Podcast · Tech & Science

A Question of Science

by The Francis Crick Institute · English · Tech & Science

Science you can trust. Questions that matter. Join Professor Brian Cox and a panel of the world’s top scientists and experts as they tackle your questions about some of the biggest science challenges facing society today. Can we cure cancer? How do you separate nutrition fact from fiction? Wh

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 36 min
Latest: 14 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

14 Oct 2026 · 43 minNew

Can we cure addiction?

Why do people become addicted? When does a habit turn into self harm and what makes recovery so hard? From drugs and alcohol to gambling and social media, join our panel of experts as they explore the causes of addiction, what it looks like in the brain and potential new treatments, including psychedelic therapies. Panel: Prof Sally Marlow: Professor of Public Understanding of Mental Health at KCL Matt Willis: Musician/actor and podcaster in recovery from addictions Dr Nicky Kalk: Psychiatrist and addiction specialist at Maudsley NHS Trust Prof David Nutt: Director of the…

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Earlier episodes 22 most recent

S2 · E1 · 7 Oct 2026 · 43 min
How is AI transforming medicine?
How is AI revolutionising medicine and drug discovery and could it really improve diagnosis and treatment for everyone? Could the role of doctors and nurses change forever, with AI taking care of admin and analysis at the touch of a button? Can we trust it to safeguard our health and our personal data – and who gets to control it? Join a panel of experts as they answer your questions and explore how AI is rapidly changing medicine and healthcare, now and in the future. Panel: Prof Mihaela van der Schaar: Chief AI Scientist, The Francis Crick Institute Dr Indra Joshi: Chief Product…
S2 · 6 May 2026 · 1 min
A Question of Science Series 2 - Coming Soon...
A Question of Science is back - with free tickets to live recordings available now! Join Professor Brian Cox in person and put your questions to a panel of leading scientists and experts on a huge range of topics. We’ll be exploring how A.I. is changing medicine, what’s really happening inside the teenage brain, how can science help save our oceans, beat superbugs, tackle addiction, and what elite sport science can teach us about human strength and endurance. The series is being recorded in June and July at the Francis Crick Institute in London, one of the world’s leading…
S1 · E18 · 1 Apr 2026 · 25 min
Ancient Egyptian DNA, Cheddar Man and wolves as pets
Professor Brian Cox takes a deeper dive into the science of ancient DNA, with two experts returning to answer more of your questions. How far can we go back in time using DNA? How accurate is ancient DNA when it comes to understanding our past? Why was diversity in DNA vital for the survival of early humans? Do we really share 60% of our genetic code with bananas? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 · E17 · 25 Mar 2026 · 27 min
Rethinking sex, artificial wombs and how to up your sperm count
Professor Brian Cox takes a deeper dive into the science of fertility, with a panel of returning experts answering more of your questions. Should we sequence the DNA of embryos and use A.I. to choose which to implant? Are ultra-processed foods and microplastics really effecting fertility? And will new technologies mean humans could one day reproduce like squid? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 · E16 · 18 Mar 2026 · 26 min
Decarbonising flying, cleaning up A.I. and the personal cost of climate change
Professor Brian Cox takes a deeper dive into the science of global warming and how society should adapt, with two experts returning to answer more of your questions. Will new green technologies really help us reach net zero? What is solar forcing? Which regions of the planet will become uninhabitable and when? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 · E15 · 11 Mar 2026 · 30 min
Cancer vaccines, tumour-killing cells and does fasting work as a treatment?
Professor Brian Cox takes a deeper dive into the science of cancer, with a panel of returning experts answering more of your questions. Do tumours communicate with the brain, is glucose carcinogenic and could our immune system’s natural killer cells be used to combat cancer? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 · E14 · 4 Mar 2026 · 37 min
Ultra processed foods, weight loss jabs and why don’t we eat enough fibre?
Professor Brian Cox takes a deeper dive into the science of nutrition, with a panel of returning experts answering more of your questions. What is food noise, what is the impact of artificial sweeteners on the gut and why do many women turn from a pear to an apple shape during menopause? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 · E13 · 25 Feb 2026 · 30 min
Longevity by luck, vaccines for dementia and how fame ages you
Professor Brian Cox takes a deeper dive into the science of ageing, with two experts returning to answer more of your questions. How do men and women age differently? Why is it healthy to forget things? What’s the latest research on regenerating old cells? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 · E13 · 10 Dec 2025 · 2 min
Introducing.... More Questions of Science
Introducing More Questions of Science – bite-size episodes where we revisit some of the biggest ideas from the first 12 episodes of the series and take the conversation even further. Professor Brian Cox will be in his home studio, catching up with some of the expert panellists from earlier in the series. Together, they’ll tackle your follow-up questions, explore new angles and go deeper into the topics that sparked your curiosity. And because science never stops, we’ll also bring you the latest breakthroughs, discoveries and developments. Send your follow up questions on…
S1 · E12 · 3 Dec 2025 · 36 min
Can We Build A Human?
Professor Brian Cox and our expert panel explore the frontier of human bioengineering and building, replacing, and enhancing our bodies. Will we ever have bionic brains and cloned humans? Is there a danger of science fiction getting too close for comfort? From mechanical implants to lab-grown organs to whether humans could evolve to live in space, the discussion delves into what’s possible today and where science might take us next. Panellists Mark Pollock – Explorer, motivational speaker and Chairman of Collaborative Cures George Malliaras – Prince Philip Professor of…
S1 · E11 · 26 Nov 2025 · 36 min
What is consciousness?
Professor Brian Cox and an expert panel explore the elusive science of consciousness – what it is, how it arises, whether it can be observed in the brain, and the most compelling theories explaining it. In a deep, often mind-bending discussion, the panel tackles the many ways of interpreting consciousness itself, and how fields like psychophysics can be used to quantify imagination and perception. With questions from the audience, the conversation delves into hallucinations and reality, how memory helps to build identity, and whether AI could ever be conscious too. Panellists Anil Seth…
S1 · E10 · 19 Nov 2025 · 36 min
Can We Trust The Science Of Nutrition?
Professor Brian Cox and our expert panel dive into the complex world of diet, nutrition and food choices. With new probiotic and high-protein products appearing on supermarket shelves every day and conflicting nutritional advice coming from every direction, it’s difficult to cut through the noise when it comes to what we eat. Our panel uses expertise from their roles as nutritionists, geneticists, gastroenterologists and policymakers to answer audience questions about food advertising, wellness advice, and whether it’s really possible – or worthwhile – to avoid food…
S1 · E9 · 12 Nov 2025 · 36 min
Can We Repair The Ageing Brain?
Professor Brian Cox and our expert panel explore the science of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other conditions that cause dementia. More than 55 million people around the world are living with dementia, with the number set to rise in ageing populations. How close are we to effective, affordable treatments? What are the genetic risks? Can we prevent it developing? The panel takes a deep dive into dementia research and where it’s headed, from early detection to the latest drug trials and whether diet, exercise or even doing puzzles like Sudoku really make a difference.…
S1 · E8 · 5 Nov 2025 · 35 min
What Is The Future Of Fertility?
Professor Brian Cox and our expert panel explore the science of fertility. Making babies is big business but our scientific understanding of fertilisation, pregnancy and embryo development is surprisingly limited. In this episode, our panel discuss emerging technologies that could shape the future of fertility and tackle audience questions on declining sperm counts, egg freezing and the ethics of genetic screening. Panellists: Joyce Harper – Professor of Reproductive Science, UCL Gunes Taylor – Molecular Biologist, University of Edinburgh Naomi Moris – Group Leader,…
S1 · E7 · 29 Oct 2025 · 36 min
Who Owns Space?
Professor Brian Cox and an expert panel tackle the technology, politics and ethics of space exploration. From space tourism to the search for life on Mars, space is a rapidly expanding, multi-trillion-pound global industry, driven by scientific, commercial and often political goals. But what are the rules of space and who makes them? In this episode, the panel answers audience questions on how Earth’s geopolitics are reflected in space, when asteroid mining might become a reality, and whether those star-buying kits are value for money. Panellists Carly Howett – Associate…
S1 · E6 · 22 Oct 2025 · 36 min
Who Are Our Ancestors And Why Does It Matter?
Professor Brian Cox and our expert panel are talking all things ancient DNA. Over the past 50 years, new technology has allowed researchers to sequence and study centuries-old DNA taken from ancient, long-buried human remains. This new insight into our past has led to a whole new understanding of our ancestors, from our migration across the globe, to the environmental changes we’ve experienced, and even the spread of ancient deadly pandemics like the black plague. Our panel of scientists answers questions from a studio audience about the usefulness of commercial DNA tests, the true…
S1 · E5 · 15 Oct 2025 · 36 min
Will We Survive Climate Change?
Professor Brian Cox and a panel of experts discuss how to curb rising global temperatures and what life could be like in a warmer world. Our planet is hotting up. But as temperatures climb, can we cope with a climate emergency? What can science and technology to do help us, and will social and political change make a difference? Our panel answers the audience’s questions on everything from carbon capture to climate sceptics. Panellists Myles Allen – Head of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics, University of Oxford Kathryn Brown – Director of Climate Change and…
S1 · E4 · 8 Oct 2025 · 36 min
Are We Prepared For The Next Pandemic?
Professor Brian Cox and a panel of experts discuss COVID-19 and whether we are prepared for the next pandemic. Where or when could it happen? How could we control it? What would we do differently? In this episode, a lively studio audience quizzes world-leading scientists and doctors working on the frontline, specialising in infectious disease, vaccines and protecting us from the next deadly outbreak. Panellists Teresa Lambe – Head of Vaccine Immunology, University of Oxford and co-designer of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine Wendy Barclay – Head of the Department for Infectious…
S1 · E3 · 1 Oct 2025 · 35 min
Can We Harness A.I. For Good?
Professor Brian Cox and our expert panel explore the reality and possibilities of artificial intelligence, and how it's changing our lives. A.I. and machine learning are now part of our everyday lives, but where are they headed and who is in charge? Our panel of scientists, writers and policymakers answers audience questions about the hopes and fears surrounding A.I. and how it can be controlled, and whether it creates new problems – or just amplifies the ones we already have. Panellists Adrian Weller – Director of Research in Machine Learning, University of Cambridge and Head of…
S1 · E2 · 24 Sep 2025 · 37 min
Can We Cure Cancer?
Professor Brian Cox and our expert panel are discussing the future of cancer research and treatment. With nearly 1 in 2 of us in the UK now expected to receive a cancer diagnosis in our lifetime, pursuing a cure is more important than ever. Our panel brings expertise from the lab, the clinic and their own experiences to answer audience questions about lifestyle and genetic risks, treatment side effects, and what they see as the biggest areas for hope. Panellists Gerard Evan – Principal Group Leader, Francis Crick Institute and King’s College London Kairbaan Hodivala-Dilke –…
S1 · E1 · 17 Sep 2025 · 45 min
Can We Live Forever?
Professor Brian Cox and our expert panel explore ageing, longevity and the science behind our lifespans. Human life expectancy has increased steadily over the last 200 years, but we may be reaching a ceiling. Is this our biological limit, or could the next big scientific breakthrough push it even further? Might repurposing existing drugs help extend our lifespans? Our panel of researchers answers audience questions about the societal impacts of longer lives, our cellular ticking clock, and whether we can learn anything from the 400-year-old sharks of the North Atlantic. Panellists Lynne Cox…
S1 · E1 · 3 Sep 2025 · 1 min
Introducing A Question of Science
Professor Brian Cox and panels of the world’s top scientists and experts will be tackling your questions in a new series, launching 17 September. Can we cure cancer? How do you separate nutrition fact from fiction? What do climate change and the march of A.I. mean for our future? Could we live forever? Each episode is recorded in front of a lively audience and it’s their questions that drive the debate. Hear from the experts who actually know what they’re talking about, including Adam Rutherford, Helen Sharman, George Monbiot, Giles Yeo, Jeanette Winterson, Rory…

About A Question of Science

A Question of Science is a English tech & science podcast from The Francis Crick Institute. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: The Francis Crick Institute
Language: English
Category: Tech & Science
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 36 min
Latest episode: 14 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1837162757

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