In this brand new series of Let’s Get Physiological, a podcast by The Physiological Society, we explore the stories of the real people working in physiology, science and academia.

We delve into some of the biggest questions the community faces including how to deal with grant disappointment, what it takes to set up your own lab and how to juggle parenthood with life as an academic.  

On the line up are some of the country's leading physiologists, professors and researchers as they share their real world experience and expertise with us. We also get fascinating insight from guests such as Reggie Nelson, author of the book  “Opening Doors” who shares his unbelievable story of searching for a mentor by knocking on the doors of wealthy West Londoners. And Bruce Daisley, an expert in workplace culture and the voice behind the ‘Eat, Sleep, Work, Repeat’ Podcast. 

Join your host, Eleanor Newton for bi-weekly episodes, available wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

You can find out more about becoming a member of The Physiological Society here.

In the final episode of the series, Emily and Amy explore areas of physiology relevant to life in lockdown. They speak to Ben Maylor and Greg Biddle (University of Leicester, UK) about how sedentary behaviour can affect your health, and Susan Lanham-New (University of Surrey, UK) about how life in lockdown could lead to a Vitamin D deficiency.  

They also discuss: Which currency is the worst when it comes to spreading bacteria? Will we all come out of lockdown with Rapunzel length hair? And do animals get bored?

Amy and Emily speak to Martina Quaggiotto (University of Glasgow, UK) about the science behind an interactive e-learning presentation that she has developed called ‘How smart are fish’, and Lucy Hawkes (University of Exeter, UK) about the amazing physiology of birds.

They also discuss: Do bears really hibernate? Can animals talk? And how an experiment involving frogs wearing trousers helped scientists learn about reproduction.

You can access the e-learning presentation 'How smart are fish?' here.

Emily and Amy speak to Doris Bamiou (UCL Ear Institute, UK) about the vestibular system and how it provides our brain with information about where our body is in space, and Raymond Reynolds (University of Birmingham, UK) about what can happen when things go wrong with our vestibular system. 

They also discuss: Dizziness in discus and hammer throwers, why some people feel nauseous when watching 3D films, and do blind people have better hearing than sighted people? 

In this special episode, Amy and Emily speak to Caroline Jolley (King's College London, UK and King's College Hospital, UK), Dean Willis (University College London, UK) and Georgina Ellison-Hughes (King’s College London, UK) about the novel coronavirus. They discuss the role of physiologists in the COVID-19 crisis and explore some possible avenues for developing treatments for the disease, including drug repurposing and mesenchymal stem cell transplants. 

Emily and Amy speak to Jennifer Ngo-Anh (European Space Agency), Colleen Deane (University of Exeter, UK) and Jim Pawelczyk (Penn State University, US) about the physiological challenges of space travel (and possibly living on Mars!).

They also discuss: How long can a human stuck on Mars survive off potatoes? The ultimate cure for snoring, and the strange link between autonomous cars, locusts and star wars.  

Amy and Emily speak to Lydia Simpson (Bangor University, UK) about her research into populations living at high altitude, and James Clark (King's College London, UK) about what happens to our bodies during diving. 

They also discuss: How physiologically accurate is the shark film 47 Meters Down? Can being at high altitude lead to weight loss? And the weird and wonderful world of projectile penguin poo. 

Emily and Amy speak to Alistair Black (Leeds Beckett University, UK) about his research into carbohydrate metabolism during exercise, and Barbara Cannon (Stockholm University, Sweden) about brown adipose tissue. 

They also discuss: Could Violet Beauregarde really have turned into a blueberry in Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory? Does eating breakfast kick-start your metabolism? And how can our body tell if a crisp is stale?

Amy and Emily speak to Mike Tipton (University of Portsmouth, UK) about how his research influenced the recent RNLI Respect the Water campaign, and Laura Crotty Alexander (University of California San Diego, US) about the hidden dangers of e-cigarettes.

They also discuss: Could Rose really have survived the cold water in Titanic? What is the world record for breath holding? And what are the benefits of unilateral nostril breathing?

Emily and Amy speak to Carol Bussey (University of Otago, New Zealand) about her research into circadian rhythms of the heart, and Robbie Jones and Pardeep Pabla  (University of Nottingham, UK) about their recent study into how meal timings can impact on our physiology. 

They also discuss: Why wasn't George Clooney constantly jet lagged in 'Up in the Air'? Is daylight saving time a dangerous phenomenon? And how did scientists find a cure for jet lag in hamsters?