BBC Radio Podcasts from The Infinite Monkey Cage

Nature's Shapes - Dave Gorman, Sarah Hart and Thomas Woolley

Brian Cox and Robin Ince reveal the hidden codes behind the shapes we see in nature.

The Sound of Music - Brian Eno, Sam Bennett and Trevor Cox

Brian Cox and Robin Ince play through the history of music recording and composition.

Saturn v Jupiter - Katherine Parkinson, Paul Abel and Michele Dougherty

Brian Cox and Robin Ince referee the battle of the gas giants as Saturn takes on Jupiter.

Adventures on Ice - Darren Harriott, Liz Morris, Christoph Salzmann and Felicity Aston

Brian Cox and Robin Ince glide their way across the ice to crack into solid water.

How selfish are we really? - Jo Brand, Matti Wilks and Steve Jones

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are on their best behaviour as they explore altruism.

Journey to the Centre of the Earth - Phil Wang, Ana Ferreira and Chris Jackson

Brian Cox and Robin Ince dig deep to unveil the high-pressured world beneath our feet.

Brian and Robin introduce the new series

Brian Cox and Robin Ince look ahead to Series 32 of The Infinite Monkey Cage.

An Unexpected History of the Body

Brian Cox and Robin Ince dissect the Royal Society archives with Ed Byrne and guests.

Is Extinction the End?

Brian Cox and Robin Ince explore the mammoth topic of de-extinction.

Fantastic Elastic

Brian Cox and Robin Ince stretch into the science of elasticity with Olympian Bryony Page.

The Science of Baby Making

Brian Cox and Robin Ince investigate where babies come from!

Starless World

Brian Cox and Robin Ince illuminate the story of the stars with John Bishop.

Hedgehogs

Brian Cox and Robin Ince forage into the prickly lives of hedgehogs with Pam Ayres.

The Cyber Codebreakers

Brian Cox and Robin Ince venture to Bletchley Park to decode cyberwarfare with Alan Davies

Alien Life - Russell Kane, Lisa Kaltenegger and Chris Lintott

Brian Cox and Robin Ince search for alien life at Glastonbury with Russell Kane and guests

An Unexpected History of Science - Rufus Hound, Matthew Cobb, Victoria Herridge and Keith Moore

Brian Cox and Robin Ince raid the Royal Society's archives with Rufus Hound and guests.

What a Gas! - Dave Gorman, Mark Miodownik and Lucy Carpenter

Brian Cox and Robin Ince diffuse themselves into the intriguing world of gasses.

Extreme Exploration - Anneka Rice, Mike Massimino, Britney Schmidt and Jess Phoenix

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by scientists working at the extremes of exploration.

'Beastly Bodies' Kids Special - Steve Backshall, Jess French and Adam Kay

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by special guests and put to the test by curious kids.

Science of Board Games - Jess Fostekew, Marcus du Sautoy and Dave Neale

Brian Cox and Robin Ince reveal the hidden science behind our favourite board games.

The Wonder of Trees - Dame Judi Dench, Tony Kirkham and Tristan Gooley

Brian Cox and Robin Ince discuss the Wonder of Trees with Dame Judi Dench and guests.

The Infinite Monkey's Guide To… Audience Favourites (Pt 2)

More listeners' favourite moments from the Infinite Monkey Cage.

The Infinite Monkey's Guide To… Tiny Things

Searching through the Monkey Cage back catalogue for the tiniest things in our universe.

The Infinite Monkey's Guide To… The Future

Searching back through the Monkey Cage archive to find what the future might hold.

The Infinite Monkey's Guide To… Failure

A trawl through the back catalogue reveals some of science’s most epic failures.

The Infinite Monkey's Guide To… Gambling

Sifting through the science behind betting and why we gamble.

The Infinite Monkey's Guide To… The Gods

Examining the evidence on the difficult relationship between science and religion.

The Infinite Monkey's Guide To… Talking to Aliens

Searching for alien life in the Monkey Cage back catalogue.

The Infinite Monkey's Guide To… Gardening

Digging deep into the Monkey Cage archive for scientific surprises about flora and fauna.

The Infinite Monkey's Guide To… Love

Embracing the best Infinite Monkey Cage episodes about love and desire.

The Infinite Monkey's Guide To… Murder

A trawl through the Monkey Cage archive for clues to committing the perfect murder.

Higgs Boson

Brian Cox and Robin Ince go to the Large Hadron Collider in search of the Higgs Boson.

Cats v Dogs

Brian Cox and Robin Ince claw through the science to find out if cats are better than dogs

Poison

Brian Cox and Robin Ince unbottle the history of poison.

Asteroids

Brian Cox and Robin Ince journey through the asteroid belt and beyond to chat space rocks.

Could it be magic?

Brian Cox and Robin Ince conjure up scientific explanations for magical goings on.

Egyptian Mummies

Brian Cox and Robin Ince unwrap the science of Egyptian mummies.

The Monkeys meet The Sky at Night

Brian Cox and Robin Ince team up with the Sky at Night team for some backyard astronomy.

Jo Brand's Quantum World

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are challenged by Jo Brand to explain quantum physics.

Hollywood in Space

Brian Cox and Robin Ince peer review Hollywood movies set in space.

The Scale of Life (or were dinosaurs just too big?)

Brian Cox and Robin Ince discover why size really matters if you want to avoid extinction.

How I is AI?

Brian Cox and Robin Ince worry about how worried we should be about AI.

The Science of Coincidence

Brian Cox and Robin Ince explore the science of coincidence and being lucky.

The Infinite Monkey’s Guide to... Audience Favourites

Brian and Robin present audience favourites from 14 years of The Infinite Monkey Cage.

Octopuses!

Brian Cox and Robin Ince explore the magical world of the octopus.

The Infinite Monkey’s Guide to... Infinity

Brian and Robin consider the mind-bending idea of multiple infinities.

The Infinite Monkey’s Guide to... Being Human

Brian and Robin consider the quirks that make human beings unique.

The Infinite Monkey’s Guide to... Oceans

Brian Cox and Robin Ince dive into what lies beneath.

The Infinite Monkey’s Guide to... Building a Universe

Brian Cox and Robin Ince weigh up the ingredients for building a universe.

The Infinite Monkey’s Guide to... Strawberries

Brian Cox and Robin Ince ponder the point when living things die.

The Infinite Monkey’s Guide to... The Movies

Separating science fact from fiction with a trip to the movies.

The Infinite Monkey’s Guide To... Space Travel

Brian Cox and Robin Ince explore the wonders of space travel.

The Infinite Monkey’s Guide To... The Apocalypse

A trawl through the archive to reveal the terrifying ways the universe could end.

The Infinite Monkey’s Guide to... The Supernatural

A ramble through the Monkey Cage archive for the ultimate guide to the supernatural.

Welcome to The Infinite Monkey's Guide To...

Brian Cox and Robin Ince look back at the best moments from their hit science show.

Cosmic Dust

Brian Cox and Robin Ince find out about mysterious dust from space.

Ancient DNA Secrets

Brian Cox and Robin Ince look at the amazing story of the discovery of King Richard III.

The Secret Life of Sharks

Brian Cox and Robin Ince find out about the surprising behaviour of sharks.

The Magic of Mushrooms

Brian Cox and Robin Ince discover the magic of mushrooms.

Bees v Wasps

Which species is 'better': bees or wasps? Brian Cox and Robin Ince find out.

Supervolcanoes

Brian Cox and Robin Ince find out if we should be worried about supervolcanoes.

Are we what we eat?

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by Harry Hill to look at diet and nutrition.

Magic Materials

Brian Cox and Robin Ince find out about the materials that we couldn’t live without.

How Far Can the Human Body Go?

Brian Cox and Robin Ince discover the limits of human endurance.

How to Commit the Perfect Murder

Brian Cox and Robin Ince invent Infinite Monkey Cluedo and try to plot the perfect crime.

How to think like a mathematician

Brian Cox and Robin Ince apply mathematical thinking to everyday problems.

Australia’s Scary Spiders

Brian Cox and Robin Ince find out about Australia’s scariest creatures: spiders.

Southern Skies

Brian Cox and Robin Ince look up at the stars of the southern hemisphere.

Why does wine taste good?

Brian Cox and Robin Ince find out what science tells us about wine.

The Deep Space Network

Brian Cox and Robin Ince take the monkey cage to Australia to visit the Deep Space Network

The Age of Conspiracy?

Brian Cox and Robin Ince discover if we are living in a golden-age for conspiracy theories

Can we cure ageing?

Brian Cox and Robin Ince discover whether ageing could really be cured.

Hunting for Exoplanets

Brian Cox and Robin Ince discuss the hunt for elusive planets outside our solar system.

Exploring our solar system

Brian Cox and Robin Ince visit Nasa's JPL with comedian Conan O'Brien.

What have we learnt from Covid?

Brian Cox and Robin Ince wonder what we have learnt from Covid?

How to Teach Maths

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by comedian Sara Pascoe to get a unique maths lesson.

Brains

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by Alan Davies as they delve inside the human brain.

Astronauts

Brian Cox and Robin Ince look back at Earth with some truly out of this world guests.

Black Holes

Brian Cox throws Robin Ince into a black hole to see what happens next.

The Wood Wide Web

Brian Cox and Robin Ince discover how trees talk to each other using the Wood Wide Web

Exploring the Deep

Brian Cox and Robin Ince travel deep below the ocean waves to discover what lies beneath.

Bats v Flies

Brian Cox and Robin Ince return for a new series of the hit science/comedy show.

A History of Rock

Brian Cox and Robin Ince look at the history of rock. Not Pink Floyd... actual rock.

The Fundamentals of Reality

Brian Cox and Robin Ince explore the fundamentals of reality.

The Science of Cooking

Brian Cox and Robin Ince don chef's hats and aprons to look at the science of cooking.

Neanderthals

Brian Cox and Robin Ince explore the extraordinary lives of the Neanderthals.

Under our Night Sky

Brian Cox and Robin Ince discover how our relationship with the night sky has changed.

In Praise of Flies

Brian Cox and Robin Ince discover why flies should be celebrated, not swatted.

Does Time Exist?

Brian Cox and Robin Ince ask whether time is simply an illusion.

What is Life?

Brian Cox and Robin Ince ask what is life?

When the Monkeys Met the Chimps

Brian Cox and Robin Ince look back at 60 years of chimpanzee research with Jane Goodall.

The Sun

Brian Cox and Robin Ince take a dazzling look at the science of the sun.

An Astronaut's Guide to Isolation

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by 4 amazing space explorers in an astronaut special

Space Archaeology

Brian Cox and Robin Ince look at what science can reveal about human history, from space.

Black Holes

Brian Cox and Robin Ince push Matt Lucas into a black hole, all in the name of science.

The End of the Universe

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are back, for now, with a look at how the Universe might end.

UFO special

Brian Cox and Robin Ince investigate alien and UFO sightings.

Lucy Beaumont's Close Encounters

Brian Cox and Robin Ince send Lucy Beaumont to investigate UFO sightings in Hull.

Quantum Worlds

Brian Cox and Robin Ince enter the bizarre world of Quantum Physics

Fire

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by Ed Byrne to look at the science of fire.

Coral Reefs

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by Marcus Brigstocke to talk about the magic of coral.

Conspiracy Theories

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by Shazia Mirza as they discuss conspiracy theories.

Science of Laughter

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by Frank Skinner to discuss the science of laughter.

Brits in Space

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by British astronauts Tim Peake and Helen Sharman.

Anniversary of the Periodic Table

Brian Cox, Robin Ince and guests celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Periodic Table.

Science of Dreaming

Brian Cox and Robin Ince have a sleepy look at the science of dreaming.

Clever Creatures

Brian Cox and Robin Ince discuss intelligent creatures from clever crows to cunning squid.

Dinosaurs

Brian Cox and Robin Ince return to chat dinosaurs with, amongst others, Rufus Hound.

The Infinite Moonkey Cage

Brian Cox and Robin Ince celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo moon landings.

How We Measure the Universe

Brian Cox and Robin Ince explore how we measure the universe.

How to Build a Bionic Human

Brian Cox and Robin Ince learn how to build a bionic human.

Are humans still evolving?

Brian Cox and Robin Ince ask whether human beings are still evolving?

Origin of Numbers

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by Hannah Fry to look at the origin of numbers

The Future of Humanity

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by Chris Addison to discuss the future of humanity.

Microbes: Secret Rulers of the World?

Brian Cox and Robin Ince return for a new series. This week Ed Byrne joins the panel.

GCHQ

Brian Cox and Robin Ince transport The Infinite Monkey Cage to GCHQ.

Special Bonus Edition

Brian Cox and Robin Ince reminisce about their favourite Monkey Cage moments.

The Human Voice

Brian Cox and Robin Ince get vocal on the science of the human voice.

Immune System

Brian Cox and Robin Ince look at our amazingly complex and clever immune system.

Invasion

Brian Cox and Robin Ince talk alien invasion, although not of the little green men kind.

Big Data

Brian Cox and Robin Ince ask: what is big data, and how big is big?

The Infinite Monkey Cage 100

Brian Cox and Robin Ince celebrate their 100th episode with some very special guests.

Volcanoes

Brian Cox, Robin Ince and special guest Jo Brand look at the science of volcanoes.

How Animals Behave

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by Rufus Hound to look at animal behaviour.

Teenage Brain

Brian Cox, Robin Ince and guests uncover the science of why teenagers are so teenagery.

Antibiotics

Brian Cox and Robin Ince look at the history and future of antibiotics.

The Secret Life of Birds

Brian Cox and Robin Ince explore the secret life of birds.

When Two Stars Collide

Brian Cox and Robin Ince and guests including Dara O'Briain look at gravitational waves.

Christmas Special 2017: The Science of Magic

Brian Cox, Robin Ince and special guests explore the science of magic.

The Mind v the Brain

Brian Cox and Robin Ince look at our minds and brains, with special guest Katy Brand.

Are We Living in a Simulation?

Brian Cox and Robin Ince wonder if we are living in a computer simulation?

Will insects inherit the earth?

Brian Cox and Robin Ince discover the wonders of insects.

Oxygen: A Matter of Life and Death

Brian Cox and Robin Ince take a look at the life and death properties of oxygen.

Astronaut Special

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by a panel, every member of which has been in space.

What Particles Remain to be Discovered?

Brian Cox and Robin Ince return to discuss the next great mystery for particle physics.

Making the Invisible Visible

Brian Cox and Robin Ince discover how science can make the invisible visible.

The Human Story: How We Got Here and Why We Survived.

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by Ross Noble to look at how modern humans evolved.

Oceans: What Remains to Be Discovered?

Brian Cox and Robin Ince discover the wonders still lying hidden deep within our oceans.

Science's Epic Fails

Brian Cox, Robin Ince and guest Rufus Hound look at some of science's epic fails.

How to Beat the House and Win at Games

Brian Cox and Robin Ince learn how to beat the house and win at games using science.

The Science of Everyday Life

Robin Ince and Brian Cox look at the laws of nature that govern your everyday life.

Christmas Special 2016

Brian Cox and Robin Ince return for a special Christmas edition of the science/comedy show

The Universe: What Remains to Be Discovered?

Brian Cox and Robin Ince take to the stage at the home of radio astronomy, Jodrell Bank.

200 Years of Frankenstein

Brian Cox and Robin Ince celebrate the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

Battle of the Sexes

Brian Cox and Robin Ince and guests discuss the biological battle of the sexes.

Science of Sleep

Brian Cox, Robin Ince and guests discuss the science of sleep.

The Recipe to Build a Universe

Brian Cox and Robin Ince ask what ingredients it takes to build a universe.

The Sound of Music

Brian Cox and Robin Ince kick off the new series at the Glastonbury Music Festival.

Brian and Robin's Infinite Inbox

Brian Cox and Robin Ince answer The Infinite Monkey Cage listeners' questions.

Climate Change

Brian Cox, Robin Ince and special guest Dara O Briain discuss climate change.

Maths of Love and Sex

Brian Cox and Robin Ince get romantic as they discuss the mathematics of love.

What Is Reality?

Brian Cox and Robin Ince ask, 'What is reality?'.

Invisible Universe

Brian Cox and Robin Ince head to Mosi in Manchester and look at the invisible universe.

What is Race?

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by Shappi Khorsandi and ask 'What is race?'.

Artificial Intelligence

Brian and Robin talk artificial intelligence with Jo Brand, Anil Seth and Alan Winfield.

Christmas Special 2015

Brian Cox and Robin Ince and special guests look at the science in Doctor Who.

Episode 2

Brian Cox and Robin Ince explore the legacy of Einstein's great theory.

Episode 1

Brian Cox and Robin Ince celebrate the 100th anniversary of Einstein's great theory.

Forensic Science

Brian Cox, Robin Ince and guests take a forensic look at forensic science.

Speed

Brian Cox, Robin Ince and guests look at the science of speed.

The Infinite Monkey Cage USA Tour: San Francisco

Brian Cox and Robin Ince head to San Francisco to talk aliens and UFOs.

The Infinite Monkey Cage USA Tour: Chicago

Brian Cox and Robin Ince take to the stage in Chicago to discuss fossils and evolution.

The Infinite Monkey Cage USA Tour: Los Angeles

Brian Cox and Robin Ince take to the stage in LA, as they continue their tour of the USA.

The Infinite Monkey Cage USA Tour: New York

Brian Cox and Robin Ince head to New York in the first of four shows from the USA.

Serendipity

Brian Cox and Robin Ince look at some of the most serendipitous discoveries in science.

What Is the Point of Plants?

Brian Cox, Robin Ince and guests ask, 'What's the point of plants?'.

When Quantum Goes Woo

Why is quantum physics often so popular with purveyors of pseudoscience and quackery?

Solar System

Brian Cox, Robin Ince and guests talk about the latest explorations of our solar system.

Fierce Creatures

Brian Cox and Robin Ince tackle (verbally!) the most dangerous creatures on the planet.

Deception

Brian Cox and Robin Ince tackle the science of deception.

Christmas Special 2014

Brian Cox and Robin Ince bring their blend of science and comedy to the festive season.

Irrationality

Brian Cox, Robin Ince and their guests ask, 'Is irrationality genetic?'.

Before the Big Bang

Brian Cox and Robin Ince ask what happened before the big bang.

Can Science Save Us?

Stephen Fry and Eric Idle join Brian Cox and Robin Ince to ask, 'Can science save us?'.

Does Science Need War?

Brian Cox, Robin Ince and guests ask whether science needs war to drive it.

Are Humans Uniquely Unique?

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by Ross Noble to ask whether humans are truly unique.

Numbers Numbers Everywhere

New series of the irreverent science/comedy show presented by Brian Cox and Robin Ince.

Brian and Robin's Infinite Inbox

Infinite Monkeys Brian Cox and Robin Ince attempt to answer some questions from listeners.

Science and Spin

A witty, irreverent and unashamedly rational look at the world of science communication.

Should We Pander to Pandas?

A witty and unashamedly rational look at the science of biodiversity and conservation.

To Infinity and Beyond

Brian and Robin explore mathematics, infinity and the role of numbers in everyday life.

Science Rocks!

A witty, irreverent and unashamedly rational look at the world of fossils and geology.

Through the Doors of Perception

A witty, irreverent and unashamedly rational look at the science of perception.

Risk

Brian and Robin rational look at the science of risk with Graeme Garden.

Science Museum

Brian Cox and Robin Ince discuss the wonder of science at London's Science Museum.

Alfred Russel Wallace

Brian Cox and Robin Ince mark the 100th anniversary of the death of Alfred Russel Wallace.

What Makes Science a Science?

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined Ben Goldacre, Sophie Scott and Evan Davis.

Space Tourism

Brian Cox and Robin Ince talk space exploration and space tourism with actor Brian Blessed

Glastonbury

Brian Cox and Robin Ince transport their own take on quantum physics to Glastonbury.

What Is Death?

Brian and Robin discuss the scientific nature of death with comedian Katy Brand.

Christmas Special: The Science of Christmas Behaviour

Brian Cox and Robin Ince celebrate Christmas with Mark Gatiss and Steve Jones.

Creating Life

Comedian Ed Byrne joins Robin and Brian to talk about science's quest to create life.

Brain Science

Jo Brand joins Brian Cox and Robin Ince for witty, irreverent science chat.

Secret Science

Simon Singh and Dave Gorman join Brian and Robin to discuss Bletchley Park.

Improbable Science

Katy Brand joins Brian and Robin to discuss some unusual avenues of scientific research.

Space Exploration

Brian and Robin are joined by Patrick Stewart, Ben Miller and Monica Grady.

Science v Art

Al Murray joins Brian and Robin at the Latitude Festival for a science/art showdown.

Parallel Universes

Brian Cox, Robin Ince and guests look at one of the most tantalising ideas of cosmology.

The Science of Symmetry

The Monkeys discuss symmetry with Marcus Du Sautoy, Alan Moore and Adam Rutherford.

Does Size Matter?

Debating the advantages and disadvantages of being really huge, or extremely small.

Science Mavericks

Marcus Brigstocke joins Brian Cox and Robin Ince to discuss the role of science mavericks.

Oceans: The Last Great Unexplored Frontier?

Robin Ince and Brian Cox consider the mysteries that remain uncovered in the watery depths

The Science of Christmas

Robin Ince and Brian Cox discuss Christmas with Richard Dawkins and Mark Gatiss.

I'm a Chemist Get Me Out of Here

Dara O'Briain joins the Infinite Monkeys Robin Ince and Brian Cox for science/comedy chat.

The Science of Sound

Robin Ince and Brian Cox discuss the science of sound with Tom Wrigglesworth.

The Origins of Life

Robin Ince and Brian Cox are joined by rationalist comedian and musician Tim Minchin.

A Balanced Programme on Balance

Robin Ince and Brian Cox are joined by guests Sir Paul Nurse and comedian Katy Brand.

What's the North Ever Done for Us?

Back for a new series, Robin Ince and Brian Cox are joined by impressionist Jon Culshaw.

Science vs The Supernatural: Does Science Kill the Magic?

Robin Ince, Brian Cox and guests put science up against the supernatural.

Is There Room for Mysticism in a Rational World?

Robin Ince and Brian Cox take the Infinite Monkey Cage to Glastonbury.

Is Cosmology Really a Science?

Robin Ince, Brian Cox and guests debate whether Cosmology is really a science?

So You Want To Be An Astronaut?

Brian Cox and Robin Ince discuss the future of human space travel.

Six Degrees

Stephen Fry joins Brian Cox and Robin Ince to talk about six degrees of separation.

What Don't We Know?

Brian Cox and Robin Ince return for a new series of witty, irreverent science chat.

Philosophy

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by Alexei Sayle when they ask "Is Philosophy Dead?".

Randomness

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by comedian Tim Minchin to talk randomness and chance.

Modern World

Brian Cox, Robin Ince and Paul Foot ask if the modern world is a force for good or evil.

Apocalypse

Andy Hamilton, Brian Cox and Robin Ince discuss the science behind any future apocalypse.

Things Can Only Get Better?

Will the latest advances in biomedical sciences ever lead us to the perfect body?

Science Fiction, Science Fact

Jonathan Ross, graphic novelist Alan Moore and string theorist Brian Greene on sci-fi.

Trust me, I'm a Scientist

Ben Goldacre and Dave Gorman discuss the notion of trust in science.

Popular Science

With Brian Cox and Robin Ince, recorded at the Cheltenham Science Festival.

Science and Religion

Robin Ince and Brian Cox are joined by the Very Rev Victor Stock and Adam Rutherford.

Quantum Physics

Ben Miller joins Brian Cox and Robin Ince to talk physics, comedy and astrology.

Extraterrestrial Life

Robin Ince and Brian Cox are joined by Jon Ronson and Seth Shostack from SETI Institute.

Science and Comedians

An irreverent look at the world through scientists' eyes. With Brian Cox and Robin Ince.