Rethink

Professor Ben Ansell asks some of the world's sharpest minds about the latest thinking, and what it might mean for policy and society.

Last refreshed: June 11th, 2026 at 4:32 PM

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Episodes

Rethink... how we age

Have you ever wondered why some people age better than others? We all know someone who looks great for their age, and is also in robust health. And yet someone else who is exactly the same age might look older, and may be living with an age-related illness. Chronological age is not always be a good indicator of how well someone is maturing. So, if our skin - which is our largest organ - suggests how well, or badly, we're aging, then the state of our other organs and the systems that keep them ru...

Jun 11, 2026•28 min

Rethink... modern monarchy

Of the 195 widely-recognized sovereign countries in the world, only a quarter are monarchies. And of those 43 monarchies, 15 of those have the same King. That’s Charles III, who’s head of state for Commonwealth territories as large as Australia and Canada, and as far apart as the UK and Tuvalu in the South Pacific. In the other 28, the ruling monarchs can be called Kings, Emirs, Sultans, and there’s an Emperor on the Chrysanthemum throne in Japan. Of course, there are also Queens - but some mode...

Jun 04, 2026•28 min

Rethink... authenticity

As generative AI and Deepfake technology has progressed over the last decade, you could be forgiven for thinking that it's never been more difficult to try to work out what is authentic and what is fake. The search for authenticity is not new. It's a task that's challenged humanity for hundreds of years. Forgers have always tried to pass off copies as great artworks, but it's not always clear when an artist was responsible for an entire painting or farmed out parts of the job to apprentices. A f...

Feb 05, 2026•28 min

Rethink... the promise of AI

In 2023, ChatGPT took Artificial Intelligence into the mainstream. Now there's a bewildering choice of human-like chatbots to choose from. Generative AIs can produce pictures and video from a text prompt, and many websites and apps are now labelled "Powered by AI". This new technology can do lots of things and tech companies have raised vast amounts of money from investors based on its potential. But what is AI actually for? Certain specialised AIs have a clear purpose. AlphaFold2 can predict ho...

Jan 29, 2026•28 min

Rethink... regeneration

The government has launched the Pride in Place scheme but is it possible to regenerate urban areas without leaving local people out? Most buildings have a certain shelf life before they need renovating. Social norms change and the ways people interact develop as society transforms with time. And local economies can change dramatically with once prosperous industrial areas falling silent, or tourist hot spots left behind by low-cost air travel. But is it possible to do this without being accused ...

Jan 22, 2026•28 min

Rethink...middle age

People are living longer and delaying life's milestone moments. How does this affect our middle years and should we be paying more attention to people in this phase of their lives? For some, middle age can be a very challenging period in their lives. Today, people are postponing the milestones in life that traditionally signified a change in priorities. People are having children later in life meaning parents in their 40s or even 50s are looking after small children. Jobs for life no longer exis...

Jan 21, 2026•28 min

Rethink... nightlife

The Night Times Industries Association says one in four venues have shut down since 2020, and the sector will face an irreversible decline unless the government provides urgent support. The industry was one of the worst hit during the pandemic, and it's asking for cuts to National Insurance, a permanent cut in VAT and a reform of business rates to help it keep afloat. The NTIA claims the night time economy contributes more than £153 billion to the UK economy and supports over 2 million jobs. Cul...

Oct 02, 2025•28 min

Rethink... winners and losers

Rethink delves into zero-sum thinking, a mindset where society is seen as a fixed pie, leading to the belief that if one group wins, another must lose. The episode discusses research showing this thinking isn't tied to political ideology but is shaped by personal experiences, economic conditions, and competition. It explores how this mindset impacts individual well-being, erodes social cohesion, and is increasingly exploited by political parties, potentially threatening democratic processes. Ultimately, the discussion proposes that shifting perspective, recognizing malleable scarcity, and embracing 'enoughness' can counter this divisive worldview.

Sep 25, 2025•28 min

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