Curious Cases

Episodios disponibles

5 de 153

Liar, Liar
For any of you who have ever told a porkie pie, don't worry, this week we hear why we all do it... and discover that deception is actually good for social bonding. From the red squirrels who cry wolf to scare off the competition, to kids who look you in the eye as they tell bare faced lies, this is a behaviour that occurs across all species. And one man who's particularly good at it is Traitors contestant Paul Gorton who reveals he felt absolutely no guilt about his tv trickery. But it seems that while we're masters at telling tall stories, we're terrible at detecting them, because we've all been focusing on completely the wrong cues. Contributors: Paul Gorton Professor Richard Wiseman Professor Sophie van der Zee Producer: Marijke Peters Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem A BBC Studios Audio Production
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28:41
The Diamond Throwdown
“Diamonds are nonsense!” Hannah boldly proclaimed in a previous episode. But listener Guy is a diamond enthusiast, and he and his diamond-loving pals were NOT OKAY WITH THIS. He demanded we re-open the case, and here we are...SO in this glittering showdown, Dara is on a quest to flip Hannah’s perspective from “meh” to “marvelous.” And for Hannah, some uncomfortable facts soon emerge. It turns out that diamonds are much more than just overpriced bling. They're the secret ingredient in all sorts of high-tech gadgets with a whole arsenal of little-known superpowers.Enter electrochemist Julie Macpherson, who blows Hannah’s mind by showing how diamonds can slice through ice like butter, thanks to their unmatched ability to conduct heat. Not impressed yet? Physicist Mark Newton makes a diamond glow in the dark, using nothing but his phone flashlight. And that’s just to start! These ultra-robust gems can scrub nasty chemicals from water, serve as supercharged electrodes, and even reveal deep-earth secrets locked away for billions of years. By the end of this episode, will Hannah finally admit diamonds are forever cool? Contributors:Charlie Bexfield - Gemmologist and diamond specialist Julie MacPherson - Professor of Chemistry at the University of Warwick Mark Newton - Professor of Physics at the University of Warwick Grahame Pearson - Professor of Earth Sciences from the University of AlbertaProducer: Ilan Goodman Executive Producer: Sasha Feachem A BBC Studios Audio Production
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32:09
Curious Cases is back!
Hannah Fry and Dara Ó Briain return to tackle listener's questions with the power of science!
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1:51
13. The Fastest Fly
The buzz of a fly hovering just above your head has got to be one of the most irritating sounds around, but this week we try to work out just how fast they could be flying. Could a claim horseflies reach speeds of up to 90 mph possibly be true, and Dara wants to know if this is what makes them so difficult to swat?Entomologist Erica McAlister is better known as the ‘fly lady’ and speaks up in defence of these tiny creatures, explaining there are 7,000 known species in the UK alone. Which makes it all the more shocking there are several that don’t have wings.For Professor Graham Taylor the question of speed comes down to a simple calculation, and the team try to work out whether a horsefly beats its wings fast enough relative to its size to travel so rapidly. He explains horseflies aren't clever, but scientists are interested in their simple brains and are studying them to use as models for drones and mini robots.Contributors:Dr Erica McAlister, Natural History Museum Professor Graham Taylor, Oxford University Producer: Marijke Peters Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem A BBC Studios Audio Production
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29:51
12. Bored to Death
Anyone who has ever done a long car journey with kids will be familiar with the idea of being bored to death – but can this feeling really be fatal? Hannah and Dara hear about a club where members count roundabouts and collect milk bottle tops, but boredom expert Wijnand van Tilburg explains these dull-sounding hobbies might actually have mental health benefits. He explains that science and comedy are stereotypically both seen as exciting subjects but warns them their chat about Venn diagrams might tip the balance the other way. Mind-wandering specialist Mike Esterman reveals why we're rubbish at staying on task when there are more rewarding things to do, and sets the pair a challenge to play a computer game that distracts them with pictures of cute babies and fluffy animals.Contributors:Dr Wijnand van Tilburg: University of Essex Dr Mike Esterman: Boston Attention and Learning LabProducer: Marijke Peters Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem A BBC Studios Audio Production
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30:21