Rephonic
Artwork for Futureproof

Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea

Newstalk
Climate Change
Neuroscience
Artificial Intelligence
Alzheimer's Disease
Evolution
Biodiversity
Cancer
Mars
Immune System
Ireland
Genetics
Memory
Covid-19
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Wallace Line
DNA
Dark Energy
Evolutionary Biology
Natural Selection
Symbiosis

Jonathan responds to your texts and tweets, is joined in studio for all the latest science stories for Newsround and speaks to one of our two guests featured on the show.

CONVERSATION THAT COUNTS | Ireland’s national independent talk station for news, sport, analysis and entertainment

Listen to Newstalk at newstalk.com/listenlive | Download the GoLoud app now, the new home for Newstalk

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes469Founded15 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Science

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Futureproof

Latest Episodes

Guests:

*

Martin Wikelski, Director at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

*

Andrea Kwakowsky, Associate Professor of Pharmacology & Therapeutics at the University of Galway

Guest: Felix Morsbach, Privacy and Security Researcher at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

Guests: Jessamyn Fairfield from NUI Galway, Eoin Murphy Science Communicator, Mary Ann Cooper Managing Director in the African Centres for Lightning Education & Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois and Felix Morsbach Privacy and Security... more

Guest: Michelle Carr, Director of the Dream Engineering Laboratory at Montreal's Centre for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine and author of ‘Into the Dream Lab: The New Science of Dreams and Nightmares’.

Key Facts

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

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The David McWilliams Podcast
The David McWilliams PodcastDavid McWilliams & John Davis
The Other Hand
The Other HandJim Power & Chris Johns
The Big Tech Show
The Big Tech ShowIrish Independent

Recent Guests

Frederic Auth
Doctoral researcher at Goethe-Universität Frankfurt
Goethe University Frankfurt
Episode: Extra: Was there human sacrifice in ancient Rome?
Hannah Lyons
Reproduction researcher in Adelaide University
Adelaide University
Episode: How does sperm work in outer space?
Ludmilla Aristilde
Environmental Engineering Professor at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Episode: Extra: How microbes tackle pollution
John Mitani
Primatologist at the University of Michigan, co-founder of the Ngogo Chimpanzee Project
University of Michigan
Episode: The Chimpanzee War in Uganda
Paul Kelly
Medical director of UPMC Cancer Network in Ireland
UPMC Cancer Network (Ireland)
Episode: Extra: New Prostate Cancer Trials in Ireland
Karen Konkoly
Dream scientist
University of Cambridge
Episode: Learning while you sleep!
Annie Curtis
Professor
RCSI
Episode: Learning while you sleep!
Beibei Du-Harpur
Dermatologist
King's College London; St. John's Institute of Dermatology
Episode: Extra: Does science back up weird skincare trends?
Nadja Reissland
Professor from the Department of Psychology, Durham University
Durham University
Episode: Early flavour memories may shape picky eaters

Host

Jonathan McCrea
Host of Futureproof series, regular in-studio science discussions and news roundups

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 387 ratings
  • Sound problem

    U say u have a sound engineer but guests and hosts r on a completely different sound level. Impossible to listen.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    j790000
    Ireland9 months ago
  • Science news programme with some extra snark

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Bragcat
    a year ago
  • Used to be good

    I would have given a five star review a few years ago.

    But recently the main topics of the show are uninteresting, drawn out, not structured well.

    The news round is still good though.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    gnrvrfan
    Irelanda year ago
  • AI boosterism. I expect less gullibility in my tech journalism

    Podcast Addict
    1
    Skrynesaver
    a year ago
  • Jonathan needs to stop being so rude

    I was going to subscribe but every episode I’ve listened to when they do the news at the beginning, Jonathan is always so condescending to the correspondents especially the female correspondents. It drives me nuts. The news they bring forth is very interesting and I hate that Jonathan feels the need to tell us that he’s not surprised by this news and asks “why are you?” in such a condescending manner.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Shelby Lofty
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners praise accessible science storytelling and broad topic range.
Feedback highlights the host's engaging curiosity and clear explanations.
Some critique sound quality and pacing on certain episodes.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#13
Ireland/Science
Apple Podcasts
#167
Argentina/Science

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Extra: Was there human sacrifice in ancient Rome?
Q: Tell us a little bit about this site, Nida, and why it matters in understanding the Roman frontier.
The site sits in a frontier zone near Mainz, revealing a sanctuary with hundreds of pits and ritual remains that show how Romans interacted with local cultures through offerings and feasting, highlighting a mixed Gallo-Roman identity rather than a single, unified Roman practice.
The Chimpanzee War in Uganda
Q: How violent did the conflict get and which group carried the majority of the violence?
The violence was largely one-sided, with the initially smaller group committing most of the killings after the split, and the larger post-split group failing to retaliate proportionally, leading to a shifting balance of power.
The Chimpanzee War in Uganda
Q: Set the scene for the Uganda chimpanzee war and how the study began.
The Ngogo chimpanzee project started in 1995 in Kibale National Park, Uganda, with one of the largest chimp groups observed, which later splintered in 2018 after a long period of internal and intergroup conflict.
Extra: How microbes tackle pollution
Q: What are the main challenges to scaling this technology?
Key challenges include scaling the microbial breakdown process, maintaining stable, safe engineered strains in contained environments, and ensuring that the entire cycle—from degradation to product formation—is economically viable and environmentally responsible.
Extra: How microbes tackle pollution
Q: Can bacteria realistically make a dent in the plastic waste we produce on a large scale?
While not the sole solution, engineered microbes could contribute meaningfully when combined with other approaches, particularly if we optimize bioreactor designs, enzyme pathways, and the conversion of degraded plastics into valuable products, and if there is sustained investment to achieve economic viability.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Futureproof

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

This show presents accessible science coverage anchored in timely news, with in-depth conversations featuring a rotating set of researchers, clinicians, engineers, and science communicators. Episodes balance explainers of cutting-edge topics (from AI and space to health and environmental science) with broader science storytelling and episodes that showcase methods, funding, and policy contexts. A notable strength is the host's curious, questions-first approach, which helps translate complex ideas for lay listeners while highlighting real-world impact and practical takeaways for patients, professionals, and enthusiasts alike.

Where can I find podcast stats for Futureproof?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Futureproof. 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 Futureproof and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Futureproof get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Futureproof, 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 Futureproof?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Futureproof, 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 Futureproof have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Futureproof 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 Futureproof?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Futureproof:

1. Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
2. The Pat Kenny Show
3. The David McWilliams Podcast
4. The Other Hand
5. The Big Tech Show

How many episodes of Futureproof are there?

Futureproof launched 15 years ago and published 469 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 Futureproof?

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 Futureproof?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Futureproof 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 Futureproof?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Futureproof. 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 Futureproof?

Recent guests on Futureproof include:

1. Frederic Auth
2. Hannah Lyons
3. Ludmilla Aristilde
4. John Mitani
5. Paul Kelly
6. Karen Konkoly
7. Annie Curtis
8. Beibei Du-Harpur

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days