Around 273 million sharks are killed each year globally. They’re feared as the archetypal killing machine, and there’s profit to be made from shark-derived products; but they may be more economically and environmentally valuable alive than dead. This podcast will evaluate the psychological, economical, gastronomical, medical, ethical and ecological arguments for killing these creatures as opposed to protecting them, and in doing so, will aim to answer the question of whether: should we continue to kill sharks? (With thanks to Frankie R for conducting the research and providing the content for this podcast)

Worldwide, the number of potential pathogens is very large, while the resources for disease research and development is limited. To ensure efforts under the World Health Organisation’s blueprint are focused and productive, a list of diseases and pathogens are prioritized for research in public health emergency contexts – what is fascinating, is that nearly all pathogens on the list are viruses. In this podcast, I will explore how particular viruses have shaped healthcare on a global scale. (With thanks to Hephzibah P for conducting the research and providing the content for this podcast)

We are all born with the neural architecture and ability to develop empathy and compassion, but to remain a good person, we must have a series of positive experiences throughout our lives. The Pygmalion effect may certainly account for why people choose to do bad things, but perhaps we should consider other psychological forces; cognitive dissonance, conformity, and obedience to authority. In this podcast, I will explore why good people do bad things - from a phycological perspective. (With thanks to Jess B for conducting the research and providing the content for this podcast)

The perceived role of God in illness and recovery is a primary influence upon the health care beliefs and behaviours of people. Only by understanding an individual's religious beliefs can medical practitioners effectively meet their health care needs, a concept which I examine in this extended podcast. (With thanks to Akpenpuun Joyce Rumun for conducting the research and providing the content for this podcast. Joyce specialises in medical sociology, and lectures at the Benue State University, Nigeria)

In May 2017, the Brazilian government declared an end to the public health emergency posed by the Zika Virus. Now, a new disease is threatening Brazil. An outbreak of yellow fever in rural parts of the country is spreading towards urban areas, creating a risk to neighbouring countries in the Americas. Yellow fever is a haemorrhagic disease, spread by mosquitoes. In this podcast, I discuss the symptoms of the condition, the role of vectors in transmitting disease and how yellow fever can be controlled. (With thanks to our sponsor 'Curriculum Press' for providing content for this podcast)

We might perceive attraction as a free choice, but scientists have provided a number of different explanations about how attraction happens. Physiological theories can be divided into evolutionary explanations, which are based on primitive instincts to mate and be looked after, and biological explanations, which examine the role of hormones and neurotransmitters in the process of attraction. Other explanations focus on psychological concepts such as perceived similarity, while social explanations examine the role that vicinity and experience can play in attraction. (With thanks to our sponsor 'Curriculum Press' for providing content for this podcast)

Meningitis is an acute inflammation of the membranes (meninges) that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. As there are numerous causes of meningitis, there is no one vaccination to offer protection because, for example, the HiB bacterium will have different surface molecules to the MenB bacterium so won’t stimulate an immune response. In this podcast, I discuss the different types of conjugate and non-conjugate vaccines currently used to prevent meningitis, and other related infections. (With thanks to our sponsor 'Curriculum Press' for providing content for this podcast)

One theory of addiction (and one that has popular appeal outside of psychology) is that of the addictive personality. This theory states that some people have a personality type that predisposes them towards addictive behaviour. This personality is caused by differences in the biological make up of individuals. It has been argued that people with this personality type are prone towards addictive behaviour, and are more likely than people with other personality types to become addicted to a substance or behaviour. In this podcast, I aim to give an overview of the theory of addictive personality, explaining the three parts of personality as identified by Eysenck, including their biological basis. I provide research evidence that both supports and contradicts this theory,  with an evaluation of whether it can account for addictive behaviour. (With thanks to our sponsor 'Curriculum Press' for providing content for this podcast)