Instant Genius
Kanalaren Xehetasunak
Instant Genius
Whether you’re curious about getting healthy, the Big Bang or the science of cooking, find out everything you need to know with Instant Genius. The team behind BBC Science Focus Magazine talk to world-leading experts to bring you two bite-sized masterclasses on a new subject each week. New episodes...
Atal Berriak
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Why wasps are one of the planet’s most misunderstood insects
The truth is, when most of us think of wasps, our minds will likely go to memories of irritating winged pests landing in our drinks when we’re trying...
Why you probably don’t need to be taking dietary supplements
These days the supplement industry is booming – supermarket shelves are stacked high with all manner of pills and powders claiming to do everything fr...
Why this tiny organism is essential for the health of the planet
Although it often goes unnoticed, plankton is the most abundant form of life in Earth’s oceans, making up 95 per cent of all oceanic biomass. These ti...
What happens in our bodies when our hormones misfire
Every minute of every day, our bodies are flooded with a complex web of hormones – chemical messengers that travel through the bloodstream, coordinati...
What we can learn about parenting from the animal kingdom
Becoming a parent is undoubtedly one of the biggest events that can occur in any of our lifetimes – suddenly we have a tiny living being to take care...
Don’t miss the upcoming Nature’s Unsung Heroes miniseries!
While the larger, more impressive or charismatic animal and plant species often receive the most attention, the natural world is filled with lesser-kn...
Why bisexuality is everywhere
In June of every year, the LGBTQ+ community across the world comes together to celebrate Pride Month – an annual event that began in 1970 to promote a...
The past, present and future of DNA science
Whether it’s the swab tests many of us use to help us piece together our family trees, the painstaking detective work carried out by forensic scientis...
Why ecoacoustics is the future of conservation
Traditionally, ecologists wanting to take stock of the diversity, health and population levels of animal species within a given environment have neede...
Unlocking the invisible rainbows of the Universe
Our world may look vibrant and full of color. But in reality, our human eyes are only picking up the tiniest slice of all the light shining in the Uni...
Why birdsong is the pop music of the natural world
When it comes to the sounds we encounter in the natural world, few have the beauty, elegance and variety of birdsong. But these distinctive vocalisati...
Why walking more is the best thing you can do to boost your health
Over thousands of years, human beings evolved to walk upright on two legs, efficiently and over long distances. But these days, thanks to changes in o...
How ultrasound tech could save hedgehogs
Hedgehogs are in decline all over Europe. These prickly little fellas are faced with so many threats – in their rural habitats, in our gardens, and on...
Why ADHD is so challenging to diagnose
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, is currently thought to affect around one in 20 of the world’s population, making it one of the mos...
Inside the project helping the hearing-impaired listen to music
The vast majority of us take listening to and appreciating music for granted. But for those of us living with hearing loss, continuing to enjoy our fa...
Why your Neanderthal genes may be affecting your health
There’s so much we don’t know about Neanderthals. Our stocky, muscular relatives went extinct around 40,000 years ago, leaving a trail of mystery in t...
Don't miss the upcoming Science of Sound Miniseries!
Would you like to hear about the fascinating new discoveries astronomers are making by listening to distant stars? Learn about the cutting edge tech s...
How to help your brain thrive in a rapidly changing world
For thousands of years, the evolution of the human race has been driven by natural selection and the passing on of genes that have helped us to thrive...
How to break free from imposter syndrome
No matter our level of ability, talent or achievement, at times some of us feel like we’re a fraud and have simply been blagging our way to success. T...
The dawn chorus – why birds sing at the break of day
In springtime, as the Sun rises, the early morning air is filled with the glorious sound of birdsong. This is known as the dawn chorus. But why exactl...
How to save the planet’s forests
Forests cover around one-third of all landmass on Earth and, as such, play a key role in the ecological health of the entire planet. However, thanks t...
How flowers played a key role of the evolution of life on Earth
For most of us, our experience of flowers is limited to sending a bouquet to our loved ones on special occasions or perhaps picking up some pretty pla...
How chemistry underpins every area of our lives
While we may not always be consciously aware of it, chemical processes are busy whirring away every second of every day, no matter what we’re doing or...
How to engage more deeply with the natural world
Perhaps due to poor weather, the COVID pandemic, or a simple lack of motivation, these days many of us spend a lot of our time indoors. However, where...
You’ve been pooping wrong, but here’s how to fix it
Smelly, dirty and a bit embarrassing – we tend to treat our poo as a private matter, to be dealt with in the bathroom and then stringently ignored. Bu...
Why it’s not too late to reverse Earth’s extinction crisis
Planet Earth is currently facing its sixth mass extinction event, with hundreds of species of plants and animals being lost for good every single day....
Why gout is on the rise, and how to lower your risk
If you were to mention the term gout, the chances are that most of us would think of the gluttonous sovereigns of yesteryear who ended up with the con...
How our intimate relationship with animals shaped human evolution
Thanks to our highly developed brains, sophisticated ability to communicate and use of advanced technology, it can be easy to think that we humans are...
Why our brains struggle to keep up with a rapidly changing world
The human brain is undoubtedly one of the true marvels of nature. But many of the neural mechanisms that evolved to keep our ancestors alive over thou...
Why we need to save ugly, creepy, scary and misunderstood animals
The natural world is filled with a rich tapestry of creatures, each occupying a unique evolutionary niche that helps to keep the ecosystems they live...
How we look at the Universe with a radio
There’s an entire cosmos hidden from our human eyes. The only way to see it is by looking at the Universe with a radio. We talk to Dr Emma Chapman abo...
How to spot the telltale signs of lying using linguistics
How can we tell if someone we’re speaking to is being economical with the truth? Oftentimes, we’re told that the primary telltale signs lie in the use...
Why understanding what makes us hungry is key to weight loss
Chances are that if any of us are looking to drop a bit of excess weight, the first thing we’ll attempt is to cut down the number of calories we’re co...
How to slash your dementia risk in 12 weeks
Around the world, more than 50 million people are living with some form of dementia – a number expected to triple by 2050 as populations age. But the...
Why connecting with others is vital for our mental health
Statistics show that half of us will experience a mental health condition of some kind by the time we turn forty. Could this be due to the increasing...
How metabolism really affects your health, weight and wellbeing
Whether we’re working at a desk in an office, running a marathon or even asleep in bed, our bodies are host to thousands of chemical processes that ar...
What faces reveal about us and the societies we live in
The human face contains more than 40 muscles, giving us an ability to visually express our thoughts and emotions that is unique in the animal kingdom....
How our planet connects to the Solar System around it
We often think of our planet as an isolated island, solitary and cut off from the cosmic ocean it resides in. But the truth is, Earth is intimately co...
How AI could help us create life from scratch
For the last several billion years, all life on Earth has progressed according to the rules of evolution by natural selection – a step-by-step process...
What happens in our brains and bodies when we fall in love
The chances are that if any of us were asked to describe what it feels like to be in love we’d turn to art, poetry or music to help give us the answer...