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The World, the Universe and Us

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

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 weeklyEpisodes460Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ScienceNews

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Artwork for The World, the Universe and Us

Latest Episodes

Episode 392

Ancient wildfires may have shaped the course of human evolution. A reconstruction of the environment in East Africa 1.75 million years ago suggests a particularly volatile period of climate change made our species adapt rapidly.

Climate... more

Episode 391

Brain tumours are the most common and most deadly form of solid tumours in children. But a brand new kind of immunotherapy has shown incredible promise, saving four terminally ill children.

By using a child’s own immune cells, this new ... more

Episode 390

In a special episode recorded live at Latitude Festival in England, we open with the finding that orcas in the Gulf of California have been making fish explode like piñatas. Sunfish are too large for orcas to get their teeth around, but ... more

Episode 389

Europe is burning through another summer of extreme heat. Temperatures are soaring across the continent, wildfires are forcing mass evacuations in France and Spain, and scientists warn that heatwaves are becoming more frequent, more inte... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Catherine Loveday
Neuropsychologist
University of Westminster (as introduced)
Episode: Latitude Special: Why Festivals Make You Live Longer; Clearing Alzheimer’s Proteins from the Brain;Clouds Made of Rocks and Rubies; Orcas Blow Up Giant Fish
Hannah Wakeford
Astronomer/Astrophysicist
University or research institution as introduced
Episode: Latitude Special: Why Festivals Make You Live Longer; Clearing Alzheimer’s Proteins from the Brain;Clouds Made of Rocks and Rubies; Orcas Blow Up Giant Fish
Dr Sam Akbar
Clinical psychologist and classicist; author of The Odyssey Mindset
Author, The Odyssey Mindset
Episode: 7 Essential Lessons We Can Learn From Homer’s Odyssey
Chris Packham
Broadcaster, naturalist, and host of Evolution
BBC
Episode: Chris Packham on the Untold Story of Evolution
Charlotte Cowie
Chief Medical Officer at the British Olympic Association (former Chief Medical Officer for the British Football Association)
British Olympic Association / British Football Association
Episode: The Science of Football: Inside the 2026 World Cup
Holly Bridge
Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Oxford, part of the Football on the Brain team
University of Oxford
Episode: The Science of Football: Inside the 2026 World Cup
Ian Graham
Director of Research at Liverpool FC (2012–2023), author, sports advisory
Liverpool FC / LudoNautics
Episode: The Science of Football: Inside the 2026 World Cup
Genevieve von Petzinger
Canadian art specialist who contributed to the First Art Project
University/academic affiliation not explicitly stated
Episode: Ancient Human DNA Found in Stone Age Cave Art For First Time
Hippolyto Colaldo Giraldo
Spanish archaeologist interviewed about the findings
Spanish archaeology community
Episode: Ancient Human DNA Found in Stone Age Cave Art For First Time

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 944 ratings
  • mostly advertising

    This is science journalism 10% of the time, ads and advertorials for the rest. You don't do science by press release.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    amcqu
    Australiaa month ago
  • 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
    Australia4 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 Kingdom7 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 Kingdom7 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 Kingdoma year ago

Listeners Say

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

The show is considered a reliable source for staying current on diverse science topics and trends.
Some listeners feel coverage can be opinionated or sensational at times and prefer tighter scientific balance.
Guests are generally seen as credible and well-informed, contributing depth across science domains.
Listeners appreciate accessible, engaging science storytelling with credible experts.
Some reviews note heavy advertising and occasional perceived bias or political framing.
The format and depth are valued by long-time listeners who seek context and practical implications of scientific findings.
Overall, the show is praised for curiosity, breadth of topics, and strong hosts, though criticisms exist around ad-load and occasional sensationalism.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#124
United States/Science
Spotify
#17
United Kingdom/Science
Apple Podcasts
#20
United Kingdom/Science
Apple Podcasts
#85
Canada/Science
Apple Podcasts
#46
Australia/Science
Apple Podcasts
#110
Italy/Science

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Breakthrough Synthetic Cell Has Just Reproduced - But Is It Alive?
Q: What would signal that these cells have crossed the line into living, evolving systems?
Once they can produce their own ribosomes and proteins autonomously, maintain stable inheritance of genetic material, possibly undergo evolution, and divide indefinitely, researchers would consider them living; currently they cannot do these things.
Breakthrough Synthetic Cell Has Just Reproduced - But Is It Alive?
Q: Could you break down what makes SpudCell different from a true living cell right now?
It's built from non-living components with external nutrient feeding, lacks self-sustaining ribosomes and protein factories, and shows limited division that is not equal or reliable, so it is not alive yet.
Heatwaves Are Getting Deadlier - And It’s Going To Get Worse
Q: Michael, how do we get from those stresses of being exposed to heat to those vast numbers of deaths? How does that translate to the statistics?
Michael explains the death estimates come from modeling past relationships between temperature and mortality, applying them to current heat events to estimate excess deaths, highlighting that official counts may underestimate true impact.
Heatwaves Are Getting Deadlier - And It’s Going To Get Worse
Q: Alec, you've been spending some time in a heat experiment, can you tell us about that?
He describes being placed in a heat chamber with controlled humidity and temperature, exercising on a treadmill for 10 minutes, and observing rapid increases in skin temperature and heart rate, which underscored how the body responds to heat and why adaptation is necessary.
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.

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 podcast blending news, big ideas, and expert context across domains like climate, space, biology, and technology. Episodes frequently feature live events, interviews with researchers, and deep dives into how science intersects culture, policy, and everyday life. Notable strengths include accessible explanations of complex topics, a steady roster of credible guests, and a consistent curiosity-driven approach that aims to inspire optimism about scientific progress. It likely appeals to curious, educated listeners who want clear context for current science stories and practical implications for society and the future.

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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. Unexpected Elements
4. CrowdScience
5. The Naked Scientists Podcast

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

The World, the Universe and Us launched 7 years ago and published 460 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. Catherine Loveday
2. Hannah Wakeford
3. Dr Sam Akbar
4. Chris Packham
5. Charlotte Cowie
6. Holly Bridge
7. Ian Graham
8. Genevieve von Petzinger

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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