Are quizzes and puzzles dying in the era of the internet - where any answer is seemingly a click away - or can they be Google-proofed? This week, we ask our in-house crossword expert to tell us what types of questions create answers that are hard to search for, how a puzzle question should be structured, and what features make for a good puzzle. We also discuss what makes something un-Googleable and consider the implications for human knowledge sharing. If listening to this podcast doesn’t make ...
May 11, 2022•41 min
Brands often build loyal bands of acolytes who can verge on the fanatical. It's easy to find evidence of people professing their love for Apple, Google or HP Sauce, but untangling the reasons why they fall in love with particular brands is more difficult. The idea for this week's podcast comes from loyal listener, Helge. Based on his suggestion, we delve into what kind of brands inspire loyalty, what it means to be loyal to a brand and why people emotionally attach themselves to brands in the fi...
May 04, 2022•40 min
You won't believe the 10 ways that listening to this podcast could change your life!!! This week we discuss writing and whether it is the author's responsibility to engage their audience or the reader's responsibility to buckle down and concentrate. We look at whether the quality of writing affects the quality of the argument and if it is the case that some subject matter cannot be reduced to simple language. We discuss the idea of irreducible complexity and Flesch–Kincaid readability tests. Pet...
Apr 27, 2022•41 min
What constitutes a good question? In this week’s podcast, we examine one of the gripping questions of our time: are there more doors or wheels on planet Earth? We use the wheels vs doors debate as a gateway into the dynamics of questions and information exchange, considering how a question should be defined and whether it is the same as generating a hypothesis. In doing so, we discuss logical positivism, value of information theory, Fermi analysis and the Zen Buddhist concept of Mu. Finally, we ...
Apr 20, 2022•41 min
Do you ever wonder what happened to that kid at school? Are there classmates with whom you've lost touch, but would love to catch up with? Or does the whole thing fill you with dread? In this week’s podcast, we discuss school reunions. We start by probing the reasons behind the popularity of the school reunion film trope of the 1970s and 80s, ask whether school reunions are more than just a benchmarking exercise with our peers, and question the impact of social media on getting together with our...
Apr 13, 2022•37 min
If you applied for a job at a company that claimed it was merely years away from sending a robot to Mars would you be suspicious? What if the company was run by Elon Musk? In this week’s podcast, we discuss the difference between startups and scams. Do all companies need to pretend to be bigger than they are to generate early revenue and success? We outline the legal conditions required to commit fraud, the infamous Theranos case and set out some red flags for determining if a company meets the ...
Apr 06, 2022•31 min
We all know the recipe for a classic Disney film: animation, soppy morals, uplifting songs and inspiring plots. But what makes something quintessential or classic? Does defining the features of a brand tell you something about its identity? In this week’s podcast, we discuss Disney films. We ask what cinematic elements make for a classic Disney film? We discuss the Disney renaissance of the late 80s and early 90s, the Sporcle quiz and brand coherence vs brand consistency. Finally, we share our f...
Mar 30, 2022•37 min
Are borders real or imaginary? Do borders require a territory or area of land, or are there domains without physical space that still contain borders? In this week’s podcast, and in light of recent events, we discuss the complexity of borders and jurisdictions. We explore territorialism in the animal kingdom, the history and economics of borders, and how borders can shape national identity. Finally, we share some of our favourite borders. A few things we mentioned in this podcast: - Chimp war ht...
Mar 23, 2022•33 min
Do you know what servo or katana means? How about doula or damask? A recent study into word recognition among English speakers has found that how recognisable a word is to you may depend on contextual factors, such as nationality or gender. In this week's podcast, we discuss words and language. Is there a difference between understanding a word and understanding how it is used? Does our recognition of certain words tell us something about where we fit into society? We discuss the Shy Tory effect...
Mar 16, 2022•45 min
Does an adventure require facing danger and seeing the world, or can you simply go on an adventure around your living room? In this week’s podcast we discuss adventure. What exactly is an adventure and how do you do it properly? We attempt to unravel what makes an adventure interesting, why we undertake them in the first place and what their essential elements are. We analyse the structure of adventure stories, debate Shannon entropy theory and share some of our own favourite adventures and most...
Mar 09, 2022•36 min
Why is work important? The pandemic has spawned new movements dedicated to fighting against the oppression of wage labour. So this week, we take a look at the burgeoning Anti-work movement. One that started off as a minor subreddit and has now grown into a popular idea. We discuss what makes the Anti-work movement influential and ask if it is a positive sign that people are questioning modern work patterns. We also cover the concept of Bullshit Jobs, inefficiencies in the job market and techno-u...
Mar 02, 2022•29 min
Is Tracey Emin entitled to ask the current Government to take down artwork that she gave to the Government when David Cameron was in office or is that unreasonable? We look at whether it is ever permissible to ask for a gift back. In this week’s podcast, we discuss gifts and ask what rights you have when you give a gift to someone and whether these rights change depending on who the gift is for. We explore the complex moral and legal implications of giving a gift, the curious case of engagement ...
Feb 23, 2022•27 min
The human body is full of seemingly uncoordinated processes and sensations. Needing to pass and then drink water in quick succession, developing an insatiable hunger just before bedtime, getting an itchy nose when your hands are both full. It often feels like there are some inherent design flaws in the human species. In this week’s podcast, we discuss redesigning humans. Why are some biological processes seemingly so inefficient? How could we optimise the human species using physiology from diff...
Feb 16, 2022•36 min
What is a life without risk? From going outside to eating our lunch, we take dozens of risks every day without stopping to consider them, let alone attempt to quantify them. In this week’s podcast, we are joined by Jerry Smith, Head of Advisory at the risk analysis company, CHC Global. Jerry helps us to unpack how the insurance market operates, the idea of malicious versus benign risk, and why high impact and low probability events are difficult to insure. We also discuss how data might be used ...
Feb 09, 2022•38 min
As the UK Government teeters on the edge of a precipice, we look back to a key moment in the genesis of the current crisis: the lobbying scandal that brought an end to Conservative MP Owen Paterson’s political career. We use these events to analyse the issue of politicians’ pay. In this week's podcast, we consider the issue of optimal remuneration for our political classes. We debate whether we would get better politicians, with fewer vested interests, if they were paid more money. We also chart...
Feb 02, 2022•39 min
It’s one of Britain’s most loved yet least considered products: the humble crisp. In this week’s podcast, we discuss the association between colour and crisp flavours. We ask all the burning questions: What does your favourite crisp flavour say about you? Have crisp packets always been the same colour? Is there really a definitive colour palette for each flavour? Along the way, we take you through the contentious history of crisps, differences in preference across countries and generations, and ...
Jan 26, 2022•35 min
Taking a walk through the woods with the family pet can sometimes unearth some unexpected surprises. Sticks, stones or even, buried treasure. In this week’s podcast, we discuss what counts as treasure and how you might distinguish it from trash. We survey the historical legal definitions of treasure, assess the likelihood of a detectorist striking gold and present examples of how finding treasure can ignite our imagination and become a bridge to the past. Finally, we share the treasures we would...
Jan 19, 2022•39 min
"If I could talk with the animals, just imagine it..." In this week's podcast, we discuss what it would be like if we could indeed talk with animals. We consider the ethics of such conversations and try to work out what our non-human friends might be able to teach us. We also dive into topics such as language processing, communication and intelligence. A few things we mentioned in this podcast: - Are We on the Verge of Chatting with Whales? https://www.hakaimagazine.com/features/are-we-on-the-ve...
Jan 12, 2022•34 min
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he "certainly broke no rules" as questions continue to plague the government over parties during lockdown last Christmas. In the wake of the Christmas party scandal, we think it is timely to revisit our podcast on ministerial accountability. Christmas parties row: Three gatherings to be investigated by top civil servant https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-59591610 --------- Some government ministers seem to constantly court controversy, while others mana...
Dec 15, 2021•38 min
Magic, spells and wizardry aren’t things you normally associate with local government(unless you're in Environmental Services). But in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand, a man employed as the ordained city wizard was let go after 23 years of toil and trouble. In this week’s podcast, we address the vital topic of unemployed wizards. We start by discussing if there might be more value in employing a wizard than a strict accounting metric would suggest, then ask if we should be placing an 'exis...
Dec 08, 2021•25 min
Irritability, sleeplessness, muscle tension and fatigue are all potentially caused by too much noise. Was Schopenhauer right when he called noise the "most impertinent of interruptions"? This week, we discuss the issue of noise pollution... ...as quietly as we can. The European Environment Agency estimates there are 10,000 premature deaths from noise exposure each year. So why are our cities noisier than ever and what can we do about it? We debate whether susceptibility to noise correlates with ...
Dec 01, 2021•26 min
How often do you use the interrobang, asterism or SarcMark? Do you ever find yourself scrolling to find the perfect emoji? Or perhaps you might feel frustrated by the overuse of punctuation?!? In this week’s podcast, we discuss new punctuation. In a world awash with corporate-speak and scare quotes, what should we add or remove from conventional punctuation and how could it be optimised? We consider punctuation we would like to borrow from other languages, Nick coins a new term for an emoji and ...
Nov 24, 2021•32 min
With the UK's terrorism threat level being raised from substantial to SEVERE, following the 14 November incident in Liverpool, we are revisiting our podcast with Jerry Smith from CHC Global. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-terrorism-threat-level-raised-to-severe ---- Ever wondered how we measure the amount of terrorism? We talk to Jerry Smith from CHC Global, who explains how the Global Terrorism Database has been keeping track of terrorist events all around the world for 50 years. This po...
Nov 17, 2021•38 min
Do you prefer Rembrandt or Rothko? The Vatican or The Shard? A Georgian terrace or a 1960s housing estate? Ever wondered why we stopped building beautiful old buildings and how architectural modernism came to dominate our skylines? This week we discuss the theory of the Tartarian civilization. It claims that our most ornate buildings are the work of a lost civilization called the Tartarian Empire and attempts to explain the rise of architectural modernism. We set out the theories for and against...
Nov 10, 2021•37 min
With Remembrance Day occurring next week, it seems only fitting to re-release a podcast we recorded in 2018. In this podcast, we discuss Remembrance Day, what it means, why we commemorate, and how its purpose has changed over the decades. Remembrance Day https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_Day For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email podcast@alephinsights.com
Nov 03, 2021•24 min
You don’t see any job listings for archers, spinners or falconers on LinkedIn these days, yet these trades were once thriving professions performed by ordinary people. Many of these jobs only survive through historical reenactment at fairs and festivals, which invites the question: in hundreds of years from now, which jobs of today will be regarded as cultural heritage for future reenactors? This week, we discuss heritage jobs of the future. In typical fashion, we delve into the data and lay dow...
Oct 27, 2021•35 min
Feed the cat, take the bins out, listen to this podcast. From the timeless paper and pen to the more recent digital calendar or kanban board, to-do lists - whatever their form - are an attempt to remove chaos and inertia from our lives. But do they work? In this week’s podcast, we discuss the efficacy of to-do lists. We try to ascertain whether there is an optimal number of things that should go on a to-do list, delve into the great irony that to-do lists are rarely ever completed and attempt to...
Oct 20, 2021•27 min
We take for granted the speed, reliability and ubiquity of today's internet, but it wasn't ever thus. Do you remember AltaVista, the ZX Spectrum or the iconic tones of a dialup modem? What about the absurdly long wait times to download an image or to log in to an internet chat room? We indulge our nostalgia to gain insights into the evolution of one of humankind's most important inventions. In this week’s podcast, we look back on the early years of the internet. What will future historians write...
Oct 13, 2021•37 min
Why do some small things give us so much pleasure? Tidying up the desk, putting on new socks or changing the washing-up sponge, all seemingly insignificant and yet capable of providing us with an immense sense of joy and satisfaction. In this week’s podcast, we discuss pleasure. We ask why we routinely undervalue the things from which we derive pleasure, if we spend too much money on big things and not enough on small things, and whether the removal of pain is the same thing as the manifestation...
Oct 06, 2021•35 min
Greatness is a tricky subject: it is difficult to pin down yet we know it when we see it. In this week’s podcast, we mark the passing of technology pioneer and Aleph Insights hero Sir Clive Sinclair by discussing what makes greatness. We discuss objectivity versus subjectivity: can we simply call someone great or is it a title for which unspoken, yet consistent criteria exist? We also look at whether greatness is historically contingent, reliant on being in the right place at the right time, but...
Sep 29, 2021•29 min
