BBC Radio Podcasts from The Life Scientific

Hannah Critchlow on the connected brain

Neuroscientist Hannah Critchlow on connections within - and between - brains.

Fiona Rayment on the applications of nuclear for net zero and beyond

Jim Al-Khalili talks to the president of the Nuclear Institute about all things nuclear.

Nick Longrich on discovering new dinosaurs from overlooked bones

Jim Al-Khalili talks dinosaurs and ‘one in a million year’ events with Dr Nick Longrich.

Sheila Willis on using science to help solve crime

Forensic scientist Dr Sheila Willis on when the worlds of science and the law collide.

Sir Charles Godfray on parasitic wasps and the race to feed nine billion people

Professor Jim Al-Khalili talks to leading scientists about their life and work.

Jonathan Van-Tam on Covid communication and the power of football analogies

Sir Jonathan Van-Tam discusses his work around infectious diseases and Covid-19.

Michael Wooldridge on AI and sentient robots

Michael Wooldridge, professor of Computer Science at the University of Oxford, talks AI.

Mercedes Maroto-Valer on making carbon dioxide useful

Jim Al-Khalili chats to a 'solutions scientist' about solving our CO2 problem.

Sir Harry Bhadeshia on the choreography of metals

Sir Harry Bhadeshia on his work in metallurgy and choreographing crystalline structures.

Cathie Sudlow on data in healthcare

Jim Al-Khalili discusses population-wide health research with Professor Cathie Sudlow.

Sir Michael Berry on phenomena in physics' borderlands

Professor Jim Al-Khalili meets one of Britain's greatest physicists, Sir Michael Berry

Professor Sarah Harper on how population change is remodelling societies.

Jim Al-Khalili talks to Professor Sarah Harper about societal ageing and falling fertility

Sarah Blaffer Hrdy on human evolution and parenthood

Jim Al-Khalili discusses monkey infanticide and human parenting with Sarah Hrdy.

Edward Witten on 'the theory of everything'

Physicist Edward Witten on M-Theory, the leading contender for a 'theory of everything'.

Alex Antonelli on learning from nature's biodiversity to adapt to climate change

Jim Al-Khalili meets the Kew Gardens' director using bio-geography to protect biodiversity

Paul Murdin on the first ever identification of a black hole

Paul Murdin shares his story of the first identification of a black hole, Cygnus X-1.

Bahija Jallal on the biotech revolution in cancer therapies

Bahija Jallal on the biotech revolution in cancer therapies.

Sir Colin Humphreys on electron microscopes, and the thinnest material in the world

Sir Colin Humphreys on LEDs, electron microscopes, and the thinnest material in the world

Chris Barratt on head-banging sperm and a future male contraceptive pill

Professor Chris Barratt discusses breaking new ground in male fertility research.

Gideon Henderson on climate ‘clocks’ and dating ice ages

Jim Al-Khalili hears how study of the past climate can help us understand our future.

Deborah Greaves on wave power and offshore renewable energy

Jim Al-Khalili speaks to Deborah Greaves about wave energy and her love of the sea

Harald Haas on making waves in light communication

Jim Al-Khalili hears how light can be used to access the internet.

Anne Ferguson-Smith on unravelling epigenetics

Jim Al-Khalili unravels the tangled chains of genetic (and epigenetic) inheritance.

Anne-Marie Imafidon on fighting for diversity and equality in science

Jim Al-Khalili speaks to Anne-Marie Imafidon about championing girls in STEM.

Bruce Malamud on modelling risk for natural hazards

From landslides to tornadoes, Bruce Malamud talks modelling risk and multi-hazard cascades

Gillian Reid on making chemistry count

Jim Al-Khalili hears how chemistry is connected to every part of our lives.

Andre Geim on levitating frogs, graphene and 2D materials

The Nobel prize-winning physicist talks about the world's strongest material, graphene.

Julie Williams on Alzheimer’s disease

Julie Williams on the genetics of Alzheimer’s disease.

James Jackson on understanding earthquakes and building resilience

How studying processes that shape the planet’s surface can help us become more resilient.

Marie Johnston on health psychology and the power of behavioural shifts

Why subtle changes in how we act can radically change our lives and our health.

Julia King on manipulating metals and decarbonising transport

A metals-focused engineer's route from academia to industry to the House of Lords.

Danny Altmann on how T cells fight disease

Jim Al-Khalili talks T cells, our immune response and Long Covid with Prof Danny Altmann.

Haley Gomez on cosmic dust

Jim Al-Khalili talks to astrophysicist Haley Gomez.

Adrian Smith on the power of Bayesian statistics

How a once-derided approach to statistics paved the way for AI.

Clifford Johnson on making sense of black holes and movie plots

Jim Al-Khalili hears about new approaches to quantum questions and using science in films.

Rebecca Kilner on beetle behaviours and evolution

How corpse-based beetles can answer long-standing questions about human evolution.

Pam Shaw on the research battle against motor neurone disease

How new drug trials could mark a turning point in MND research.

Chris Elliott on fighting food fraud

How ‘fingerprinting’ technology could help prevent another horse meat scam.

A passion for fruit flies

Bambos Kyriacou tells Jim Al-Khalili why he studies the behaviour of fruit flies.

Why study sewage?

Leon Barron tells Jim Al-Khalili how he developed an intense interest in sewage.

The sounds of coral reefs

Jim Al-Khalili meets Tim Lamont, a young ecologist making waves restoring coral reefs

Can computers discover new medicines?

Using AI to discover drugs. Daphne Koller tells Jim Al-Khalili about her life and work.

Emily Holmes on how to treat trauma

Why images are more powerful than words in shaping how we think and feel.

Judith Bunbury on the shifting River Nile in the time of the Pharaohs

A geo-archaeologist digs down to enrich our knowledge of ancient Egypt and beyond.

Frances Arnold: From taxi driver to Nobel Prize

Turning microbes into living factories.

Sir Martin Landray on saving over a million lives

Sir Martin Landray on how he discovered the drugs for Covid-19 with the RECOVERY Trial.

Vlatko Vedral on the universe as quantum information

A self-confessed physics fundamentalist decodes reality.

Adam Hart on ants, bees and insect burgers

When does a waggle dance become a tremble dance?

Jacinta Tan on anorexia nervosa and the mind

How does a person with anorexia nervosa think? Jacinta Tan talks to Jim Al-Khalili.

Pete Smith on why soil matters

Restore peat bogs to mitigate climate change and improve bio-diversity.

Chi Onwurah on why engineering is a caring profession.

Why politics needs more scientists and engineers.

Ailie MacAdam on the biggest construction project in Europe

From sewage treatment to Crossrail, engineer Ailie MacAdam talks to Jim Al-Khalili.

Ben Garrod on conservation and extinction

What can bones tell us about evolution, behaviour and extinction?

Steve Brusatte on the fall of dinosaurs and the rise of mammals

How did mammals come to dominate our planet? Prof Steve Brusatte talks to Jim Al-Khalili.

Shankar Balasubramanian on decoding DNA

The man who found a way to decode DNA at speed.

Julia Shaw on memories that aren't true

Can we trust our memories of events? Julia Shaw talks to Jim Al-Khalili.

Sharon Peacock on hunting pandemic variants of concern

Leading the UK's hunt for new and dangerous Covid-19 variants.

Tim Clutton-Brock on meerkats, red deer and evolution

What makes meerkats so cooperative and why do sons cost mothers more than daughters?

Tim Spector and personalised diets for long term health

Professor Tim Spector on fuelling gut microbes for long term health.

The Patrick Vallance Interview

Science and our future

The Life Scientific at 10: What makes a scientist?

Jim Al-Khalili and distinguished guests reflect on ten years of The Life Scientific.

Hannah Cloke and predicting floods

Hannah Cloke talks to Jim Al-Khalili about predicting this summer's serious floods.

Derk-Jan Dijk on the importance of sleep

How does sleep change as we age? Derk-Jan Dijk talks to Jim Al-Khalili.

Brenda Boardman on making our homes energy efficient.

Can we achieve carbon net zero in our homes? Brenda Boardman talks to Jim Al-Khalili.

David Eagleman on why reality is an illusion

Can we create new senses? Prof David Eagleman talks to Jim Al-Khalili.

Hannah Fry on the power and perils of big data

Why, in the Age of the Algorithm, humans have never been more important.

Tamsin Edwards on the uncertainty in climate science

All climate change models are wrong. Tamsin Edwards tells Jim Al Khalili why.

Mike Tipton on how our bodies respond to extreme conditions

Mike Tipton on cold water swimming.

Nira Chamberlain on how mathematics can solve real-world problems

Jim Al-Khalili asks Nira Chamberlain how he uses maths to solve real-world problems.

Helen Scales on marine conservation

Fish watching and the downsides of deep sea mining. Helen Scales talks to Jim Al-Khalili.

Peter Goadsby on migraine

Peter Goadsby on migraine attacks and the new treatments his research has inspired.

Jane Clarke on Protein Folding

Jane Clarke unravels her discoveries into the molecular origami of our body's proteins.

Professor Martin Sweeting, inventor of microsatellites

How Martin Sweeting made a satellite on his kitchen table.

Theresa Marteau on how to change behaviour

Prof Dame Theresa Marteau tells Jim Al-Khalili about her life and work.

Mark Spencer on how plants solve crimes

Inside the mind of a forensic botanist, Mark Spencer.

Sarah Bridle on the carbon footprint of food

Why did a rising star in the study of dark energy turn her attention to climate change?

Richard Bentall on the causes of mental ill health

Why madness is in the world not in us. Prof Richard Bentall talks about his life and work.

Jane Hurst on the secret life of mice

Jane Hurst reveals how mice are ruled by their noses.

Anne Johnson on the importance of public health

From HIV to influenza and Covid-19, why prevention is better than cure.

Giles Yeo on how our genes can make us fat

Giles Yeo reveals the role our genes play in the obesity epidemic.

Cath Noakes on making buildings Covid-safe

How good ventilation dramatically reduces the risk of inhaling tiny airborne pathogens.

Chris Jackson on sustainable geology

Geologist Chris Jackson on the earth's past, deep salt and abseiling into a volcano.

Scientists in the Spotlight during the Pandemic

Jim Al-Khalili finds out how The Life Scientific has changed during the pandemic.

Neil Ferguson on modelling Covid-19

Predicting the spread of Covid-19. Neil Ferguson talks to Jim Al-Khalili about lockdown.

Sarah Gilbert on developing a vaccine for Covid-19

How did Sarah Gilbert get so far, so fast in developing a vaccine for Covid-19?

Steve Haake on technology, sport and health

Steve Haake talks to Jim al-Khalili about how technology improves sporting ability.

Francesca Happé on autism

Francesca Happé talks to Jim al-Khalili about the abilities of people with autism.

Heather Koldewey on marine conservation

Saving seahorses and turning old fishing nets into luxury carpets.

Dale Sanders on feeding the world

Why the world needs more plant scientists. Prof Dale Sanders talks to Jim Al-Khalili.

Andy Fabian on black holes

Professor Andy Fabian on supermassive black holes and their dramatic hold over galaxies.

Alice Roberts on bones

What can we learn from human remains? Alice Roberts talks bones with Jim Al Khalili.

Clifford Stott on riot prevention

How to stop peaceful protests turning into riots.

Emma Bunce on the gas giants

Professor Emma Bunce shares her passion for Jupiter and Neptune with Jim Al-Khalili.

Jane Goodall on living with wild chimpanzees

Jane Goodall describes her life with the wild chimpanzees of Gombe.

Liz Seward and the dream of spaceflight

Professor Jim Al-Khalili talks to Liz Seward about designing spacecraft.

Frank Kelly on air pollution

The impact of lockdown on the quality of the air we breathe.

Debbie Pain on conserving globally threatened bird species

Professor Debbie Pain talks to Jim Al-Khalili about conserving our endangered birdlife.

Jim McDonald on power networks

Is the National Grid fit for purpose? Jim McDonald talks to Jim Al-Khalili.

Brian Greene on how the universe is made of string

Is the universe really made of string? Physicist Brian Greene talks to Jim Al Khalili.

Myles Allen on understanding climate change

The physicist behind net zero. Prof Myles Allen talks to Jim Al-Khalili.

Matthew Cobb on how we detect smells

What maggots teach us about our sense of smell. Prof Matthew Cobb tells Jim Al-Khalli

Anya Hurlbert on seeing colour

Anya Hurlbert tells Jim Al-Khalili how colours are made in the mind.

Optical communications pioneer Polina Bayvel

The invention of the optical fibres that makes ultra-fast broadband possible.

2019 Nobel Prize winner for Physiology or Medicine, Sir Peter Ratcliffe

The 2019 Nobel Prize-winner Sir Peter Ratcliffe on living with low oxygen.

Peter Fonagy on a revolution in mental health care

How Peter Fonagy changed the way we treat our mental health.

Susannah Maidment on stegosaurs

Susannah Maidment tells Jim how she came to be a world authority on stegosaurs

Patricia Wiltshire on how pollen can solve crimes.

Using pollen to solve crimes. Prof Pat Wiltshire talks to Jim Al Khalili.

Elizabeth Fisher on chromosomes in mice and men

Elizabeth Fisher on studying chromosomal abnormalities in mice and men

Demis Hassabis on artificial intelligence

Demis Hassabis tells Jim Al-Khalili why he wants to create artificial intelligence.

Saiful Islam on materials to power the 21st century

Professor Saiful Islam on the materials that make renewable energy possible.

Adrian Owen on scanning for awareness in the injured brain

Adrian Owen tells Jim Al-Khalili about his search for awareness in brain-injured patients.

Martha Clokie on the viruses that could improve our health

Professor Martha Clokie on the viruses that destroy antibiotic-resistant bugs.

Anne Magurran on how to measure biodiversity

Professor Anne Magurran on how nature is going the same way as our high streets.

Richard Wiseman on lying, luck and the paranormal

How to spot a liar. Professor Richard Wiseman tells Jim Al-Khalili

Jonathan Ball on his arms race against viruses

Virologist Jonathan Ball talks to Jim Al-Khalili about his quest to disarm killer viruses.

Robin Dunbar on why we have friends

Why do we have friends? Robin Dunbar tells Jim Al-Khalili.

Katherine Joy on moon rock

Lunar geologist Katherine Joy tells Jim Al-Khalili why we need to go back to the moon.

DNA detective Turi King

How geneticist Turi King identified the 500 yr old skeleton of Richard III.

Ewine van Dishoeck on cosmic chemistry

Astrochemist Ewine van Dishoeck tells Jim Al-Khalili about the space between the stars.

Plastic pollution with Richard Thompson

How Richard Thompson alerted the world to the micro-plastics in the ocean.

Erica McAlister on the beauty of flies

Dr Erica McAlister talks to Jim Al-Khalili about the beautiful world of flies.

Richard Peto on why smoking kills but quitting saves lives

Epidemiologist Richard Peto on the links between tobacco, disease and early death

Irene Tracey on pain in the brain

Irene Tracey tells Jim Al-Khalili how imaging the brain reveals how and why we feel pain.

Paul Davies on the origin of life and the evolution of cancer

Physicist Paul Davies on the origin of life, aliens and the evolution of cancer.

Corinne Le Quéré on the global carbon cycle

Professor Corinne Le Quéré talks to Jim Al-Khalili about tracing global carbon.

Ken Gabriel, Why your Smartphone is Smart.

How working with robots in the 1980s kicked off a microelectronics revolution.

2018 Nobel Prize winner, Donna Strickland, on laser physics

Donna Strickland, the first woman to win a Physics Nobel Prize in 55 years.

Gwen Adshead on treating the minds of violent offenders

Gwen Adshead tells Jim Al-Khalili how she treats the minds of violent offenders.

2018 Chemistry Nobel Prize winner, Sir Gregory Winter

Sir Gregory Winter, winner of the 2018 Nobel Prize for Chemistry

Sue Black on women in tech

Sue Black tells Jim Al-Khalili how she became a software engineer.

Jim Al-Khalili on HIS life scientific

Physicist Jim Al-Khalili tells Adam Rutherford what motivates and inspires him.

Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell

Jim Al-Khalili talks to astronomer Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell.

Clive Oppenheimer on the volcanic offerings of our angry earth

Clive Oppenheimer on volcanoes that shake the world.

Sky at Night presenter Maggie Aderin-Pocock

Sky at Night presenter Maggie Aderin-Pocock talks to Jim Al-Khalili about astronomy.

Banning chemical weapons with Alastair Hay

Alastair Hay talks with Jim Al-Khalili about ridding the world of chemical weapons.

Formula One engineer Caroline Hargrove

Formula One engineer Caroline Hargrove talks to Jim Al-Khalili.

Mike Stratton and cancer genes

Mike Stratton talks about searching for cancer genes with Jim al-Khalili.

Detective of the mind Dr Suzanne O'Sullivan

Detective of the mind Dr Suzanne O'Sullivan talks about brain seizures with Jim Al-Khalili

Noel Fitzpatrick on becoming a supervet

Supervet, Noel Fitzpatrick, talks to Jim Al-Khalili

Jacqueline McGlade on monitoring the environment from space

Jacqueline McGlade on monitoring the environment from space.

Rachel Mills exploring the sea floor

Rachel Mills on volcanoes under the sea and how metal deposits feed the oceans.

Frank Close and particle physics

Jim Al-Khalili discusses quarks and popularising particle physics with Frank Close.

Sheena Cruickshank on the wonders of the human immune system

DIY Faecal Transplants? Don't do this at home, immunologist Sheena Cruickshank tells Jim.

John Taylor on being an inventor

John Taylor tells Jim Al-Khalili how his inventions transformed the electric kettle.

Cat Hobaiter on communication in apes

Jim Al-Khalili talks chimp gestures with Dr Cat Hobaiter.

Caroline Dean reveals the genetic secrets of flowering

Professor Dame Caroline Dean on why some plants need cold before they can flower.

Carlo Rovelli on why time is not what it seems

Carlo Rovelli describes how he abandoned the concept of time.

Callum Roberts on the urgent need for marine conservation

Callum Roberts on coral reefs and the urgent need for marine reserves.

Stephen Reicher on the psychology of crowds

Psychologist Stephen Reicher talks to Jim al-Khalili about how we behave in crowds.

Clare Grey on the Big Battery Challenge

Jim Al-Khalili talks to Clare Grey about the batteries that could power our future.

John Burn and the genetics of cancer

Jim Al-Khalili discusses the genetics of cancer with Professor Sir John Burn.

Richard Henderson zooms in on the molecules of life

2017 Nobel Prize-winner Richard Henderson on how he zoomed in on the molecules of life.

Wendy Barclay and the flu virus

Jim Al-Khalili discusses the flu virus with Professor Wendy Barclay of Imperial College.

Eugenia Cheng on the mathematics of mathematics

Jim talks to mathematician Eugenia Cheng about mathematics, music and baking.

Eben Upton on Raspberry Pi

The computer that costs little more than a toasted sandwich.

Adrian Thomas on the mechanics of flight

Zoologist and inventor Adrian Thomas talks to Jim Al-Khalili about the mechanics of flight

Ellen Stofan on being NASA chief scientist

Ellen Stofan, former chief scientist at NASA, talks to Jim Al-Khalili.

Tim Birkhead on bird promiscuity

Sex, guillemots and the virtuoso finch.

Steve Cowley on Nuclear Fusion

Jim Al-Khalili asks Steve Cowley if we will ever have energy from nuclear fusion.

Lucie Green on the sun

Jim Al-Khalili talks to astrophysicist Lucie Green about studying the sun.

Tracey Rogers on leopard seals and Antarctica

Singing leopard seals and other perils of research in Antarctica.

Jennifer Doudna

Jennifer Doudna talks to Jim Al-Khalili about her research that is transforming genetics.

Tamsin Mather on what volcanic plumes reveal about our planet

Tamsin Mather explains what volcanic plumes tell us about our planet, past and present.

Tim O'Brien on transient stars and science and music festivals

Jim Al-Khalili talks transient stars and music festivals with Tim O'Brien of Jodrell Bank.

Ottoline Leyser on how plants decide what to do

Ottoline Leyser talks to Jim Al-Khalili about how plants decide to grow the way they do.

Fay Dowker on a new theory of space-time

Fay Dowker and Jim Al-Khalili discuss the texture of space-time.

Ann Clarke on The Frozen Ark

Jim Al-Khalili talks to Dr Ann Clarke about preserving global animal DNA in The Frozen Ark

Graham MacGregor on tackling the demons in our diet

Jim Al-Khalili talks to Prof Graham MacGregor about his remarkable war on sugar and salt.

Liz Sockett on friendly killer bacteria

Jim Al-khalili talks to Professor Liz Sockett about the evil genius of predatory bacteria.

Nick Fraser on Triassic reptiles

Nick Fraser tells Jim Al-Khalili about some extraordinary fossil finds.

Daniel Dennett on the evolution of the human brain

Daniel Dennett talks to Jim Al-Khalili about the evolution of the human brain.

Alison Woollard on what she has learnt from mutant worms

Geneticist Alison Wollard explains her enthusiasm for a tiny nematode worm.

Alan Winfield on robot ethics

Alan Winfield talks to Jim Al-Khalili about the ethics of robots, from drones to androids.

Simon Wessely on unexplained medical syndromes

Simon Wessely on medically unexplained symptoms and syndromes.

Sean Carroll on how time and space began

Sean Carroll tells Jim why he abandoned Einstein for quantum entanglement.

Alison Smith on algae

Professor Alison Smith talks to Jim Al-Khalili about the many and varied uses of algae.

Sadaf Farooqi on what makes us fat

Sadaf Farooqi describes how she found ten rare genetic disorders that cause obesity.

Jan Zalasiewicz on the Age of Man

Geologist Jan Zalasiewicz talks to Jim Al-Khalili about the Anthropocene, the Age of Man.

Michele Dougherty on Saturn

Michele Dougherty tells Jim Al-Khalili why she diverted the Cassini mission to Saturn.

Neil de Grasse Tyson on Pluto

US science superstar, Neil de Grasse Tyson describes why Pluto isn't a planet.

Richard Morris on how we know where we are

Neuroscientist Richard Morris explains how brain cells remember.

Julia Higgins on polymers

Professor Dame Julia Higgins shares her passion for polymers with Jim Al-Khalili.

Roger Penrose on black holes

Sir Roger Penrose talks to Jim Al-Khalili about black holes and flaws in quantum physics.

Lynne Boddy on Fungi

Lynne Boddy enthuses about fungi.

Ian Wilmut on Dolly the sheep

Jim Al-Khalili talks cloning with the creator of Dolly the sheep, Ian Wilmut.

Frans de Waal on chimpanzees

Frans de Waal tells Jim Al-Khalili why we should expect chimpanzees to be clever.

Trevor Cox on sound

Acoustic engineer Trevor Cox discusses the science of sound with Jim Al-Khalili.

Georgina Mace on threatened species

Georgina Mace talks to Jim Al-Khalili about her Red List of Threatened Species.

Faraneh Vargha-Khadem on memory

Faraneh Vargha-Khadem talks to Jim Al-Khalili about how memories are made.

Hazel Rymer on volcanoes

Hazel Rymer talks volcanoes with Jim Al-Khalili.

Nick Davies on cuckoos

The battle between cuckoos and warblers, as told by Nick Davies to Jim Al-Khalili.

Sheila Rowan on gravitational waves

Sheila Rowan talks to Jim Al-Khalili about her role in the search for gravitational waves.

Marcus du Sautoy on mathematics

Marcus Du Sautoy shares his passion for mathematics with Jim Al-Khalili.

Lawrence Krauss on dark energy

Author and cosmologist Lawrence Krauss discusses dark energy with Jim Al-Khalili.

Carolyn Roberts on flood control

Environmental scientist Carolyn Roberts talks to Jim al-Khalili about floods and forensics

Helen Sharman, the first British astronaut (2016)

Helen Sharman talks to Jim Al-Khalili about the ups and downs of being in space.

Venki Ramakrishnan on ribosomes

Jim Al-Khalili talks to Nobel Prize-winner Venki Ramakrishnan.

George Davey-Smith on health inequalities

Epidemiologist Prof George Davey-Smith talks to Jim Al-Khalili about health inequalities.

Dr Nick Lane on the origin of life on earth

Dr Nick Lane of UCL talks about studying the origin of life on earth with Jim Al-Khalili.

Naomi Climer on engineering

Naomi Climer tells Jim Al-Khalili why engineers should be as famous as rock stars.

Peter Piot on tackling ebola and HIV

Peter Piot talks to Jim Al-Khalili about Zika, Ebola and HIV.

Paul Younger on energy for the future

Professor Paul Younger talks to Jim Al-Khalili about keeping the lights on in the future.

Kathy Willis on botany

Kathy Willis, Kew Gardens' director of science, discusses biodiversity with Jim Al-Khalili

Patrick Vallance on pharmaceuticals

Jim Al-Khalili meets Patrick Vallance heading drug development at a pharmaceutical company

Robert Plomin on the genetics of intelligence

Professor Robert Plomin talks to Jim Al-Khalili about the genetics of intelligence.

Danielle George on electronics

Engineer Danielle George tells Jim about her passion for getting children into electronics

Dame Carol Black on public health

Expert health advisor and professor of medicine Carol Black talks to Jim Al-Khalili.

Geoff Palmer on brewing

Jim talks to internationally renowned professor of brewing and distilling Geoff Palmer.

EO Wilson on ants and evolution

Leading biologist EO Wilson talks to Jim Al-Khalili about ants, altruism and evolution.

Niamh Nic Daeid on forensic science

Forensic chemist Niamh Nic Daeid talks about investigating fires and analysing legal highs

Carlos Frenk on dark matter

Carlos Frenk talks to Jim Al-Khalili about dark matter and modelling the cosmos.

Dorothy Bishop on language disorders

Why do some children find language difficult? Dorothy Bishop talks about her life's work.

Henry Marsh on brain surgery

Neurosurgeon Henry Marsh talks to Jim Al-Khalili about slicing through our thoughts.

Kate Jones on bats and biodiversity

From bats to biodiversity, ecologist Kate Jones discusses her Life Scientific.

Anil Seth on consciousness

Anil Seth discusses the hard problem of understanding consciousness with Jim Al-Khalili.

Susan Jebb on nutrition

Obesity expert Susan Jebb talks to Jim al-Khalili about the science of what we eat.

Nigel Shadbolt on the worldwide web

Sir Nigel Shadbolt talks about artificial intelligence and open data with Jim Al-Khalili.

Stephanie Shirley on computer coding

Software pioneer Dame Stephanie Shirley talks to Jim Al-Khalili.

Jane Francis on Antarctica

The director of the British Antarctic Survey, Jane Francis talks to Jim Al-Khalili.

Sarah-Jayne Blakemore on teenage brains

Prof Sarah-Jayne Blakemore talks to Jim Al-Khalili about her research on the teenage brain

Matt Taylor on the Rosetta space mission

Matt Taylor talks to Jim Al-Khalili about the Rosetta comet mission.

John O'Keefe on memory

2014 Nobel Prize-winner John O'Keefe talks to Jim Al-Khalili.

Dave Goulson on bees

Jim Al-Khalili talks to Prof Dave Goulson about his obsession with bees.

Dame Sally Davies on public health

Jim al-Khalili talks to Dame Sally Davies about looking after the nation's health.

Richard Fortey on fossils

Jim Al-Khalili meets Mr Trilobite, the palaeontologist and naturalist Richard Fortey.

Margaret Boden on artificial intelligence

Jim Al-Khalili talks to Maggie Boden, a world authority in the field of AI.

Chris Toumazou on inventing medical devices

Chris Toumazou talks to Jim Al-Khalili about the science of invention.

Elspeth Garman on crystallography

Jim Al-Khalili talks to Oxford crystallographer Elspeth Garman.

Jackie Akhavan on explosives

Jackie Akhavan talks about the ethical issues of working on explosives used in war.

Brian Cox on quantum mechanics

Brian Cox, physicist and media star, talks fame and quantum mechanics with Jim Al-Khalili.

Carol Robinson on chemistry

Carol Robinson on her journey from lab technician to professor of chemistry.

Jeremy Farrar on fighting viruses

Jim Al-Khalili in conversation with Dr Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust.

Zoe Shipton on fracking

Jim Al-Khalili discusses earthquakes and fracking for gas with geologist Zoe Shipton.

Chris Llewellyn Smith on nuclear fusion

Chris Llewellyn Smith on quarks, bosons and running the biggest experiments in history.

Sandy Knapp

Botanist Sandy Knapp talks about her adventures collecting plants in South America.

Chris Lintott

Chris Lintott tells Jim Al Khalili about crowd sourced astronomy and Galaxy Zoo.

Janet Hemingway

Janet Hemingway on malaria and the coming of insecticide resistance, with Jim Al-Khalili.

Professor Sir Michael Rutter

Jim Al-Khalili meets child psychiatrist Prof Sir Michael Rutter.

Julia Slingo

Jim Al-Khalili talks to Dame Julia Slingo, the chief scientist at the Met Office.

Veronica van Heyningen

Jim Al-Khalili talks to Veronica van Heyningen about the gene that builds the eye.

Alf Adams

Alf Adams remembers his small idea that changed the world, with Jim Al-Khalili.

Anne Glover

Anne Glover talks to Jim Al-Khalili about glow-in-the-dark bacteria and advising ministers

Mark Miodownik

Mark Miodownik talks nuclear weapons, 3D printers and smart materials with Jim Al-Khalili.

Vikram Patel

Jim Al-Khalili discusses global mental health with psychiatrist Prof Vikram Patel.

Sue Black

Jim Al-Khalili talks to forensic scientist Sue Black about identifying human bodies.

Peter Higgs

Peter Higgs opens up to Jim Al-Khalili about the real story of the Higgs boson.

Wendy Hall

Jim Al Khalili discusses the development of the web with Prof Wendy Hall.

Jenny Graves

Jim Al-Khalili talks kangaroos and the death of the Y chromosome with Prof Jenny Graves.

Sophie Scott

Jim Al-Khalili talks to neuroscientist Sophie Scott about the science of laughter.

Ian Stewart

Jim Al-Khalili discusses sci-fi and popularising maths with Prof Ian Stewart.

Mike Benton

Jim Al-Khalili discusses digging up dinosaurs in remote places with Prof Mike Benton.

Mark Lythgoe

Jim Al-Khalili discusses medical imaging and mountain climbing with Prof Mark Lythgoe.

Joanna Haigh

Joanna Haigh, professor of physics at Imperial College, talks climate with Jim Al-Khalili.

Russell Foster

Jim Al-Khalili talks to zoologist Russell Foster about circadian rhythms and jet lag.

Elizabeth Stokoe

Jim Al-Khalili talks to Professor Elizabeth Stokoe about studying real-life conversations.

David Spiegelhalter

Jim Al-Khalili talks risk and uncertainty with Prof David Spiegelhalter.

Ewan Birney

Ewan Birney talks to Jim Al-Khalili about deciphering the human genome and junk DNA.

Athene Donald

Prof Dame Athene Donald talks to Jim Al-Khalili about the physics behind everyday stuff.

Linda Partridge

The science of longevity - Jim Al-Khalili chats to geneticist Prof Dame Linda Partridge.

Lord John Krebs

Lord John Krebs talks to Jim al-Khalili about birds, foot and mouth disease and badgers.

Sanjeev Gupta

What links the English Channel to valleys on Mars? Jim talks to geologist Sanjeev Gupta.

Nancy Rothwell

Jim Al-Khalili in conversation with the neuroscientist Prof Dame Nancy Rothwell.

Sue Ion

Jim Al-Khalili talks to Sue Ion about working in the nuclear industry post-Chernobyl.

Alan Watson

Jim Al-Khalili talks to Alan Watson about his quest to discover the source of cosmic rays.

Valerie Beral

Jim Al-Khalili talks to breast cancer pioneer Valerie Beral.

Noel Sharkey

Jim Al-Khalili talks to roboticist and psychologist, Noel Sharkey.

Annette Karmiloff-Smith

Should babies under two watch TV? Jim talks to psychologist Annette Karmiloff-Smith.

Prof Robert Mair

Robert Mair talks about tunnelling under Big Ben, Crossrail and engineering for the future

Amoret Whitaker

Amoret Whitaker talks about insects and their role in helping solve crimes.

John Gurdon

2012 Nobel Prize winner John Gurdon on cloning a frog decades before Dolly the Sheep.

Jared Diamond

Jared Diamond on gall bladders, global history and the birds of Papua New Guinea.

Monica Grady

Jim Al-Khalili and Prof Monica Grady weigh up the evidence for life on Mars.

Hugh Montgomery

Jim Al-Khalili interviews Professor Hugh Montgomery about the gene for fitness.

Sir Mark Walport

Jim Al-Khalili talks to the next government chief scientific advisor, Sir Mark Walport.

Sunetra Gupta

Jim Al-Khalili meets Prof Sunetra Gupta, a scientist and novelist.

David Nutt

Jim Al-Khalili interviews Prof David Nutt about research into drugs and the brain.

Andrea Sella

Jim Al-Khalili discovers why Andrea Sella's chemistry demonstrations are filling theatres.

Richard Dawkins

Jim Al-Khalili meets evolutionary biologist and author Prof Richard Dawkins.

Dame Ann Dowling

Jim Al-Khalili discusses silent aircraft with Cambridge engineer, Dame Ann Dowling.

Martin Siegert

Jim Al-Khalili goes under the Antarctic ice with glaciologist Martin Siegert.

Pat Wolseley

Jim Al-Khalili talks to Pat Wolseley talks about her obsession with lichen.

Steve Jones

Geneticist Steve Jones lives life in the slow lane, studying snails.

John Pickett

Jim Al-Khalili meets John Pickett, whose recent work on GM wheat caused a public debate.

Robert May

Jim al-Khalili talks to the former chief scientific advisor Robert May about public trust.

Barbara Sahakian

Jim meets neuroscientist Barbara Sahakian to discuss her work with Alzheimer's disease.

Lloyd Peck

Jim Al-Khalili meets Antarctic scientist Lloyd Peck and discovers giant sea spiders.

Frances Ashcroft

Frances Ashcroft on a lifetime spent studying the link between blood sugar and insulin.

James Lovelock

James Lovelock on elocution lessons, defrosting hamsters and Gaia.

Angela Gallop

Jim Al-Khalili talks to the forensic scientist Angela Gallop.

Tejinder Virdee

Jim Al-Khalili talks to physicist Tejinder Virdee about the search for the Higgs boson.

John Lawton

Jim Al-Khalili talks to ecologist John Lawton.

Martin Rees

Jim Al-Khalili enters the multiverse with the Astronomer Royal Martin Rees.

Iain Chalmers

Jim Al-Khalili talks to pioneering health services researcher, Iain Chalmers.

Tony Ryan

What is the future of nanotechnology? Chemist Tony Ryan shows some of its surprising uses.

Chris Stringer

Jim Al-Khalili meets paleoanthropologist Chris Stringer to find who our ancestors were.

Robin Murray

Psychiatrist Robin Murray on why he has changed his mind about the cause of schizophrenia.

Colin Pillinger

Prof Jim Al-Khalili talks to planetary scientist Colin Pillinger about life on Mars.

Lord Robert Winston

Lord Robert Winston on IVF, the House of Lords and scientists' ethical responsibilty.

Tim Hunt

Prof Jim al-Khalili talks to Nobel Prize-winning molecular biologist Sir Tim Hunt.

Uta Frith

Jim meets psychologist Prof Uta Frith, whose work changed how we view brain disorders.

John Sulston

Jim al-Khalili talks to biologist John Sulston.

Nicky Clayton

Nicky Clayton talks to Prof Jim Al-Khalili about her work on the intelligence of birds.

Molly Stevens

Jim al-Khalili talks to a scientist who grows human bones in a test tube, Molly Stevens.

Colin Blakemore

Neuroscientist Colin Blakemore talks to Jim Al-Khalili about his life and work.

Sir Michael Marmot

Jim Al-Khalili talks to Professor Sir Michael Marmot about his work on how stress kills.

Steven Pinker

Inside the mind of science writer and cognitive psychologist Steven Pinker.

Paul Nurse

Jim meets Paul Nurse, Nobel prize-winning geneticist and President of the Royal Society.