This episode, killer robot designer James Coglan wants to know whether he can harness the power of insect intelligence to carry out his evil plans. Elli Leadbeater from Royal Holloway University stalls for time until the cops arrive.

Brain Train #17 - Rachel Souhami asks James Coglan about Killer Robots

Nov 4th, 2015 28m 57s

Brain Train driver Alice Bell steps aside and hands her whistle over, as our new co-host, museums polymath Rachel Souhami, steps up to the plate. It’s like when The Doctor regenerates.In her inaugural episode, Rachel asks programmer James Cog

Brain Train Podcast #16 - Charlotte Riley talks voting and fairness with Chris Good

Sep 12th, 2014 26m 8s

On the eve of the Scottish Referendum, (thoroughly) modern historian Charlotte Riley ask pure mathematician Chris Good about the fairness of voting systems, host Alice Bell steers them onto sewage, badgers and her aunts, and Chris wonders aloud

Brain Train Podcast #15 - Justin Bates and Charlotte Riley

Jul 24th, 2014 29m 22s

This episode, tenancy lawyer Justin Bates asks Charlotte Riley why cold war USA and USSR came together to condemn Britain in 1956 over an Egyptian canal. What happened next may surprise you*.Alice Bell hosts and writes clickbait tweets.*she

Brain Train Podcast #14 - Caitjan Gainty and Justin Bates

Jun 10th, 2014 27m 39s

Caitjan Gainty is guided by housing lawyer Justin Bates through the tangled wreckage that once was tenants' rights in England and Wales. Brain train engineer Martin Zaltz Austwick cracks his knuckles loudly on-mic and nibbles bourbons desponden

Brain Train Podcast #13 - Camilla Sutherland and Caitjan Gainty

May 6th, 2014 25m 4s

This episode artist Camilla Sutherland diagnoses the state of American health insurance with medical historian Caitjan Gainty, in a touching and personal story of baby scans and economics.

Brain Train Podcast #12 - Martin Zaltz Austwick and Camilla Sutherland

Mar 31st, 2014 21m 38s

This episode sociable physicist Martin Zaltz Austwick asks art historian Camilla Sutherland why people get so excited about Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Alice Bell hosts and brings jaffa cakes, the quietest of all recording snacks.

Brain Train Podcast #11 - Alexandra Lamont and Jonathan Williams

Nov 14th, 2013 23m 48s

This episode Alexandra Lamont asks NPL standards expert Jonathan Williams "where are you going with that massive silicon ball?" and other pressing questions about kilograms, seconds, mols and candelas. Martin Zaltz Austwick is this week's biscu

Brain Train #10 - Emily Dawson and Alexandra Lamont

Aug 29th, 2013 29m 42s

Sociologist Emily Dawson asks Music Psychologist Alexandra Lamont why Bourdieu, Jolene and Natalie Merchant make her cry. Extra long episode of Brain Train this time, as host and editor Martin Zaltz Austwick could not bring himself to cut out a

Brain Train #9 - Joanne Cole and Emily Dawson

Jul 12th, 2013 26m 11s

Back after a lengthy hiatus, Brain Train returns as whizz physicist Jo Cole asks Science Education expert Emily Dawson why there aren’t more women whizz physicists. Martin Zaltz Austwick provides the experimental control as a stereotypical whit

Brain Train #8 - Vincent Plagnol and Joanne Cole

May 10th, 2013 21m 49s

In which Geneticist Vincent Plagnol wonders out loud what on earth a Higgs Boson is and why do physicists need to keep on doing experiments now they've found it, and Particle Physicist Jo Cole is more than happy to tell him. Alice Bell helms (a

Brain Train #7 - Jeremy Ashbee and Vincent Plagnol

Mar 25th, 2013 25m 47s

Castle expert Jeremy Ashbee wants to understand genetics, evolution and identity - and geneticist Vincent Plagnol has the insight to fuel this episode of Brain Train, helped by usefully simple-minded interjections from this week's host, Martin

Brain Train #6 - Shiloh Fetzek and Jeremy Ashbee

Feb 25th, 2013 23m 54s

Today the Brain Train takes a detour through Wales, admiring its palaces, fortifications and English occupiers. Jeremy Ashbee is King of Castles and Shiloh Fetzek is the dirty rascal.Hosted by Alice Bell, who manages not to bring “castle toil

Brain Train #5 - Jakob Stougaard-Nielsen and Shiloh Fetzek

Feb 1st, 2013 22m 10s

"How was Miss Smilla's Sense of Snow influenced by the political effects of climate change in Greenland?" I hear you ask. Jakob Stougaard-Nielsen is asking that question too and it's up to Shiloh Fetzek to shout answers from the footplate of th

Brain Train Podcast #4 - Nina Power and Jakob Stougaard-Nielsen

Jan 1st, 2013 24m 42s

Philosopher Nina Power asks crime fiction scholar Jakob Stougaard-Nielsen about sociopathy and the relationship between crime writing, mental health and society.

Brain Train Podcast #3 - Johanna Finneman And Nina Power

Oct 26th, 2012 23m 54s

Autism expert Johanna Finneman asks philosopher Nina Power about the role of philosophy in the world of academia, and the world of the world. You know, the world. Alice Bell hosts in her unmistakable style.

Brain Train Podcast #2: Sarah Bell and Johanna Finneman

Sep 22nd, 2012 36m 10s

Water engineer Sarah Bell asks autism researcher Johanna Finneman about what autism actually is, and whether it's more likely to affect the children of engineers...

Brain Train: pilot

Sep 22nd, 2012 28m 24s

Alice Bell quizzes water systems engineer Sarah Bell (no relation) on water, sewers and the kite marks for fake stools, with host Martin Zaltz Austwick.(Image: Crossness Pumping Station, CC BY-SA 2.0 by Steve Cadman)