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Artwork for A Question of Science

A Question of Science

The Francis Crick Institute
Cancer
Artificial Intelligence
Consciousness
Healthcare
Longevity
Nutrition Science
Cancer Research
Ethics
Dementia
AI (artificial Intelligence)
Ultra-Processed Foods
Fertility
Lung Cancer
Immunotherapy
Sustainable Energy
Machine Learning
Preventive Medicine
Cancer Treatments
Digital Misinformation
Memory

Science you can trust. Questions that matter.

Join Professor Brian Cox and a panel of the world’s top scientists and experts as they tackle your questions about some of the biggest science challenges facing society today.

Can we cure cancer? How do you separate nutrition fact from fiction? What do climate change and the march of AI mean for our future? Could we live forever? Each episode is r... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes25Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ScienceHealth & FitnessMedicine

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Artwork for A Question of Science

Latest Episodes

How important is our gut microbiome and could it hold the key to new treatments for a range of different diseases? How does the gut-brain axis influence our behaviour and will poo transplants become a regular procedure on the NHS? Join our panel of e... more

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Our biological sex affects every cell in our body, so how does it influence our health - from embryo development through to the risk of disease and diagnosis? How and why do some conditions affect females and males differently? And what can we do to ... more

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Why do people become addicted? When does a habit turn into self harm and what makes recovery so hard? From drugs and alcohol to gambling and social media, join our panel of experts as they explore the causes of addiction, what it looks like in the br... more

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How is AI revolutionising medicine and drug discovery and could it really improve diagnosis and treatment for everyone? Could the role of doctors and nurses change forever, with AI taking care of admin and analysis at the touch of a button? Can we ... more

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Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Glenn Gibson
Emeritus Professor of Food Microbiology at the University of Reading
University of Reading
Episode: Are we ruled by our guts?
Lindsay Hall
Chair of Microbiome Research at the University of Birmingham's Institute of Microbiology and Infection
University of Birmingham
Episode: Are we ruled by our guts?
Jatin Nagpal
Researcher at University College Cork's APC Microbiome Ireland Centre
APC Microbiome Ireland
Episode: Are we ruled by our guts?
Sheena Cruickshank
Immunologist and Professor in Public Engagement and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
Episode: Are we ruled by our guts?
Mihaela van der Schaar
Professor of machine learning, artificial intelligence and medicine at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
Episode: How does biological sex affect health?
Indra Joshi
Doctor with an emergency medicine background and chief product and medical officer at Optimemis
Optimemis
Episode: How does biological sex affect health?
Patrick Vallance
NHS doctor and academic with experience in industry and government
Episode: How does biological sex affect health?
Samra Turajlic
Cancer physician, research scientist and group leader at the Francis Crick Institute
Francis Crick Institute
Episode: How does biological sex affect health?
Pontus Skoglund
Group leader of the Francis Crick Institute's ancient genomics lab
Francis Crick Institute
Episode: Ancient Egyptian DNA, Cheddar Man and wolves as pets

Host

Brian Cox
Host of A Question of Science; facilitates questions and audience interactions; expert host with science communication focus

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 626 ratings
  • All

    Absolutely amazing!! Amazing host, amazing panels, great and important questions for humans as a race, yet all simply communicated.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AhimbiG
    United Kingdom4 months ago
  • Great podcast on recent scientific developments

    Great to have a programme where you know the speakers are experts in their fields vs just famous people with opinions. Calmly chaired by Prof. Brian Cox. Highly recommend

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kiley 3
    United Kingdom10 months ago
  • This was a fantastic, well-rounded discussion of nutritional science

    Podcast Addict
    5
    CH
    a year ago
  • Always gets me thinking…

    I can never resist a Brian Cox podcast and I never regret tuning in. He’s such a great presenter and his enthusiasm is catching. I’m enjoying the variety of topics and the discussions that emerge.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    HB4PK
    Australiaa year ago
  • 5 wonderful stars

    I’ve really been enjoying A Question of Science — it’s the perfect mix of curiosity, clarity, and that trademark Brian Cox wonder. I’ve been a fan of his since Wonders of the Solar System, and he’s just as good here: calm, sharp, and able to make the biggest scientific ideas feel close and human. The show feels like sitting in on a chat with a mate who happens to understand the universe.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    M4RKKK
    Australiaa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The host delivers calm, clear questions and expert guests provide deep dives into topics.
Listeners praise the accessible, engaging science discussions and the credibility of the guests.
Guests are chosen for expertise, not celebrity, leading to high‑quality insights.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#166
United States/Science
Spotify
#6
United Kingdom/Science
Spotify
#95
United Kingdom/Trending
Apple Podcasts
#103
United Kingdom/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#4
United Kingdom/Science
Apple Podcasts
#64
Canada/Science

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Are we ruled by our guts?
Q: How strong is the evidence that the gut microbiome can influence mood, anxiety and behaviour? And should we stop thinking of mental health as something that happens only on the brain?
Jatin Nagpal cites animal studies in which microbiota from people with depression or social anxiety produced related behavioural features in recipient animals. The panel says the gut can influence the brain through nerves, microbial metabolites and immune pathways, but further research is needed to establish how this translates into human treatments.
Are we ruled by our guts?
Q: Should I incorporate prebiotics into my daily routine to improve my gut health?
Glenn Gibson explains that prebiotics nourish beneficial microbes already in the gut and can come from fruits and vegetables, including garlic, asparagus, onions, artichokes and bananas.
How does biological sex affect health?
Q: Could AI reduce misdiagnoses in busy NHS settings or might it create new risks by influencing clinicians with confident but incorrect suggestions?
The panel says AI can help identify abnormal scans and prompt clinicians, but its alerts can be ignored or misunderstood, especially when staff are tired. AI should support clinical judgment, with appropriate training, safeguards and human responsibility for decisions.
How does biological sex affect health?
Q: With AI already being trialed in hospitals around the world, how realistically could it transform prevention, treatment, and quality of life as we get older?
The panel describes how AI could use longitudinal health records, wearable data and other information to estimate individual risk, personalize prevention and identify disease earlier. They stress that established practices such as screening, seeing a GP, physical activity and healthy eating remain important.
How is AI transforming medicine?
Q: How could AI reduce misdiagnoses and what are the risks of AI influencing clinicians with confident but incorrect suggestions?
AI can aid diagnosis via pattern recognition across many scans but can suffer from alert fatigue and over-reliance; effective use requires guardrails, human oversight, and contextual judgment to prevent misdiagnosis and misplaced trust.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
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Frequently Asked Questions About A Question of Science

What is A Question of Science about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A high‑signal science discussion show that brings together leading researchers and experts to answer audience questions on big, timely topics—from ancient DNA and human origins to fertility tech, climate and health. Episodes commonly feature live panels, rigorous explanations of complex science, and ethical and societal implications, all hosted with accessible, conversational framing. Notable strengths include a strong lineup of academic researchers and thought leaders, clear translation of research into real‑world context, and a format that encourages audience engagement and debate.

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Which podcasts are similar to A Question of Science?

These podcasts share a similar audience with A Question of Science:

1. The Infinite Monkey Cage
2. Curious Cases
3. The Life Scientific
4. The Rest Is Science
5. BBC Inside Science

How many episodes of A Question of Science are there?

A Question of Science launched a year ago and published 25 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on A Question of Science?

Recent guests on A Question of Science include:

1. Glenn Gibson
2. Lindsay Hall
3. Jatin Nagpal
4. Sheena Cruickshank
5. Mihaela van der Schaar
6. Indra Joshi
7. Patrick Vallance
8. Samra Turajlic

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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