Brian Cox and Robin Ince consider the quirks that make human beings unique and check in with experts from The Infinite Monkey Cage back catalogue. Prof Alice Roberts explains that our ancestors interbred with Neanderthals to make us who we are today. We’re also excellent at communicating with other species, as comedian Bill Bailey learns when he gets a lesson in chimp speak from the legendary primatologist Dr Jane Goodall. Then there are the bits of us that are pretty different, like our large b...
Oct 25, 2023•18 min
If there’s any doubt that the deep sea is as exciting to explore as the moon or Mars, this episode puts the question to rest, as Robin and Brian wade through the back catalogue to learn all about the ocean. Professor Lloyd Peck from the British Antarctic Survey tells them about the weird and wonderful creatures he’s encountered at sea, from rat-tailed fish to bacteria that feed off sulphides that could kill them, but Dave Gorman is still sceptical that it’s an environment worth investigating. An...
Oct 18, 2023•24 min
While most of us believe the universe began with a big bang, Brian and Robin hear some of the alternative theories, including an Egyptian myth that it actually started with a giant ejaculation, as they question the origins of life as we know it. With so much still to be discovered about the cosmos, Rufus Hound says we need more bangs and flashes in chemistry classes, arguing lessons aren’t dangerous enough anymore. So could comedians play a role in advancing the science? Matt Lucas says he’s hap...
Oct 11, 2023•19 min
Robin Ince and Brian Cox are still struggling to decide when a strawberry dies as they trawl through the archive to ponder where we should draw the line between life and death. Katy Brand kicks the debate off with her thoughts on whether strawberries have souls, which leads her to wonder whether it might be possible for people to be resurrected. While it’s theoretically possible to bring someone back to life, it’s not looking likely any time soon. Instead, Rufus Hound talks us through how he’d c...
Oct 04, 2023•23 min
How important is it for movie producers to get the science right? Brian Cox and Robin Ince discover why some surprising movies have scientific advisers and ask if there is any science in The Simpsons. They question the existence of fictional wormholes, while comedian Ross Noble can’t believe there may actually be a space-time portal shaped like a pair of trousers. Some writers are even accurate by accident, as comic book author Alan Moore discovers when he tells Brian about one of his outlandish...
Sep 27, 2023•22 min
Astronauts and explorers including Brian Blessed, Sir Patrick Stewart, Nicole Stott and Charlie Duke reveal the wonders, and challenges, of traveling into space. Brian Cox and Robin Ince have delved into the Monkey Cage back catalogue to hear from astronauts and some very well known would-be space explorers about their passion for space travel. Brian Blessed has been dreaming of visiting Mars since the age of six, but will he ever reach the red planet? Sir Patrick Stewart has warp sped across th...
Sep 20, 2023•21 min
Brian Cox and Robin Ince take a deep dive into the Monkey Cage archive to find out how scared scientists and comedians are about the universe ending. Steve Martin says he’s happy to burn to a crisp when the sun explodes, but learns he might be more likely to die when galaxies tear each other apart during the ‘big rip’. And if the heat death of the universe really is inevitable, how come some people seem so jolly about it? Having studied this for years, astrophysicist Katie Mack wants to be there...
Sep 13, 2023•19 min
Brian Cox and Robin Ince trawl through the Monkey Cage back catalogue to reveal whether science and the supernatural can sit side by side. They hear how comedian Lucy Beaumont believes alien life has visited Hull, and challenge the physics and psychology of ghosts with Prof Richard Wiseman. Has our brain evolved to conjure up ghostly apparitions and demonic forces? Is there real science behind some of our most common paranormal experiences? And they unpick the practical difficulties for Santa de...
Sep 06, 2023•22 min
Brian Cox and Robin Ince introduce a new series in which they look back at some of the best moments from more than 27 series of their hit science show.
Sep 05, 2023•3 min
Brian Cox and Robin Ince find out about dust that is raining down on Earth from space. They are joined by planetary scientists Matthew Genge and Penny Wozniakiewicz and comedian Alan Davies. They learn how billions of tiny micrometeorites land on the surface of the Earth every year, hidden amongst pollution particles and household dust. Where does cosmic dust come from and what can it tell us about the birth of the solar system? New episodes are released on Saturdays. If you're in the UK, listen...
Aug 05, 2023•43 min
Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by Horrible Histories alum Ben Willbond, ancient DNA experts Prof Turi King and Dr Tom Booth and Nobel prize winner Sir Paul Nurse, as they uncover some of the incredible revelations being revealed through study of ancient DNA. The discovery of the skeleton of Richard III under a Leicester car park made headlines around the world.Turi King talks about her involvement in identifying the regal remains using DNA extracted from his teeth and how she was able to pr...
Jul 29, 2023•42 min
Brian Cox and Robin Ince find out about the apex predators of the ocean. They are joined by physiological ecologist Lucy Hawkes, shark scientist Isla Hodgson and naturalist Steve Backshall. They learn about the surprising social behaviours of sharks, how they reproduce and exactly how long they have been around for - they’re even older than dinosaurs! Brian and Robin hear about Steve’s experience of diving with over 100 species of shark. Is their reputation as cold blooded killers accurate? New ...
Jul 22, 2023•42 min
Brian Cox and Robin Ince find out about the secret world of fungi, hidden beneath our feet. They are joined by biologist Merlin Sheldrake and mycologist Katie Field. They hear about the hidden life of fungi, including their hundreds of mating types, predatory behaviour and crucial role in life beginning on Earth. Katie shares how mycologists like her are using fungi to come up with creative solutions to climate change. New episodes are released on Saturdays. If you're in the UK, listen to the fu...
Jul 15, 2023•43 min
Brian Cox and Robin Ince tackle one of the most important questions posed by science: which is better, bees or wasps? To defend bees, ecologist Dave Goulson joins the panel, while entomologist Seirian Sumner comes to the defence of wasps. Although both species are known to deliver a nasty sting, Seirian and Dave battle to show why their species should be loved, not swotted, and how we unknowingly rely on them. Comedian Catherine Bohart takes on the role of judge. Which will she ultimately choose...
Jul 08, 2023•43 min
Brian Cox and Robin Ince find out if supervolcanoes are worth worrying about. They are joined by volcanologist Tamsin Mather, geologist Chris Jackson and comedian Rachel Parris. They learn about the worst eruptions of all time, including the eruption that may have sparked the French Revolution. They find out what volcanologists like Tamsin are doing to monitor supervolcanoes and if volcanologists do predict an impending eruption, is there anything we can do about it? New episodes are released on...
Jul 01, 2023•43 min
Brian Cox and Robin Ince examine their own diets and the diet fads of the past to ask what we should actually be eating. They are joined by Dr Chris van Tulleken, Professor Janet Cade and comedian Harry Hill to discuss the nutritional merits, or lack thereof, of everything from sausages to strawberries, and discover whether our obsession with low fat, low sugar or low carb diets have any scientific basis. They discuss our increased dependence on ultra-processed foods and what this means for our ...
Jun 24, 2023•42 min
You might think materials are a bit boring and inconsequential but without them we would still be living in the stone age. Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined on stage by material scientists Mark Miodownik and Anna Ploszajski and comedian Ed Byrne to discover the life changing materials that are hidden in plain sight. Which materials have made us human? Which materials do we completely depend on? And how will materials shape our future? Producer: Caroline Steel Executive Producer: Alexandra Feac...
Mar 25, 2023•42 min
Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined on stage by biomechanist Polly McGuigan, evolutionary biologist Ben Garrod, comedian Russell Kane and Olympic gold medalist Sally Gunnell to find out how good humans are at endurance. Could anyone win a gold at the Olympics? Could a human outrun a cheetah? And have we reached the absolute limits of human endurance? Producer: Caroline Steel Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem
Mar 18, 2023•43 min
Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by comedian Susan Calman, Prof Sue Black and Dr Julia Shaw as they invent Infinite Monkey Cluedo, and discover whether they can commit the perfect murder, or whether the latest forensic science will always be able to piece the clues together. They reveal whether the perfect crime or perfect criminal really exists and how we might spot them, and how the latest forensic techniques have transformed even decades-old murder cases. The panel also discuss how the cou...
Mar 11, 2023•43 min
Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by comedian Jo Brand, mathematicians Prof Hannah Fry and Dr Eugenia Cheng, and xkcd webcomic creator Randall Munroe to discover how thinking like a mathematician could solve some tricky everyday conundrums. From the optimal strategy to finding your true love, to how to fix a wonky table in the pub, thinking like a mathematician can help you in some very unlikely situations. They discover how mathematical thinking can help answer some truly out of this world qu...
Mar 04, 2023•43 min
Brian Cox and Robin Ince end their Australian science adventure with an episode all about spiders. They are joined by ecologists Dieter Hochuli and Mariella Herberstein and comedian Claire Hooper. They learn about the strange physiology of spiders, including skin shedding, weaving sperm webs and having hundreds of babies at once. They find out exactly how spiders copulate - a process full of surprises - from males having two penises to females cannibalizing the males once the deed is done. Diete...
Feb 25, 2023•42 min
Brian Cox and Robin Ince start a new series from Sydney, Australia. They are joined by astrophysicists Kirsten Banks and Devika Kamath and comedian Ross Noble as they discuss how different the night sky looks from the southern hemisphere. They hear stories of how different cultures have always used constellations in the sky to help navigate life down here, on planet Earth. They find out how just one point of light can tell you exactly what a star is made of and why this can be the key to underst...
Feb 18, 2023•43 min
For this special Christmas episode, Brian Cox and Robin Ince visit the Australian Wine Research Institute in Adelaide to find out what science can teach us about wine. They are joined by stand-up comedian Tim Minchin, Nobel Prize winner and vineyard owner Brian Schmidt, flavour chemist Mango Parker and sensory and consumer scientist Patricia Williamson. The panel are put through their paces as they sample a variety of wines, learning the hard way that the majority of wine’s flavour isn’t down to...
Dec 24, 2022•42 min
Brian Cox and Robin Ince visit Canberra for the first of 4 special episodes recorded in Australia. This week they visit the amazing Canberra Deep Space Communication Centre where scientists communicate with, and track the 200 or so spacecraft that are currently exploring our vast solar system and even beyond. They are joined by Astrophysicists Mark Cheung and Alan Duffy, Nobel prize winner Brian Schmidt and comedian Alice Fraser as they track legendary space craft like Voyager, still sending bac...
Dec 17, 2022•43 min
Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by comedian and author David Baddiel, psychologist Prof Karen Douglas, biologist Prof Matthew Cobb and philosopher Dr Timotheus Vermeulen to discover why conspiracy theories and conspiracy theorists seem to be booming. From flat earthers to moon hoaxers and holocaust deniers, is there something about society today that encourages beliefs that seem to go against all evidence and reason? Or are conspiracies just part of the human condition, and each to their own...
Dec 10, 2022•43 min
Brian Cox and Robin Ince tackle the thorny issue of their own differing experiences of ageing, as they find out why Robin seems to be doing it so much more quickly than Brian and whether science might have the answer. They are joined by comedian Sarah Kendall, Professor Dame Linda Partridge, world-renowned expert on the biology of ageing, and Dr Andrew Steele, author of "Ageless: The new science of getting older without getting old." Can the scientists answer the age-old monkey cage question of ...
Dec 03, 2022•42 min
Brian Cox and Robin Ince continue their LA science adventure as they visit Caltech in Pasadena to meet the scientists hunting for planets orbiting distant stars in solar systems far far from our own. They are joined in their quest by Python Legend Eric Idle and Exo-planet hunters Dr Jessie Christiansen from Caltech and Dr Tiffany Kataria from NASA's JPL who are using the latest telescopes to identify distant planets outside of our own solar system. Despite their distance from us, incredible new ...
Nov 26, 2022•43 min
The Infinite Monkey Cage teleports to California for this special episode recorded at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. They are joined by comedian and talk-show host Conan O'Brien, alongside JPL's Dr Katie Stack Morgan and Dr Kevin Hand, and discuss the incredible missions that are hunting for signs of life within our own solar system. From the iconic Mars Rovers currently exploring the martian surface, to amazing future missions to Jupiter's icy moon Europa, the panel discuss the tantalising p...
Nov 19, 2022•43 min
Brian Cox and Robin Ince return for a new series with an illustrious panel of experts to discuss what scientists have learnt from Covid and what we have all learnt about the nature of science by watching it happen so spectacularly over the course of the pandemic. They are joined by Dame Sarah Gilbert, creator of one of the very first Covid vaccines, Immunologist Prof Dan Davis and Dr Chris Van Tulleken, infectious disease clinician and broadcaster. They discuss the incredible speed of vaccine de...
Nov 12, 2022•43 min
Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by comedian Sara Pascoe and the very numerate Prof Hannah Fry, maths comedian Matt Parker and statistician Prof David Spiegelhalter for a unique maths class. Are some of us just innately bad at maths or can everyone get to grips with algebra and calculus? What do our panel wish they'd been taught at school, and what is the key to a life-long love of numbers? Get your calculators ready! Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem
Sep 03, 2022•43 min
