A Question of Science

What are the latest insights from sports science, and how can pushing the limits of the human body benefit the rest of us? From performance apps and the creatine trend to nutrition, recovery time and adaptations for para athletes, join our expert panel as they explore how the body responds to exercise, why it keeps us healthy and whether we’ll one day reach the limit of human sporting performance.

Panel:

Prof Greg Whyte: Emeritus Professor of Applied Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University

Prof Vicky Tolfrey: Professor of Applied Disability and Para Sport, Loughborough University

Helen Glover: Two-time Olympic rowing champion

Prof Andy Jones: Professor of Applied Physiology, University of Exeter

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How important is our gut microbiome and could it hold the key to new treatments for a range of different diseases? How does the gut-brain axis influence our behaviour and will poo transplants become a regular procedure on the NHS? Join our panel of experts as they discuss the secrets of our ‘second brain’ – the gut. From major advances in research to the difference between prebiotics andprobiotics.

Panel:

Prof Glenn Gibson: Emeritus Professor of Food Microbiology at the University of Reading

Prof Lindsay Hall: Chair of Microbiome Research at the University of Birmingham’s Institute of Microbiology and Infection

Prof Jatin Nagpal: Researcher at University College Cork’s APC Microbiome Ireland Centre

Prof Sheena Cruickshank: Immunologist and Professor in Public Engagement and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Manchester

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Our biological sex affects every cell in our body, so how does it influence our health - from embryo development through to the risk of disease and diagnosis? How and why do some conditions affect females and males differently? And what can we do to ensure medicine is safe and effective for everyone, after decades of male biology bias?

Across autoimmune disorders, cancer, dementia, heart disease and even responses to everyday medications, sex‑based biological differences can shape who becomes ill, how symptoms appear and what treatments work.

Join our expert panel as they explore sex differences in biology, hormones and gene regulation.

Panel:

Prof Edith Heard, CEO of the Francis Crick Institute 

Natasha Karp, Biostatistician at Astra Zeneca 

Prof Petter Brodin, Garfield Weston chair of Neonatology and Professor of Paediatric Immunology, Imperial College, London

Caroline Criado Perez, Author of Invisible Women  

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Why do people become addicted? When does a habit turn into self harm and what makes recovery so hard? From drugs and alcohol to gambling and social media, join our panel of experts as they explore the causes of addiction, what it looks like in the brain and potential new treatments, including psychedelic therapies.

Panel:

Prof Sally Marlow: Professor of Public Understanding of Mental Health at KCL 

Matt Willis: Musician/actor and podcaster in recovery from addictions  

Dr Nicky Kalk: Psychiatrist and addiction specialist at Maudsley NHS Trust 

Prof David Nutt: Director of the Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, Imperial College, London

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How is AI revolutionising medicine and drug discovery and could it really improve diagnosis and treatment for everyone?  Could the role of doctors and nurses change forever, with AI taking care of admin and analysis at the touch of a button?  Can we trust it to safeguard our health and our personal data – and who gets to control it? 

Join a panel of experts as they answer your questions and explore how AI is rapidly changing medicine and healthcare, now and in the future.

Panel:

Prof Mihaela van der Schaar: Chief AI Scientist, The Francis Crick Institute

Dr Indra Joshi: Chief Product Officer, Optum UK

Lord Patrick Vallance: Former Minister of State for Science

Prof Samra Turajlic: Group Leader, Cancer Dynamics Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute and Director, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute

 

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A Question of Science is back - with free tickets to live recordings available now!

Join Professor Brian Cox in person and put your questions to a panel of leading scientists and experts on a huge range of topics.

We’ll be exploring how A.I. is changing medicine, what’s really happening inside the teenage brain, how can science help save our oceans, beat superbugs, tackle addiction, and what elite sport science can teach us about human strength and endurance. 

The series is being recorded in June and July at the Francis Crick Institute in London, one of the world’s leading centres for biomedical research.

To book your tickets visit: crick.ac.uk/tickets

 

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Professor Brian Cox takes a deeper dive into the science of ancient DNA, with two experts returning to answer more of your questions.

How far can we go back in time using DNA? How accurate is ancient DNA when it comes to understanding our past? Why was diversity in DNA vital for the survival of early humans? Do we really share 60% of our genetic code with bananas?

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Professor Brian Cox takes a deeper dive into the science of fertility, with a panel of returning experts answering more of your questions. 

Should we sequence the DNA of embryos and use A.I. to choose which to implant? Are ultra-processed foods and microplastics really effecting fertility? And will new technologies mean humans could one day reproduce like squid?

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Professor Brian Cox takes a deeper dive into the science of global warming and how society should adapt, with two experts returning to answer more of your questions. 

Will new green technologies really help us reach net zero? What is solar forcing? Which regions of the planet will become uninhabitable and when?

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Professor Brian Cox takes a deeper dive into the science of cancer, with a panel of returning experts answering more of your questions.

Do tumours communicate with the brain, is glucose carcinogenic and could our immune system’s natural killer cells be used to combat cancer?

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