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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
Neuroscience
Black Holes
Coral Reefs
Geoengineering
Human Evolution
Loneliness
CRISPR
Antarctica
Health Conditions

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 weeklyEpisodes452Founded6 years ago
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NewsScience

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Artwork for The World, the Universe and Us

Latest Episodes

Episode 384

The story of evolution is being brought to life in a new way. BBC series Evolution tells the story of 5 iconic animals, from elephants to ostriches, using CGI to reimagine ancient fossils.

And this isn’t just about the animals that came ... more

Episode 383

As another heatwave takes hold, figures are now showing just how deadly the last one was. With one early estimate suggesting as many as 25,000 people may have died in Europe as a result of June’s extreme heat.

Heatwaves across Europe, A... more

Episode 382

Scientists have created a synthetic cell with just 36 genes that can copy DNA and replicate. In an attempt to create a “minimal cell”, a team led by professor Kate Adamala have built “SpudCell” from the ground up, using non-living compon... more

Episode 381

Advances in sports science, data analysis and AI are having a huge impact on the way football is played. With England rated highly in this year’s World Cup, and teams such as Paraguay causing upsets - how will science help give teams an ... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

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
Emily Black
Climate scientist, University of Reading
University of Reading
Episode: A “Super” El Niño May Be Coming - Here’s What It Means
Phil Harding
Archaeologist
Balford/Bullford excavations, Salisbury Plain
Episode: The Lost Solstice Monument That Predates Stonehenge By 500 Years
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

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 931 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
    Australia3 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 Kingdom6 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
    Canada10 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
#146
United States/Science
Spotify
#12
United Kingdom/Science
Apple Podcasts
#13
United Kingdom/Science
Apple Podcasts
#81
Canada/Science
Apple Podcasts
#23
Australia/Science
Apple Podcasts
#128
Germany/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
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
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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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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. Science Weekly
2. BBC Inside Science
3. The Naked Scientists Podcast
4. CrowdScience
5. Unexpected Elements

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

The World, the Universe and Us launched 6 years ago and published 452 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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What guests have appeared on The World, the Universe and Us?

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

1. Charlotte Cowie
2. Holly Bridge
3. Ian Graham
4. Genevieve von Petzinger
5. Hippolyto Colaldo Giraldo
6. Emily Black
7. Phil Harding
8. Toby Kiers

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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