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 two bite-sized masterclasses 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 Genius on BBC Science Focus Magazine's YouTube channel. Follow us on X: @SFIGPod
658 episodes transcribedFor most of us, music has a unique, almost supernatural, ability to trigger our emotions and memories and conjure up evocative images or even fantasie...
Most of us think about the liver as simply being the body’s filtration system that acts as a sponge that removes toxins from our bloodstreams. But the...
Despite affecting as many as 80 per cent of women by the age of 50, fibroids, lumps of tissue that grow in or around the womb, are not commonly discus...
It was previously thought that once our brains suffer an injury due to stroke or trauma, the potential for recovery was severely limited. But recent d...
When most of us think of parasites, our minds will likely turn to thoughts of the various icky creatures that can invade our bodies, make their homes...
When it comes to the effects of ageing on our bodies, there are many more factors at play than simply the number of years we’ve been alive. It turns o...
The truth is, when most of us think of wasps, our minds will likely go to memories of irritating winged pests landing in our drinks when we’re trying...
These days the supplement industry is booming – supermarket shelves are stacked high with all manner of pills and powders claiming to do everything fr...
Although it often goes unnoticed, plankton is the most abundant form of life in Earth’s oceans, making up 95 per cent of all oceanic biomass. These ti...
Every minute of every day, our bodies are flooded with a complex web of hormones – chemical messengers that travel through the bloodstream, coordinati...
Becoming a parent is undoubtedly one of the biggest events that can occur in any of our lifetimes – suddenly we have a tiny living being to take care...
While the larger, more impressive or charismatic animal and plant species often receive the most attention, the natural world is filled with lesser-kn...
In June of every year, the LGBTQ+ community across the world comes together to celebrate Pride Month – an annual event that began in 1970 to promote a...
Whether it’s the swab tests many of us use to help us piece together our family trees, the painstaking detective work carried out by forensic scientis...
Traditionally, ecologists wanting to take stock of the diversity, health and population levels of animal species within a given environment have neede...
Our world may look vibrant and full of color. But in reality, our human eyes are only picking up the tiniest slice of all the light shining in the Uni...
When it comes to the sounds we encounter in the natural world, few have the beauty, elegance and variety of birdsong. But these distinctive vocalisati...
Over thousands of years, human beings evolved to walk upright on two legs, efficiently and over long distances. But these days, thanks to changes in o...
Hedgehogs are in decline all over Europe. These prickly little fellas are faced with so many threats – in their rural habitats, in our gardens, and on...
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, is currently thought to affect around one in 20 of the world’s population, making it one of the mos...
