Best Chris Lintott Podcasts (2025)

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The Economics of Work and Technology - Daniel Susskind 52:37

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44m ago52:37

52:37

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/v0RoRG2YA-0 Why has automation anxiety – the fear that new technologies cause mass unemployment – proven wrong over the centuries? This lecture explores how technology affects the labour market. While new technologies can substitute for workers, reducing demand for their efforts at certain activities, th…

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New series starts soon! 1:03

22m ago1:03

1:03

Brian Cox and Robin Ince preview the new series of The Infinite Monkey Cage, which includes a fascinating episode about eels! New episodes will be released weekly, wherever you get your podcasts. If you’re in the UK, you can listen to episodes a week early, first on BBC Sounds.By BBC Radio 4

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Whither War; Whither the Law of War - Professor Sir Geoffrey Nice KC 1:01:09

4d ago1:01:09

1:01:09

How might we change the way we – and all our leaders think – so that we never go to war? The war between Russia and Ukraine, as well as the conflict in Gaza, have galvanised thinking about, and action by, the bodies administering, the laws of war. National court processes - applying ‘universal jurisdiction’ for example – may bring international war…

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From Tyranny to Athenian Democracy - Melissa Lane 49:38

7d ago49:38

49:38

When – and how – did Athenian democracy begin? There is no unambiguous answer to this question. This lecture explores one plausible origin: the popular uprising in 508 BCE overthrowing foreign invaders (who had previously expelled an Athenian-bred family of tyrants). In the aftermath of that revolution, the Athenians – led by Kleisthenes – reorgani…

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China and Chineseness: Lessons from the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan - Steve Tsang 44:35

6d ago44:35

44:35

This lecture is about the meaning of China and being Chinese. It examines critically how the Chinese state, under the control of the Communist Party defines them. It highlights the historical reality that the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan adopted different political systems. The Communist Party installed a powerful Leninist party-state on …

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War's Toxic Legacy - Ian Mudway 59:05

9d ago59:05

59:05

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/3LrIEG26m78 War's environmental legacies disproportionately burden the civilian populations left behind. While research focuses on combatant exposures, civilians face chronic contamination from heavy metals, chemical residues, unexploded ordnance, and asbestos, often exacerbated by disrupted infrastructu…

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Climate Change at Sea - Latitude 2025 53:04

11d ago53:04

53:04

The ocean is an all too often overlooked part of our natural world, yet it is the blue engine that drives everything. And it is changing in many ways, at an alarming rate. Rising sea levels, warming oceans, increased acidification, plastic pollution... Physicist and oceanographer Dr Helen Czerski will discuss this with oceanographer Professor David…

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How Does Mathematics Last? Heritage and Heritage-making in Mathematics - Caroline Ehrhardt 46:25

13d ago46:25

46:25

How is mathematical knowledge recorded and preserved across generations? Contrary to the idea that mathematics itself is somehow ‘permanent’, in this talk we will explore heritage-making in mathematics, that is the people, institutions, and material objects that can give mathematical ideas longevity. We will explore the heritage-making found in two…

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Evoking Empathy through Animal Portraiture 47:11

21d ago47:11

47:11

The natural world faces unprecedented threats, challenging historical perceptions of nature as inexhaustible. Photographer Tim Flach draws on his acclaimed works, including Endangered, More Than Human, and Birds, to reveal how photography transcends traditional wildlife representation. By employing critical anthropomorphism and human portraiture te…

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Why Do We Fear? - Robin May 45:14

20d ago45:14

45:14

Fear is one of the earliest emotions to have evolved. Most vertebrates – and possibly some invertebrates – show fear when they are threatened. At its most core, fear keeps us alive, helping us flee from predators or avoid dangerous environments. But why does this process sometimes backfire, leaving us paralysed by otherwise harmless phobias? And wh…

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Hitler, Jesus & How to Win a Culture War - Alec Ryrie 45:51

23d ago45:51

45:51

Since 1945 Hitler and the Nazis have been the Western world’s one fixed moral reference point: the way we know what evil is. But that consensus has always been more fragile than it felt, and now it is unravelling. This lecture will trace how we came to build our values around the memory of the Second World War, why that consensus isn’t enough to de…

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How It Ends: What We Know about the Fate of the Universe - Chris Lintott 49:41

27d ago49:41

49:41

How will it all end? Predicting the far future of our Universe depends on understanding its present. This lecture starts with what seems to be a paradox in modern cosmology: that we have a model that does a fantastic job of explaining what we see, but which says 95% of the Universe is in forms (dark matter and dark energy) that we don’t understand.…

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AI Will Be Your Overlord: Faster, Brighter, Better Than You? 49:47

1M ago49:47

49:47

By Gresham College

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Shakespeare’s Musical Fairies - Dominic Broomfield-McHugh 2:06:49

1M ago2:06:49

2:06:49

Written in the era of the founding of Gresham College, Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream portrays the hypnotic dreaminess of a fairy world in which the real and the fantastic are blurred. This lecture explores how the innate musicality of Shakespeare’s original has provoked adaptations across the centuries, including Ashton and Balanchine’s b…

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Weirdly Normal - The Science of Neurodiversity - Live from Latitude 42:17

1M ago42:17

42:17

What if being a bit weird is actually entirely normal? What if sharing our internal struggles wasn't a sign of weakness, but strength? Let some experts help you wade through the 'neurotrash' to talk about the science of neurodiversity. Gina Rippon is a Professor of Cognitive NeuroImaging and author of The Gendered Brain and The Lost Girls of Autism…

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Weirdly Normal - The Science of Neurodiversity - Live from Latitude 42:17

1M ago42:17

42:17

What if being a bit weird is actually entirely normal? What if sharing our internal struggles wasn't a sign of weakness, but strength? Let some experts help you wade through the 'neurotrash' to talk about the science of neurodiversity. Gina Rippon is a Professor of Cognitive NeuroImaging and author of The Gendered Brain and The Lost Girls of Autism…

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Lessons from Guantánamo Bay - Clive Stafford Smith 53:19

1M ago53:19

53:19

This lecture looks at the evolution of Guantánamo Bay, first as a focal point of Haitian immigration in 1991 (Gitmo 1.0), to the more famous detention of terror suspects in 2002 (Gitmo 2.0), and back to immigration in 2025. We will explore how Gitmo 3.0 is probably already over, and how we were able to head it off so quickly through legal challenge…

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The Shape of Hands: Symmetry, Chirality and Handedness - Alain Goriely 57:23

1M ago57:23

57:23

The reflection of my right hand in a mirror is a left hand that looks similar yet is very different from the right. Many natural structures such as proteins, climbing vines, and seashells exhibit the same property known as chirality. Some of these objects are clearly left-handed, some are right-handed, some are both. The ultimate origin of chiralit…

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Earth – Our Planetary Life Support System - Professor Helen Czerski 46:08

2M ago46:08

46:08

Planet Earth is an intricate and interconnected system, with some fundamental rules that we usually ignore. But we are part of our planet, not separate to it or just perched on top of it. This lecture will consider the two primary rules of Earth: that energy continually flows through the system (in from the Sun and then out again to space) and that…

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Automation Anxiety - Daniel Susskind 47:43

2M ago47:43

47:43

Ever since modern economic growth began three centuries ago, people have suffered from periodic bursts of anxiety about the technologies of the time taking on the work that they do. This opening lecture explores the history of ‘automation anxiety’ – from the Luddites who smashed framing machines at the start of the Industrial Revolution in Britain …

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We're Going On a Dark Matter Hunt - Live from Latitude 51:43

2M ago51:43

51:43

Recorded live at Latitude 2025, join Dr Clara Nellist of CERN, and two astrophysicists, Sky at Night co-host Dr Maggie Aderin-Pock and Sky at Night regular Dr Jen Gupta alongside Dr Helen Czerski to discuss what we know about Dark Matter, and how we're trying to actually find it. Support the show at patreon.com/cosmicshambles and watch the video ve…

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Graphic Novels Panel - Live from Latitude 2025 51:44

2M ago51:44

51:44

Graphic Novels (NB - Alan Moore calls them comics, so we’re allowed to callthem comics) are increasingly becoming a fantastic medium for diverse storytelling. Award-winning author Nikesh Shukla grew up feeling less alone because of Spiderman, and is now the author of the Spiderman: INDIA-SEVA as well as multiple best-selling books including The Goo…

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Galileo’s Journey to the Underworld: The Case for Interdisciplinary Thinking - Sarah Hart 55:28

3M ago55:28

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ttps://x.com/GreshamCollege Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/tv554JY9TPU In 1588, the young Galileo delivered some lectures that were impressive enough to secure him a mathematics professorship at the University of Pisa. His subject? The geometry of Dante’s Inferno. In this lecture we’ll look at some of Galileo’s deductions, and how the…

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Illuminating Light - Jess Wade, Russell Foster and Bridget Christie 42:23

3M ago42:23

42:23

What is light? How has it shaped our understanding of the universe, our biology, and even our culture?In this illuminating episode Brian Cox and Robin Ince shine a spotlight on the fascinating science and history of light. From sun and circadian rhythms to the dazzling complexity of quantum, they explore how humans have understood and been influenc…

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A World Remade by Decolonization? - Martin Thomas 49:02

3M ago49:02

49:02

The lecture shares perspectives from global history, comparative politics, and international relations to revaluate whether the twentieth-century collapse of European colonialism was as definitive as often portrayed. It suggests that, while in some ways, ending European Empires remade our contemporary world, in others processes of decolonization ar…

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Oil, Decolonisation, and the Future of the Climate Emergency - Adam Hanieh 53:17

3M ago53:17

53:17

Decolonisation movements sought to win sovereignty and control over national resources, especially oil. This lecture explores oil’s influence on national independence struggles, from the 1955 Bandung Conference to the rise of OPEC and the nationalisation of crude reserves. It examines how these shifts reshaped global power, exposing both the succes…

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Trust Me, I'am an AI - Live from Latitude 54:19

3M ago54:19

54:19

AI is in the news everywhere you look at the moment. But amongst all of the sensationalist headlines, what’s really going on, and what should we actually be worried about when it comes to AI? Prof Kevin Fong recently took a look at medicine in AI for a BBC series and Elizabeth Black is a Professor of Artificial Intelligence at King’s College. They …

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Moths v Butterflies - Katy Brand, Jane Hill and Chris Jiggins 42:08

3M ago42:08

42:08

What really separates a moth from a butterfly? Is it just a matter of day and night, or is there more to this fluttering feud than meets the eye?Professor Brian Cox and Robin Ince flap into the fabulous world of Lepidoptera with Professor Jane Hill, Professor Chris Jiggins, and comedian Katy Brand. Together, they chase colourful wings through scien…

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Shanawdithit: A Woman at the End of the World - Julia Laite 53:31

3M ago53:31

53:31

Shanawdithit was a woman who bore witness to the death of her world in the early nineteenth century, creating the only first-hand account we have of the Beothuk people from the Island of Newfoundland. This lecture seeks to narrate the history of her fascinating and important life, alongside the history of her island, which was England’s first trans…

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Outsmart the System: How Psychology Hacks Your Money Decisions - Raghavendra Rau 2:03:03

3M ago2:03:03

2:03:03

Ever feel like the financial world works against you? This lecture discusses "behavioral finance" – how our brains get tricked by money matters. We will explore how to use these insights to your advantage, navigate conflicts of interest with financial "experts," and make smarter decisions for yourself and your investments. This lecture was recorded…

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Technofossils - Sarah Gabbott, Mark Miodownik and Aurie Styla 42:26

3M ago42:26

42:26

Brian Cox and Robin Ince dig deep into the strata of an imagined human history to unearth the curious concept of technofossils. Joined by paleobiologist Sarah Gabbott, material scientist Mark Miodownik and comedian and tech enthusiast Aurie Styla the panel unearth how the everyday objects that we throw away today compare to fossils of the past. Tog…

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Democracy and International Criminal Justice in the Fragile World of the Rule of Law - Howard Morrison 46:53

3M ago46:53

46:53

The lecture will examine the pros and cons of democracy in today's world, focusing on the importance of domestic and international rule of law to maintain democratic ideals, which are fragile in times of conflict. There will be examples given, highlighting the current War in Ukraine and the political situation in the United States, the influence of…

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The Future of Health - Chris Whitty 51:34

3M ago51:34

51:34

Health over the last 150 years in the UK and internationally has been transformed and this rapid rate of change will continue. Improvements in public health and the shifting demographic structure are altering the trajectory and frequency of disease. Advances in science including new drug classes, diagnostics and AI are changing what is possible in …

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The Mighty Spud - Sandy Knapp, Glenn Bryan and Susan Calman 42:43

4M ago42:43

42:43

Robin Ince and Brian Cox get out the ketchup and peel back the layers of one of the most versatile and beloved foods - potatoes. From the science of starch to the surprising role potatoes have played in history, we’re digging deep to uncover the truth behind the mighty spud.Chipping into the conversation are botanist Sandy Knapp, geneticist Glenn B…

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Sum Stories: Equations and their Origins - Robin Wilson 54:42

4M ago54:42

54:42

How long is the coastline of Britain? What is a rhombicuboctahedron? Which US president proved Pythagoras’s theorem? These and many other intriguing questions will be addressed in this lecture on renowned mathematical equations and their history. The selected equations span various areas of mathematics and cover a timeline of 4000 years, from early…

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The Deceived Brain: Coding and Illusion - Alain Goriely 51:29

4M ago51:29

51:29

We perceive the world through the processing of information given by our senses. Sometimes, this processing is faulty leading to illusions: shapes or sounds that we perceive differently from their physical reality. These illusions have delighted children and scientists alike for centuries. This lecture reveals how simple geometric illusions can be …

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How to Build the Perfect Athlete - Helen Glover, Hugh Dennis, Steve Haake and Emma Ross 42:22

4M ago42:22

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Brian Cox and Robin Ince are limbering up for a high-performance episode all about what it takes to build the perfect athlete.Joining them on the track are physiologist Dr Emma Ross, sports engineer Professor Steve Haake, Olympic rowing legend Helen Glover, and comedian Hugh Dennis - who’s getting into gear and reliving his cycling adventures in th…

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The Future of Immunity - Robin May 51:28

4M ago51:28

51:28

Our understanding of the human immune system today is vastly different from that of 50 years ago. This knowledge has led to immune-based therapies that would have seemed like science fiction to our grandparents: monoclonal antibodies, T-cell therapies, anti-cancer vaccines, precision immune suppression – the list is endless. In this lecture, we loo…

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Remixing the Music of the Spheres - Milton Mermikides and Chris Lintott 43:16

4M ago43:16

43:16

This is the fifth and final lecture from the Gresham Festival of Musical Ideas. https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/series/musical-ideas-2025 Professors Lintott and Mermikides present and discuss historical and contemporary musical representations of astronomical data including Pythagoras’s parallelism of tuning purity and celestial movement, Plato…

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Climbing Mount Groove: Music and Dance in the Brain - Milton Mermikides and Morten Kringelbach 43:03

4M ago43:03

43:03

This is the second lecture from the Gresham Festival of Musical Ideas. https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/series/musical-ideas-2025 Why does a rhythm make us tap our feet—or even get up and dance? In conversation with Professor Milton Mermikides, neuroscientist Professor Morten Kringelbach reveals how the brain finds pleasure, meaning, and movemen…

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The Evolution of Music - Milton Mermikides and Robin May 49:57

4M ago49:57

49:57

This is the first lecture from the Gresham Festival of Musical Ideas. https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/series/musical-ideas-2025 Musical instruments have been found in the archaeological record from at least 40,000 years ago and despite the diversity of human civilization, we are yet to find a culture which lacks music. Other species also make ‘…

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The Maths of Music (and the Music of Maths) - Milton Mermikides and Sarah Hart 43:44

4M ago43:44

43:44

This is the fourth lecture from the Gresham Festival of Musical Ideas. https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/series/musical-ideas-2025 Professors Sarah Hart and Milton Mermikides reveal the deep connections between music and mathematics. Whether that’s the Euclidean rhythms that shape funky grooves, the set theory that maps every possible chord, or a…

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The Virtues of Music - Milton Mermikides and Melissa Lane 41:27

4M ago41:27

41:27

This is the third lecture from the Gresham Festival of Musical Ideas. https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/series/musical-ideas-2025 This dialogue presents the what and why of Ancient Greek music, and its profound role in philosophy, society and the individual. Education without music was an impossibility in ancient Greece; virtue without music, equ…

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Georgia Davis & Emily Marshall: Switching Careers, Changing the Game. 28:01

4M ago28:01

28:01

In this episode of Reports from Arbroath, Brian discuss the unconventional career paths of Georgia Davis and Emily Marshall in the world of cricket and cricket media. Georgia, a former police officer, shares her journey to becoming a professional cricketer, while Em discusses her journey towards becoming of the rising stars in a new generation of c…

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Should We Settle in Space? - Tim Peake, Kelly Weinersmith and Alan Davies 42:46

4M ago42:46

42:46

Brian Cox and Robin Ince blast off into a cosmic controversy as they ask, should humanity become an interplanetary species? At Harwell Campus, a space science innovation hub, they’re joined by astronaut Tim Peake, biologist and Royal Society prize winning author Kelly Weinersmith, and comedian Alan Davies to explore the science, ethics, and challen…

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Architecture of Enslavement, Colonialism and Independence: The Story of James Fort in Accra - Elsie Owusu 46:15

4M ago46:15

46:15

Accra’s James Fort is an iconic monument for Ghana and modern Africa. This lecture explores the fort's evolution -from its role as a trading post in the early European-African encounters, through its significance during the trans-Atlantic trade and enslavement, to its later use as a modern colonial prison in the post-independence era. It also explo…

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The Operatic Showstopper: ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ - Dominic Broomfield-McHugh 47:49

4M ago47:49

47:49

This lecture considers ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ from Carousel (1945). Perhaps Rodgers and Hammerstein’s most operatic song, it was originally written for Metropolitan Opera star Christine Johnson but has gone on to be recorded by artists as diverse as Elvis Presley and Marcus Mumford and sung at both the Last Night of the Proms and Liverpool Footb…

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201st Birthday Bonanza - Mel Giedroyc, Deborah Meaden and Nish Kumar 42:35

4M ago42:35

42:35

Get ready for a landmark episode of The Infinite Monkey Cage as we celebrate our 201st show! Brian Cox and Robin Ince invite a lively panel of celebrity guests to pose their burning scientific questions to a top-tier team of scientists.Mel Giedroyc is tunnelling into the world of engineering, asking how we build and operate trains under some of the…