Humans are enthralled by stories about murder. And the mysteries we tell these days – like in the Glass Onion films or TV shows like The Residence – often follow a blueprint set by the iconic Agatha Christie. It turns out, Christie knew a whole lot about science.
In this episode, we speak to Dr Kathryn Harkup, a chemist who writes about the science behind famous works of literature. Her newest book, V is for Venom: Agatha Christie’s Chemicals of Death, is her sequel to A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie, exploring Christie’s expert use of dark chemistry.
She tells us about some of the poisons Christie used in her books – the brutal, the medicinal and the obscure – revealing Christie’s extensive chemical knowledge.
But be warned: this conversation gets quite dark. Listener discretion is advised.
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41:16
Better Sleep: The deep connection between sleep and memory
We humans spend roughly one third of our time sleeping. For the average person this adds up to around 26 years over our lifetimes. And though to the outside observer it may seem that there’s little going on, several processes are being carried out by our bodies and brains that are vital for our health and wellbeing.
In this episode, part of our four-part Better Sleep miniseries, we speak to Dr Alessio Delogu, a neurobiologist based at King’s College, London, about the intimate link between sleep our memory.
He tells how memories are encoded in our brains during sleep, how sleep deprivation hampers our ability to learn new skills, and shares some tips to help us keep our memory systems working in tiptop condition.
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28:07
How to harness the healing power of the body’s largest nerve
It’s a little-known fact that we all have two long networks of nerves that run down either side of our necks that pass signals from our brains to all of the organs in our bodies. This is known as the vagus nerve, and cutting-edge research is now uncovering how stimulating this vital part of our anatomy can help us combat a whole range of damaging health conditions.
In this episode, we speak to neurosurgeon and researcher Dr Kevin J Tracey about his latest book The Great Nerve: The New Science of the Vagus Nerve and How to Harness its Healing Reflexes.
He tells us how this nerve network acts as a vital conduit for communication between our brains and organs, talks us through the exciting new therapies being developed using electronic implants that stimulate the vagus nerve, and why we’re only just scratching the surface of the therapeutic potential of this understudied part of our bodies.
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42:44
The evolution of music, its impact on human culture and its future
There’s little doubt that music is an integral part of what it means to be human. But how did it first arise, how did musical instruments and compositions become ever more sophisticated and why does listening to or playing music bring us so much joy?
In this episode, we speak to science writer and music producer David Darling about his latest book A Perfect Harmony: Music, Mathematics and Science.
He tells us how the oldest pitched musical instrument found so far is thought to be more than 40,000 years old, the role music has played in the evolution of human culture, and what the impact AI-generated music may have on the work of human musicians and composers in the near future.
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31:26
Why we should rethink our relationship with alcohol
The shocking fact is that alcohol is responsible for around three times more deaths globally than any other drug combined, save for tobacco. However, many of us still consume it. So how have we reached this point, and why is alcohol consumption still so deeply ingrained in human culture?
In this episode, we speak to Professor David Nutt about the history of alcohol use and the many and varied effects it has on our health, lives and wellbeing.
He tells us exactly what alcohol does to our bodies and brains, why some of us find it so difficult to stop drinking once we’ve started, and why education is vital if we are to limit the damage alcohol causes to public health.
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Whether you’re curious about getting healthy, the Big Bang or the science of cooking, find out everything you need to know with Instant Genius. The team behind BBC Science Focus Magazine talk to world-leading experts to bring you a bite-sized masterclass on a new subject each week.
New episodes are released every Monday and Friday and you can subscribe to Instant Genius on Apple Podcasts to access all new episodes ad-free and all old episodes of Instant Genius Extra.
Watch full episodes of Instant Genius on BBC Science Focus Magazine's YouTube channel.
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