The Infinite Monkey Cage
Episodes
The North Pole Unwrapped - Russell Kane, Felicity Aston and Lloyd Peck
24 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this Christmas episode of The Infinite Monkey Cage, Brian Cox and Robin Ince head to the North Pole to explore the dazzling science behind the nort...
Monkey Business - Robin Dunbar, Dave Gorman and Jo Setchell
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In perhaps the monkiest Infinite Monkey Cage episode there’s ever been, Brian Cox and Robin Ince attempt to uncover the secrets of love, lust and fr...
Head in the clouds - Owain Wyn Evans, Gavin Pretor-Pinney, Amanda Maycock
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Robin Ince and Brian Cox look up to the heavens as they try to ‘de-mistify’ the foggy science of clouds. They’re joined by Cloud Appreciation So...
Fusion – Ria Lina, Yasmin Andrew and Howard Wilson
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Robin Ince and Brian Cox get all fired up, overcome their natural repulsion and come together for this stellar episode on nuclear fusion. They’re jo...
What’s the deal with eels? – Lucy Porter, David Righton and Caroline Durif
26 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Fishing rods at the ready, Brian Cox and Robin Ince attempt to reel in a creature that has baffled scientists since Aristotle: the eel. Wriggling in t...
What’s the time? - Marcus Brigstocke, Leon Lobo, Louise Devoy
19 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Robin Ince and Brian Cox wind up at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich – arguably the centre of time – to uncoil the mysteries of what time is and...
Mind-reading computers – Phil Wang, Anne Vanhoestenberghe and Luke Bashford
12 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For once, Brian Cox and Robin Ince are on the same wavelength – with thinking caps firmly on, they plug into the science of brain-computer interface...
Illuminating Light - Jess Wade, Russell Foster and Bridget Christie
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What is light? How has it shaped our understanding of the universe, our biology, and even our culture? In this illuminating episode Brian Cox and Robi...
Moths v Butterflies - Katy Brand, Jane Hill and Chris Jiggins
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What really separates a moth from a butterfly? Is it just a matter of day and night, or is there more to this fluttering feud than meets the eye? Prof...
Technofossils - Sarah Gabbott, Mark Miodownik and Aurie Styla
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince dig deep into the strata of an imagined human history to unearth the curious concept of technofossils. Joined by paleobiologi...
The Mighty Spud - Sandy Knapp, Glenn Bryan and Susan Calman
30 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Robin Ince and Brian Cox get out the ketchup and peel back the layers of one of the most versatile and beloved foods - potatoes. From the science of s...
How to Build the Perfect Athlete - Helen Glover, Hugh Dennis, Steve Haake and Emma Ross
23 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince are limbering up for a high-performance episode all about what it takes to build the perfect athlete. Joining them on the tra...
Should We Settle in Space? - Tim Peake, Kelly Weinersmith and Alan Davies
16 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince blast off into a cosmic controversy as they ask, should humanity become an interplanetary species? At Harwell Campus, a space...
201st Birthday Bonanza - Mel Giedroyc, Deborah Meaden and Nish Kumar
09 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Get ready for a landmark episode of The Infinite Monkey Cage as we celebrate our 201st show! Brian Cox and Robin Ince invite a lively panel of celebri...
Nature's Shapes - Dave Gorman, Sarah Hart and Thomas Woolley
26 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince unpick the hidden codes behind the shapes we see in nature with mathematicians Sarah Hart & Thomas Woolley and comedian D...
The Sound of Music - Brian Eno, Sam Bennett and Trevor Cox
19 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince explore the history of music recording, joined by acoustics professor Trevor Cox, music professor Sam Bennett and musician an...
Saturn v Jupiter - Katherine Parkinson, Paul Abel and Michele Dougherty
12 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince referee as Saturn and Jupiter square up to each other in a planetary face-off. Representing Team Saturn is space physicist Pr...
Adventures on Ice - Darren Harriott, Liz Morris, Christoph Salzmann and Felicity Aston
05 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Robin Ince and Brian Cox venture into the captivating and surprisingly mysterious realm of ice. Joining them on this cool adventure are former ice dan...
How selfish are we really? - Jo Brand, Matti Wilks and Steve Jones
26 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince kindly open the door for each other as they step into understanding altruism, asking why humans have evolved to help each oth...
Journey to the Centre of the Earth - Phil Wang, Ana Ferreira and Chris Jackson
19 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince slice deep into the lesser-explored world beneath us. To join them on the journey from the crust to the core they are joined ...
An Unexpected History of the Body
25 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince uncover the unexpected history of the body in the archives of the Royal Society with special guests Prof Helen King, Sir Mark...
Is Extinction the End?
18 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince dig into de-extinction asking, could we and should we resurrect creatures of the past? They are joined by geneticist Adam Rut...
Fantastic Elastic
11 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince expand their knowledge of elasticity with Olympian Bryony Page, comedian Jessica Fostekew & experts Dr Anna Ploszajski an...
The Science of Baby Making
04 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince investigate the science of baby making - don’t worry, all theory, no practice! They are joined by Professor Joyce Harper, D...
Starless World
27 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince consider how different our understanding of the universe would be without the stars. They are joined by Maggie Aderin-Pocock,...
Hedgehogs
20 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince emerge from the hedge row waking up their guests from hibernation to discuss the fascinating lives of Britain’s favourite m...
The Cyber Codebreakers
13 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince head to Bletchley Park with comedian Alan Davies, and cyber experts Victoria Baines and Richard Benham to decode cyberwarfare...
Alien Life - Russell Kane, Lisa Kaltenegger and Chris Lintott
21 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are we alone in the universe? Brian Cox and Robin Ince venture to Glastonbury in the search for alien life and are joined in their galactic quest by c...
An Unexpected History of Science - Rufus Hound, Matthew Cobb, Victoria Herridge and Keith Moore
14 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince raid the archives of the Royal Society to reveal an unexpected history of science with guests Rufus Hound, Tori Herridge, Mat...
What a Gas! - Dave Gorman, Mark Miodownik and Lucy Carpenter
07 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince talk hot air as they explore the pivotal role of gasses in our lives. Joining them to add some CO2 to the mix is material sci...
Extreme Exploration - Anneka Rice, Mike Massimino, Britney Schmidt and Jess Phoenix
31 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince venture to the home place of exploration in Porto, Portugal at the Explorers Club as they discuss science at the extremes of ...
'Beastly Bodies' Kids Special - Steve Backshall, Jess French and Adam Kay
24 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by adventurer and naturalist Steve Backshall, veterinarian Jess French, and comedian and former doctor Adam Kay, a...
Science of Board Games - Jess Fostekew, Marcus du Sautoy and Dave Neale
17 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince go past jail, climb a ladder and build a civilisation as they explore the science behind our favourite board games. Joining t...
The Wonder of Trees - Dame Judi Dench, Tony Kirkham and Tristan Gooley
10 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince leaf through the latest tree science with Dame Judi Dench, Tony Kirkham and Tristan Gooley. Dame Judi Dench shares her great ...
The Infinite Monkey's Guide To… Audience Favourites (Pt 2)
29 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
`This week it's over to you the listeners, as we hear some of your favourite moments from The Infinite Monkey Cage. Comedian Claire Hooper hears about...
The Infinite Monkey's Guide To… Tiny Things
22 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince shuffle through the archive to find the smallest things in the world of science, from a particle so tiny nobody has ever actu...
The Infinite Monkey's Guide To… The Future
15 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We know the universe is rapidly expanding but what happens if other galaxies disappear from view? That’s what Eric Idle wants to know as he ponders ...
The Infinite Monkey's Guide To… Failure
08 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince embrace failure in its many forms, with a frank look at the importance of making mistakes. They examine the flaws in Charles ...
The Infinite Monkey's Guide To… Gambling
01 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Robin Ince and Brian Cox ask why some people always seem to win as they investigate the science of gambling. They hear how playing monopoly is no way ...
The Infinite Monkey's Guide To… The Gods
24 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Robin Ince and Brian Cox tackle the thorny debate over whether science and religion can co-exist. But forget the tension between the church and the re...
The Infinite Monkey's Guide To… Talking to Aliens
17 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince are on a mission to discover whether extra-terrestrials exist. But if there really is other life out there, what would it loo...
The Infinite Monkey's Guide To… Gardening
10 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Robin Ince and Brian Cox dig into the secret lives of plants to discover that there’s more going on in your average garden than you might at first t...
The Infinite Monkey's Guide To… Love
03 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Love is in the air(waves) as Brian and Robin trawl through the Monkey Cage archive. From using maths to find a boyfriend or girlfriend, to why birds a...
The Infinite Monkey's Guide To… Murder
27 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox, Robin Ince and their guests will send a shiver down your spine as they sift through the science on murder, and hear some of the more creati...
Higgs Boson
20 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince visit CERN’s Large Hadron Collider in Geneva in search of the Higgs Boson. Joining them on their particular quest is comedi...
Cats v Dogs
13 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince sniff and paw their way through the evidence to put to rest the age-old debate of whether cats are better than dogs. They’r...
Poison
06 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince delve into the murky world of historical poisonings. Joining them to add their drops of killer insight are comedian Hugh Denn...
Asteroids
28 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince journey through the asteroid belt to discuss space rocks with Dr Who companion John Bishop, professor of planetary science Sa...
Could it be magic?
21 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince pull scientific explanations out of a hat and go down the rabbit hole to explore the science of magic with comedian Alan Davi...
Egyptian Mummies
14 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince peel back the layers to explore mummification and the science of Ancient Egypt. They are joined by comedians Russel Kane, Luc...
The Monkeys meet The Sky at Night
20 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by the longest running science show in the world, The Sky at Night, alongside comedian and astronomy enthusiast Da...
Jo Brand's Quantum World
13 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince are subject to a non-hostile takeover by comedian and non-physicist Jo Brand, as she challenges the panel to help her underst...
Hollywood in Space
06 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince put Hollywood under the microscope to unpick the science fact v science fiction of some of the biggest movies set in space. T...
The Scale of Life (or were dinosaurs just too big?)
29 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brian and Robin are joined by palaeontologist Dr Susie Maidment, evolutionary biologist Dr Tori Herridge and comedian Dave Gorman to pitch giant creat...
How I is AI?
22 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brian and Robin (the real ones) are joined by mathematician Prof Hannah Fry, compute scientist Dr Kate Devlin and comedian Rufus Hound to discuss the ...
The Science of Coincidence
14 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Are some people just lucky? Is there any scientific formula behind coincidences? Is randomness the norm? Brian and Robin team up with comedian Soph...
The Infinite Monkey’s Guide to... Audience Favourites
08 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There’s no shortage of surprising science in The Infinite Monkey Cage and this episode is dedicated to you, the audience, as we hear some of your fa...
Octopuses!
08 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If Aliens really are amongst us, the most likely candidates may not be little green men, but living in plain sight, just below our ocean waves, in the...
The Infinite Monkey’s Guide to... Infinity
01 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Endless inflation seems to be everywhere at the moment, including on this episode examining the nature of infinity. Brian and Robin dive through the b...
The Infinite Monkey’s Guide to... Being Human
25 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince consider the quirks that make human beings unique and check in with experts from The Infinite Monkey Cage back catalogue. Pro...
The Infinite Monkey’s Guide to... Oceans
18 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If there’s any doubt that the deep sea is as exciting to explore as the moon or Mars, this episode puts the question to rest, as Robin and Brian wad...
The Infinite Monkey’s Guide to... Building a Universe
11 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
While most of us believe the universe began with a big bang, Brian and Robin hear some of the alternative theories, including an Egyptian myth that it...
The Infinite Monkey’s Guide to... Strawberries
04 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Robin Ince and Brian Cox are still struggling to decide when a strawberry dies as they trawl through the archive to ponder where we should draw the li...
The Infinite Monkey’s Guide to... The Movies
27 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How important is it for movie producers to get the science right? Brian Cox and Robin Ince discover why some surprising movies have scientific adviser...
The Infinite Monkey’s Guide To... Space Travel
20 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Astronauts and explorers including Brian Blessed, Sir Patrick Stewart, Nicole Stott and Charlie Duke reveal the wonders, and challenges, of traveling ...
The Infinite Monkey’s Guide To... The Apocalypse
13 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince take a deep dive into the Monkey Cage archive to find out how scared scientists and comedians are about the universe ending. ...
The Infinite Monkey’s Guide to... The Supernatural
06 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince trawl through the Monkey Cage back catalogue to reveal whether science and the supernatural can sit side by side. They hear h...
Welcome to The Infinite Monkey's Guide To...
05 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince introduce a new series in which they look back at some of the best moments from more than 27 series of their hit science show...
Cosmic Dust
05 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince find out about dust that is raining down on Earth from space. They are joined by planetary scientists Matthew Genge and Penny...
Ancient DNA Secrets
29 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by Horrible Histories alum Ben Willbond, ancient DNA experts Prof Turi King and Dr Tom Booth and Nobel prize winne...
The Secret Life of Sharks
22 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince find out about the apex predators of the ocean. They are joined by physiological ecologist Lucy Hawkes, shark scientist Isla ...
The Magic of Mushrooms
15 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince find out about the secret world of fungi, hidden beneath our feet. They are joined by biologist Merlin Sheldrake and mycologi...
Bees v Wasps
08 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince tackle one of the most important questions posed by science: which is better, bees or wasps? To defend bees, ecologist Dave ...
Supervolcanoes
01 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince find out if supervolcanoes are worth worrying about. They are joined by volcanologist Tamsin Mather, geologist Chris Jackson ...
Are we what we eat?
24 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince examine their own diets and the diet fads of the past to ask what we should actually be eating. They are joined by Dr Chris v...
Magic Materials
25 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You might think materials are a bit boring and inconsequential but without them we would still be living in the stone age. Brian Cox and Robin Ince ar...
How Far Can the Human Body Go?
18 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined on stage by biomechanist Polly McGuigan, evolutionary biologist Ben Garrod, comedian Russell Kane and Olympic gold...
How to Commit the Perfect Murder
11 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by comedian Susan Calman, Prof Sue Black and Dr Julia Shaw as they invent Infinite Monkey Cluedo, and discover whe...
How to think like a mathematician
04 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by comedian Jo Brand, mathematicians Prof Hannah Fry and Dr Eugenia Cheng, and xkcd webcomic creator Randall Munro...
Australia’s Scary Spiders
25 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince end their Australian science adventure with an episode all about spiders. They are joined by ecologists Dieter Hochuli and Ma...
Southern Skies
18 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince start a new series from Sydney, Australia. They are joined by astrophysicists Kirsten Banks and Devika Kamath and comedian Ro...
Why does wine taste good?
24 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For this special Christmas episode, Brian Cox and Robin Ince visit the Australian Wine Research Institute in Adelaide to find out what science can tea...
The Deep Space Network
17 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince visit Canberra for the first of 4 special episodes recorded in Australia. This week they visit the amazing Canberra Deep Spa...
The Age of Conspiracy?
10 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by comedian and author David Baddiel, psychologist Prof Karen Douglas, biologist Prof Matthew Cobb and philosopher...
Can we cure ageing?
03 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince tackle the thorny issue of their own differing experiences of ageing, as they find out why Robin seems to be doing it so much...
Hunting for Exoplanets
26 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince continue their LA science adventure as they visit Caltech in Pasadena to meet the scientists hunting for planets orbiting di...
Exploring our solar system
19 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Infinite Monkey Cage teleports to California for this special episode recorded at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. They are joined by comedian a...
What have we learnt from Covid?
12 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince return for a new series with an illustrious panel of experts to discuss what scientists have learnt from Covid and what we ha...
How to Teach Maths
03 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by comedian Sara Pascoe and the very numerate Prof Hannah Fry, maths comedian Matt Parker and statistician Prof Da...
Brains
27 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by comedian Alan Davies and neuroscientists Prof Uta Frith and Prof Sophie Scott. They discover the secret to why...
Astronauts
20 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince look back at Planet Earth from the unique perspective of space with the help of astronauts Nicole Stott and Chris Hadfield, S...
Black Holes
13 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by Monty Python's Eric Idle, and cosmologists Dr Netta Engelhardt and Dr Janna Levin as they tackle one of the big...
The Wood Wide Web
06 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by Ted Lasso's Brendan Hunt, Professor of forest ecology and author of "The Mother Tree", Suzanne Simard and botan...
Exploring the Deep
30 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by comedian and musician Tim Minchin and oceanographers Diva Amon and Jon Copley to uncover what mysteries still l...
Bats v Flies
23 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Cox and Robin Ince kick off the new series by tackling one of the greatest questions ever posed by science: which are better, bats or flies?Join...
A History of Rock
15 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A History of RockBrian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by rock enthusiasts Ross Noble, Paleontologist Susie Maidment and Geologist Chris Jackson to look...
The Fundamentals of Reality
08 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Fundamentals of RealityBrian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by Nobel prize-winning physicist Frank Wilczek, cosmologist Janna Levin, and comedians ...
The Science of Cooking
01 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Science of CookingBrian Cox and Robin Ince get their chef's hats on as they look at the science of cooking. They are joined by comedian Katy Bran...
Neanderthals
25 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The NeanderthalsBrian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by hominids Alan Davies, Neanderthal expert and author Rebecca Wragg Sykes, and paleontologist and...
Under our Night Sky
18 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Under The Night SkyBrian Cox and Robin Ince discover the importance of the night sky to human history and how our relationship with the stars has cha...