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

7,698 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,064 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,540 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,793 Listeners

In Our Time: History by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: History

1,879 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,764 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,037 Listeners

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 by BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

2,101 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,925 Listeners

Comedy of the Week by BBC Radio 4

Comedy of the Week

483 Listeners

Desert Island Discs by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs

2,018 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

498 Listeners

Lives Less Ordinary by BBC World Service

Lives Less Ordinary

575 Listeners

Profile by BBC Radio 4

Profile

110 Listeners

Last Word by BBC Radio 4

Last Word

49 Listeners

Thinking Allowed by BBC Radio 4

Thinking Allowed

308 Listeners

The Audio Long Read by The Guardian

The Audio Long Read

841 Listeners

All in the Mind by BBC Radio 4

All in the Mind

83 Listeners

Private Passions by BBC Radio 3

Private Passions

52 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,172 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,003 Listeners

Life Changing by BBC Radio 4

Life Changing

115 Listeners

This Cultural Life by BBC Radio 4

This Cultural Life

119 Listeners

When It Hits the Fan by BBC Radio 4

When It Hits the Fan

41 Listeners

Young Again by BBC Radio 4

Young Again

48 Listeners