Best Chris Lintott Podcasts (2025)

1
A New Sky - Chris Lintott 44:17

5d ago44:17

44:17

The JWST is the most expensive and powerful telescope astronomers have ever constructed. Its launch in 2021 started a new phase in our exploration of the cosmos, with the observatory's golden mirrors producing instantly iconic images of the Solar System's giant planets, nearby star-forming regions and galaxies, and our distant universe. The lecture…

1
Taking the Constitution into the Classroom - Clive Stafford Smith 37:23

15h ago37:23

37:23

The U.S. Constitution had to be formed through debate before it could be ratified. Mirroring this, a British constitution must emerge through debates held by the next generation. This lecture indicates schools are a good environment to foster this. For students, there are many contentious issues that tap into discussions at the heart of writing a c…

1
Blind Spots & Bad Decisions: Why We Fall for Financial Traps - Raghavendra Rau 1:08:09

8d ago1:08:09

1:08:09

Why do smart people make dumb financial choices? This lecture explores the surprising link between our psychology and money mistakes. We will see how fear, overconfidence, and even our desire to be liked can cloud our judgment, especially when dealing with financial "experts". Learn how these psychological blind spots worsen conflicts of interest, …

1
The Moral Case for Stealing Data - Victoria Baines 51:53

12d ago51:53

51:53

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/hLBfAVyeMBs Throughout history, authorities have struggled to manage individuals’ urges to speak out against injustice and malpractice. IT has given us new means to obtain and publish data that others may wish to protect or even conceal. To some, those who hack and leak are heroes. To others, they are cr…

1
From Thin Air: Minimalist and process music from Africa to Arvo Pärt - Milton Mermikides 52:28

15d ago52:28

52:28

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/3ntebbsM4Hw This lecture delves into musical forms which rely on the most economical of materials and concepts. From Steve Reich’s adoption of rhythmic cycles and phasing in Ewe drumming to the expressive power of Estonian composer Arvo Pärt’s music, we explore how profound effect can emerge from such ap…

1
Modern Pagan Witchcraft - Ronald Hutton 44:33

19d ago44:33

44:33

This lecture was recorded by Ronald Hutton on 14th May 2025 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London. Ronald is the Gresham Professor of Divinity. He is also Professor of History at the University of Bristol and a Fellow of the British Academy, the Royal Historical Society, the Society of Antiquaries and the Learned Society of Wales. The transcript of the lec…

1
From Machiavelli to Nietzsche: How Modern Thinkers Saw Ancient Lawgivers - Melissa Lane 43:55

22d ago43:55

43:55

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/VOGzTymAYno For many modern thinkers, the lawgiver has been important as a founder or re-founder of civic identity and cultural values. From Machiavelli on Moses; to Rousseau on Solon, Lycurgus, and the need for a lawgiver to make a true social contract possible; to Nietzsche and his followers seeking a …

1
The Troubled Brain: Ageing and Dementia - Alain Goriely 58:53

26d ago58:53

58:53

Diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s are devastating neurological conditions that typically occur at old age and lead to systematic dementia and debilitating symptoms. The underlying mechanisms of these diseases are poorly understood. Yet, a striking feature of these conditions is the characteristic pattern of invasion throughout the brain, …

1
Divine Law, Human Prophet: Moses in Hebrew and Greek - Melissa Lane 44:32

28d ago44:32

44:32

This lecture was recorded by Melissa Lane on 6th March 2025 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London. Melissa Lane is Gresham Professor of Rhetoric. Melissa is also the Class of 1943 Professor of Politics, Princeton University and is also Associated Faculty in the Department of Classics and Department of Philosophy. Previously she was Senior University Lectur…

1
Does Net Zero Mean the End of Livestock Agriculture? - Myles Allen 51:06

1M ago51:06

51:06

This lecture was recorded by Myles Allen on 29th April 2025 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London. Myles is the Frank Jackson Foundation Professor of the Environment. Myles is also is currently Director of the Oxford Net Zero initiative. He was awarded the Appleton Medal and Prize by the Institute of Physics in 2010, and in 2022 a CBE for services to clima…

1
What Rights and Duties are Missing from the U.S. Constitution? - Clive Stafford Smith 45:56

1M ago45:56

45:56

This lecture was recorded by Clive Stafford Smith on 10th April 2025 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London. Clive is the Gresham Professor of Law He is the founder and director of the Justice League a non-profit human rights training centre focused on fostering the next generation of advocates. He also teaches part time at Bristol Law School and Goldsmiths…

1
The 2025 Annual Lord Mayor's Event - Alastair King 57:14

1M ago57:14

57:14

This lecture was recorded by Alderman Alastair King on 14th April 2025 at Guildhall, London. Alastair King is the 696th Lord Mayor of the City of London His civic responsibilities began when he was first elected as Common Councillor for Queenhithe Ward in 1999 – giving him over 24 years’ uninterrupted service; he was appointed Deputy for the Ward i…

1
How Does Surveillance Work? - Victoria Baines 50:33

1M ago50:33

50:33

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/Y9JR7El863k Our alert systems for identifying safety and security threats have evolved over time. As the threat from wild animals diminished, the perceived threat from other humans increased. To defend our territories and our livelihoods, we began to gather intelligence on our enemies, in the hope that b…

1
Why Are Cities Going Bankrupt? - Martin Daunton 1:00:13

2M ago1:00:13

1:00:13

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/G_SpC_BV4jA In the late nineteenth century, Joseph Chamberlain transformed Birmingham with municipal enterprise and urban improvement, but in the last few years, local authorities have been facing serious financial difficulties, and some of the largest, such as Birmingham, have faced the equivalent of ba…

1
Modern Druids - Ronald Hutton 54:41

2M ago54:41

54:41

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/qz9a4zXIFz0 The ancient Druids have long represented some of the most striking and controversial figures in ancient and medieval literature. In this lecture, we will look at the many different ways in which the modern imagination has been inspired by them, both as heroic ancestors and as demonic villains…

1
How Do Vaccines Work? - Robin May 50:18

2M ago50:18

50:18

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/PcNoOjT30VY Vaccination has changed the world, saving millions of lives and enabling us to eradicate a lethal disease for the first time in human history – not to mention their critical role in ending the Covid-19 pandemic. This lecture explores how a vaccine actually works, why mRNA vaccines are truly g…

1
Asteroid Adventures - Chris Lintott 47:25

2M ago47:25

47:25

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/H8nG29pO_y4 Asteroids were for years considered 'celestial vermin' - objects which got in the way of more interesting fodder for astronomers. Now, they are central to our Solar System's story, representing the building blocks from which planets are made, and capable of telling us the history of the last …

1
The LGBT+ Showstopper: ‘I Am What I Am’ - Dominic Broomfield-McHugh 44:32

2M ago44:32

44:32

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/-TsWDdeQK34 Composed by Jerry Herman of Hello, Dolly! fame, ‘I Am What I Am’ first appeared in the Broadway musical La Cage aux Folles (1983). As well as gaining importance as a gay anthem during the AIDS crisis, the song has gone on to become a hit for several Black divas including Gloria Gaynor and Shi…

1
Documentary Photography in Apartheid South Africa - Tamar Garb 58:39

2M ago58:39

58:39

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/9tcRtGh7hkM This lecture looks at debates and dialogues that characterise realist photography in Apartheid South Africa (1948-1994) examining the tensions between advocacy, propaganda and the ‘struggle’ on the one hand and the poetics of everyday life on the other. Figures from Ernest Cole and David Gold…

1
Just Ask The Axis: Jimi Hendrix unpicked - Milton Mermikides 49:51

2M ago49:51

49:51

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/rKoYL4yrNsg Despite being cited as one of the most creative and influential guitarists of all time, and his tragically short life, Jimi Hendrix’s playing and composing are yet to be fully analysed. This lecture will demystify his diverse influences and reveal the full range of his extraordinary invention…

1
The Case for Basic Income - Guy Standing 34:41

2M ago34:41

34:41

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/cjJSWgvHZKw This lecture puts forth the ethical and economic case for a basic income, enabling financial security and therefore a better quality of life for all. Financial insecurity affects one’s ability to make rational decisions – studies show it even lowers short-term IQ – making it even harder to im…

1
The Turbulent Brain: Rhythms and Waves - Alain Goriely 56:21

2M ago56:21

56:21

Despite its quiet appearance, the brain is the seat of complicated wave dynamics. Indeed, cognitive processes are carried out through communications between neurons, leading to synchronisation and oscillations at different frequencies that can be recorded. Together, these oscillations also create waves that propagate through different regions. Apar…

1
Banned Books and Freedom of Expression - Rachel Potter 45:37

3M ago45:37

45:37

The right to free expression is severely threatened in many places in the world, yet it has also never been so passionately defended. This lecture focuses on the recent history of banned literature. It considers the changing nature of literary censorship, arguments in defence of free expression, why literary writers have so frequently pushed the bo…

1
Trust Issues: When Financial "Experts" Have Other Plans - Raghavendra Rau 58:14

3M ago58:14

58:14

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/0jSUfa0LQAo This lecture examines agency problems in various relationships, including between investors and fund managers, and within financial intermediaries. This lecture was recorded by Raghavendra Rau on 3rd February 2025 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London Raghu is the Mercers School Memorial Professor of…

1
Carbon Offsetting: Does It Really Work? - Myles Allen 51:53

3M ago51:53

51:53

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/MB73qh4pIYM Offsets, politely called carbon credit markets, are essential to many net-zero strategies, yet remain highly controversial. They seem an efficient solution for “unavoidable” emissions – but who decides what is unavoidable? This lecture will discuss several plans to achieve our climate goals, …

1
Nature's Shapes - Dave Gorman, Sarah Hart and Thomas Woolley 42:27

3M ago42:27

42:27

Brian Cox and Robin Ince unpick the hidden codes behind the shapes we see in nature with mathematicians Sarah Hart & Thomas Woolley and comedian Dave Gorman. The panel marvel at how evolution so often beats mathematicians to finding the most elegant solutions, after all, it’s had millennia to experiment. How do trees achieve the optimal distributio…

1
Is the First Amendment the greatest right of all? - Clive Stafford Smith 59:06

3M ago59:06

59:06

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/W5EKhMWdjP4 In this lecture we will discuss a hierarchy of rights. Is the American First Amendment the most important of all, given its five foundational rights – no establishment of religion; free exercise of religion; freedom of speech and the press; the right peaceably to assemble; the right to petiti…

1
The Sound of Music - Brian Eno, Sam Bennett and Trevor Cox 42:43

3M ago42:43

42:43

Brian Cox and Robin Ince explore the history of music recording, joined by acoustics professor Trevor Cox, music professor Sam Bennett and musician and producer Brian Eno. Together they guide us through the evolution of sound recording, a space in which technology hasn’t stood still since its advent in the mid-1800s. We hear the very first recognis…

1
The Biggest Cosmic Map - Chris Lintott 45:12

3M ago45:12

45:12

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/TRCkgDWKTdY Mapping the stars is, perhaps, the oldest of astronomical pursuits, but it has been perfected by the European Space Agency's Gaia mission, which is providing an exquisitely precise map showing the positions and movements of the nearest two billion stars. Starting with a history of mapping the…

1
Data: A Love Story for the Ages - Victoria Baines 50:21

3M ago50:21

50:21

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/7mW52bW23go It has become something of a cliché to say that data is the new oil. That isn’t the full story. For centuries it has proved itself to be infinitely re-usable. It has enabled the creation and reinforcement of collective memory. It has been documented in innumerable formats, from maps to databa…

1
Saturn v Jupiter - Katherine Parkinson, Paul Abel and Michele Dougherty 42:21

3M ago42:21

42:21

Brian Cox and Robin Ince referee as Saturn and Jupiter square up to each other in a planetary face-off. Representing Team Saturn is space physicist Professor Michele Dougherty, and in the opposite corner is Dr Paul Abel on Team Jupiter. Katherine Parkinson judges this cosmic contest, casting the final vote to decide who will be awarded the coveted …

1
The Return of the Horned God - Ronald Hutton 45:42

4M ago45:42

45:42

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/IAilwM_WdbI Until the nineteenth century, the favourite ancient pagan gods in Western culture were those related to human qualities and activities. During that century, especially in Britain, attention switched to a horned divinity associated with the countryside and wild nature, usually personified as t…

1
Green Immunity – How Do Plants Fight Infection? - Robin May 45:34

4M ago45:34

45:34

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/Et8_myknHq8 Most of us rarely think about plant immunity. But, like us, plants can distinguish between different pathogens, trigger a ‘bespoke’ immune response and retain a memory of past infections to boost future immunity. However, plant immune systems also exhibit enviable features like the ability to…

1
Adventures on Ice - Darren Harriott, Liz Morris, Christoph Salzmann and Felicity Aston 42:32

4M ago42:32

42:32

Robin Ince and Brian Cox venture into the captivating and surprisingly mysterious realm of ice. Joining them on this cool adventure are former ice dancer Darren Harriott, glaciologist Liz Morris, polar explorer Felicity Aston and ice chemist Christoph Salzmann. From beautifully formed snowflakes to ice shelves in Antarctica, our guests discuss the …

1
Unwritten Laws? Legacies from Antigone and Lycurgus - Melissa Lane 46:35

4M ago46:35

46:35

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/gQdabAQT3Jw Sophocles’ Antigone refers to “unwritten laws,” as does Thucydides’ Pericles. From the late fifth century BCE, the idea that laws are more effective when learned by memory and observation than when put into writing, forms a distinctive current in political reflections. Plutarch would even cla…

1
The Value of Public Space - Liza Fior 36:56

4M ago36:56

36:56

As we navigate towns and cities, public spaces are all around us. These offer a respite from our often-busy routines. Public spaces are more than just the leftover areas between buildings; they depend on how interests are designed and negotiated, and its success is measured by the interactions that take place in it: the passage of the sun, the root…

1
The UK’s Generational Wealth Gap - Mike Brewer 50:32

4M ago50:32

50:32

The UK's income inequality has remained stable since the 1990s, but household wealth has nearly doubled, mainly driven by soaring house prices. This has widened the wealth gap between generations, with younger people less likely to own homes. Furthermore, weak income growth since the mid-2000s has disproportionately affected younger cohorts. This l…

1
Why Does Britain Have a Water and Sewage Crisis? - Martin Daunton 58:26

4M ago58:26

58:26

The discharge of raw sewage into rivers, and the financial problems of major water companies, have become serious political and social concerns for the public. British cities have faced similar challenges in the past, most notoriously with the ‘Great Stink’ in London in 1858 that led to the construction of Bazalgette’s sewer. Consequently, many cit…

1
How selfish are we really? - Jo Brand, Matti Wilks and Steve Jones 42:26

4M ago42:26

42:26

Brian Cox and Robin Ince kindly open the door for each other as they step into understanding altruism, asking why humans have evolved to help each other. Joining them to explore the human tendency to be kind is evolutionary biologist Steve Jones, psychologist Matti Wilks and comedian Jo Brand. Starting with the animal kingdom, we probe the biologic…

1
The Hidden Risks of "I Know Something You Don't" - Raghavendra Rau 56:33

4M ago56:33

56:33

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/7pvF4FdbYWU This lecture explores how information asymmetry leads to adverse selection and moral hazard, with a focus on their presence in financial markets and institutions such as insurance and credit markets. It will examine how regulations intended to solve a particular set of issues might exacerbate…

1
Journey to the Centre of the Earth - Phil Wang, Ana Ferreira and Chris Jackson 42:40

4M ago42:40

42:40

Brian Cox and Robin Ince slice deep into the lesser-explored world beneath us. To join them on the journey from the crust to the core they are joined by seismologist Ana Ferreira, geologist Chris Jackson and comedian Phil Wang. School children learn about the make-up of the Earth with an image depicting the Earth's core, mantle and crust layered ne…

1
Is Your Money Safe? Unveiling Hidden Conflicts in Finance - Raghavendra Rau 54:29

4M ago54:29

54:29

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/gWJmpSO4WZI Finance involves a group of people attempting to make rational decisions on valuation, but people are complicated. People can be self-interested, they can make mistakes, or, in stark contrast, they can act altruistically. This lecture will introduce the concept of agency problems in the finan…

1
Brian and Robin introduce Series 32 4:08

4M ago4:08

4:08

Brian Cox and Robin Ince look ahead to the topics and guests you can enjoy in Series 32 of The Infinite Monkey Cage. Listen first on BBC Sounds from Wednesday 19 February, 2025.By BBC Radio 4

1
The Connected Brain: Network and Communication - Alain Goriely 56:25

4M ago56:25

56:25

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/bKMV8i9Mq40 The brain is mostly organised in small modular regions connected to each other. Typically, each region performs different cognitive tasks, from image processing to language. This organisation leads us to model the brain as a network, the ‘brain connectome’. This fundamental view of the brain …

1
Breaking the Fourth Wall of Sound: The Paradox of Screen Music - Milton Mermikides 54:38

5M ago54:38

54:38

Sound and music hold a strange and powerful role in film, TV and video games, aiding narrative and emotional impact. They can even exist in the world of ‘the film’ – heard by the characters – or in the world of the audience. Music can even break the fourth wall, travelling through and blurring these conventionally separate worlds. By examining film…

1
‘Is it in Pevsner?’: A Short History of the ‘Buildings of …' Series - Charles O'Brien 58:53

5M ago58:53

58:53

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/LUyFLOUi-D4 This lecture traces the history of this famous series by Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, starting from its conception in 1947. It describes the research and writing of the original forty-six volumes for England and the extension of the books to Scotland, Wales and Ireland. It then assesses their signif…

1
Writing Laws: Hammurabi to Solon - Melissa Lane 42:24

5M ago42:24

42:24

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/t6kkq6dI6hc When and why do written laws emerge in ancient societies? This lecture will consider these questions in light of evidence including the law code of Hammurabi; the earliest attestation of written laws in Greek (found in Dreros on Crete); and the full-blown commitment to written laws by the Ath…

1
Morals & Markets - Episode 3 - Martin Daunton & Victoria Bateman 1:16:59

5M ago1:16:59

1:16:59

Send us a text In this third podcast exploring the underlying assumptions of economics, Victoria Bateman explains how economists have ignored the importance of sex and gender. She argues that the status and freedom of women are central to making the west rich, overtaking other parts of the world that had long been ahead. She shows hot obsession wit…

1
Touching the Sun - Chris Lintott 52:48

5M ago52:48

52:48

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/pXoU-nZmhn8 Despite its familiarity, the Sun is a very different presence from the friendly yellow circle in children's paintings. Our star is a broiling mass of plasma, with its powerful magnetic fields, twisted by its rotation, capable of producing dramatic events of spectacular beauty and power. Using…

1
Science-based Targets, Greenwashing and Brownscraping: Net Zero in the Private Sector - Myles Allen 56:11

5M ago56:11

56:11

Watch the Q&A session here: https://youtu.be/lQBdqGrfWKU Over half the world’s largest companies have a net zero strategy. But what stops “Science-based Targets” from becoming box-ticking exercises too often immune to environmental scrutiny? Instead of decarbonizing companies and financial portfolios, this lecture will discuss the need to focus on …

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