Instant Genius

How new research is combatting Alzheimer’s disease

18 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 dise...

How microbes are vital for life on Earth, and may even help save the planet

15 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Although we can’t see them with the naked eye, the Earth is populated by vast numbers of tiny living organisms such as bacteria, fungi and viruses. ...

How climate change is disrupting nature’s ancient symbiotic relationships

11 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Be it a pair of wolves that mate for life, a pod of female dolphins that hunt together, or a large colony of honeybees all working together in a hive,...

How catastrophes have shaped the world as we know it

08 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The history of the Earth is littered with dramatic events that have shaped the planet itself and the lives of the human beings who live on it in profo...

How mathematics shapes human creativity

04 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s commonly believed that the arts and the sciences have little in common with each other. The distinction that’s most frequently made is that t...

How climate change impacts the world’s most vulnerable people

01 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When think about climate change, we may think about global temperatures escalating, extreme weather events occurring more and more and sea levels risi...

How future materials will help save the planet

27 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Everywhere we look we’re surrounded by materials of all kinds – from the fabrics we use to make our clothing, to the bricks and mortar we use to b...

How we can engineer humans for life beyond Earth

24 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Like it or not, Earth won’t be our home forever. Whether it’s climate collapse, nuclear war, or the slow death of the Sun, life on this planet is ...

What contraception is doing to our bodies – and what we’ll use in future

20 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Millions of people around the globe pop a daily pill or live with pieces of metal or plastic inside their bodies, all to avoid getting pregnant. But w...

How to hack your brain to make better decisions

17 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Every day we’re presented with hundreds if not thousands of decisions: What do we want for breakfast? Should we call our mothers or spend time with...

How to actually see the Northern lights

13 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

These days many of us have a bucket list, a set of experiences we’d like to have at least once in our lives. Seeing the Northern Lights with our ow...

Why a healthy ocean is vital for the survival of the human race and planet Earth

10 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The ocean covers more than 70 per cent of our planet’s surface. Thanks to its ability to absorb the excess carbon and heat generated by climate chan...

Food science: Why fermentation is the future of food

06 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Humans have been fermenting foods for millennia, due to the process’s ability to enhance the flavours of what we eat and preserve it for when times ...

The science behind the stunning phenomenon of the Northern Lights

03 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Northern Lights are surely one of the most awe-inspiring phenomena anyone can be lucky enough to witness occurring on planet Earth. But how exactl...

Food Science: How to become an expert baker through science

30 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Baking can be hard. Measurements need to be exact and techniques perfected. But with the right tricks and by understanding the science of baking, you ...

The biggest unsolved mysteries of the quantum realm

28 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This year quantum physics celebrates its 100th anniversary. And while we’ve made great progress in understanding its many intricacies and quirks, it...

Food Science: The fascinating science of cheesemaking

24 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Whether it’s the crowning glory on the top of a pizza Margherita, layered between two pieces of bread in a sandwich laced with pickle, or simply enj...

How birds’ bizarre mating rituals have played a key role in their evolution

21 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Be it the extravagant displays of peacocks fanning their tails, the beautiful, complex song of nightingales or the meticulous art installation-like st...

Food Science: How eating chocolate boosts your brain, heart and gut health

17 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Chocolate has a reputation. It is sugary and bad for you. But in its purest form, it can be beneficial to your health. As part of our Food Science ser...

Why OCD is a serious, debilitating mental condition, not just a need for cleanliness or order

14 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We all experience distressing or intrusive thoughts at some point in our lives but for around two to three per cent of us these can be incredibly diff...

How truth and honesty are key to tackling the climate crisis

10 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Despite decades of international climate summits, the ongoing work of various campaign groups and open letters signed by some of the world’s most pr...

How to combat uncertainty in a post-truth world

07 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

These days we’re bombarded with information and claims that purport to explain almost every conceivable aspect of our lives, be it down to the bold ...

How AI is helping us to understand how our brains learn

03 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The human brain is surely one of the most complex and fascinating creations in all of nature. It’s through them that we experience the world around ...

What our coastlines can tell us about the planet’s past and future

28 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From the dramatic caves that bring to mind the pirates and smugglers of yore to the rolling sand dunes many of us likely played in as children, our co...

How to see through misleading numbers and statistics

24 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Whether it’s from our friends, workmates or via various media platforms, both social and traditional, these days we’re all faced with a never-endi...

Prostate cancer: What is it and why is it so often missed?

21 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The prostate is often misunderstood. And yet, this small part of the body is crucial. However, it is also one of the most common forms of cancer, affe...

Don't miss the upcoming Food Science miniseries!

19 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever been frustrated when your carefully baked loaves come out of the oven looking more like pancakes? Or wondered why cheese tastes so good ...

What meteorites tell us about life on Earth and the Universe

17 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Meteorites are one of the best indicators that we can get of what is out there in Space. Helen Gordon, author of the new book The Meteorites: Encounte...

How psychology can help us see through propaganda

14 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It can be hard to know what is true and false in a world of disinformation. But there are some tricks that people use to frame what they say and learn...

How psychology can help us unlock the power of saying ‘no’

10 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Whether it’s accepting a work assignment we know we don’t have time for, attending a social occasion even though we’d much rather hunker down at...

How science is tackling one of the most common causes of sight loss

07 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Dame Judi Dench has recently been in the news speaking about the long-term issue she’s been having with sight loss. The veteran actor has a conditio...

How our brains create our sense of self

03 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Over the last century or so neuroscientists around the world have been uncovering more and more about how our very identities are formed by the differ...

How body image pressures lead to steroid use

31 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Be it a Marvel superhero, a fashion model or a professional athlete, we likely all have an image in our minds of what we wish our bodies looked like. ...

Healthy Start: How small behavioural changes help manage stress

27 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Whether it’s due to deadlines at work, an upcoming exam or a rocky personal relationship, we’ve no doubt all felt stress at some point in our live...

How music therapy can heal our bodies and brains

24 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Many of us listen to music every day, perhaps to help us relax in the evening after a hard day’s work, get us through a tough workout or maybe even ...

Healthy Start: How taking up new hobbies can boost your mental health

20 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Whether it’s a sport, painting or spending hours buried in puzzles, there is a clear link between our experience of hobbies and our mental health. P...

How science can help us tackle racism

17 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Most of us like to think we live in an equal society that offers the same opportunities to all. But unfortunately, hundreds of scientific studies say ...

Healthy Start: How to cut down your social media use

13 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With a smartphone in our pockets at all times, social media is only ever a few clicks away. With this, problematic social media use is easy to fall in...

Why smell is our most underrated sense

10 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s commonly thought that when compared to other members of the animal kingdom we humans have a particularly poor sense of smell. But this couldn’...

Healthy Start: How to make goals and stick to them

06 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This time of the year lots of us will be setting new goals for the future. Be it getting fitter, reading more or even writing that novel we always sus...

The power of optimism

03 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Be it the recent outbreak of wars around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic or the unfortunate personal events that will undoubtedly befall us at some p...

Don't miss the upcoming Healthy Start miniseries!

01 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Would you like to learn how to set goals and stick to them? How about cutting down the time you spend on social media? Or how about learning to cope b...

What happens in your body when you eat

20 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What’s your favourite food? A hamburger, a slice of cake, a pizza? Eating is something we all do every day but most of us rarely think about what ac...

How to combat flooding

16 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Anyone who has switched on the news even briefly this year will no doubt have seen scenes of extreme flooding occurring in all corners of the globe. B...

How belonging to tribes shapes our culture

13 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Be it down to our professions, taste in music or favourite sports teams we all belong to several different tribes. But what drives this instinct and w...

The science of manipulation

09 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why do we humans seem to be so easily influenced or even fooled? On one hand this can be done for entertainment, in a Las Vegas stage magic show for e...

How the internet shaped how we speak

06 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Through emojis, memes, acronyms and inside jokes, the internet has forever changed how we communicate. But what is the result of that and what does it...

Feeding the world’s growing population

02 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Earth’s population currently stands at more than 8 billion and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. There’s little doubt that these s...

How extinction can protect future animals

29 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Living through a mass extinction means the end of a species’ existence inevitably collides with significant events in our personal lives. But what d...

How opening our eyes, ears and noses can help us deepen our relationship with wildlife

25 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

From the distinctive caw of a crow to the musky scent of a beaver, the world around us is filled with the telltale signs of animals going about their ...

The psychology of anger

22 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s likely that even the most virtuous amongst us has experienced feelings of anger at some point in our lives. But is this simply a failing in our...

How to beat the winter blues

18 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As the nights draw in and the temperature drops, many of us find ourselves feeling a little less jolly and a bit more sluggish than usual. But for som...

Why being cynical is harming your health

15 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

While being cynical can feel safe, and prepared for the worst outcome, it could actually be harming your health. We spoke to Jamil Zaki, author of the...

How to Hack Your Sleep: How not getting enough sleep affects your health

11 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Lots of us will have at some points in our lives woken up feeling groggy after getting a poor night’s sleep. But what causes us to have trouble slee...

The genetic evolution and future of humankind

08 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Understanding who we are and where we came from is one of the most fascinating questions in science. But it’s also one of the most difficult to answ...

How to Hack Your Sleep: The science of bizarre sleep phenomena

04 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Research over the past few decades has proven that getting a good night’s sleep is essential for our health and wellbeing. But sometimes strange thi...

The fascinating history of science

01 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We may pride ourselves on our intelligence, but humans perhaps actually have to thank our ability to process and communicate information for our speci...

How to Hack Your Sleep: What to eat to get better sleep

28 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We all know we should be eating a good diet to keep ourselves healthy, but did you know your diet can have a significant impact on how well you sleep?...

How the James Webb Space Telescope is peering deeper into the cosmos than ever before

24 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Since its launch on Christmas Day 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope has delivered some of the most stunning images of space we’ve ever seen, peer...

How to Hack Your Sleep: Optimising your body clock

20 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Our bodies have in-built clocks that allow us to sync our daily activities to a roughly 24-hour cycle. This determines everything from our sleep patte...

How the history of all life on Earth is written in DNA, with Richard Dawkins

17 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Since the discovery of the double helix by Francis Crick, James Watson and Rosalind Franklin in the 1950s, human knowledge of DNA and genetics has gro...

Don't miss the upcoming How to Hack Your Sleep miniseries!

15 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do you find it hard to get out of bed first thing in the morning? Maybe you feel your energy levels starting to wane in the afternoon? Or perhaps you ...

How to keep your dog calm, safe and happy

13 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We all love our dogs and want to do what’s best for them but, unfortunately, they aren’t able to talk to us to let us know when something isn’t ...

When we’ll actually move to Mars

10 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re anything like Kelly and Zach Weinersmith, the idea of a mass human migration to space is exciting but, well, a little flawed. As they say ...

Exploring the diversity of England’s distinctive habitats

06 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For a relatively small country, England is home to an astonishing variety of habitats. From the low-lying grasses, gorse and heather that make up the ...

How listening to our animal minds can help us overcome stress and anxiety

03 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know that according to some psychologists we have two minds, not one? The first of these is our regular, analytical mind – the part of us th...

How to easily trigger your flow state

29 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 the...

Why smartphones really aren’t that bad for your kids

26 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 come...

How changes in our chromosomes could lead to the end of men

22 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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...

How to think about uncertainty more scientifically

19 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 un...

Free will is an illusion. Here’s why

15 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Free will, as defined by the Encyclopedia Britannica, is the “supposed power or capacity of humans to make decisions or perform actions independentl...

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

12 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Life as a brain surgeon

08 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 per...

The healing power of nature

05 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

How science is helping us restore the Earth’s atmosphere

01 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

Why you're probably not getting enough fibre – and how to fix it

29 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ev...

Surprising facts about weird animal abilities

25 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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...

How thinking more radically can help us see the bigger picture

22 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

These days we’re constantly bombarded with information, be it from television, social media, friends and family or simply from the world around us. ...

Why your plants are more intelligent than you think

18 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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...

How science can help us predict the future

15 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 I...

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

11 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 Shackle...

Superhumans and the end of ageing: Renowned futurist Ray Kurzweil's vision of 2050

08 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

How fungi is vital to life on Earth

04 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 p...

Peak Performance: Have we reached peak human athletics performance?

01 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 lim...

Peak Performance: How to recover faster and come back stronger

28 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 bodie...

Peak Performance: The secret tricks athletes use to strengthen their willpower, according to a sports psychologist

25 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Peak Performance: How to get the most out of your workout, whatever your level of fitness

21 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Most of us know that we should probably be trying to get a bit more exercise, but fitting gym sessions into our busy work and homelives can often be t...

How gases shaped life on Earth and helped human beings to prosper

18 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

From the oxygen in the air we breathe to the atmosphere that cloaks the Earth and protects us from the Sun’s harmful ultraviolet light, gases are es...

Don’t miss the upcoming Peak Performance miniseries special!

17 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Looking to get the maximum possible benefits out of your gym time? Want to find out why what you do to recover outside of the gym is just as important...

How biology has shaped the history of the human race

14 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There are currently more than eight billion human beings living on Earth, occupying nearly every corner of the planet. It’s a remarkable situation t...

How a heating planet is changing sports

11 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We can see climate change in our food, holidays and even day-to-day life, but one area we rarely think about is our sports. And yet, climate change co...

How maths can help us to understand the human brain

07 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s often said that the human brain is the most complex structure in the known Universe. So how do we go about studying it? You may think that we s...

Here’s why science says you do have free will

04 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Did you really choose to listen to this podcast? Or was the decision just the product of neurons firing in your brain, used by biochemical reactions, ...

How triangles are hiding everywhere

30 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

From tortilla chips and ham sandwiches to teepees and the Great Pyramid of Giza, the world is filled with triangles. But why is this seemingly simple ...

The gene therapy future has arrived

27 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Right now, in hospitals around the world, patients are being cured of diseases once thought untreatable. The reason? A gene therapy revolution means ...

How to form more meaningful relationships

23 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s well established that human beings are social animals who thrive on making connections with others. But did you know that developing and mainta...

Misophonia: Why some of us can’t bear the sound of chewing

20 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a scene many of us will have experienced: we’re at the cinema, the lights go down, the film begins and then suddenly the person behind us sta...

How close are we to discovering aliens?

16 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Finding alien life could be just around the corner. At least, that’s if the James Webb Space Telescope and other techniques help us discover their e...

The story of human evolution, from the Big Bang to the advent of consciousness and beyond

13 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why are we here? Where did we come from? What are we even made from? These must be some of deepest questions humans can ever ask. But that has never s...

How thinking about addiction differently can help us find better treatments

09 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Addiction can be devastating not only for the addict themselves, but also for their loved ones and anyone around them. But what causes it, and how sho...