Humans’ unique ability to communicate through complex systems of language is one of the key attributes that separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom. But how did this complex behaviour arise?
In her latest book, The Origin of Language – How We Learned to Speak and Why, evolutionary biologist Madeleine Beekman argues that our ability to speak arose due to the need to take care of our children.
She tells us how early human’s anatomy changed dramatically when our ancestors came down from the tress and began walking on two legs, how a quirk of genetics allowed humans to develop such large brains that aided the development of language, and why human’s slow development from helpless infants to functioning members of society gave rise to the need for in-group cooperation and complex modes of communication.
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34:57
The biggest unsolved mysteries in cosmology
For thousands of years humans have looked out into the night sky and pondered on the mysteries of the vast cosmos that we find ourselves part of. From Copernicus’ discovery that the Earth revolves around the Sun to Einstein’s revelation that gravity is the result of the curvature of spacetime, we’ve learned much about how the universe operates.
But we’re still only scratching the surface.
In this episode, we speak to Marcus Chown, an award-winning science writer and broadcaster and long-time contributor to BBC Science Focus.
He explains why pinning down the nature of dark matter and dark energy has eluded us for so long, why we can’t get gravity to agree with the three other forces of nature, and discusses the possibility of the existence of multiple universes.
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The hidden ways money has shaped human civilisation
If most of us were asked what we thought was meant by the word ‘technology’ chances are the first thing that would come to mind are inventions such as cars, medicine and computers.
But economist and author David McWilliams would argue these are all physical technologies and that there’s also a whole world of social technologies out there that have shaped human progress in a similarly profound way that most of us are largely unaware of. Chief amongst these, he says, is the invention of money.
In this episode, we speak to David about his latest book Money – A Story of Humanity. He tells us how the very reason that money has any value at all is based on our collective belief and trust in it as a concept, how money was much more deeply involved in turning points in human history than first meets the eye, and we need to see our relationship with money as an evolutionary process that progresses much like natural selection.
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33:50
A neuroscientist’s guide to living with dementia
Dementia doesn’t have to be terrifying. We tend to think of neurocognitive decline as something to be feared and avoided, but as the population ages, more and more of us are being diagnosed with dementia – so it might be helpful to know more about it.
In this episode, we speak to Dr Sabina Brennan, a neuroscientist, psychologist, bestselling author and host of the Super Brain podcast. Her new book, Still Me: a neuroscientist’s guide to caring for someone with dementia, offers practical advice for approaching dementia care in a loving and brain-healthy way.
Sabina tells us about her own experiences caring for her mother, the different ways neurocognitive decline can manifest itself, and how to find joy and fulfilment alongside dementia.
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35:28
The hidden life in the air we breathe
Every day we all breathe in thousands of litres of air, it is, of course essential for our continued existence. But did you know that the air that surrounds us is filled with a thriving colony of life itself? This is known as the aerobiome – a population of thousands of species of bacteria, fungi and even potentially lethal viruses such as SARS-CoV-2.
In this episode, we speak to science journalist and author Carl Zimmer about his latest book Air-Borne – The Hidden History of the Life We Breathe.
He runs us through the fascinating history of aerobiology, outlines the key role the field played in developing the germ theory of disease, and explains how even clouds are filled with life.
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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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