Level Up Human
77 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 4 years ago -"Dragons Den for Nerds" Simon Watt and Rachel Wheeley invite academics to pitch good ideas for the human body.
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Episodes
Level Up Human Extra - Listener Suggestions
May 26, 2020 23:00 - 25 minutes - 35.6 MBSimon and Rach consider listener suggestions for human body improvements. This week, adjustable digestive tracts, floral farts, and retractable testicles. In the news Elon Musk’s baby: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-52557291 Ocean warming: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2242786-a-japanese-nuclear-power-plant-created-a-habitat-for-tropical-fish/ Golden tongue: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-52683468 Wound healing blue-green algae: https://www.newscien...
Level Up Human - Sally Le Page vs James Piercy
May 19, 2020 23:00 - 50 minutes - 69.2 MBS2E12: Level Up Human is a podcast on a mission to redesign the human body. Simon and Rach chat to biologist and science YouTuber Sally Le Page and science communicator James Piercy. We discuss periods, expanding skulls and a rebooted ear. In the news Female female aggression in fruit flies: https://bit.ly/LUHfruitflies The new kilogram: physicsworld.com/a/new-definition-of-the-kilogram-comes-into-force/ Robots powered by the spines of rats: https://bit.ly/LUHRatSpines The pitches ...
Level Up Human Extra - Regeneration
May 12, 2020 23:00 - 29 minutes - 40.9 MBSimon and Rach consider regeneration. Humans are pretty rubbish at it. Some lizards, newts and salamanders are INCREDIBLE at it. How do we get it, and would we really want to? Check out… The Shining: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081505/ THAT tweet: https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1256239815256797184 Bee sniffing tech: https://phys.org/news/2010-03-bee-sniffing-technology-dangerous-vapors.html FaceTime some Japanese eels: https://www.businessinsider.com/video-call-eels-tokyo-aqua...
Level Up Human - Steve Backshall vs Kate Storrs
May 05, 2020 23:00 - 49 minutes - 68.4 MBS2E11: Level Up Human is a podcast on a mission to redesign the human body. This week, Simon and Rach chat to naturalist and broadcaster Steve Backshall and visual perception scientist Kate Storrs. We discuss enhanced vision, limb regeneration, gecko hands, super kidneys and re-breathing. Extended show notes including edited transcripts are available here. In the news Kate is tickled and baffled by a news story about Microsoft Steve's news story is entitled, 'Venomous Frogs use Heads ...
Level Up Human S2E11 - Steve Backshall vs Kate Storrs
May 05, 2020 23:00 - 49 minutes - 68.4 MBS2E11: Level Up Human is a podcast on a mission to redesign the human body. This week, Simon and Rach chat to naturalist and broadcaster Steve Backshall and visual perception scientist Kate Storrs. We discuss enhanced vision, limb regeneration, gecko hands, super kidneys and re-breathing. Extended show notes including edited transcripts are available here. In the news Kate is tickled and baffled by a news story about Microsoft Steve's news story is entitled, 'Venomous Frogs use Heads ...
Level Up Human Extra - Flight
April 28, 2020 23:00 - 32 minutes - 45.1 MBEpisode summary Simon and Rachel take a detailed look at flight. Why can’t we fly, how could we achieve it, and wouldn't it be exhausting? An edited transcript is available here. Mentioned this episode Alan Rickman as the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, the most attractive man in the world, according to Simon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZhCCu-2gbw Starlink: https://www.starlink.com/ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hitchhi...
Level Up Human Extra - RNA
April 20, 2020 20:44 - 24 minutes - 34.2 MBSimon and Rachel recap Episode 10 of Series 2, where we chatted with immunologist Professor Sheena Cruickshank and microbiologist Dr. Chloe James. Plus Simon has good news for Eurovision fans. We dive deeper into what RNA is, how to train bacteriophages, and how we know humans are still evolving. An edited transcript is available here. Mentioned this episode 2001: A Space Odyssey: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001:_A_Space_Odyssey_(film) Patrick Moore’s Gamesmaster: https://www.youtube...
Level Up Human S2E10 - Self-scratching backs
April 14, 2020 23:00 - 39 minutes - 54.8 MBRachel and Simon are locked down in London. Joining them from Liverpool and Manchester are microbiologist Dr. Chloe James and immunologist Professor Sheena Cruickshank. A full transcript is available here. Episode summary We discuss if it’s possible for scientists to work from home, cytokine storms and a brand new 'magic' toilet. Our panellists this week make pitches for command over our internal armies of bacteria phages and reprogramming our immune cells. The audience want...
S2E10 - Self-scratching backs
April 14, 2020 23:00 - 39 minutes - 54.8 MBRachel and Simon are locked down in London. Joining them from Liverpool and Manchester are microbiologist Dr. Chloe James and immunologist Professor Sheena Cruickshank. A full transcript is available here. Episode summary We discuss if it’s possible for scientists to work from home, cytokine storms and a brand new 'magic' toilet. Our panellists this week make pitches for command over our internal armies of bacteria phages and reprogramming our immune cells. The audience want...
Level Up Human S2E9 - Snake skin
March 25, 2020 00:00 - 41 minutes - 57.7 MBIn the last of our Barbican centre recordings from November 2019, Simon and Rachel are souping up the homo sapien once again. Our guest experts are professor of experimental psychopathology from the university of Birkbeck, Naz Derakshan, and Hephzi Tagoe, a skin specialist from Queen Mary, University of London. Episode summary We discuss resilience as well as the impacts of skin conditions on psychological health and wellbeing. Rach has news of an ant with a six legged gallop. In...
Level Up Human Extra - COVID-19 and Disease
March 18, 2020 07:07 - 24 minutes - 34.2 MBSimon and Rachel report from their respective bunkers during the March 2020 coronavirus pandemic. We take a long hard look at disease. Are humans a particularly diseased species? What can we learn from pandemics and is panic buying inevitable? Mentioned this episode NHS advice on coronavirus: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ Pandemic board game: https://www.zmangames.com/en/games/pandemic/ 28 Days Later: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/28_Days_Later Outbreak: http...
Level Up Human S2E8 - Uber Ovaries
March 11, 2020 00:00 - 48 minutes - 67.2 MBSimon and Rachel are souping up Homo sapiens once again, live at the Barbican Centre with guest experts: reproductive physiologist Kim Jonas, and cardio-vascular pharmacologist, Michael Preedy. This episode was created with the support of the Physiological Society and the Biochemical Society. Episode summary We discuss the weirdest reproductive physiology on the planet, hypersexuality and how stem cells can now be reprogrammed into a new type of cell. In our news section, Rach explai...
Level Up Human S2E7 - Retinal brain
February 26, 2020 00:00 - 48 minutes - 67.2 MBSimon and Rachel are live at the Barbican with marine biologist, writer and documentary maker, Helen Scales and KCL professor of developmental neurobiology, Robert Hindges. Episode summary First we look at human enhancements from around the world. Helen brings news of a man with an exo-skeleton allowing him to walk. Robert tells us about developments in prosthetics which allow users to experience feedback from artificial limbs. And Rach has evidence that thumbs are getting faster...
Level Up Human S2E6 - Second Eyelid
February 12, 2020 00:00 - 50 minutes - 68.7 MBSimon and Rachel are live at the Barbican with heart specialist Dr. Vanessa Lowe and comedian, podcaster and researcher, Dr. Cerys Bradley. Episode summary First we look at human enhancements from around the world. Vanessa has news of a heart attack vaccine from Harvard. Cerys tells us that there is a back-up ‘fight or flight’ system in the bones. Rach has found evidence of the loudest mating call on Earth. Next: pitches from our guest experts, the studio audience and Mother ...
Level Up Human S2E5 - Poo-mail
January 29, 2020 00:00 - 53 minutes - 73.4 MBSimon and Rachel are live at the Bluedot festival. They are joined by geomicrobiologist, Sarah Jones, and Holly Shiels, reader in cardiac physiology at the University of Manchester. Episode summary The news is first up as we explore some of the latest human enhancements around the globe. Sarah has a story about some scientists working on the first synthetic microbiome – but how do we ensure it stays in the body? Holly has discovered that bubble wrap is to be placed on the surface...
Level Up Human Extra - Organic robots | Cultured archaea | Diego the sex tortoise
January 20, 2020 12:59 - 20 minutes - 28.8 MBSimon and Rachel skype in with some interesting items from the science news. Episode summary On this episode of Level Up Human Extra, we have news that scientists have managed to build the first organic robots using stem cells from the African clawed frog. A team from Japan have successfully cultured an elusive species of archaea and Diego the sex tortoise is retiring. Mentioned this episode Organic robots: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/jan/13/scientists-use-stem-cel...
Level Up Human S2E4 - Human homing pigeon
December 04, 2019 00:00 - 40 minutes - 55 MBSimon and Rachel are joined by writer and computer scientist Dr. Kate Devlin and digital artist Eric Drass. Episode summary We dive into the latest human enhancement developments before getting into pitches. Rach has news of a potential Alzheimer’s vaccine; Kate found a robotic tail at a conference and Eric warns of ‘rooms full of people’ listening as we chat to Alexa, Siri and Google. Next: pitches from our guest experts, the studio audience and Mother Nature herself. Eric wants us t...
Level Up Human S2E3 - 14 senses
November 20, 2019 00:00 - 43 minutes - 60.1 MBSimon and Rachel are joined at the Barbican centre by renal-cardiovascular physiologist Keith Siew and evolutionary psychologist, Dr. Gillian Forrester. Episode summary The team have brought news stories from the world of science to share before we kick off the pitches. Gillian shares a study that suggests that babies can recognise faces in utero, Keith has news that salt makes us hungry rather than thirsty and Rach reports on a colony of tardigrades on the moon. Then we hear pitches for ...
Level Up Human S2E2 - Brown fat
November 06, 2019 00:00 - 51 minutes - 71 MBIn June, Level Up Human went to Hatch in Manchester for the Microdot festival. Simon and Rachel are joined by bioethicist Prof. Andy Miah and physiologist and cardiovascular specialist Dr. Sarah Withers, both from the University of Salford. If you’d like to see us live, we’re in the middle of a residency at the Barbican in London. Please join us on November 7th 2019. You can reserve free tickets at https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2019/event/level-up-human Episode summary The team ha...
Level Up Human S2E1 - Tempered testosterone
October 22, 2019 23:00 - 50 minutes - 69.7 MBLevel Up Human is back redesigning the human body! This series we are supported by the Physiological Society. This episode was created with the help of the Society for Endocrinology, a world leading authority on hormones. This episode was recorded at the Barbican as part of the Life Rewired season. Host Simon Watt and judge Rachel Wheeley are joined by Dr. Miles Levy, consultant endocrinologist and honorary associate professor at University Hospitals of Leicester. And by Dr. Clare Jonas, ps...
Level Up Human Series 2 trailer
October 15, 2019 22:20 - 41 seconds - 969 KBSimon breaks exciting news about the brand new series of Level Up Human - hitting your podcast device next Wednesday October 23rd. We've been recording episodes as part of our residency at the Barbican and you can join us at two more recordings happening on October 28th and November 7th. https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2019/event/level-up-human This series of Level Up Human is supported by the Physiological Society. Specials for the Endocrinology Society and the Biochemical Society a...
LUH Extra 13 - Lab Grown Meat
March 22, 2018 00:00 - 21 minutes - 20.6 MBRach and Simon dive into lab grown meat. Would you eat it, what are the pros and cons and as always, is this the beginning of the end of civilisation? Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman, support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley. More information about the series is at www.leveluphuman.com and you can support us at www.patreon.com/leveluphuman Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/leve...
LUH Extra 12 - Gene Drives
March 08, 2018 12:23 - 22 minutes - 22.1 MBSimon and Rach take a deep dive into gene drives this week, examining the work being done to make island conservation less lethal to the inhabitants it is supposed to be protecting.We consider how CRISPR technology might be able to help with this, how it works and what the unintended consequences of using it might be.Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman, support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley....
LUH Extra 11 - 3D Printing and Generative Design
February 22, 2018 00:00 - 27 minutes - 28.1 MBSimon and Rachel are bickering again, this time about 3D printing. Is it old news, or are recent developments in generative design enough to make it fascinating? Simon thinks it's a toy, no more likely to catch on than Betamax, Rach thinks it's the future of everything. Who is right? We will have to wait and see.Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman, support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley.More ...
LUH Extra 10 - Giant Rockets
February 10, 2018 00:00 - 25 minutes - 35.6 MBProducer Rachel and Simon discuss Elon Musk's Falcon Heavy launch, what it means for the future of space travel and whether putting a Tesla onboard was the greatest PR stunt of all time.In this episode we chat with David McKeown, a real rocket scientist. He explains how the two side booster rockets landed, and what the launch means for the Irish space programme.Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman, support from the We...
LUH Extra 9 - Flying Cars
January 25, 2018 00:00 - 28 minutes - 38.9 MBSimon Watt and Rachel Wheeley rifle through the science pages in search of stories about the future of humanity. This week we are excited about flying cars, considering what information the apocalypse survivors will need and considering a way to mobilise the body's immune system to fight cancer.Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman, support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley.More information about ...
LUH Extra 8 - Womb Tanks
January 10, 2018 00:00 - 30 minutes - 42.4 MBHappy New Year! Rach and Simon are fisking the science pages once again in search of human enhancement stories. This week they tackle all the most futuristic predictions that came true in 2017. The march of Artificial Intelligence, back-flipping cyborg soldiers and Simon has received the coolest Christmas present of all time.Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman, support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel ...
LUH Extra 7 - Sex Robots
December 27, 2017 07:01 - 29 minutes - 40.9 MBSimon and Rach finally tackle the big one: sex robots. We discuss what is driving the fastest development in AI, when a robot will join a company's board of directors, Rach has a fact and Simon explains why we should cuddle more.Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman, support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley.For more information, go to www.leveluphuman.com. Support the project via www.patreon.com/...
LUH Extra 6 - Bio-hacking
December 20, 2017 00:00 - 26 minutes - 35.8 MBRach and Simon siphon the science news in search for human enhancement stories. This week, why Simon is a harbinger of doom, how to kidnap the Queen and why living in cities might not be such a good idea after all.Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman, support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley.For more information, go to www.leveluphuman.com Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/leveluphuma...
Episode 43 - Super Smell
December 13, 2017 10:24 - 32 minutes - 45 MBNeil Delamere joins Simon Watt to determine the future of the human body. Our experts here at the Cork Science Festival are biochemist Julie O'Sullivan and marine ecologist Ash Bennison. In this episode we find out how we could listen to the bacteria on our bodies, why acne is evolutionarily useful and how seabirds 'see' the ocean using an odourscape.Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman, support from the Wellcome Trus...
LUH Extra 5 - Co-evolving with Robots
December 06, 2017 00:00 - 30 minutes - 42.3 MBSimon and Rachel consider co-evolving with AI. Plus! Space salad, seaweed glitter, how spinach is a fraud and why you should never transport dry ice in a lift.Referenced in this episode are Samuel Youd's* novel 'The Death of Grass', Michael Pollan's 'The Botany of Desire' and 17th century bitcoin: the tulip.If you are enjoying the podcast, you can support us via Patreon, at www.patreon.com/leveluphumanOur theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web des...
Episode 42 - Third Buttock
November 29, 2017 00:00 - 33 minutes - 46.2 MBNeil Delamere joins Simon to sculpt the next human at Cork Science Festival. Joining them are engineer and researcher Alison O'Shea and zoologist and seal enthusiast Cian Luck. The panel discuss how goats have put the Faroe islands on Google Street view, how babies know to be scared of snakes and a creature that doesn't poo. Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman, support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel...
LUH Extra 4 - Graphene Tattoos
November 22, 2017 00:00 - 20 minutes - 28.4 MBRach and Simon are on the hunt for human upgrades again. This week: origami robots, the menopause, why old people exist, the CAPTCHA test, magnetic kids, fish with human teeth and the gob faced squid.If you enjoyed this episode you can now become a patron of the show via Patreon, at www.patreon.com/leveluphumanOur theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman, support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley.For mor...
Episode 41 - Fat Armour
November 15, 2017 00:00 - 35 minutes - 49.2 MBStuart Goldsmith improves human with Simon Watt in this special episode recorded in association with the Society for Endocrinology at Latitude Festival. Our experts are materials scientist Anna Ploszajski and Neuroscientist Dr. Giles Yeo.The panel discuss why camels put all their fat in their backs, whether fecal transplants are better as 'transpoosions' or 'crapsules', and whether human knees are still fit for purpose.Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Th...
LUH Extra 3 - Robobees
November 08, 2017 00:00 - 25 minutes - 35.1 MBSimon and Rachel rifle through the week's science news in search for human upgrades. This week, reproductive isolation, robobees and why aliens might already have landed.If you enjoyed this podcast you can now become a patron of the show: www.patreon.com/leveluphumanOur theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman and support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley.For more information, go to www.leveluphuman.com....
Episode 40 - Reversible Death
November 01, 2017 00:00 - 47 minutes - 65.2 MBSamantha Baines is looking for upgrades which can utilise social media in this episode, recorded at the Wellcome Genome Campus. Joining Simon this week are computational geneticist Dr. Carl Anderson, and postdoctoral research fellow Dr. Shanade Dunn to suggest upgrades for humans from their areas of research. Plus we have audience suggestions and an intriguing idea inspired by a camel.If you enjoyed this podcast you can now become a patron of the show: www.patreon.com/leveluphumanOur theme mu...
LUH Extra 2 - Head Freezing
October 25, 2017 00:00 - 21 minutes - 29.9 MBSimon and a somewhat fragile Rach leaf through the latest science news in search for advances for the human race. This week: a company that promises to offer a head freezing service within a decade, honey making wasps, why Quakers make the best chocolate and the pitfalls of receiving a phone call directly into your brain.If you enjoyed this podcast you can now become a patron of the show: www.patreon.com/leveluphumanOur theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo ...
Episode 39 - Unihemispheric Sleep
October 18, 2017 00:00 - 1 hour - 82.9 MBBen van der Velde joins Simon to judge suggestions by sleep expert Russell Foster and researcher Catherine Green.The panel discuss sleep, why you should clean your teeth in the dark and whether humans have a squirrelly ancestor.Listen right to the end for a message from our friends at the Worst Foot Forward podcast!If you enjoyed this podcast you can now become a patron of the show: www.patreon.com/leveluphumanOur theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon...
LUH Extra 1 - Designer Babies
October 11, 2017 00:00 - 34 minutes - 47.8 MBLUH producer, Rachel Wheeley, joins Simon for a brand new 'extra' show to sort through some topical science news. On the pile this week:- Scientists at Sun Yat-sen University in China have used base editing for the first time in human embryos to change a single letter in a faulty gene.- Why a barn owls' hearing is awesome, and why it doesn't deteriorate with age.- How we could one day be represented in court by a computer.If you enjoyed this podcast you can now become a patron of the show: ww...
Episode 38 - Universal Lesbianism
October 04, 2017 00:00 - 41 minutes - 56.4 MBPaul Sinha joins Simon to judge Royal Society fellows Liz Tunbridge, Robert Pal and the studio audience at the Science Museum in London.The panel discuss why horse tranquilisers might be useful in the treatment of depression, why researchers are stockpiling legal highs and Paul is concerned that many upgrades will make it easier for people to cheat in quizzes.If you enjoyed this podcast you can now become a patron of the show: www.patreon.com/leveluphumanOur theme music was written and perfor...
Episode 37 - Conversations with Microbes
September 20, 2017 00:00 - 37 minutes - 51.1 MBSam Baines joins Simon to sort the genetic wheat from the chaff in this episode recorded live at the Wellcome Genome Campus during Cambridge Science Festival. Postdoctoral fellow Anne Neville and Andy Yates, head of the Genomic Technology Infrastructure team, pitch suggestions for human improvement along with the studio audience and an emerald sea slug.The panel discuss elephant fit bits, an egalitarian society and why we should learn to love the microbes that live in and on us.If you enjoyed...
Episode 36 - Translucency
September 06, 2017 06:35 - 51 minutes - 70.8 MBNeil Delamere judges suggestions for future humans by Lara Dungan and David McKeown with Simon Watt attempting to keep some kind of order.The panel discuss memory foam people, somebody offers Neil a hug and we find out why owls might not be as wise as people think.If you enjoyed this podcast you can now become a patron of the show: www.patreon.com/leveluphumanOur theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman and support from the W...
Episode 35 - Misinformation Claxon
August 23, 2017 00:00 - 43 minutes - 59.8 MBZoe Lyons joins Simon to find an upgrade for Human 2.0 from England rugby cap Dame Maggie Alphonsi, Dean Burnett and the studio audience at Winchester Science Festival.The panel discuss motivation, limb regeneration and an unusual approach to birth control.If you enjoyed this podcast you can now become a patron of the show: www.patreon.com/leveluphumanOur theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman and support from the Wellcome ...
Episode 34 - Downloading Dreams
August 09, 2017 00:00 - 47 minutes - 65 MBJay Lafferty joins Simon to judge suggestions for the next humans from hummingbird expert Dr. Sue Healy and cross cultural researcher Erin Robbins. The panel discuss internal fit bits, how animals lie and why you might need to vape on your baby.Recorded as part of Explorathon, the European Researchers' Night at St. Andrews University.If you enjoyed this podcast you can now become a patron of the show: www.patreon.com/leveluphumanOur theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Grap...
Episode 33 - The Kebab Neuron
July 26, 2017 00:00 - 28 minutes - 39.4 MBPaul Sinha joins Simon for this special episode in collaboration with the Royal Society. Paul judges suggestions from neuroscientist Dr. Holly Bridge, bio-physical chemistry researcher Steve Lee and the studio audience live at the Science Museum.The team discuss fluorescing frogs, brain plasticity and why we need to milk a lot of spiders to improve care for stroke patients.If you enjoy Level Up Human you can now donate via Patreon: www.patreon.com/leveluphumanOur theme music was written and p...
Episode 32 - Male Menopause
July 12, 2017 00:00 - 38 minutes - 53 MBJack Heal judges suggestions by Hayley Pye, Maddy Coke and the Omni tent audience, Einstein's Garden at the 2016 Green Man festival. Simon Watt is in the chair as ever.The panel discuss whether we need leaders, a blood test that can reveal every virus you've ever had, and whether we actually need bodies any more at all.If you're enjoying the podcast, you can make a regular donation via our Patreon: www.patreon.com/leveluphumanOur theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphic...
Episode 31 - Earlids
June 28, 2017 00:00 - 37 minutes - 50.9 MBEllie Taylor joins Simon Watt to judge suggestions by archaeologist Paul Duncan McGarrity, psychologist Dr. Julia Shaw and the studio audience at the Science Museum. The panel discuss the imperfect nature of memory, why spiders scare us and how easy it is to desecrate graves. Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman and support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley. For more information, go to www.level...
Episode 30 - Wrinkly Brains
June 14, 2017 00:00 - 31 minutes - 42.8 MBSteve Cross, Mathew Tata and Catie Williams join Simon for some more Level Up fun at the first ever recording at the Bloomsbury theatre studio. The team discuss a loggerhead turtle with a titanium jaw, a machine that monitors your face to understand your emotions and Steve wants to rip everyone's spines out to replace them with more efficient titanium.Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman and support from the Wellcome ...
Episode 29 - Pre-cognition
May 31, 2017 00:00 - 26 minutes - 36.4 MBJack Heal joins Simon to sort the wheat from the evolutionary chaff in this special episode recorded at the 2016 Green Man Festival.Melissa Bovis and Jon Chase pitch ideas from their areas of expertise and we have contributions from the live audience in the Omni Tent in Einstein's garden. Only one suggestion can win!Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman and support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheele...
Episode 28 - Chromatophores
May 17, 2017 00:00 - 47 minutes - 64.7 MBAmy Howerska judges suggestions for human improvement from writer and broadcaster Timandra Harkness and then Dr. James Logan, now Professor James Logan!The panel discuss landmine clearing 'hero' rats, how to remember names and Amy Howerska's world of improved empathy where hospitals are run by high-functioning sociopaths.Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman and support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel W...