Seriously...

A Sense of Time


Listen Later

Animal senses reveal a wealth of information that humans can't access. Birds can see in ultra violet, and some fish can 'feel' electricity. But how do different species sense time?

If you've ever tried to swat flies, you'll know that they seem to have super-powered reactions that let them escape before you can blink. Presenter Geoff Marsh asks whether flies have some sort of super-power to see the world in slow motion. Are they watching your hand come down at what might appear a leisurely pace?

Science reveals a window into the minds of different species and their temporal perceptions. Some flies have such fast vision that they can see and react to movement at four times the rate you can, and our vision works at more than six times the speed of one species of deep sea fish. This programme delves into each moment of experience to ask 'what is time, biologically?' When birds have to dodge through forests and catch flies on the wing, or when flies have to avoid birds, it would seem that a faster temporal resolution would be a huge advantage. So what is their sense of time?

Geoff meets physicist Carlo Rovelli and asks him to jump outside of physics to answer questions on biology and philosophy. Geoff explores the mind of a bat with Professor Yossi Yovel in Israel, and dissects birdsong at super slow speeds with BBC wildlife sound recordist, Chris Watson. Getting deep into the minds of animals he questions whether our seconds feel like swordfish seconds, or a beetles' or birds' or bats..?

Presenter: Geoff Marsh

Producer: Rory Galloway

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Seriously...By BBC Radio 4

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

257 ratings


More shows like Seriously...

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,774 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,062 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,513 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,796 Listeners

In Our Time: History by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: History

1,876 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,865 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,074 Listeners

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 by BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

2,114 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,967 Listeners

Comedy of the Week by BBC Radio 4

Comedy of the Week

493 Listeners

Desert Island Discs by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs

2,084 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

489 Listeners

Lives Less Ordinary by BBC World Service

Lives Less Ordinary

592 Listeners

Profile by BBC Radio 4

Profile

108 Listeners

Last Word by BBC Radio 4

Last Word

45 Listeners

Thinking Allowed by BBC Radio 4

Thinking Allowed

302 Listeners

The Audio Long Read by The Guardian

The Audio Long Read

837 Listeners

All in the Mind by BBC Radio 4

All in the Mind

63 Listeners

Private Passions by BBC Radio 3

Private Passions

51 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,215 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,039 Listeners

Life Changing by BBC Radio 4

Life Changing

70 Listeners

This Cultural Life by BBC Radio 4

This Cultural Life

134 Listeners

When It Hits the Fan by BBC Radio 4

When It Hits the Fan

52 Listeners

Young Again by BBC Radio 4

Young Again

53 Listeners