In the Swarm

Have you ever heard of Blackbucks? Do you know what a 'lek' is? In this episode, we are joined by Dr Vivek Sridhar and Dr Hemal Naik as they tell us the tales of the visually spectacular and extremely rare mating phenomenon that is called 'lekking'.

See Hemal, Vivek and their colleagues at work in India in this fascinating documentary on their project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5i4dX2l6Y-Y

What is it like being inside an egg? Can you feel your sibling eggs nearby? Do you – can you – try to talk to them? Let them know you are here as well? How do you tell your parents when you are ready to come out? We are so delighted to be joined today by Dr Gabriella Gall who is here to tell us all about her research into the world of egg communication.

Most of us have heard of the plague of locusts. But did you know that to this day, desert locust plagues still threaten the food security of millions? In this episode, Yannick Günzel and Inga Petelski will tell us all about how the population density and social order within a locust population can transform shy, solitary locusts into hungry, gregarious ones who are ready to march with millions of their friends to search for the next meal.

Have you ever wondered how tiny insects navigate this huge world of ours? How do they know where to find food, how to avoid trouble, and even how to get back home? In this episode, Prof Anna Stöckl explains how the tiny but mighty insect brain controls behaviour of stunning complexity.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a tiny fish travelling in a huge school of other fish like you? Would it be much easier to swim with your friends rather than just by yourself? If so – how? Today, we are joined by Dr Liang Li who designs, builds, and optimises robotic fish to study energy saving mechanisms within fish schools.

Are robots able to communicate with each other? Can they collaborate to achieve a common goal? In this episode, computer scientist Prof. Heiko Hamann talks about how simple robots create swarms to solve complex tasks efficiently.

How do humans perceive risk? When we evaluate risky situations, are we aware that we’re being influenced by others? In this episode, decision scientist Prof. Wolfgang Gaissmaier gives us insight into risk perception and communication within the human collective.

Do plants communicate with each other? From roots to leaves within individuals or between different plant species? Do plants behave as a collective? In this episode, biologist Dr. Kaz Uyehara talks about how scientists observe plant communication and behaviour.

How do social dynamics within the classroom influence pupils’ learning and social development? Are some students more at risk of discrimination than others? In this episode, educational scientist Prof. Jeanine Grütter explains the factors driving bullying and the potential remedies to create better school environments.

Have you ever seen a bird opening a puzzle box before? Once a bird figures out how to solve a puzzle, how do different techniques spread into the rest of the population? In this episode, biologist Dr. Michael Chimento joins us to discuss his research on attention in great tits (Parus major) as they socially learn to solve puzzles.