The Infinite Monkey Cage Illuminating Light - Jess Wade, Russell Foster and Bridget Christie
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Aug 20, 2025 
Join physicist Jess Wade, renowned for her work on light technologies, and neuroscientist Russell Foster, who studies the intricacies of circadian rhythms, as they shine a light on a captivating array of topics. They delve into how light influences culture and biology, the dual nature of light as particles and waves, and even the evolutionary significance of early life's sensitivity to light. Comedian Bridget Christie adds her comedic flair, musing on the mysteries of light and its connection to our understanding of ghosts!
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Morning Light Sets Your Clock
- Light synchronizes our internal body clock and underpins sleep-wake cycles.
- Morning light exposure sets rhythms that improve mood and daytime performance.
Beetle Shells Inspire Nanotech
- Jess Wade describes jewel beetles whose nanostructured shells twist reflected light and create iridescence.
- She compares that natural nanotechnology to 3D cinema glasses revealing handedness in reflected light.
Light Is Both Wave And Particle
- Experiments showed light behaves both like a wave and like particles.
- The two-slit interference and the photoelectric effect together established wave-particle duality.
