In our second quick-hit explainer episode this week, Tim breaks down how AI might be disrupting—not advancing—health science. Is the hype overshadowing real medical insight? Tune in for a sharp take on where AI could be leading us astray.

In this quick bonus episode, Tim breaks down one of science’s most intriguing mysteries as featured in BBC News today: the difference between matter and antimatter. Join us for a bite-sized explainer that sheds light on the surprising facts behind this cosmic puzzle!

Theoretical physics has two theories at its core that are not straightforward to link – quantum mechanics and general relativity. Lee Smolin, one of the world’s greatest living theoretical physicists, has spent his career working out why the theory of quantum mechanics is incomplete and how it might link to general relativity. He is an advocate of versions of quantum loop gravity. His work to marry the two theories resulted in him developing the theory of cosmological natural selection. Join Syma and Tim as they talk to Lee about theoretical physics.

His book is called Einstein's Unfinished Revolution: The Search for What Lies Beyond the Quantum and was published in 2019 by Penguin. https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/269402/einsteins-unfinished-revolution-by-smolin-lee/9780141979168

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Biodiversity is under threat, and there are many ongoing efforts to help save it, including from within universities. But are academic contributions doing any good? Our cohost Tim Coulson discussed this topic with Professor Dame EJ Milner-Gulland in the Oxford Martin School (OMS) in April. Thanks to Carlyn Samuel, OMS and the OMS team for hosting the debate and allowing us to record.

Artificial intelligence is a modern-day technology that will impact the way we live much as past innovations like mastering fire, and inventing the printing press, home computers and the internet changed civilisation. But what exactly is it, how does it work, and what are the opportunities and risks of its continued development? We talk to Chris Summerfield about Artificial Intelligence and his fabulous new book, “These Strange New Minds: How AI Learned to Talk and What It Means” recently published by Penguin.
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/460891/these-strange-new-minds-by-summerfield-christopher/9780241694657

Our sponsor for this episode is Grace and Garbo! Thank you.
https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/GraceandGarbo
'At Grace and Garbo we’re passionate about vintage knitwear. From classic fair isle, to one-of-a-kind artisan hand knits and vibrant mohair. Visit our Etsy store, Grace and Garbo, for our unique collection of vintage knitwear'

If you are a business and would like to take advantage and leverage the power of the fast growing podcast ad stream market, and in particular sponsoring 'Science Of The Times', please drop us a line - streamingspirespodcasts@gmail.com
Advertising via podcasts is a cost efficient way of reaching a wider market.

Colossal Bioscience has brought genetic variation back from the grave. It is a remarkable technological achievement, but is it species de-extinction? In this second part of this podcast we talk to Professor Peter Hudson FRS, a world-leading ecologist, who is concerned by Colossal’s claims and what they might mean.

Colossal Bioscience has brought genetic variation back from the grave. It is a remarkable technological achievement, but is it species de-extinction? We talk to Professor Bridgett vonHoldt, a world-leading dog geneticist, who was involved in Colossal Bioscience’s recent dire wolf de-extinction work that has caused some controversy. In part 2 of this podcast we talk a world-leading ecologist who gives us his - different - take.

The link below is a genetics paper, not talking about de-extinction.
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.09.647074v1

A bonus episode in which Tim and Syma discuss how the zombie ant-based creatures seen on popular dystopian future drama Last of Us are based on real fungi (Cordyceps) which infect ants - and then exploit the now zombie ants to produce more fungi, killing the ants in the process. Yes it’s a bit gruesome, but it’s science!