Best Wellcome Podcasts (2025)

1
Now try... Our Big Shot 29:54

14d ago29:54

29:54

Thanks for enjoying season two of When Science Finds a Way. While we're off the air, we recommend getting stuck into this series all about the history of vaccination and disease control. You can find the rest of the series by searching for Our Big Shot wherever you're reading this. Tuberculosis is often assumed to be a disease of the past, but it k…

1
AVATAR Therapy: digital dialogues for mental health 42:25

21d ago42:25

42:25

Hearing voices is a challenging symptom of psychosis that treatments have often failed to address effectively - until now. Introducing AVATAR therapy, a remarkable approach using digital technology to help patients engage with distressing voices and regain control. Alisha meets Dr Vaughan Bell to explore the therapy's potential, talk about findings…

1
Decoding cancer: how genomics is transforming treatment 37:48

28d ago37:48

37:48

Genomics has revolutionised cancer research, offering new hope for cancer diagnosis and treatment. But there are challenges ahead. Alisha is joined by Dr Peter Campbell and researchers Dr Solomon Rotimi and Sara Gómez Trillos to discuss the breakthroughs and the issue of ensuring fair access to advancements for patients worldwide. When Science Find…

1
Combating cholera: can technology really turn the tide? 38:33

1M ago38:33

38:33

Despite efforts to eliminate cholera by 2030, it remains a formidable global threat. Could technology hold the key to combating this deadly disease? Alisha sits down with Professor Iruka Okeke to talk about the factors driving cholera's spread and the innovative mapping techniques being used in Kenya to identify hotspots. When Science Finds a Way i…

1
Pregnancy and research: inclusion in vaccine trials 43:57

1M ago43:57

43:57

Over the years, the reluctance to include pregnant participants in vaccine trials has been increasingly challenged. That’s because their inclusion can make vital medications available during pregnancy and provide data that could improve survival rates for both parent and baby. Alisha is joined by Dr Flor M Munoz, a global expert in maternal immunis…

1
Cool roofs: homes fit for a hotter world 36:15

2M ago36:15

36:15

As rising temperatures challenge vulnerable regions, could ‘cool roofs’ be the affordable, sustainable solution? Alisha joins Dr. Aditi Bunker to talk about the remarkable health benefits uncovered in Burkina Faso's trial, hearing firsthand accounts of how this simple intervention significantly reduces indoor temperatures, lowers heart rates, and i…

1
Working it out: exercise, the brain, and mental health 40:16

2M ago40:16

40:16

Exercise is more than just fitness – it can be a powerful tool for mental health. But what actually occurs in the brain during a workout, and how can it help in treating mental health issues? Alisha meets Dr Jonathan Roiser and his team of researchers to uncover insights from a groundbreaking pilot study exploring brain activity during exercise, in…

1
Cultural burning: could traditional practices prevent modern wildfires? 39:34

2M ago39:34

39:34

Wildfires are intensifying globally, posing threats to health and Indigenous communities. Join Alisha and Dr Nicole Redvers as they explore cultural burning, a traditional Indigenous technique offering a potential solution to modern wildfire challenges and hear from those bridging traditional practice and science. A fascinating conversation on the …

1
From risk to remedy: how mosquitoes could save lives 37:30

2M ago37:30

37:30

Diseases like dengue, yellow fever and Zika claim over 700,000 lives a year. But a breakthrough from the most unlikely of places could be about to change all that. Travel to Colombia to see how Professor Scott O’Neill, founder of the World Mosquito Program, is using mosquitoes infected with a naturally occurring bacterium as part of a game changing…

1
Bonus Episode: Julia Gillard discusses the future of global health 30:44

1+ y ago30:44

30:44

Julia Gillard, the 27th Prime Minister of Australia and Chair of Wellcome, brings together three experts from Season 1 to delve into the key themes that have emerged and to explore the challenges ahead for global health. Julia is joined by: Dr Anand Anandkumar – from Episode 1, "Stopping superbugs: antimicrobial resistance and the race for new anti…

1
Preventing pandemics: the power of genomic sequencing 38:01

2y ago38:01

38:01

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the benefits of sequencing infectious disease pathogens became more visible than ever before. The possibilities are huge: genomic sequencing is allowing scientists to unlock the secrets of disease prevention, helping dispel myths and stigma around disease outbreaks as well as allowing governments to act in real-time wi…

1
Cash transfers: can they improve mental health? 33:24

2y ago33:24

33:24

Poor mental health has always been associated with lower socio-economic status, but what if you turned the idea on its head and administered cash transfers as a mental health treatment in and of itself? The scientific research community has long grappled with the lack of major breakthroughs in the treatment of mental health disorders. So could cash…

1
Sowing solutions: growing Indigenous crops for a changing climate 37:59

2y ago37:59

37:59

With rising temperatures and shifting climates imperilling our crops, the food chain – from planting to consumer – is under threat. This could lead to higher food prices, poor nutrition, hunger and migration. Alisha is in conversation with Professor Ruth Defries, a global expert in ecology and sustainable development, to discuss how the world has b…

1
Waking up: How can sleep impact on mental health? 30:42

2y ago30:42

30:42

It may seem obvious that a lack of sleep can exacerbate poor mental health - whether a symptom, cause or both, the two go hand in hand. But until very recently, there was little scientific research to back this idea up – and as a result, sleep treatments have been overlooked as a potential remedy for poor mental health. Prof Daniel Freeman is a cli…

1
Sequencing the past: ancient DNA and respect for Indigenous customs 34:33

2y ago34:33

34:33

When Danish geneticist, Professor Eske Willerslev led the team that sequenced the first ancient human genome in 2010, he opened up a world of research possibilities with global significance. But this potential comes with risk. Research into DNA from ancient remains can upend understandings of history and ancestry within living indigenous communitie…

1
Human infection studies: meet the volunteers fighting disease 32:57

2y ago32:57

32:57

Vaccines are formidable tools against infectious disease. But the success of a vaccine in one part of the world doesn’t guarantee similar outcomes elsewhere. That’s where human infection studies come in – where volunteers, closely monitored by researchers, receive a vaccine and are subsequently given a small dose of an infectious disease. This migh…

1
One billion homes: how can we revitalize informal settlements? 32:23

2y ago32:23

32:23

Around the world, roughly one billion people live in informal settlements – residential areas that fall outside the jurisdiction of governments. These communities live without traditional centralised sanitation and water systems. As a result, the settlements are vulnerable to extreme weather events like floods, which cause wastewater to spread thro…

1
Predicting psychosis: can AI transform diagnosis? 37:37

2y ago37:37

37:37

Psychosis is one of the most severe, and most stigmatised, mental health conditions. But what if technology could help us spot the signs early on? Could more accurate prediction help guide earlier intervention, to produce better outcomes for people at risk of psychosis? Alisha is in discussion with Professor Iris Sommer, a global leader in the psyc…

1
Studying a city: can research transform communities? 30:32

2y ago30:32

30:32

What can you learn from studying 40,000 people in one city? A UK study called Born In Bradford is doing just that, and it’s a concept that could be applied around the world. It began in 2007, tracking pregnant women, their children and families. Over the decades, the study has changed Bradford, impacting policy on education, early years development…

1
Feeling the heat: how can we work on a warming planet? 34:19

2y ago34:19

34:19

As the world gets hotter and hotter, so do we - and just like crops and wildlife, we’re struggling to cope with what extreme heat does to our bodies. Every year temperatures reach new records, and the way we live, work and rest are changing to accommodate it.  Kathy Baughman McLeod, director of the Adrienne Arsht Rockefeller Foundation Resilience C…

1
Rethinking parenthood: how family research challenged prejudice 33:34

2y ago33:34

33:34

In the 1970s, when a heterosexual couple divorced, courts almost always awarded child custody to the mother, except in one scenario: when the mother had come out as a lesbian.  Professor Susan Golombok was determined to challenge these prejudices and to shine a light on the realities of same-sex parenting. She began studying a range of different fa…

1
Stopping superbugs: antimicrobial resistance and the race for new antibiotics 37:40

2y ago37:40

37:40

Since the discovery of penicillin in the early 20th century, we’ve seen the risk of minor infections virtually disappear. But after years of antibiotics being abused and overused, we now face a silent pandemic where the treatments we rely on no longer work. The potential scale of antimicrobial resistance, or AMR, is staggering, and there is a lack …

1
Pay-to-play Genetics (Gattaca) 1:02:04

2+ y ago1:02:04

1:02:04

Many companies are now taking advantage of rapid advancements in genetic technology to offer (and heavily market) new services in reproductive healthcare. This episode will consider these recent developments alongside the 1997 film Gattaca. This film depicts a society with a genetics-based hierarchy where parents can choose the genetic makeup of th…

1
Blocked 12:32

2+ y ago12:32

12:32

This episode of the Breathing Together podcast series is all about bogeys. Why do we get all blocked up with bogeys, what are germs, viruses and bacteria and lots of other fascinating stuff about good bugs and bad bugs and that gooey stuff that all we get in our noses from time to time. Perfect for under fives and their grown ups. Listen together a…

1
Bits in the Breeze 12:51

2+ y ago12:51

12:51

This episode of the Breathing Together podcast series is all about bits in the breeze. What things are there in the air around us that can make us sneeze or wheeze and lots of other fascinating stuff about all the bits in the breeze that are around us all the time. Perfect for under fives and their grown ups. Listen together and play along with the…

1
Breathing 13:47

2+ y ago13:47

13:47

This episode of the Breathing Together podcast series is all about breathing. What happens when we breathe, why do we use our noses more than our mouths and lots of other fascinating stuff about that thing that we all do all the time. Perfect for under fives and their grown ups. Listen together and play along with the actions, activities and fun. B…

1
Nose 13:14

2+ y ago13:14

13:14

This episode of the Breathing Together podcast series is all about the nose. Where is it, why do we have it, what does it do and lots of other fascinating stuff about that thing in the middle of your face. Perfect for under fives and their grown ups. Listen together and play along with the actions, activities and fun. Breathing Together is a five y…

1
The Root of the Matter: Wasteland 32:27

3y ago32:27

32:27

In the final episode of ‘The Root of the Matter’, JC takes us to the least human habitat of all – the wasteland. It’s a space which often fills us with a sense of foreboding and yet, these places teach us some of the most profound lessons about the plant world and our relationship to it: Author of Islands of Abandonment: Life in the post-human land…

1
The Root of the Matter: Wetlands 25:47

3y ago25:47

25:47

What does the word ‘wetland’ mean to you? Many of us don’t encounter them at all, and at best we might think of a muddy, boggy marshland. But these landscapes, and the plants that thrive in them, are crucial for ecological health, biodiversity, and capturing carbon. In this episode, JC and her contributors invite you to see these misunderstood spac…

1
The Root of the Matter: Woodland 31:56

3y ago31:56

31:56

We think of forests and woodlands as wild spaces, or areas where we can lose ourselves in nature, and yet they also provide us with a wealth of resources such as food, building materials, or medicines. But they are also globally under threat of destruction… In this episode, JC delves into the contradictions in our relationship with woodlands, and e…

1
The Root of the Matter: Farmland 29:13

3y ago29:13

29:13

Fruit and veg are a clear link to our relationship to the plant world. Yet many of us have little understanding of the farming industry and the impacts it has on our planet, in bringing crops to our plates.In this episode, JC untangles the knots of these complex global food systems - and focuses on a grain that is central to many of our diets, whea…

1
Heroes and Villains (The Martian and Ex-Machina) 43:31

3y ago43:31

43:31

Focusing on the 2013 film Ex Machina and the 2015 film The Martian, we will discuss what effect the simplistic representations of scientists in popular culture as either heroes or as villains has on the publics’ view of science. Jon Roberts is joined by Dr Stuart Vyse , psychologist and writer, consulting editor for Skeptical Inquirer magazine wher…

1
The Root of the Matter: The Garden 32:49

3y ago32:49

32:49

Gardens are hugely personal, they are an extension of how we see ourselves and how we are in the world. They can also be a strong reminder of what is excluded as much as what is included. In this episode JC asks, what does the Garden reveal about the way we relate to the natural world and to each other? Writer and grower Claire Ratinon explores col…

1
The Root of the Matter: Trailer 1:24

3y ago1:24

1:24

In Wellcome Collection’s new series, ‘The Root of the Matter’, we join JC Niala on a journey to understand how plants can provide a lens on human health, history and belonging.By Wellcome Collection

1
Life Imitating Art (Contagion/Covid) 48:47

3y ago48:47

48:47

In this episode we’ll discuss the 2011 film Contagion, directed by Steven Soderbergh and staring Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jude Law and Lawrence Fishburn. It explores, arguably with frightening prescience, the global response to the outbreak of a novel and highly infectious virus, nearly a decade before anyone would think of a virus before a beer w…

1
Hello Happiness: Ecstasy 45:14

3+ y ago45:14

45:14

In the final episode of our podcast, Bidisha takes us on a journey through the highest of highs, from nightclubbing and the ecstasies of religion and drugs, to mania. Artist Harold Offeh shares his personal take on the connections between movement, music and bodies. Annie Macmanus (‘DJ Annie Mac’) speaks about the power of nightclubbing, how ecstas…

1
002 - Lessons From My Divorce | Perceiving Clearly + Accurately While in Relationship Struggle 1:31:19

3+ y ago1:31:19

1:31:19

Beloveds, Thank you for returning for another heart rehabilitation conversation for those of us who are in an uncomfortable and challenging place of breakdown within their relationships or marriage. Or, this conversation can be very supportive for those who are still healing and feeling after a breakup or divorce. I divorced in 2016 after 13 years …

1
001 - Deep Relationship Work on a Stormy Night | Growing Appreciation + Not Discarding People 1:20:55

3+ y ago1:20:55

1:20:55

Beloveds, Welcome to a juicy, honest and intimate conversation to take us more deeply into the work that our partnerships are truly here in our individual, mutual and collective experience. Let's learn how to more harmoniously communicate, more responsibly respond, and to entrain our nervous system through the wisdom always available through our mu…

1
000 - Preface | Wellcome 42:14

3+ y ago42:14

42:14

Hello, dear new friend. Wellcome to Our Unfurling Heart podcast. If you desire to grow, with skill and wisdom, in the ways you communicate, relate + interact with all those in your reality - and especially the people you love - this podcast is for you. We dive into deep lessons and evolution of the heart, and hold space for all aspects of the human…

1
Hello Happiness: Joy 46:20

3+ y ago46:20

46:20

Bidisha explores joy, from the psychology of our earliest laughs to collective and solitary pleasures like comedy, food and performance. Hear historian of emotions Thomas Dixon describe and define joy, before listening to comedian Daliso Chaponda and developmental psychologist Caspar Addyman talk with Bidisha. They remind us to let our inner jester…

1
Hello Happiness: Tranquillity 41:29

3+ y ago41:29

41:29

When was the last time you felt utterly tranquil? Moya Lothian-McLean searches for an oasis of calm, taking Wellcome Collection’s ‘Tranquillity’ exhibition as a point of inspiration. She visits St Bartholomew’s Hospital to experience the installation ‘Regarding Forests’ by Chrystel Lebas. Hear tips from staff and visitors as they share how they fin…

1
Hello Happiness: Resolve 45:09

3+ y ago45:09

45:09

Hello Happiness is the first series of The Wellcome Collection Podcast. In this episode, Bidisha chats to her guests about their personal experiences of resolve, and considers its complicated relationship to happiness. Psychotherapist Susie Orbach and broadcaster Jeff Brazier discuss the power and limitations of resolve in managing grief and mental…

1
Funny Song With funy man 1:45

3+ y ago1:45

1:45

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://omeehaasan.wordpress.com/2021/04/06/example-post/

1
FunnyMeme Memes 8:49

3+ y ago8:49

8:49

#funny video

1
শাক-সবজি খাওয়ার উপকারিতা 1:52

3+ y ago1:52

1:52

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://omeehaasan.wordpress.com/2021/04/06/example-post-3/

1
Hello Happiness: Hope 43:33

4y ago43:33

43:33

Hello Happiness is the first series of The Wellcome Collection Podcast. In this episode, Bidisha asks: What are our emotions and how are they made? She then attempts to pin down the purpose and uses of hope. Listen to historian Tiffany Watt Smith explain how our understanding of emotion has been shaped throughout time, from the ancient Greeks to ou…

1
Hello Happiness: Trailer 1:50

4y ago1:50

1:50

Bidisha introduces a new five-part series from Wellcome Collection, exploring the meaning of positive emotions: hope, resolve, tranquillity, joy and ecstasy.By Wellcome Collection

1
WellCome To Our Site 0:01

4y ago0:01

0:01

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://omeehaasan.wordpress.com/2021/04/06/wellcome-to-our-site/

1
S3 Ep5: S3 #5 – The UKGovCamp Unconference – The Glastonbury of Government 35:08

4+ y ago35:08

35:08

Series 3 of the One Zero One podcast continues our journey of exploring what tech leaders around the UK have been doing to manage and drive digital change and positive progress throughout a global pandemic. Sooraj Shah, a technology-focused journalist (the BBC, The Independent, The Guardian, Business Insider & more) speaks to three organisers o…

1
S3 Ep4: S3 #4 – Ed Garcez, Director of Transformation at Central Bedfordshire Council 27:35

4+ y ago27:35

27:35

Series 3 of the One Zero One podcast continues our journey of exploring what tech leaders around the UK have been doing to manage and drive digital change and positive progress throughout a global pandemic. Sooraj Shah, a technology-focused journalist (the BBC, The Independent, The Guardian, Business Insider & more) speaks to Ed Garcez, Director of…

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