Tim Dowling speaks with Managing Director of the charity organisation GiveWell Buddy Shah all about effective altruism. What it is, how GiveWell implements it and why we should be more effective in our altruism. He also speaks with Bastian Jaeg

What happened to the Neanderthals?

Mar 23rd, 2022 44m 6s

Tim Dowling speaks with research leader of human evolution at the London Natural History Museum Chris Stringer and archaeologist Dr Rebecca Wragg about Neanderthals. They explain the difference between the lives and looks of early Homo Sapiens

How Are We Still Discovering Mammals?

Mar 9th, 2022 27m 29s

In this episode Tim Dowling speaks with biologist Mario Moura and explore Kristofer Helgen about the millions of animals that aren’t currently known to science. Helgen explains how, in 2013, he discovered the Olinguito, the most recently discov

Can We Control the Weather?

Feb 23rd, 2022 28m 15s

Tim Dowling investigates the history of weather control, with the help of guests Dr Kristine Harper and Jim Fleming. Starting with the con men in the 19th century, through to the government sponsored weather control of the 20th century and even

How do they set the Doomsday Clock?

Feb 9th, 2022 34m 15s

Tim Dowling interviews Rachel Bronson the CEO of the Bulletin of The Atomic Scientists, the organisation in charge of setting the Doomsday Clock. They discuss the Doomsday Clock's history and origins and how it has changed in the last 75 years.

Has The Internet Broken Copyright?

Dec 1st, 2021 39m 38s

Tim Dowling speaks with Law Professor Jennifer Jenkins who is Director of The Center for the Study of the Public Domain, about the confusing and messy state of copyright law. He also speaks with veteran youtuber Tom Scott on how the internet an

What makes a Cricket Ball Swing?

Nov 17th, 2021 37m 2s

Tim Dowling speaks with aerodynamics and fluid mechanics experts as well as cricket journalist Emma John to learn all about swing bowling. How it happens, the emergence of reverse swing and its controversies and how weather conditions impact sw

Is The Penny Spent?

Nov 3rd, 2021 26m 18s

Tim Dowling investigates the idea that we should get rid of the penny. Speaking to an economics professor about what the impact could be and to a Canadian economist to find out what happened when Canada got rid of its penny back in 2013.

Are we facing a Bananapocalypse?

Oct 20th, 2021 35m 42s

Tim Dowling speaks with Dr Chris Cockel from Kew Botanical Gardens about the problems facing the Cavendish banana crop and a Professor from the Queensland University of Technology about his work to genetically modify the banana, all trying to

WTF is an NFT?

Aug 11th, 2021 36m 54s

NFTs experienced a huge boom earlier this year particularly after artist Beeple sold his artwork for $69 million, but his artwork was just a jpeg available for everyone to see. So what is an NFT? And why are they selling for so much? Tim Dowlin

Is there such a thing as a dead language?

Aug 4th, 2021 40m 31s

Tim Dowling learns about the future of linguistic diversity around the world. With thousands of languages projected to die out over the next 100 years, guests Ghil'ad Zuckermann and Julia Sallabank explain how languages can be revitalised.

Why Am I Left-Handed?

Jul 28th, 2021 27m 47s

Tim Dowling finds out what makes people left-handed. Also what advantages and disadvantages left-handedness can bring. With Professor Chris McManus and Ed Wright.

What on Earth is Planet 9?

Jul 21st, 2021 36m 49s

Tim Dowling learns about the Planet 9 theory from one of its originators Professor Konstantin Batygin. The theory is that way beyond Neptune and Pluto, on the outer reaches of the Solar System a 9th planet, 5 times the mass of Earth is orbiting

How smart is my dog?

Jul 14th, 2021 33m 57s

Tim Dowling speaks to three of the leading dog cognition experts in the world to learn all about dog intelligence. He attempts to find out how smart are dogs compared to other animals? How smart are the worlds smartest dogs? And how smart is hi