Ri Science Podcast

Join neuroscientist-turned-journalist Clayton Aldern and neurology expert Sanjay Sisodiya as they unravel the chilling effects of climate change on our brains. They dive into how extreme heat exacerbates neurological disorders and influences human behavior, including aggression and decision-making. The conversation explores memory’s role in shaping our perception of climate issues, shedding light on how forgetting can help us adapt. Discover the urgent need for research and collaboration to protect vulnerable populations from these escalating challenges.

Sir David Spiegelhalter is a national treasure in the world of statistics, achieving everything from a knighthood to appearing on Total Wipeout.  In light of giving the first Discourse in their bicentennial year, David explores how risk and uncertainty have affected his own life, and how to understand the statistics we see every day.  Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released!  Please leave this episode a rating and a review to let us know what you think, and to help other people discover the podcast.   Explore our upcoming programme or watch our YouTube channel for more science. Producer: Lia Hale Music: Joseph Sandy

2025 marks the 200 year anniversary of the CHRISTMAS LECTURES from the Royal Institution, as well as Discourses and Michael Faraday’s discovery of Benzene. We’re celebrating throughout the year to mark the occasion, kicking off with a conversation between two previous Christmas Lecturers Chris van Tulleken and Monica Grady. They discuss their experiences giving the lectures, the importance of science communication to young people, and their advice for their successors.   Find out more about the Discover200 campaign: https://www.rigb.org/discover200-ri    This episode was recorded remotely on Monday 16 December 2024. Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released!   Please leave this episode a rating and a review to let us know what you think, and to help other people discover the podcast.   Get tickets for upcoming talks and livestreams: https://www.rigb.org/whats-on   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/TheRoyalInstitution   X: https://twitter.com/Ri_Science    Interviewer: Lia Hale  Producer: Lia Hale  Music: Joseph Sandy  

2024 has been a remarkable year for science, so we're taking a look back over the past year at our most memorable moments here on the Ri Science Podcast. From eggs to AI, sustainable plastics to protein folding, we've discussed a fascinating range of topics with even more fascinating guests including Jess Wade and Charan Ranganath. We can't wait to see what's in store in science for 2025, and thank you for listening and learning with us in 2024. With the exception of this episode, Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month. Presenter: Katie Mortimer Producer: Lia Hale Music: Joseph Sandy Browse our upcoming talks and livestreams: https://www.rigb.org/whats-on Watch previous talks: https://www.youtube.com/TheRoyalInstitution Follow us on social media @Ri_Science

2025 is the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, as marked by the UN, to celebrate 100 years since the birth of quantum mechanics. But quantum science is one of the least diverse areas of science in terms of gender and other protected characteristics. Jess Wade, a physicist and lecturer in functional materials at Imperial College London, has been fighting the inequality in quantum physics and beyond by creating thousands of Wikipedia pages for women scientists. Jess joins us this month to discuss the past, present, and future of quantum science along with what can be done to increase diversity within the field.   Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released!  Please leave this episode a rating and a review to let us know what you think, and to help other people discover the podcast.   Get tickets for upcoming talks and livestreams: https://www.rigb.org/whats-on   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/TheRoyalInstitution   X: https://twitter.com/Ri_Science   Producer: Lia Hale  Assistant producers: Katie Mortimer, Isla Nakano   Interviewer: Lia Hale  Music: Joseph Sandy 

Halloween means lots of sweets, which in turn means lots of packaging. We’re starting to see more of the packaging on our shelves labelled as sustainable in some way, but are they really? Mike Shaver is a Professor of Polymer Science and Director of the Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub at the University of Manchester, and joins us this month to unpick the current landscape of sustainable materials, and discuss whether or not a fully recyclable plastic is possible. Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released! Please leave this episode a rating and a review to let us know what you think, and to help other people discover the podcast. Get tickets for upcoming talks and livestreams: https://www.rigb.org/whats-on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/TheRoyalInstitution X: https://twitter.com/Ri_Science Producer: Lia Hale Music: Joseph Sandy

What makes a planet habitable? What are we looking for to find Earth 2.0? And how do you get a chunk of an asteroid through airport security? This month, astrophysicist Elizabeth Tasker discusses the latest missions at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and explores how our knowledge has progressed since she last spoke at the Ri back in 2018.   Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released!  Please leave this episode a rating and a review to let us know what you think, and to help other people discover the podcast.   Get tickets for upcoming talks and livestreams: https://www.rigb.org/whats-on   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/TheRoyalInstitution   X: https://twitter.com/Ri_Science   Producer: Lia Hale  Music: Joseph Sandy 

Today marks the beginning of the Paralympic Games, and nearly 3 weeks since the end of the Olympic Games in Paris. But what actually happens to your brain when you exercise? What’s the science behind ‘runner’s high’? And why isn’t there enough research on women in sport? This month, we’re joined by exercise neuroscientist Flaminia Ronca, from UCL and the Institute of Sport Exercise and Health. She shares with us which chemical and physiological systems are involved when we exercise, and how regular exercise can decrease our chances of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.     Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released!    Please leave this episode a rating and a review to let us know what you think, and to help other people discover the podcast.   Get tickets for upcoming talks and livestreams: https://www.rigb.org/whats-on   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/TheRoyalInstitution   X: https://twitter.com/Ri_Science     Producer: Lia Hale  Assistant producer: Isla Nakano  Interviewer: Lia Hale  Music: Joseph Sandy 

Why is there less medical research on women? How did humanity reach 8 billion despite the dangers of childbirth? In this episode, Cat Bohannon explores these questions and reveals insights from her book, Eve: How Women Drove 200 Million Years of Evolution, to highlight women’s pivotal role in our species’ history. This talk was recorded at the Royal Institution on 8 June 2024. Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released!   Please leave this episode a rating and a review to let us know what you think, and to help other people discover the podcast.   Get tickets for upcoming talks and livestreams: https://www.rigb.org/whats-on   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/TheRoyalInstitution   X: https://twitter.com/Ri_Science   Producer: Eloise Ross Executive producer: Lia Hale Music: Joseph Sandy  

To celebrate National Cheese Day earlier this month, we sat down with biochemist and cheese expert Bronwen Percival to look under the barrel at the science of one of the nation’s favourite foods. From the basics of cheese production to the biochemistry underlying its notorious smell, and even some cheese tastings, this episode guarantees to open your eyes to the captivating world of cheese.   Ri Science Podcast episodes are released on the last Wednesday of every month. Subscribe to be notified as soon as the next episode is released!  Please leave this episode a rating and a review to let us know what you think, and to help other people discover the podcast.   Get tickets for upcoming talks and livestreams: https://www.rigb.org/whats-on   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/TheRoyalInstitution   X: https://twitter.com/Ri_Science     Producer: Freddie Rodgers  Interviewer: Isla Nakano  Music: Joseph Sandy