Science(ish)

Personality testing is a multi-billion dollar industry. But how reliable are assessments like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator? Can we really find out which Lord of the Rings character Michael is? Rounding off our animated classics trilogy of animated classics, the lads jump into Pixar’s Inside Out.

Featuring: Dr Merve Emre

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Does nature prefer hierarchy? When we look out into nature, we see hierarchical systems everywhere. Is it inevitable that humans follow suit? The lads dive into the 1998 animation Antz to find out why these systems evolved and more importantly, how wrong Jordan Peterson actually is.

Featuring: Prof Adam Hart

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Every year we produce over 2 billion tonnes of waste. That figure is only going up. Never before has the question been more pressing: what should we do with all our stuff? From atop a giant pile of broken printers, Rick and Michael discuss Pixar’s 2008 masterpiece WALL-E.

Featuring: Prof Margaret Bates

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What if we could control the weather? Inspired by the futuristic disaster film Geostorm, the boys delve into the contentious field of geoengineering. Can or should we tinker with the Earth’s climate to mitigate the risks of runaway climate change? What if we have no other choice?

Featuring: Prof David Keith

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When Bryan Fogel’s 2017 docu-thriller Icarus exposed Russia's Olympic doping programme, it sent shockwaves through the sports community. This week the boys explore the long and bizarre history of doping in sport and the perpetual arms race between the dopers looking for a little extra boost and the scientists trying to catch them. 

Featuring: Professor Chris Cooper

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Without volcanoes there would be no life on Earth. But just how afraid of supervolcanoes - like the one in Yellowstone National Park - should we be? Inspired by 90s disaster movie Dante’s Peak, the boys explore just how bad it could get for humanity and, of course, for Pierce Brosnan. 

Featuring: Dr Michael Poland

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What better way to kick off Christmas than a deep dive into the ethics of sex robots? Exploring the science and pitfalls of dystopian drama Westworld, the boys sit down with renowned computer scientist Kate Devlin to discuss her new book ‘Turned On: Science, Sex and Robots.’ 

Featuring: Kate Devlin

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Could we be on the cusp of eradicating vision loss? Through the 2008 epidemic thriller ‘Blindness’, the boys explore the mind-boggling complexity of the eye and the conditions that led to its evolution in the animal kingdom. With tens of millions of people around the world affected by vision loss, a wave of promising new technologies has raised hopes of restoring sight to those left in the dark. 

Featuring: Samantha De Silva

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With the declaration of Trump’s ‘Space Force’, the domain of space is ever closer to becoming a new and potentially terrifying theatre of war. Through the Roger Moore classic Moonraker, the boys examine our reliance on vulnerable satellites and the ramifications of asteroid mining, whilst enjoying a martini or two.

Featuring: Joan Johnson-Freese.

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To kick off Series 4, Michael asked Rick to hit him as hard as he can… with knowledge! Through the Brad Pitt/Ed Norton classic Fight Club, the boys dive headfirst into the uncomfortable world of pain research. From the world’s most painful ailments, to the fascinating history of pain relief and the devastating impact of chronic conditions, we explore what makes pain so vital to the human journey. 

Featuring: Professor Irene Tracey

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