A Question of Science

• Who Are Our Ancestors And Why Does It Matter?

  Professor Brian Cox and our expert panel are talking all things ancient DNA. Over the past 50 years, new technology has allowed researchers to sequence and study centuries-old DNA taken from ancient, long-buried human remains. This new insight into our past has led to a whole new understanding of our ancestors, from our migration across the globe, to the environmental changes we’ve experienced, and even the spread of ancient deadly pandemics like the black plague. Our panel of scientists answers questions from a studio audience about the usefulness of commercial DNA tests, the true meaning of ancestry, and what our ancient genetic material could reveal about our future. Panellists Pooja Swali – Research Fellow in Pathogen Genomics, UCL Pontus Skoglund – Group Leader, Ancient Genomics Lab, Francis Crick Institute Adam Rutherford – Lecturer in Biology and Society, UCL Tom Booth – Senior Research Scientist and Archaeologist, Francis Crick Institute Watch the video version of this episode and read a transcript on our website: www.crick.ac.uk/podcast/ancientDNA. If you have a follow up question about any of the episodes in the series, email us: [email protected] A BBC Studios Production for the Francis Crick Institute. © BBC Studios / Francis Crick Institute 2025 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Will We Survive Climate Change?

  Professor Brian Cox and a panel of experts discuss how to curb rising global temperatures and what life could be like in a warmer world. Our planet is hotting up. But as temperatures climb, can we cope with a climate emergency? What can science and technology to do help us, and will social and political change make a difference? Our panel answers the audience’s questions on everything from carbon capture to climate sceptics. Panellists Myles Allen – Head of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics, University of Oxford Kathryn Brown – Director of Climate Change and Evidence, The Wildlife Trust Hayley Fowler – Professor of Climate Change Impacts, Newcastle University George Monbiot – Environmental journalist and campaigner Watch the video version of this episode and read a transcript on our website: www.crick.ac.uk/podcast/climate If you have a follow up question about any of the episodes in the series, email us: [email protected] A BBC Studios Production for the Francis Crick Institute. © BBC Studios / Francis Crick Institute 2025 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Are We Prepared For The Next Pandemic?

  Professor Brian Cox and a panel of experts discuss COVID-19 and whether we are prepared for the next pandemic. Where or when could it happen? How could we control it? What would we do differently? In this episode, a lively studio audience quizzes world-leading scientists and doctors working on the frontline, specialising in infectious disease, vaccines and protecting us from the next deadly outbreak. Panellists Teresa Lambe – Head of Vaccine Immunology, University of Oxford and co-designer of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine Wendy Barclay – Head of the Department for Infectious Disease at Imperial College London Emma Wall – Senior Clinical Research Fellow, Francis Crick Institute and Consultant in Infectious Diseases, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Kevin Fong – Professor of Public Engagement and Innovation, UCL and Consultant Anaesthetist, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Watch the video version of this episode and read a transcript on our website: www.crick.ac.uk/podcast/pandemics If you have a follow up question about any of the episodes in the series, email us: [email protected] A BBC Studios Production for the Francis Crick Institute. © BBC Studios / Francis Crick Institute 2025 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Can We Harness A.I. For Good?

  Professor Brian Cox and our expert panel explore the reality and possibilities of artificial intelligence, and how it's changing our lives. A.I. and machine learning are now part of our everyday lives, but where are they headed and who is in charge? Our panel of scientists, writers and policymakers answers audience questions about the hopes and fears surrounding A.I. and how it can be controlled, and whether it creates new problems – or just amplifies the ones we already have. Panellists Adrian Weller – Director of Research in Machine Learning, University of Cambridge and Head of Safe and Ethical A.I. at The Alan Turing Institute Jeanette Winterson – Writer and author of 12 Bytes: How Artificial Intelligence Will Change the Way We Live and Love Steph Wright – Head, Scottish A.I. Alliance Neil Lawrence – Professor of Machine Learning, University of Cambridge and author of The Atomic Human: Understanding Ourselves in the Age of A.I. Watch the video version of this episode and read a transcript on our website: www.crick.ac.uk/podcast/ai If you have a follow up question about any of the episodes in the series, email us: [email protected] A BBC Studios Production for the Francis Crick Institute. © BBC Studios / Francis Crick Institute 2025 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Can We Cure Cancer?

  Professor Brian Cox and our expert panel are discussing the future of cancer research and treatment. With nearly 1 in 2 of us in the UK now expected to receive a cancer diagnosis in our lifetime, pursuing a cure is more important than ever. Our panel brings expertise from the lab, the clinic and their own experiences to answer audience questions about lifestyle and genetic risks, treatment side effects, and what they see as the biggest areas for hope. Panellists Gerard Evan – Principal Group Leader, Francis Crick Institute and King’s College London Kairbaan Hodivala-Dilke – Deputy Director, Barts Cancer Institute at Queen Mary University of London Lauren Mahon – Cancer survivor and former host of You, Me and the Big C Charles Swanton – Oncologist, University College London NHS Foundation Trust, Chief Clinician, Cancer Research UK and Principal Group Leader, Francis Crick Institute and UCL Watch the video version of this episode and read a transcript on our website: www.crick.ac.uk/podcast/cancer If you have a follow up question about any of the episodes in the series, email us: [email protected] A BBC Studios Production for the Francis Crick Institute. © BBC Studios / Francis Crick Institute 2025 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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