Could We Delay The Menopause?

12 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Scientists at Yale think freezing ovarian tissue at a young age could help us to postpone or event prevent the onset of menopause altogether. Jonathan...

Futureproof Extra: The origins of Guinness yeast

06 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers from Diageo have discovered that the yeast used to make Guinness is genetically different from any other Irish beer. Joining Jonathan to d...

How does a brain implant affect your mind?

04 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week Elon Musk announced his Neuralink company has implanted a wireless brain chip into a human for the first time.But how significant is this st...

Futureproof Extra: What is the Coriolis Effect?

30 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As we’ve discussed before on Futureproof, nature has some strange but very cool patterns - one such pattern is the Coriolis Effect. Joining Jonathan...

How does the human eye see so many colours?

28 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Scientists in Maryland in the United States are exploring what a lab-grown retina can tell us about how we can see millions of colours. Joining Jonath...

Futureproof Extra: How does our skin age?

23 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As we grow older, we experience a multitude of changes - both emotionally and physically - and while those changes can be challenging at times, it is ...

The science of quantum teleportation

21 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

That old maxim of “knowledge is power” is as true today as it was when Francis Bacon first coined the term back in the late 1500s; and while that ...

Futureproof Extra: The vest that could help predict sudden cardiac death

16 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers from University College London have developed an electrocardiographic imaging (ECGI) vest that might help identify individuals at a higher...

What makes urine yellow?

14 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We all know that our urine is yellow, or at least, it should be. While we have known for some time that it is urobilin that's responsible for the yell...

Futureproof Extra: Reaching for the Sun

09 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This year we will come closer than ever to touching the Sun than ever before. That’s because of an upcoming NASA mission called the Parker Solar Pro...

Warning drivers of road obstacles with 3D holograms

07 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Road safety has been at the forefront of the minds of many of us with the significant death toll last year but scientists at the University of Cambrid...

Best of 2023 - The Fascinating History of Measurement

31 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Looking back at the best episodes in 2023: Have you ever wondered how humans came about the concept of ‘measuring’ things? How did Ancient Egyptia...

Best of 2023 - Why Can't we Breathe Underwater?

31 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

One of the best conversations from 2023: Ryan Kerney, organismal biologist at Gettysburg University, joined Jonathan to discuss why humans can’t bre...

Best of 2023 - Can we Live on Mars?

31 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The notion of human beings getting to and settling on Mars has been a staple of science fiction for decades.But what are the social, scientific, and e...

How can Humans Survive Extreme Cold?

24 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Professor Mike Tipton from the University of Portsmouth joins Jonathan to discuss the effect of the extreme cold on our bodies and how we try to stay ...

The Atmospheric Phenomenom: STEVE

24 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Claire Gasque, physics graduate at the University of California, Berkeley, joins Jonathan to discuss the mysterious atmospheric phenomenon only known ...

Futureproof Extra: How your organs can be a different age to the rest of your body

19 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know that your organs can be a different age than your body? Jonathan is joined by Jarod Rutledge, longevity scientist and Stanford Excellence...

Creating VR Goggles for Mice

17 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve ever experimented with VR, you know it can trick your brain into thinking that what you see is real.But in the United States, they are tak...

The Potential of Functional Foods

12 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jonathon is joined by Prof. Daniel Granato, course director for Functional Foods and Product Development at the University of Limerick to discuss func...

The Benefits of Hypoxia Training with Prof. Phil Jakeman

10 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Hypoxia training could help patients at risk of health complications ahead of surgery, scientists at the University of Limerick have found. Joining Jo...

Futureproof Extra: How leaves form their shapes

05 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Leaves have many different jobs: photosynthesis, gas exchange, water exchange, and more. But how do they end up in the shapes that they are? Joining J...

The importance of scepticism in science

03 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For centuries we have been marketed and sold products that claim extraordinary things only to find out that the evidence and application don’t match...

Futureproof Extra: Where do we save our memories?

28 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Our brain has about 86 billion neurons making it a pretty busy place but how much of that space is dedicated to storing our memories and where exactly...

Should we delay clamping the umbilical cord?

26 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Joining Jonathan to discuss new research that indicates that a delay in clamping the umbilical cord of premature babies could decrease the risk of dea...

Science Week Special: What are the biggest threats to humanity?

19 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to the end of humanity, there are numerous ways it might come to pass - be it a wayward asteroid, the eruption of a super volcano, the e...

Futureproof Extra: Exploring why UTIs persist with artificial bladders

14 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There are around 400 million global cases of UTIs or urinary tract infections per year, and they can often persist, but why? Researchers in the UK hav...

EIRSAT-1: Ireland’s first satellite set for launch

12 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Educational Irish Research Satellite 1 (EIRSAT-1) is set for launch in November, which will make it Ireland’s first venture into space. To discu...

Best of Futureproof: Why You Can't Focus

05 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Futureproof, Jonathan McCrea interviews Johann Hari, author of ‘Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention'.

Futureproof Extra: The problem with 'Forever Chemicals'

31 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Synthetic compounds are found in a multitude of items that we manufacture. They can help us create newfound or superior chemical composites that go in...

Nature’s most effective and delicious toxins

29 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Prof. Noah Whiteman has been exploring the secrets of nature’s toxins, how they evolved, and how we use them. Noah is Professor of Genetics, Genomic...

Futureproof Extra: Pigments in the fossil record & the medical applications of Biophotonics

24 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why is your cat ginger or black? Often it comes down to a very small type of pigment that scientists in Cork have been examining to learn more about t...

Does free will exist?

22 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to free will, we think of our ability to independently make decisions based on our own desires or interests. That being said, there are ...

Do athletes perceive the world differently?

15 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Now when it comes to elite sports, there are many attributes that set the best apart from the rest. Not only do you probably have to have won the gene...

Futureproof Extra: What causes male pattern hair loss?

10 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Male pattern hair loss is something that over 80% of men will experience in their lifetime. Yet despite it being so widespread, the fundamentals of wh...

What are the "JuMBO" objects found in the Orion Nebula?

08 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Scientists at the European Space Agency have used the James Webb Space Telescope to reveal the presence of pairs of planet-like objects in the Orion N...

Futureproof Extra: Just how big can our brains get?

03 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have conducted the largest-ever study of the genetics of our brain structure. But how can the shape and siz...

Are we too fixated on optimising our world?

01 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What are the consequences of living in a world so driven by efficiency, pace, and cost? Applied mathematician Coco Krumme, uses mathematical modelling...

Futureproof Extra: Toxoplasma Gondii

26 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What if we told you that a tiny parasite might be influencing the very core of wolf behaviour, making these fierce predators act in ways contrary to t...

Lessons in longevity from the naked mole-rat

24 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Listeners to the show might remember that last year we spoke to Dr. Vera Gorbunova from Rochester Aging Research Center at the University of Rochester...

Futureproof Extra: Protecting our underwater cultural heritage

19 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Walk into any national museum, in any part of the world, and you will see artifacts of significance – from coins and jewellery, to weapons, utensils...

Can a robot be a person?

17 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

While the question of 'what is a robot?' might have been easily answered just a few years ago, it is increasingly difficult to define.So, rather than ...

Futureproof Extra: The World of Dust

12 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dust. You might hate it, you might want to get rid of it, you might not know where it comes from, but did you know there are actually two billion tonn...

What our eyes can tell us about our health

10 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We think of our eyes as external organs, but anatomically we can also consider them to be an extension of the brain, and this feature is proving to be...

Futureproof Extra: How rotational force is essential to everything

05 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know that in one sleep you will have travelled close to million miles by the time you wake up? This is due to the fascinating science of spin ...

Will we soon be able to cure obesity?

03 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Weight loss drugs such as Wegovy and Ozempic have exploded in popularity over the past few years with them producing some quite incredible results. Bu...

Futureproof Extra: The Science of Cultured Meat

29 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

From dietary downsides to the environmental impact large-scale farming has on the planet - not to mention the profound cruelty to which billions of an...

Womb transplants and the future of reproductive medicine

27 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In a pioneering operation, the first womb transplant took place in the UK this week. But how soon could we see this in Ireland? Joining Jonathan to re...

Futureproof Extra: Capturing Cosmic Dust

22 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Cosmic dust might be closer than you think - in fact, it might even be on top of a nearby tall building. And that’s exactly where Dr. Penelope Woz...

Can we reverse or stop ageing completely?

20 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You might think becoming eternally young isn’t possible but scientists from Cornell University, the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridg...

Futureproof Extra: Burying nuclear waste in Finland

15 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the depths of the ground in Finland, high-level radioactive nuclear waste will be buried in the world’s first such permanent storage facility of ...

How to build a spacesuit

13 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wondered about what goes into making a spacesuit? Amy Ross has been with NASA for 30 years, and is a spacesuit engineer specialising in ...

Futureproof Extra: The Science of Suncream

08 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The science behind suncream is really surprising, as explored by writer Grace Browne in her recent piece in Wired. She joins Jonathan to shed light on...

Black Holes in Bathtubs

06 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Black holes - cosmic enigmas with immense gravitational forces - have long perplexed scientists. At Nottingham University's Black Hole Laboratory, Pro...

How technology affects our sleep

01 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The way we sleep has dramatically changed in recent years. Our alarm clock used to be the only piece of tech we associated with sleep, but we now hav...

The relationship between your gut and your relationships

30 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know your gut might be able to tell you about the strength of your relationships? A recent study from Arizona State University shows that the ...

Futureproof Extra: How To Expect The Unexpected

25 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Kit Yates, senior lecturer in the Department of Mathematical Sciences and co-director of the Centre for Mathematical Biology at the University of ...

How deepfakes impact your memory

23 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With the advancement of artificial intelligence, deepfakes are becoming easier and cheaper to produce and as a result, scientists are testing the pote...

Weapons of the Future, The Fibonacci Sequence & Cryo Conservation

16 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Weapons of the Future We can see it in our newsfeeds every single day, as war rages on the eastern frontiers of Europe - so too are the changing dyna...

Futureproof Extra: Geothermal Power

11 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jonathan is joined by Jon Blundy, Royal Society Research Professor, Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Oxford who proposes we utilise v...

MDMA as a treatment for PTSD

09 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You might think of MDMA as more of a recreational drug but actually it is being clinically trialled in a therapeutic setting as a potential treatment ...

Futureproof Extra: Ηow air pollution affects our health

04 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

According to the World Economic Forum, 99% of the world’s population experiences air pollution levels exceeding WHO guidelines. But recent studies...

The Woman Who Feels No Pain

02 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The biology underpinning a rare genetic mutation that allows its carrier to live virtually pain-free, heal more rapidly, and experience reduced anxiet...

Futureproof Extra: Harvesting electricity from thin air

27 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As our energy consumption continues to grow, we will need to find more and more ways to actually create the electricity we need. But soon you might b...

The development of a new drug to prevent blood clotting

25 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

According to new research, the drug dimethyl fumarate has been shown to block blood clotting during infection, which could make a sizable impact on pe...

Futureproof Extra: Creating the First Synthetic Human Embryo

20 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have we just been made futile as a reproductive species? This week researchers in the University of Cambridge and in the US announced their creation o...

Why Ireland Has Fewer Earthquakes Than Britain

18 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Generally speaking, Ireland is a pretty safe place. For example, when it comes to natural phenomena, insects, or animals, very few things can do you s...

Futureproof Extra: The Dangers & Opportunities of Artificial Intelligence

13 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Recently hundreds of leading technology experts, journalists, and policymakers from across the world released a statement saying that: “Mitigating t...

Tackling the growing problem of light pollution

11 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When you look up into the night sky and you see the incredible array of stars and planets that are visible to us here on Earth, it is impossible not t...

Futureproof Extra: Combating Bad Data & Misleading Numbers

06 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Nature is, without over-egging things, an unstoppable force – one which we pale miserably in comparison to with all our brio and intellect. But we...

Innovating Healthcare: Galway's Clinical Revolution

04 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Induced temporary hibernation for surgery and long-term space travel, creating energy from nothing, skin patch immunotherapy for peanut allergies, and...

Futureproof Extra: Immunology Breakthrough

30 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Immunotherapy is a type of treatment which helps the immune system fight cancer. It enhances the system ability to recognize, target, and eliminate ca...

The First Egyptian Astronaut

28 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

People with prosthetic limbs are able to feel warmth in their missing hands, a type of bacteria in babies being a predictor of future weight struggles...

Futureproof Extra: AI Mindreading

23 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Speech to text, text to speech, but what about thoughts to text? A new technology has been developed which allows AI to convert your thoughts into tex...

Why can’t we breathe underwater?

21 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this week’s episode, Eoin Murphy and Dr Jessamyn Fairfield take us through the latest stories in our Newsround. We hear about the world’s deadl...