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The World, the Universe and Us

New Scientist
Climate Change
Mars
Dark Matter
Artificial Intelligence
Alzheimer's Disease
Space Exploration
Chimpanzees
Microbiome
NASA
Sleep
Cancer
Cannabis
Neuroscience
Black Holes
Coral Reefs
Geoengineering
Human Evolution
Loneliness
CRISPR
Antarctica

From the evolution of intelligent life, to the mysteries of consciousness; from the threat of the climate crisis to the search for dark matter, The world, the universe and us is your essential weekly dose of science and wonder in an uncertain world. Hosted by journalists Dr Rowan Hooper and Dr Penny Sarchet and joined each week by expert scientists in the field, the show draws on New Scientist’s u... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes446Founded6 years ago
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Artwork for The World, the Universe and Us

Latest Episodes

Episode 378

A prototype Stonehenge has been discovered - an even older structure that may have been a first attempt at building the famous megalithic calendar.

A team led by archaeologist Phil Harding, best-known for the TV series ‘Time Team’, disc... more

Episode 377

Considered too dangerous and unreliable a few years ago, the technology for gene editing babies is advancing fast. Improved methods of using CRISPR gene editing are making the technique safer and more targeted. But does that mean we shou... more

Episode 376

For the first time, scientists have mapped Earth’s vast underground fungal network - and it’s bigger than anyone imagined. Beneath our feet, plants and fungi have a hidden symbiotic relationship, sharing nutrients through fine fungal thr... more

Episode 375

The world’s deepest known whale graveyard has been discovered in the southern Indian Ocean. Located at a depth of seven kilometres, it contains millions of whale bones and has been described as a “deep-sea fossil megasite” and a whale ne... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Michael Le Page
Science journalist, guest on the episode
New Scientist
Episode: If We Can Make Genetically Engineered Designer Babies - Should We?
Toby Kiers
Scientist, Free University of Amsterdam
Free University of Amsterdam
Episode: Scientists Mapped Earth's Vast Fungal Network - And It's Critical For The Climate
Tom Shimizu
Research scientist
Amolf Research Institute
Episode: Scientists Mapped Earth's Vast Fungal Network - And It's Critical For The Climate
Merlin Sheldrake
Author of Entangled Life
Free University of Amsterdam
Episode: Scientists Mapped Earth's Vast Fungal Network - And It's Critical For The Climate
Jack Parker Holder
Head of World Models at Google DeepMind
Google DeepMind
Episode: DeepMind Is Simulating Entire Worlds - Ready for AI Robots
Alison George
Former British Antarctic Survey Scientist and longtime New Scientist journalist
British Antarctic Survey; New Scientist
Episode: The Thwaites 'Doomsday' glacier's ice shelf is about to break away
Victoria Herridge
Paleontologist
University of Sheffield
Episode: Some Scientists Want To Resurrect Extinct Species – Is It Even Possible?
Alice Klein
Journalist, New Scientist
New Scientist
Episode: The Strange Case Of The Man Immune To Alzheimer’s
Roger Highfield
Former editor, Science Museum science director
Science Museum, London
Episode: Craig Venter’s Legacy: The Most Influential Geneticist Since Watson and Crick

Hosts

Penny Sarchet
Co-host known for translating science for a broad audience and contributing to New Scientist coverage.
Rowan Hooper
Host and journalist with a focus on science reporting and context-setting.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 928 ratings
  • Misleading disinformation

    The nuclear energy episode so blatantly skews facts as to be disinformation. At one point it compared wind turbine engineer risk to nuclear waste. This channel is disinformation presented as impartial scientific information. Unfortunately I can’t give less than one star. Shame on the presenters and shame on the staff involved.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Dadai5m
    Australia2 months ago
  • A BS publication full of propaganda

    A company that has taken sponsorship from BP and Shell Oil has the gall to be Bitcoin bashing over extremely out dated arguments about Bitcoin and energy consumption. They know better, but they are owned by The Daily Mail who stand as an extreme right wing publication with interests in supporting the legacy banking and financial institutions. This publication cannot be trusted, full of bias and biased outside interests. Purposefully using all the outdated tropes and ignoring all the current fact... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    OG yes indeed
    United Kingdom5 months ago
  • Much too light and opinion-based

    A show with science in the title shouldn’t be presenting opinions backed up with anecdotal or no evidence. Who cares what books the presenters have been reading, how they think the world is, and how they’d like it to be. I’ve read and enjoyed the magazine for years and this is a poor representation of it.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    td14573
    United Kingdom5 months ago
  • Love it

    This is a great podcast for anyone wanting to get a clear and accessible introduction to the latest developments in science. The hosts do a wonderful job of guiding listeners through complex ideas in a way that’s both engaging and entertaining. I especially enjoy listening to Dr Penny’s sweet voice, which makes the experience even more delightful. Keep up the excellent work! ❤️

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Nipuna (Nix)
    United Kingdom9 months ago
  • One of the best podcasts overall!

    Looking forward to it every week! Love the hosts, I could listen to them talking about science and being super fun and witty for hours. I recommend listening to everyone -- keeps you informed, questioning, and lifts the mood!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    dausmaus
    Canada9 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Engaging hosts explain complex topics accessibly and with nuance.
Listeners praise the mix of field reporting and big-picture science.
Guests provide credible, expert perspectives on current science topics.
Sometimes episodes are heavy on opinions and light on data, which can feel unbalanced.
A few critics note ads or pacing can detract from the science focus.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#121
United States/Science
Spotify
#16
United Kingdom/Science
Apple Podcasts
#14
United Kingdom/Science
Apple Podcasts
#54
Canada/Science
Apple Podcasts
#21
Australia/Science
Apple Podcasts
#110
Italy/Science

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

DeepMind Is Simulating Entire Worlds - Ready for AI Robots
Q: How does Genie handle multi-modal inputs and maintain coherent worlds when prompted with mixed media like video and text?
Genie 3 accepts images or video plus text prompts, and it can integrate these prompts to produce contextually consistent worlds, demonstrating cross-modal generalization and emergent understanding without hard-coding.
DeepMind Is Simulating Entire Worlds - Ready for AI Robots
Q: What is a world model, in practical terms, and how does Genie advance beyond simple game-like simulations?
A world model predicts the next state of the world given an observation and an action, enabling generation of new, realistic environments and physics-like behavior that can be used to train agents beyond static games.
Some Scientists Want To Resurrect Extinct Species – Is It Even Possible?
Q: Why is it problematic to frame this as de-extinction rather than a different approach to conservation?
Framing it as de-extinction can mask the ethical, ecological, and governance concerns, and may legitimize releasing engineered organisms without robust public debate and risk assessment.
Some Scientists Want To Resurrect Extinct Species – Is It Even Possible?
Q: What exactly did Colossal claim to have done with the moa eggshell, and how real is this achievement?
The panel clarifies that Colossal's work relates to a membrane-supported cup and an engineered environment rather than a true artificial egg; meaningful progress hinges on many additional steps, including genome work and successful development to hatch a viable animal.
The Thwaites 'Doomsday' glacier's ice shelf is about to break away
Q: Ali, what's the latest on this very dramatic situation?
The key part of the glacier—its floating ice shelf—is going to break away, which reduces the buttressing effect and allows the ice inland to flow more rapidly toward the sea, raising the potential for substantial sea level rise over decades.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About The World, the Universe and Us

What is The World, the Universe and Us about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A weekly science show that covers a wide range of topics from archaeology and genetics to climate and space, often featuring in-depth conversations with researchers and science journalists. Episodes typically blend accessible explanations with expert context, aiming to translate cutting-edge findings into engaging narratives and practical implications for society. Noteworthy elements include a strong emphasis on open data, field reporting, and the human side of science, plus a knack for connecting disparate disciplines into a coherent big-picture view. The format often pairs host reporters with subject-matter guests to unpack complex topics for curious listeners who want both rigor and readability.

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To see how many followers or subscribers The World, the Universe and Us 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 The World, the Universe and Us?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The World, the Universe and Us:

1. BBC Inside Science
2. Science Weekly
3. The Naked Scientists Podcast
4. Unexpected Elements
5. The Life Scientific

How many episodes of The World, the Universe and Us are there?

The World, the Universe and Us launched 6 years ago and published 446 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 The World, the Universe and Us?

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What guests have appeared on The World, the Universe and Us?

Recent guests on The World, the Universe and Us include:

1. Michael Le Page
2. Toby Kiers
3. Tom Shimizu
4. Merlin Sheldrake
5. Jack Parker Holder
6. Alison George
7. Victoria Herridge
8. Alice Klein

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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