In this extended episode of What's Up Docs?, Chris and Xand van Tulleken continue their conversation with Professor Robin Condliffe.

Together, they explore how our understanding of the lungs has evolved over time, from early theories about breathing to the breakthroughs that transformed modern respiratory medicine.

They also examine why lung health is shaped by more than biology alone. From air pollution and housing quality to poverty and access to healthcare, they discuss the social and environmental factors that continue to influence who develops lung disease and who receives treatment.

Recording at Crossed Wires Festival in Sheffield, they reflect on the city's industrial heritage and the lessons it offers for modern public health. They also ask what has changed in respiratory medicine during Robin's career, and how his work has influenced the way he thinks about his own health and wellbeing.

If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic covered on the podcast, you can email us at [email protected].

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4.

Welcome to What's Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing.

In this episode, recorded live at Crossed Wires Festival in Sheffield, they are joined by Professor Robin Condliffe, Consultant Respiratory Physician at Royal Hallamshire Hospital.

Together, they explore the extraordinary science of the lungs: how they work, how they keep us alive, and what happens when they start to go wrong. From asthma, COPD and lung cancer to air pollution, smoking and respiratory infections, they discuss some of the biggest challenges facing lung health today.

Along the way, they examine the links between lung health, deprivation and the environment, reflect on Sheffield's industrial heritage, and explore the latest advances in respiratory medicine. Finally, they ask what we can all do to keep our lungs healthier for longer.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4

Chris and Xand van Tulleken take a deeper dive into heart palpitations and the rise of wearable technology.

With devices like smartwatches now able to detect irregular heart rhythms, more people are being alerted to potential problems, often without any symptoms. But is this early detection saving lives, or creating new challenges?

Joined again by Consultant Cardiologist Dr Pranev Sharma, the docs explore how wearables actually work, how accurate they are, and what happens when they flag something abnormal. They unpack the balance between prevention and overdiagnosis, and ask whether we risk medicalising normal bodily sensations. They also look at how decisions are made about treatment, and whether these decisions are changing as more cases are detected through technology.

If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic covered on the podcast, you email us at [email protected] or Whatsapp on 08000 665 123.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4.

Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing.

In this episode, they turn their attention to heart palpitations. That sudden flutter, skipped beat or racing heart can feel alarming, but what’s actually going on, and when should you be concerned?

They break down what palpitations are, what causes them, and what’s happening in the heart when you feel them. From everyday triggers like stress and caffeine to more serious rhythm problems, they explore the full spectrum, from completely normal to potentially dangerous.

They also look at how doctors investigate palpitations, the warning signs not to ignore, and what to do if you’re worried.

To help them unpack it all, they’re joined by Dr Pranev Sharma, Consultant Cardiologist at Midland Metropolitan Hospital in Birmingham.

If you want to get in touch, you can email us at [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08000 665 123.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

Assistant Commissioner: Greg Smith

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4

Chris and Xand continue their conversation about body odour with Matthew Cobb, Professor Emeritus of Zoology at the University of Manchester.

They explore whether it’s possible to predict how someone experiences an odour based on their DNA, and how our sense of smell compares to that of other animals.

Many people lost their sense of smell during the Covid-19 pandemic, bringing greater awareness to just how central this sense is to our everyday lives. They discuss the role that smelling ourselves and each other plays in everyday life, what happens when that sense is lost, and what support is available for those experiencing anosmia.

If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic covered on the podcast, you email us at [email protected] or Whatsapp on 08000 665 123.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4.

Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing. In this episode, they explore something that affects every one of us - body odour.

Body odour plays a significant role in our emotional and social lives, and even in our health. Chris and Xand explore what body odour actually is, where it comes from, and why it varies so much from person to person. They also examine the many ways we try to mask our natural scent and separate fact from fiction when it comes to what our body odour can tell us about each other and our health.

To help unpack it all, they’re joined by Matthew Cobb, Professor Emeritus of Zoology at the University of Manchester, whose research explores how smell evolved and how animals use it to navigate and communicate.

If you want to get in touch, you can email us at [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08000 665 123.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4

This extended episode of What's Up Docs? features Chris and Xand van Tulleken's full live conversation with Professor Devi Sridhar at Hay Festival.

Going deeper than the main episode, they explore the tension between individual responsibility and structural change, and why asking "how do I stay healthy?" might be the wrong question altogether. Devi draws on her work across governments and health systems worldwide to examine what genuinely moves the needle on population health. Chris and Xand also ask how Devi's work shapes the way she lives, and what single policy change she'd make tomorrow if she could.

If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic covered on the podcast, you can email us at [email protected].

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4.

Welcome to What's Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing.

In this episode, recorded live at Hay Festival, they're joined by Professor Devi Sridhar, Chair of Global Public Health at the University of Edinburgh, to ask how we can live longer, healthier lives.

They dig into the difference between life expectancy and healthy life expectancy, and why the latter is falling in places like the UK. Devi unpacks the biggest factors that shape how well we age, from diet and exercise to mental health and the environments we live in, and shares what decades of working across countries and health systems has taught her.

They challenge the idea that health is simply a matter of individual choice, exploring how the society you're born into can shape your chances of a long and healthy life more than any supplement or wellness hack.

If you want to get in touch, you can email us at [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08000 665 123.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

Assistant Commissioner: Greg Smith

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4.

Chris and Xand van Tulleken continue their conversation about friendship with Dr Tiffany Watt Smith, writer and culture historian.

Tiffany became interested in researching friendships after a moment of crisis in her own friendships. Together, Chris, Xand and Tiffany discuss the difference between male and female friendships and how that has changed over time. They explore the idea that we are living through a friendship recession and what that means for our social connections. And they look at digital friendships and their importance.

If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic covered on the podcast, you email us at [email protected] or Whatsapp on 08000 665 123.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4

Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where identical twin doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken cut through the confusion around every aspect of our health and wellbeing.

In this episode, the Docs take a look at the impact our friendships have on our physical health. Why different friendship styles are important and how we can maintain and nurture our social connections.

Joining them is Dr Tiffany Watt Smith, a writer and cultural historian interested in the histories of emotion and medicine.

If you want to get in touch, you can email us at [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08000 665 123.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4