Why do we humans seem to be so easily influenced or even fooled? On one hand this can be done for entertainment, in a Las Vegas stage magic show for example, but on another it can be used for more nefarious purposes such as con artists tricking people into sharing their bank account details.

In this episode, we speak to science writer and BBC Science Focus contributor Brian Clegg to talk about his latest book: Brainjacking – The Science of Influence and Manipulation.

He tells us how our emotions can make us susceptible to being tricked, the role advances in technology such as AI are increasingly playing in our ability to manipulate others and how the whole phenomenon stems from our love of a good story.

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Through emojis, memes, acronyms and inside jokes, the internet has forever changed how we communicate. But what is the result of that and what does it mean for how we’ll speak in the future? We spoke to linguist and author of the book Because Internet, Gretchen McCulloch, to find out.

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The Earth’s population currently stands at more than 8 billion and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. There’s little doubt that these staggering numbers are placing a huge strain on global food supplies, so what can be done for the human race to thrive and survive long into the future?

In this episode, we catch up with multidisciplinary researcher and author Prof Vaclav Smil to talk about his latest book – How to Feed the World.

He tells us how evolution has determined the staple foods we now rely on for nourishment, how this influences our chances of continued survival and why technology is yet to find a viable solution to the urgent issue of feeding the world.

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Living through a mass extinction means the end of a species’ existence inevitably collides with significant events in our personal lives. But what does that mean for the people working to protect them? And why are these extinctions actually bringing them hope? We spoke to science writer Tom Lathan, author of the new book ‘Lost Wonders’, who explains.

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From the distinctive caw of a crow to the musky scent of a beaver, the world around us is filled with the telltale signs of animals going about their daily business. But how can we teach ourselves to pick up on them more effectively and what can we learn from doing so?

In this episode, we catch up with ecologist and author George Bumann to talk about his latest book, Eavesdropping on Animals: What We Can Learn from Wildlife Conversations.

He tells us how by simply opening our eyes, ears and noses when we’re out we can begin to tune into to our environment more closely and in turn learn more about the lives and behaviours of the animals we share it with.

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It’s likely that even the most virtuous amongst us has experienced feelings of anger at some point in our lives. But is this simply a failing in our personal moral fabric or does it have more universal biological origins?

In this episode, we catch up with Guy Leschziner, a professor of neurology and sleep medicine at King’s College Hospital in London to talk about his latest book Seven Deadly Sins: The Biology of Being Human.

He tells us how activity in the emotional regions of our brains affects our behaviour, talks about the influence of testosterone on our aggressive tendencies and tells us how mutations in specific genes can predispose us to commit violent acts.

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As the nights draw in and the temperature drops, many of us find ourselves feeling a little less jolly and a bit more sluggish than usual. But for some of us these feelings can become so severe that they are classed as a form of depression known as seasonal affective disorder. This can have a significant impact on our daily habits, relationships and ability to perform at our best.

In this episode, we catch up with the founder of The Sleep Scientist Dr Sophie Bostock.

She tells us how exposure to daylight affects our mood, why it’s natural to want to hunker down during the colder, darker months and how going on a daily morning walk can help us all to lift our spirits.

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While being cynical can feel safe, and prepared for the worst outcome, it could actually be harming your health. We spoke to Jamil Zaki, author of the new book Hope for Cynics to better understand the dangers of cynicism and how to break out of it.

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Lots of us will have at some points in our lives woken up feeling groggy after getting a poor night’s sleep. But what causes us to have trouble sleeping, what effect does it have on our health and what can we do about it?

In this episode, we catch up Prof Matt Jones, a neuroscientist based at the University of Bristol.

He tells us how our sleep needs vary across our lifetimes, how not getting enough sleep can affect our ability to think straight and form memories, and why a lack of sleep can leave so many of us feeling cranky and impulsive.

This episode is presented in partnership with Lumie. https://www.lumie.com/

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Understanding who we are and where we came from is one of the most fascinating questions in science. But it’s also one of the most difficult to answer. Putting all of the pieces together requires research across several different disciplines such as genetics, anthropology and medicine.

In this episode, we catch up with Professor of Human Genetics and Evolution at College de France in Paris Lluis Quintana-Murci to talk about his latest book Human Peoples: On the Genetic Traces of Human Evolution Migration and Adaptation.

He tells us how the characteristics of different human populations have been shaped by the environments they live in, how our genes can protect us against disease and what we learn can from all of this about our future health and wellbeing.

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