Why? with Emma Kennedy
Every Wednesday, Emma Kennedy explores the science and psychology behind human behavior, answering questions like why people join cults, why we need the moon, and why we are drawn to evil. She is joined by leading experts and scientists to uncover the reasons behind our quirks and curiosities. Produced by Podmasters, the makers of Oh God, What Now? and The Bunker.
Episodes
Why everything you think about parasites is wrong
Parasites. Just saying the word makes most of us recoil - we think worms, infestations, grim biology lessons and maybe even mind controlling fungi. But what if everything we thought we knew was wrong? The truth is closer, and far weirder, than you’d ever imagine. This week, Emma Kennedy is joined by Emmitt Jolly, Professor of Biology at Case Western University, for a deep dive into the strange, mi
Are seed oils bad for us? – with ZOE's chief scientist Dr. Sarah Berry
Seed oils are everywhere. They’re in your chips, your salad dressing and even in your biscuits. But in the age of social media, they’ve become the latest food villain. Accused of causing everything from heart disease to chronic inflammation. Suddenly that drizzle of sunflower oil has become a battleground over health, science and who we choose to believe. Today on Why? Emma Kennedy is joined by Dr
Is listening to heavy metal a life hack?
Forget spa music and whale songs, turns out the real relaxing music might be a blast of heavy metal. Studies suggest towns with more metal bands have fewer alcohol-related hospital visits and even lower mortality rates. Today on Why?, Emma Kennedy is joined by journalist for Independent Nurse and self confessed metal head Sumaiyah Uddin to find out how mosh pits could be the path to mental wellbei
Why do some people hate exercise?
Why do some people love the gym while others hate it? A new study suggests it might be about personality, not willpower. Dr Flaminia Ronca, researcher at the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health at UCL, joins Emma Kennedy to find out if there’s a workout your brain is secretly wired to love or whether loathing spin class is perfectly normal!Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential
Why is sunscreen suddenly controversial?
For years, sunscreen was the dullest health advice around: slap it on, don’t burn, lower your cancer risk. Easy. But in the weird world of TikTok wellness hacks and alarmist headlines, SPF has been recast as something sinister. This week on Why, Emma Kennedy is joined by Brian Diffey, Emeritus Professor of Photobiology at the University of Newcastle, to unpack how sunscreen actually works and how
Why can’t I pay attention to anything?
From phones to laptops to smartwatches, modern life is constantly pulling us in a dozen directions at the same time and it’s leaving us stressed, distracted, and less productive than ever before. This week on Why, Emma Kennedy is joined by Professor Gloria Mark, Chancellor's professor in the Department of Informatics at University of California, Irvine and author of Attention Span, to uncover what
Why are antibiotics losing their powers?
What if the next health crisis isn’t a new virus, but the slow erosion of the medicine we’ve taken for granted? For nearly a century, antibiotics have been the quiet miracle behind modern medicine, making infections survivable and surgeries safe. But now superbugs are rising, resistance is spreading, and that invisible shield is cracking.This week Emma Kennedy is joined by biologist Liam Shaw join
Why are we obsessed with protein?
We’re back and we’ve got some questions. Protein has taken over the supermarket. Crisps, popcorn, cereal and even coffee now boast about their protein content. But do we actually need so much of it in our diet? This week Emma Kennedy is joined by Dr Dan Baumgardt, GP and lecturer in neuroscience and physiology at the University of Bristol to sort the science from sales pitch and find out why we’re
Will we ever really understand evolution?
We’re back and we’ve got some questions. Evolution has shaped us into the odd-looking, brilliant creatures we are, but how exactly did it do it? Why did our genetics settle on five fingers? And why do scientists have a perfect explanation for testicles but are completely stumped by our pointy chins?This week, Emma Kennedy is joined by Dr. Max Telford, Professor of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy a
What are microplastics doing to our bodies?
Microplastics are turning up everywhere; in our lungs, blood, even our brains. They’re tiny, toxic, and almost impossible to avoid. So what can we do about them? Today, Emma Kennedy speaks to Dr Antaya March and Prof Fay Couceiro from the University of Portsmouth to find out what this means for our health and the long term consequences of ignoring this tiny problem. WHY? is presented by Emma Kenne
How is Ozempic changing the world?
We’re back and we’ve got some questions. Weight-loss injections are reshaping more than waistlines. They’re changing the world we live in. Drugs like Ozempic were developed to treat diabetes, but now they’re transforming how we eat, fly, dress and maybe how we think about our impulses.This week, Emma Kennedy is joined by Professor Giles Yeo, obesity researcher at Cambridge University and author of
Why do we fall for fake news?
We’re back and we’ve got some questions. How does fake news pull us in? From deepfakes to dodgy headlines, we’re constantly navigating a minefield of misinformation. It spreads faster than the truth, plays on our emotions, and can confirm what we want to believe. This week, Emma Kennedy is joined by Dr. Gordon Pennycook, Associate Professor of Psychology at Cornell University and Dr. David Rand, P
Why do we laugh?
We’re back and we’ve got some questions. What is laughter? A joyful cackle, a nervous snort, a full-body wheeze. It’s how we react when life gets silly, or sometimes painful, or uncomfortable. We laugh to connect, to disarm and, sometimes, to survive. This week, Emma Kennedy is joined by Laura Lexx, professional comedian with an actual masters in stand up comedy and host of Lexx Education, to help
Why are some of us gay?
We’re back and we’ve got some questions. Sex, attraction, identity all bring up strong debates. For years, scientists have tried to pin down why we fancy who we fancy. Genes? Brain chemistry? Vibes? There’s no tidy answer – but could we be on the cusp of a scientific explanation?This week, Emma Kennedy is joined by geneticist and neuroscientist Dr Kevin Mitchell, associate professor at Trinity Col
Could we make a real Jurassic Park?
We’re back and we’ve got some questions. When Jurassic Park roared into cinemas in 1993, it wasn’t just the dinosaurs that captured our imaginations – it was the idea that science might one day bring the prehistoric creatures back to life. Three decades and seven blockbusters later, the science of resurrection is edging closer to reality. Could we really bring back the dinosaurs?This week, Emma Ke
Why are we obsessed with being special?
We’re back and we’ve got some questions. Why are we so obsessed with being special?Today, we’re diving into the strange modern urge to define ourselves at all costs. Online, in politics and beyond identity has become our currency. But as the world tilts into climate collapse, A.I. dread, and whatever mess Donald Trump’s cooking up, maybe it’s time to ask: who are we without all the labels?Emma Ken
What happens if billionaires become immortal?
We’re back and we’ve got some questions. Billionaires want to live forever – and they might just pull it off. From young blood transfusions to gene-hacking and basement labs chasing eternal youth, the ultra-rich are pouring fortunes into cheating death. But if Bezos, Thiel and co get to slow ageing, what happens to the rest of us? Emma Kennedy talks to Richard Faragher, Professor of Biological Ger
What is scrolling doing to our brains?
We’re back and we’ve got questions. Are you a doomscroller? Are you endlessly flicking through a feed of memes, photos of your coworker’s holidays and articles you’ll never read? It seems harmless at first – but what if it’s rewiring how we think? This week, Emma Kennedy talks to world leading cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Earl K. Miller, the Picower Professor of Neuroscience at MIT, to find out wh
Why does medicine ignore women? with Naga Munchetty
We’re back and we’ve got questions. From misdiagnosed heart attacks to the gaslighting of chronic pain, women’s health has been stuck in triage for far too long. Women are told to trust the system – but what if the system was never built for them in the first place?This week, Emma Kennedy talks to TV presenter and author of It’s Probably Nothing: Critical Conversations on the Women’s Health Crisis
How could we talk to space aliens?
We’re back and we’ve got questions. We always imagine first contact with aliens as a conversation. But what if talking is the problem? How could we ever prepare for the awkward opening lines of interstellar diplomacy? Well, here on Earth, we might already have a clue: the octopus. They learn, play, and can even recognise human faces. So could our eight-tentacled friends help us understand intellig
Why do swingers swing?
We’re back and we’ve got some questions. The rules around sex are changing: what was once considered taboo is becoming the norm – and even The Guardian is dishing out kinky tips to their readers. Why are we now more honest about our sexual desires than ever before? Why are so many of us willing to engage in these non-traditional desires? Emma Kennedy talks to psychosexual therapist Dr Kate Moyle,
A taster of CRIME SCENE, our new podcast – Episode 1: Guns of London
There’s a new series of WHY? coming very soon… but in the meantime, try a bite-sized sample of our brand new CRIME SCENE. Every week ex-Met Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe and former Mirror editor Alison Phillips lift the lid on how criminal investigations really work. In our debut episode: The horrific shooting of an innocent nine-year-old girl in Dalston in 2024 laid bare bitter rivalries
Why do we have phobias?
Phobias are the most common anxiety disorder in the world. We’re very familiar with the likes of arachnophobia and claustrophobia, but some people suffer from more unconventional, even bizarre fears – say, a terror of buttons or even spoons. Where do they come from? What do they mean? And can they be treated? Emma Kennedy talks to Joseph E. LeDoux, Professor of Neuroscience at NYU, and clinical ps
Why can’t I upload my consciousness… yet?
The concept of eternal life is a long-standing fantasy in science fiction, but will it ever be possible to upload our consciousness to an external host – or even a robot? Will there be a day when we can upload the very essence of our being, the things that make us human, into some kind of machine? And if we could, what would it do to our humanity? To find out, Emma Kennedy is joined by Anil Seth,
Why are planets so weird?
Space is fundamentally quite weird, and seldom as weird as the thousands of “exoplanets” that – we’ve fairly recently discovered – exist outside of our solar system. We’re all familiar with the likes of Tatooine from Star Wars and Krypton from Superman, but what are the REAL exoplanets like? And how do filmmakers turn these planets from figments of imagination into something immersive that look an
Why aren’t men on the Pill?
Since the first contraceptive pill came out in 1961, the burden of birth control has fallen overwhelmingly on women. While women have numerous birth control options – each with its own long list of dizzying side effects – men only have two, and there hasn’t been a new commercial contraceptive for men in decades. So, why isn’t there a male pill yet? And would men even take it if there was? Emma K
Why do we cry?
Crying is a universal human experience. We can shed tears of joy, laughter, and sorrow - some of us even weep cutting onions. But what exactly are tears, and why do some of us cry more than others? Emma Kennedy talks to Ad Vingerhoets, author of Why Only Humans Weep and Emeritus Professor of Social and Behavioural Sciences at Tilburg University, and Tom Lutz, Professor and Chair of Creative Writi
Why do we have fetishes?
If you can think of it, someone probably has a fetish for it. Whether you’re into feet, balloons, chair legs or latex, one thing’s for sure – fetishes are still a taboo subject, and not something we often discuss with others. But how do fetishes develop, and how can people partake in fetishes in a safe and ethical way? Emma Kennedy delves into the science and sociology of fetishes with Justin Le
Why is smell so important?
You might not consider smell to be that important compared to some of your other senses. But, it’s intrinsic to our sense of taste, place, memory and desire. To uncover the surprising importance of our sense of smell, Emma Kennedy is joined by Professor Stuart J. Firestein, chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at Columbia University, and Professor Barry C. Smith, director of Philosophy a
Why can’t we time travel... yet?
Time travel was once the holy grail of science fiction, but scientists have now shown that time travel into the future is theoretically possible – so why not backwards? If we can use the quirks of physics to move into the future “faster” than we’d get there anyway, could it be possible to move into the past? And if time travel in either direction became possible, what would it do to our world… and
Why are we drawn to evil?
Many of us are obsessed with true crime documentaries and podcasts, and actively seek out the most gruesome details of horrific murder, torture and kidnapping. It’s all pretty horrible – so why are we drawn to it? Does ‘evil’ really exist – and if so, what does it look like? Are people born evil or do they become it over time? Emma Kennedy is joined by forensic psychiatrist Dr Sohom Das and the U
Why do I have a ‘type’?
Most of us could list a few physical attributes for our ideal romantic partner – like preferring blondes or men over 6ft tall. But is having a ‘type’ real? If so, how does it develop? Is it biological, or socially constructed? And is the rhetoric of ‘types’ actually dangerous? Emma Kennedy speaks to University of California Davis Psychology Professor Paul W. Eastwick, and Not My Type: Automating
Why do we really need the moon?
The Moon captivates the human imagination, inspiring artistic creativity, religious fervour and scientific exploration. But what if it were destroyed in some cosmic accident – or by scientific meddling? What would happen to the Earth and its inhabitants? And could humanity survive without it? Emma Kennedy talks to two space experts – award-winning astrophysicist Professor Ethan Siegel and astron
Why do people join cults?
Most of us think we’re too smart, stable and strong-willed to join a religious cult, or to cut ourselves off from our families to join a group devoted to a charismatic leader. But clearly somebody’s joining them. So why do people willingly give up their free will and independence to join cults? Do they realise what they’re getting themselves into? And how do they get out? Emma Kennedy is joined by
Season 2 Trailer
The podcast for curious minds. Every Thursday, Emma Kennedy delves into the science and psychology of why we are the way we are. Emma is joined by leading experts and some of science's brightest minds to answer the big questions you never knew how to ask.Why do people join cults? Why do we need the moon? Why are we drawn to evil? Why do we have fetishes?Find out all of this and more on Why? from t
Will robot soldiers replace human armies?
From Terminators and Cylons to the War Droids from Star Wars, military robots are staples of science fiction. But they’re already here in the real world too. The US, China and Russia are all investing efforts into military machines – but they won’t be the gun-toting humanoids we see onscreen. Would taking human fighters off the battlefield increase the peace? Or should we be gravely concerned abou
Could we live on the moon?
It’s been 52 years since humans last stepped onto the moon, and NASA is determined to set up a permanent base there. But there are huge challenges to overcome - not least surviving brain-damaging solar radiation and bone-wasting partial gravity. Today on Why?, Luke Turner speaks to Clive Neal, Professor of Planetary Geology at Notre Dame University currently working with NASA on their next moon m
Should I be able to live forever?
Most of us would like to live for as long as possible, given we’re in good health. But the definition of a long life is changing, and the rapid advancement of anti-ageing technologies could transform the idea of immortality from fantasy to reality. So the question isn’t so much can we live forever, but should we? Anna Machin talks to Dr Stephen Cave, Director of the Institute for Technology and Hu
Could we really live on Mars?
Humanity has always been fascinated by the prospect of living on another planet – and our nearest neighbour is the prime candidate. Could we create livable space on Mars? What would we take with us? How would our lives be different? And how would human society change? As climate change and war make the question more urgent, we ask: Could humans really live on Mars? Anna Machin talks to Why?’s firs
Would I survive a disaster?
With the news full of war, terror and natural disasters, it’s increasingly looking like the so-called Doomsday Preppers were on to something after all. But most of us still don’t have a clue what – or how – we’d do in a disaster scenario. So when catastrophe does strike, is there a science behind who is more likely to cope? And what can we do to increase our chances? Luke Turner talks to Dr Sarit
When will humans go extinct?
Everything goes extinct eventually. When will it be our turn? And will humans disappear because of shifting tectonic plates, catastrophic natural disasters, the earth being engulfed by the sun… or our own ruinous activities? Basically, how long have we got? Dr. Henry Gee, senior editor at Nature and author of A Very Short History of Life on Earth, tells Olly Mann that it isn’t so much a question o
Am I living in a hallucination?
You can trust what’s in front of your eyes, right? Turns out… not really. Everything we see is processed through a filter of our prior expectations. Our brains fill the gaps in the data they receive to create a “reality” that we can understand. If everything we see and hear is just a construct, are we all living in our own hallucinations? Anil Seth, Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neurosc
Why does music make us emotional?
Music is a universal language, a connecting force during all of life’s highs and lows. But why does music make us emotional? From feelings of elation and melancholy, to unease and motivation - why and how does music play with not only our emotions, but our brains themselves?Catherine Loveday, Professor of Neuropsychology at the University of Westminster, joins Luke Turner to discuss the psychology
The secret life of pets: How does my dog’s mind work?
Your dog is really clever, right? You understand one another. Every pet owner thinks this. But can our pets really communicate with us beyond the basic demands for food, walks and play? How is its mind constructed? What’s going on inside that furry head?Dr Juliane Kaminski, Associate Professor in Comparative Psychology and director of the Dog Cognition Centre at the University of Portsmouth, tells
What is the most powerful thing in the universe?
They shine as brightly as a trillion stars, they’re powered by supermassive black holes… and until 2023 we had no idea how they came into existence. These are quasars, awesomely powerful cosmic objects at the centre of some of the most violent events in the universe. What exactly are quasars, and just how powerful can they be? Dr Vicky Fawcett, Research Associate in Astrophysics at Newcastle Unive
How can I control my dreams?
If you could control your dreams, what would you do while you slept? Fly? Get romantic with some unattainable object of desire? Or embark on a fantasy odyssey with no equivalent in reality? Lucid dreams – where we know we’re dreaming and we can control what we do – come to many of us at some point in our lives. But can we learn how to do it? And does lucid dreaming have real-world benefits beyond
Why am I addicted to spicy food?
You’ve probably eaten something so spicy it hurt before. But, across the globe, people still love eating spicy food – despite the discomfort. Why?Bob Holmes, author of FLAVOR: The Science of Our Most Neglected Sense, tells Olly Mann what attracts us to this taste sensation. Every Monday and Thursday WHY? takes you on a wild adventure to the edge of knowledge. Follow on your favourite app so you ne
Why can't we predict earthquakes?
Without warning a 7.6 magnitude earthquake shook Japan on New Year’s Day, raising the sea floor above the water and causing devastating damage and death. Even with all humanity’s deep scientific knowledge and discoveries, we still cannot predict when an earthquake will strike. Why is that? What mysteries do the earth’s tectonic plates hold, and are we getting closer to solving them?Professor Tim W
Can I outrun a T.Rex?
If you’ve ever watched Jurassic Park, you’ve probably wondered how you’d fare against a dinosaur. If these prehistoric beasts did exist alongside us, would we really stand a chance? Today on Why? Dr. David Hone separates dinosaur fact from fiction with Emma Kennedy, including the secrets held in dino-dandruff.Every Monday and Thursday WHY? takes you on a wild adventure to the edge of knowledge. Fo
Can I trust my own eyes?
Your eyes are your window to the world – but is what they’re seeing actually happening? When you’re driving at speed, being alert to the traffic around you will save your life. When a truck in front brakes sharply you have milliseconds to respond, but what if you’re seeing the past? Can your brain process the information it’s receiving quickly enough to avoid catastrophe? Or does it do something c
Can I programme love with a pill?
If you could take a pill that would make you fall deeply in love with someone, would you do it? And if you could give someone a pill that would make them love you… would that be right? Therapists have been giving couples psychedelic drugs for over 50 years to help build emotional bridges – but can a mere chemical create something as complex as love, from nothing?Dr. Brian D.Earp tells Luke Turner
Could tiny robots stop the antibiotics apocalypse?
The antibiotics that have saved humanity from extinction again and again are about to stop working. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are multiplying faster than science can keep up. It’s estimated that these pathogens will kill 10 million of us a year by 2050 if we don’t come up with effective treatment.Enter Dr Ana L. Santos of Rice University, Texas. Her team of microbiologists have developed micro
Why do I make bad decisions?
Our brains process over 35,000 conscious decisions every day – and let’s face it, they can’t all be good choices. So why do we make bad decisions? Which part of our brain is in control when we decide what to do? How do we decide what’s risky but worth a try? How do we process all this vast information? And why do different people make wildly different choices when faced with the same situations?Pr
Could my brain become part computer?
Brain implants have moved from science fiction to science fact thanks to innovative research into treatments for neurological illnesses. But could you physically join your brain with an artificial intelligence? What would having a part-machine mind do to your thoughts and your sense of self? Who would be in control? And if a private company owned hardware in your brain, what happens when they want
Are we still evolving?
Our bodies are astonishing in all their beautiful, biological complexity – but do you ever wonder if this is as far as the human form can develop? Millions of years of evolution have created a four-limbed, bipedal mammal with opposable thumbs and a powerful, versatile brain. But have we stopped evolving? Are we still subject to natural selection in the unnatural, man-made world we’ve created? And
Can plants help us solve crimes?
Every CSI fan knows that forensic analysis is crucial to criminal investigations. But it’s not just microscopic blood spatter or clothing fibres that can help nail a perpetrator. Botanical forensics – identifying how long a fungus has grown on a dead body, or which species of pollen a victim has inhaled – can blow a case wide open too. We’re stepping into True Crime territory today as Professor Da
Why do animals have regional accents?
Does your cat meow in Geordie? Does your dog have a Yorkshire accent? Is “animal linguistics” a thing? Incredibly, it is – and the science of animal “voices” is revealing a wealth of information about how wild and domestic creatures think and communicate. Elodie Floriane Mandel-Briefer, Associate Professor of Animal Behaviour at the University of Copenhagen joins Emma Kennedy to explain the unique
Could an AI become my closest friend?
It’s the fantasy we revisit obsessively in movies and TV from Her to Humans to Blade Runner to, well, A.I. Artificial Intelligence. Could a thinking machine develop a personality sufficiently human-like that we could share a relationship with it? Could an A.I. become our friend or even our lover? We’re social animals, wired to understand the world through personal interactions. What does that mean
Are Dads wired differently?
Dads will often say that fatherhood changes you – but did you realise those changes happen at a physical, biological level as well as in fathers’ perspectives and values? We often assume that biologically mens’ bodies are unaffected by the arrival of a child. But huge hormonal changes take place at the point of the child’s birth, and research shows that when fathers interact with their children in
Is there another me in a parallel universe?
Multiverse theory inspired movie blockbusters like Marvel’s Dr Strange and Everything Everywhere All At Once – but the “Many Worlds” theory of multiple realities isn’t just science fiction. If the science is right, could there be another version of me out there somewhere? The Cosmological Inflating Multiverse, for instance, says that ours is but one universe among billions and no scenario, no matt
Why do some animals have rhythm?
As YouTube videos of bopping parrots and breakdancing baboons show, humans aren’t the only species with rhythm and musicality built in. Even dogs wag their tails to a fixed tempo. But why, and what does it tell us? Plus, research shows us that a sense of rhythm isn’t the rule across the entire animal kingdom. Are different species born with it or can it be learned? Is music and rhythm a precursor
Is the Force really with me?
Science usually rejects the existence of the soul, or any conscious entity that’s separate from our biology. But there’s increasing evidence that plants, air and even inanimate matter exhibit some properties of consciousness. Could everything in the universe be linked by some invisible force, like Yoda taught Luke in Star Wars? This is not just science fiction but the study of panpsychism, the ide
Should we trust AI to run our lives?
Artificial Intelligence already controls complex systems that humans depend on, from keeping thousands of planes safe in the sky to autocorrect saving our blushes when we mis-spell ‘Wednesday’. But are we in danger of handing AI too much control? Could machine learning outgrow its human masters? Researchers recently had to turn off two AI chatbots when they invented their own language that humans
Why can’t I forget embarrassing memories?
Why do we always remember the worst things that happened to us and never the best? Excruciating memories of past mistakes have a tendency to haunt us, popping up uninvited to make us cringe and sweat the way good memories just don’t. Why? If every new experience creates new neural pathways in our brain, could we disconnect the ones we don’t want to revisit? Neuroscientist Dr Dean Burnett joins Luk
Are we the first intelligent life on Earth?
We like to think we’re the pinnacle of intelligent life, but were humans really the first to evolve conceptual, self-aware, logical consciousness on Earth? Could an advanced technological civilisation have emerged before? If so, what happened to it? And if our planet produces many kinds of intelligence – octopuses have nine brains! – what is it about Earth that makes intelligent life likely to evo
Will living in space mess with my mind?
We hear a lot about the technology of space travel, but what about the psychology of leaving Earth for the loneliness of space? If you were strapped inside a rocket hurtling through space, what would it do to your state of mind? Could you still collaborate, concentrate and carry out your vital work? Or would you give in to rising panic as the only home you’ve ever known becomes a tiny blue speck t
What's at the earth’s core and can we use it?
At the very centre of the earth, scientists have just discovered a new, previously unknown geological layer inside our world’s dense inner core. What is this strange new fifth layer composed of? How could we not know what’s beneath our feet, albeit very far down? And could we use it somehow?Professor Hrvoje Tkalčić tells Luke Turner how his research group made this discovery and how the inner inne
Can we stop our bodies ageing?
Could you be forever young? Humans have fantasised about stopping or even reversing the ravages of age for as long as we’ve told stories – but now science is coming closer to making it happen. The global anti-ageing market is worth over $62 billion and the super-rich like Jeff Bezos are pouring billions into research against ageing. Will science soon be able to literally turn back the bodyclock?Dr
How can I travel faster than light?
Faster-than-light space travel has been a staple of science fiction since before the Starship Enterprise first went warp-speed. But could it ever really happen? Are we discovering potential ways to get round Einstein’s iron rule about spacetime’s speed limit? And could the secret to travelling at the speed of light be hidden within the underground tunnels at CERN?Theoretical physicist Dr Sabine Ho
What will humans look like in a million years?
Humans now have more control over our long-term evolution than ever before. Developments in DNA research could mean we can by-pass natural selection and dictate our own biological destiny. But where is it leading? We time-travel forward a million years and check in on our (very) distant cousins to see if they resemble us at all. Will they even be recognisably human?Dr Anders Sandberg of Oxford Uni
Is time real?
Time seems pretty reliable in our everyday lives – but is it as dependable as we think? According to Einstein, both gravity and speed can warp time. Some think time is just a product of our consciousness. Is it even real… whatever “real” is? Sam Baron, Professor of Philosophy at the Australian Catholic University and co-author of Out Of Time, tells Anna Machin how we all have our own ‘clock’ which
Are we already receiving messages from aliens?
Who hasn’t looked up at the stars at some point and thought maybe there are other intelligent creatures out there? Astronomers scan the cosmos and they’ve found plenty of intriguing but inconclusive signals so far. Are they no more than magnetic waves from far off dead planets, or something more?Dr. Franck Marchis, Senior Planetary Astronomer at the SETI Institute (Search for Extraterrestrial Inte
How has our biology shaped world history?
While the human race’s ploughs, tunnels and cities have rewritten the face of the planet, an even more fundamental force has been shaping our story: the single-minded focus of our DNA. Research scientist and author of Being Human Professor Lewis Dartnell tells Olly Mann how the hidden flaws and idiosyncrasies of our own bodies produced some of human civilisation’s most influential phenomena – from
Why do we remember things that never happened?
Memory is critical to human function. We simply can’t do anything without it. Yet most of us have memories of events that never occurred. How can that be? Where do these false memories come from and what do they mean? Psychologist Dr Sarita Robinson walks Emma Kennedy down the avenues of the mind to find answers to this strange and disturbing phenomenon. If we can’t trust our own memory, can we tr
Is it wrong to have sex with Robots?
We’re a sex-obsessed species, and now we’re building humanoid sex robots. But is there something psychologically, physically and even morally wrong in knocking boots with our metal-and-plastic creations? Dr. Kate Devlin, an expert in artificial intelligence and author of Turned On: Science, Sex and Robots tells Anna Machin about the ethical ups and downs (ahem) of turning one’s desire away from ‘a
