Rephonic
Artwork for Discovery
Climate Change
Chicken
Artificial Intelligence
Animal Welfare
Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change
Salt
Asima Chatterjee
Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner
Madagascar Periwinkle
Cancer
Maternal Health
Family Planning
Population Ageing
Killer Whales
Bearded Vulture
Global Carbon Budget
Menopause
Covid-19
Education
Period Poverty

Explorations in the world of science.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes847Founded18 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Science

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Artwork for Discovery

Latest Episodes

Our antibiotics are failing us. In 2025, the UK Government said antibiotic resistance (AMR) contributes to more than 35,000 deaths each year in the UK. Emergency doctors say they are losing patients on a regular basis when they run out of ways to tre... more

Have you ever been told you aren't good enough to do something, then gone ahead and proved the naysayers wrong by doing it anyway - in glorious, headline-grabbing style?

That is the satisfying story of Dr Dean Lomax. Dean grew up in Doncaster with ... more

What if robots of the future weren’t just clever machines, performing tasks in isolation, but trusted teammates you could have a chat with? That could respond naturally to conversational cues and even explain their work? Making this relationship a re... more

Dr Seth Berkley is an epidemiologist and global health leader whose career has been shaped by one central problem: vaccines save lives, but only if people can actually get them. His 40-year career has spanned the global, from helping to build Uganda’... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Dr Andy Millard
Co-Director of the phage research project at Leicester University
Wecki Mare Centre for Phage Research / University of Leicester
Episode: The friendly virus
Faisal Patel
Biobank lead coordinating phage collection
Phages (startup context within episode)
Episode: The friendly virus
Adele James
Co-founder of biotech start-up Phagos
Phagos
Episode: The friendly virus
Alexandros Pantelis
CEO associated with phage therapy platform
Phagos
Episode: The friendly virus
Claes Kechela
Historian of medicine
French Institute of Health and Medical Research
Episode: The friendly virus
Laurent de Barbier
Phage researcher at Pasteur Institute in Paris
Pasteur Institute, Paris
Episode: The friendly virus
Samira Modafzal
Consultant in virology and infection
Medical practice (UK context)
Episode: The friendly virus
Steve Montgomery-Lehrd
Consultant physician in medical microbiology
University Hospital, Coventry
Episode: The friendly virus
Martha Cloakey
Co-Director of the phage research project at Leicester University
Wecki Mare Centre for Phage Research / University of Leicester
Episode: The friendly virus

Hosts

Jim Al-Khalili
Host known for in-depth scientific conversations with leading researchers
Roland Pease
Host and interviewer with a background in science journalism

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 3.1k ratings
  • Less variety than previous

    This podcast used to have lots of interesting mini series on multiple topics but now pretty much every week it’s ‘life scientific’

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    IS2019
    United Kingdom3 months ago
  • Former science podcast

    This used to be really interesting and well presented, but in the current episode somebody says “last year Elon Musk tweeted“ and the remark was clearly meant to imply that corresponded to some sort of objective reality. Hard to describe it as much better than conspiracy theory with a thin veneer of scientific whitewash.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    David Edge
    United Kingdom3 months ago
  • I Love it so much

    I love listening to life science Tim Peak but it’s got loads of Adds!

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Snovej
    United Kingdom6 months ago
  • BBC, where are you?

    Discontinued?

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Sound Creator 9
    Japan8 months ago
  • Sub Par Journalism

    Drop the ethical superiority rubbish you claim you are in almost every episode. The BBC and Britain as a whole are no longer seen as any sort of ethical gold standard and the “journalism” of the BBC continues to embarrass Britain on the world stage. We have no right to stick up our nose at other countries with the way things have played out in recent years.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Original_Owl
    United States8 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Engaging hosts who make complex topics approachable for non-specialists.
Diverse topics and credible guests; occasionally heavy on ads which can disrupt flow.
Strong yet clear scientific explanations with balanced viewpoints.
Some listeners feel occasional bias or tension between accessibility and depth.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#171
United States/Science
Apple Podcasts
#88
United Kingdom/Science
Apple Podcasts
#144
Canada/Science
Apple Podcasts
#27
Italy/Science
Apple Podcasts
#66
Australia/Science
Apple Podcasts
#195
Germany/Science

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Life Scientific: Dean Lomax
Q: How did your collaboration with museums and universities shape your career trajectory?
Volunteering at Doncaster Museum, discovering a real Ichthyosaur fossil there, and forging collaborations with professionals at the University of Manchester enabled a master's degree, PhD, and eventual authorship of major works.
The Life Scientific: Dean Lomax
Q: As a youngster, you faced discouraging advice from teachers. What happened and how did you respond?
I was told to stop pursuing fossils and get a real job, but I kept collecting, sought opportunities abroad, and used those experiences to propel myself toward publishing and fieldwork, ultimately proving those doubts wrong.
The friendly virus
Q: How might this work in practice?
The discussion outlines a shift toward standardized phage production platforms, AI-assisted cocktail design, and careful host-range testing to ensure effectiveness while mitigating resistance development.
The friendly virus
Q: OK. So is phage therapy safe?
Experts emphasize that phages have an excellent safety record, are naturally associated with human bacteria, and that ongoing clinical data will continue to address concerns about immune responses and safety.
The Life Scientific: Seth Berkley
Q: What are the biggest challenges today in maintaining public trust in vaccines, and how can they be addressed?
The key is recognizing misinformation as a system-level problem, using science-based information, and engaging trusted local leaders to rebuild confidence where disinformation spreads most rapidly.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About Discovery

What is Discovery about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A science-focused interview show that features in-depth conversations with researchers, clinicians, engineers, and policy experts. Episodes cover topics from climate science and atmospheric chemistry to medical breakthroughs, antibiotic resistance, and oceanography, often weaving personal stories with historical context and practical implications for policy and industry. Notable strengths include access to leading researchers, a tendency to connect complex science to real-world impact, and a willingness to explore ethical and societal questions around technology and public health. Listeners are likely to appreciate rigorous explanation, broad scientific curiosity, and nuanced discussions that balance theory with application.

Where can I find podcast stats for Discovery?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Discovery. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Discovery and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Discovery get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Discovery, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Discovery?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Discovery, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Discovery have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Discovery has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Discovery?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Discovery:

1. Unexpected Elements
2. BBC Inside Science
3. CrowdScience
4. The Documentary Podcast
5. Science Weekly

How many episodes of Discovery are there?

Discovery launched 18 years ago and published 847 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Discovery?

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.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Discovery?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Discovery from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Discovery?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Discovery. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Discovery?

Recent guests on Discovery include:

1. Dr Andy Millard
2. Faisal Patel
3. Adele James
4. Alexandros Pantelis
5. Claes Kechela
6. Laurent de Barbier
7. Samira Modafzal
8. Steve Montgomery-Lehrd

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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