Discovery

The Life Scientific returns with a special episode from the USA; Princeton, New Jersey, to be precise. Here, the Institute for Advanced Study has hosted some of the greatest scientific minds of our time - Einstein was one of its first professors, J. Robert Oppenheimer its longest-serving director - and today's guest counts among them. Edward Witten is professor emeritus at the institute and the physicist behind M-Theory, a leading contender for what is commonly referred to as ‘the theory of everything’, uniting quantum mechanics and Einstein’s theory of gravity. He talks to Jim al-Khalili about a career that’s spanned some of the most exciting periods in modern theoretical physics - and about one particular problem that has obsessed and eluded him since his days as a student.Producer: Lucy Taylor

Explore the challenges of exercising in older age, including juggling responsibilities, muscle function changes, and barriers to exercise. Discover the motivation behind exercise psychology and overcoming negative sports experiences. Learn about starting or restarting exercise later in life and embracing a broader understanding of aging.

Discover the potential health risks of excessive sitting and the negative effects it has on muscle activity, blood circulation, metabolic system, and overall health. Learn about a test comparing energy expenditure during sitting, standing, walking, and body weight resistance exercises. Explore the landmark study connecting physical activity and health in the 1950s and the ongoing debate on the impact of physical inactivity versus excessive sitting. Discover the negative impacts of sitting for long periods, including increased glucose levels, insulin levels, and blood pressure, and the importance of finding a balance between sitting, standing, and being active.

Explore the link between oral health and overall health, including the connection between gum disease and chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Discover the tradition of tongue diagnosis in Chinese medicine and the neglected role of the mouth in Western medicine. Learn about the impact of oral health on diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cognitive decline, and COVID-19. Uncover the fear of going to the dentist and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration between healthcare professionals. Get insights on proper toothbrushing techniques, debunking myths, and the significance of good oral hygiene in preventing cardiovascular mortality.

This podcast explores the physical characteristics and hunting tactics of cheetahs. It also delves into their behavior, social dynamics, and interactions with other predators. The decline of cheetah populations in Asia and Africa is discussed, along with the different approaches to conservation. The cultural and religious attitudes towards cheetahs in India are explored as well.

Discover the truth behind piranhas' ferocious reputation and debunk the myths surrounding them. Explore their diet, behavior, and characteristics, and learn about researching piranhas in the Amazon. Delve into their predatory nature and the impact of plastic on them. Finally, explore the potential consequences of climate change on piranhas and dispel common misconceptions.

Investigating the portrayal and reality of great white sharks, this podcast explores the experiences and research of experts diving with these sharks. It discusses their sensory capabilities, hunting tactics, and behavior, including the displacement of great whites by killer whales in South Africa. Ultimately, it reveals that killer whales are the true apex predators of the ocean.

Adam Hart investigates the largest terrestrial member of the weasel family – the wolverine. They’re far more than just a superhero played by Hugh Jackman! With a reputation for gluttony and ferocity, these solitary killers use snowstorms to hunt much larger prey. Found in the snowy tundra and boreal forests of the Northern Hemisphere, their future looks uncertain – they've come into conflict with Scandinavian farmers by hunting their reindeer and are threatened by climate change in North America and Mongolia. But have we misunderstood wolverines? And can we learn to co-exist with them? Contributors:Rebecca Watters is founder and director of the Mongolian Wolverine Project, as well as the executive director of the Wolverine Foundation, a non-profit that’s dedicated to advancing science-based conservation of wolverines.Jenny Mattisson is a researcher at the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, who is involved in the monitoring of wolverines in Scandinavia. She has studied interactions between wolverines and Eurasian lynx, as well as their predation of reindeer.Presenter: Professor Adam Hart Producer: Jonathan Blackwell Editor: Holly Squire Production Coordinator: Jonathan Harris Studio Manager: Donald MacDonald (Photo: Wolverine, Credit: Arterra/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Alexandre Antonelli, Director of Science at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, discusses protecting biodiversity. He emphasizes the need to document the richness of life to effectively protect it. The podcast explores how changes in landscape affect species adaptation, the speaker's personal and professional journey, and utilizing Q's archive to combat climate change. It also delves into combating illegal timber trade and the importance of considering biodiversity in tree planting initiatives.

Astronomer Paul Murdin believes a good imagination is vital for scientists, since they're so often dealing with subjects outside the visible realm.Indeed, over a long and successful career his imagination has taken him on a journey through space, discovering various new and unusual celestial occurrences - notably the first successful identification of a black hole, Cygnus X-1.Paul tells Jim Al-Khalili how he spent much of his career at the Royal Greenwich Observatory, working with astronomers around the world on some of the most advanced telescopes ever built. He headed up the Astronomy section of the UK’s Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council, was Director of Science for the British National Space Centre and even has an asteroid named after him.This list of achievements is testament to the fact that Paul has never let his disability hold him back; a leg brace and walking sticks have been part of his life since contracting polio in childhood. But he maintains that as long as you have curiosity and a vibrant imagination, nothing should stand in your way.(Photo: Paul Murdin in 1971 next to the Isaac Newton Telescope at the time of the discovery with that telescope of Cygnus X-1. Credit: Paul Murdin)