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Instant Genius

Our Media
Climate Change
Mental Health
Artificial Intelligence
Neuroscience
Dementia
Evolution
Social Media
Nutrition
Mathematics
Food Security
Food Production
Alzheimer's Disease
Psychology
Conservation
Space Exploration
Microbes
Bacteria
Protein
Renewable Energy
Therapy

Whether you’re curious about getting healthy, the Big Bang or the science of cooking, find out everything you need to know with Instant Genius. The team behind BBC Science Focus Magazine talk to world-leading experts to bring you two bite-sized masterclasses on a new subject each week. New episodes are released every Monday and Friday and you can subscribe to Instant Genius on Apple Podcasts to ac... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes753Founded9 years ago
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Latest Episodes

Sometimes, no matter how busy we are or how hard we work, when we look back on our day, it can seem like we didn’t really achieve very much. Why is this and what can we do to make more effective use of our time? Could the answer be simply tuning into... more

For many of us, maths is simply a subject we studied at school to help us learn how to count, add one thing to another, and carry out everyday tasks such as managing our personal finances. But if we look more deeply, maths has underpinned the way tha... more

For those of us who live in towns and cities, bogs may seem to be a rare environmental relic left over from times gone by, or perhaps something we’ve only encountered onscreen in spooky fantasy movies. The fact is that these peat-rich, often otherwor... more

From the neatly curated English country garden to the wild jungles of the Amazon, the Earth is host to a staggeringly diverse range of plant life. One of the key reasons for the great evolutionary success of plants is the wide-ranging versatility and... more

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Christian Poensgen
Executive coach and author of Ultraproductive
Episode: Why tuning into your body’s natural rhythms is the key to productivity
Terrence Tao
Mathematician and author at the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
Episode: How maths underpins almost every aspect of our lives
Merritt Turetsky
Ecologist, climate scientist and author
Episode: Why bogs are one of the planet’s most undervalued ecosystems
Jonathan Silvertown
Professor of Evolutionary Ecology
University of Edinburgh
Episode: Why leaves are one of nature’s most versatile creations
Will Arnold
environmentalist, engineer, author
Author of Future Build, Future Build: How Construction Can Heal Our Planet
Episode: How to make buildings without harming the Earth
Nicholas Humphrey
Professor of Evolutionary Psychology, author of Why is the World So Beautiful? Our Minds in Search of Nature's Rhymes
University/lab not specified
Episode: Why humans are wired to appreciate beauty
Alex Davies
Tech journalist and author
Author of How to Keep a Plane in the Sky
Episode: How safety engineers test everyday products to destruction
Dr. Samantha Walker
Director of Research
Asthma and Lung UK
Episode: Why we need to be taking asthma more seriously
Daniel Lieberman
Professor of Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
Harvard University
Episode: What our evolutionary history can teach us about eating well

Host

Jason Goodger
Host (and commissioning editor) specializing in science communication for BBC Science Focus.

Reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars from 823 ratings
  • 7

    Podcast Addict
    3
    Rhapsody
    4 months ago
  • Lots of talks with authors

    Mostly interesting and gives me a lot of interesting book recommendations however the episodes with a female host is terrible and a nightmare to listen to. Too loud, too chaotic, makes me think of a party girl rather than a professional.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Poshum
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Always interesting

    The episodes are always interesting

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    XXVI
    United States2 years ago
  • Always fascinating,interesting and creative

    I’ve just finished listening to a professor talk about snakes. It was so fascinating to listen to him talk about what snakes do for the environment and how different species are much-needed in nature.

    I’ve been listening to this podcast since it has begun and I find it wonderful to be able to learn something new and it’s a little bit more than a bite size is a reasonable size.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Lucyhedgehog
    Canada4 years ago
  • Absolutely dreadful audio quality and as for that intro with that loud music over a weak voice!!

    Come on guys, really? I was looking forward to this podcast but after struggling through about ten or so that's it for me. The producers don't care about sound quality and if they actually bother to listen back to the result then they are either drunk or have perfect hearing.

    Deleting

    Podcast Addict
    RKF
    4 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate accessible yet rigorous science explanations and expert guests.
Audience values diverse topics across biology, technology, and space, with emphasis on credibility and curiosity.
Some critiques focus on presentation style or pacing, not the quality of content.
Feedback often notes strong host-guest dynamics and clear, practical takeaways.

Chart Rankings

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

Spotify
#39
United States/Science
Spotify
#23
United Kingdom/Science
Apple Podcasts
#56
United Kingdom/Science
Apple Podcasts
#62
Canada/Science
Spotify
#24
Australia/Science
Apple Podcasts
#193
Australia/Science

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Why bogs are one of the planet’s most undervalued ecosystems
Q: So how does that work and how do they fit into the larger global picture?
Peat is about half carbon, and bogs store it in thick layers that have helped cool the climate. Drainage, burning and thawing permafrost can release that carbon and contribute to climate change.
Why bogs are one of the planet’s most undervalued ecosystems
Q: What makes a bog a bog?
Bogs are wetlands with thick layers of peat, which accumulates when waterlogged and sometimes acidic conditions prevent microbes from decomposing organic matter as quickly as it arrives.
Why tuning into your body’s natural rhythms is the key to productivity
Q: What are some things that we can do that are quite easy fixes?
Poensgen recommends finishing food and intense exercise three hours before bed and avoiding caffeine during the final eight hours before sleep, to support the body's temperature drop and deep sleep.
Why tuning into your body’s natural rhythms is the key to productivity
Q: What's the thinking behind that time frame? Why 90 minutes?
Poensgen says the body's ultradian cycles involve roughly 90 minutes of energy and focus followed by a shorter trough. He connects similar cycles to sleep stages and uses the rhythm to structure focused work and recovery.
How maths underpins almost every aspect of our lives
Q: What would you say to someone who's listening, who is perhaps a bit intimidated by maths, other than picking up a copy of the book, how can they approach maths to make it less intimidating?
Tao says mathematics formalizes ways of thinking people already use. He advises exploring it for fun and asking questions without treating it like a school assignment where mistakes lead to judgment.

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 Instant Genius

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

A concise, science-leaning show that presents two bite-sized masterclasses per week, often featuring leading researchers and practitioners who break down complex topics for a broad audience. Episodes frequently cover neuroscience, biology, aging, space, technology, and the social implications of science, with a strong emphasis on practical takeaways, accessible explanations, and real-world applications. Noteworthy is the wide range of expert guests—from neuroscientists to historians to engineers—providing both depth and diverse perspectives across the sciences, plus clear efforts to connect ideas to everyday life. Potential listeners can expect energetic, evidence-based conversations that aim to educate and inspire curiosity, sometimes acco... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Instant Genius?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Instant Genius:

1. BBC Inside Science
2. Science Weekly
3. Discovery
4. CrowdScience
5. The World, the Universe and Us

How many episodes of Instant Genius are there?

Instant Genius launched 9 years ago and published 753 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 Instant Genius?

Recent guests on Instant Genius include:

1. Christian Poensgen
2. Terrence Tao
3. Merritt Turetsky
4. Jonathan Silvertown
5. Will Arnold
6. Nicholas Humphrey
7. Alex Davies
8. Dr. Samantha Walker

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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