Whether you’re curious about getting healthy, the Big Bang or the science of cooking, find out everything you need to know in under 30 minutes with Instant Geni...
Anyone who has switched on the news even briefly this year will no doubt have seen scenes of extreme flooding occurring in all corners of the globe. But are these events getting more frequent and more severe or are we just becoming more aware of them?
In this episode, we catch up with Prof Trevor Hoey, a hydrologist based at Brunel University, London.
He tells us about the various climate mechanisms driving these extreme weather events, how counterintuitively severe droughts are being caused by the same processes and he also details some of the measures we can take to minimise the damage these events cause.
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34:57
How belonging to tribes shapes our culture
Be it down to our professions, taste in music or favourite sports teams we all belong to several different tribes. But what drives this instinct and what purpose does it serve?
In this episode, we speak to cultural psychologist Prof Michael Morris about his latest book: Tribal – How the Cultural Instincts That Divide Us Can Help Bring Us Together.
He breaks down the influence our peers have on us, explains why we look up to hero figures and why tradition has such a huge impact on our beliefs, lifestyles and identities.
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45:30
The science of manipulation
Why do we humans seem to be so easily influenced or even fooled? On one hand this can be done for entertainment, in a Las Vegas stage magic show for example, but on another it can be used for more nefarious purposes such as con artists tricking people into sharing their bank account details.
In this episode, we speak to science writer and BBC Science Focus contributor Brian Clegg to talk about his latest book: Brainjacking – The Science of Influence and Manipulation.
He tells us how our emotions can make us susceptible to being tricked, the role advances in technology such as AI are increasingly playing in our ability to manipulate others and how the whole phenomenon stems from our love of a good story.
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33:17
How the internet shaped how we speak
Through emojis, memes, acronyms and inside jokes, the internet has forever changed how we communicate. But what is the result of that and what does it mean for how we’ll speak in the future? We spoke to linguist and author of the book Because Internet, Gretchen McCulloch, to find out.
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32:34
Feeding the world’s growing population
The Earth’s population currently stands at more than 8 billion and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. There’s little doubt that these staggering numbers are placing a huge strain on global food supplies, so what can be done for the human race to thrive and survive long into the future?
In this episode, we catch up with multidisciplinary researcher and author Prof Vaclav Smil to talk about his latest book – How to Feed the World.
He tells us how evolution has determined the staple foods we now rely on for nourishment, how this influences our chances of continued survival and why technology is yet to find a viable solution to the urgent issue of feeding the world.
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Whether you’re curious about getting healthy, the Big Bang or the science of cooking, find out everything you need to know in under 30 minutes with Instant Genius. The team behind BBC Science Focus Magazine talk to world-leading experts to bring you a bite-sized masterclass 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.
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