Jonathan is joined by Brenna Hassett - Lecturer in forensic osteology and archaeology at the University of Central Lancashire and author of Growing Up Human

In this special edition of Futureproof, Jonathan joins researchers from DIAS as they travel to a volcano on the Galapagos Islands. Funded by Coimisiún na Meán with the TV licence fee. Also funded by the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies.

Jonathan speaks to Professor John Cryan from UCC

Scientists at Yale think freezing ovarian tissue at a young age could help us to postpone or event prevent the onset of menopause altogether. Jonathan speaks to Dr Kutluk Oktay, Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, and Director of the Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Molecular Reproductive Biology at the Yale School of Medicine.

Researchers from Diageo have discovered that the yeast used to make Guinness is genetically different from any other Irish beer. Joining Jonathan to discuss this is Daniel Kerruish, Group Microbiologist at Diageo.

This week Elon Musk announced his Neuralink company has implanted a wireless brain chip into a human for the first time.But how significant is this step and how exactly does a brain implant affect the mind?Joining Jonathan to discuss this is Dr. Manus Biggs, Associate Professor at the University of Galway and Investigator with Curám, the SFI research centre for medical devices. Also joining Jonathan for this week's installment of Newsround is Dr. Ruth Freeman from Science Foundation Ireland & Laura Healy, Sustainable Food Production Scientist.

As we’ve discussed before on Futureproof, nature has some strange but very cool patterns - one such pattern is the Coriolis Effect. Joining Jonathan to explain this is Dr. Conor Sweeney, Lecturer in Applied and Computational Mathematics in the School of Mathematical Sciences at UCD; Deputy Director of the UCD Earth Institute; and President of the Irish Meteorological Society.

Scientists in Maryland in the United States are exploring what a lab-grown retina can tell us about how we can see millions of colours. Joining Jonathan to explain more about the research is Robert J. Johnston Jr. Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at Johns Hopkins University.Also joining Jonathan for this week's Newsround is Dr. Susan Kelleher, School of Chemical Sciences, DCU & Dr Fergus McAuliffe, Communications and Engagement Manager, iCRAG.

As we grow older, we experience a multitude of changes - both emotionally and physically - and while those changes can be challenging at times, it is inevitable.One way we see the process of ageing is right in front of us with the skin on our faces, our hands, and the rest of our body - in many ways telling the story of our lives.But what is actually happening as our skin continues to age throughout our lives.Joining Jonathan to discuss this is consultant dermatologist, Professor Caitriona Ryan.

That old maxim of “knowledge is power” is as true today as it was when Francis Bacon first coined the term back in the late 1500s; and while that is itself still true, the speed at which we send and receive knowledge and information can be just as powerful.We have been witnesses to this through the years as we laid Atlantic telegraph cables in the 1860s, sent satellites into space, and now we may stand again on the precipice of a new age of rapid communication with groundbreaking research into “teleportation”.Joining Jonathan to discuss is Prof Andrew Forbes from the School of Physics at Wits University in South Africa.Also joining us for this week's installment of Newsround is Lianne Shanley, PhD Researcher from the School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin & Dr. Shane Bergin, Assistant Professor in Science Education, UCD.

Researchers from University College London have developed an electrocardiographic imaging (ECGI) vest that might help identify individuals at a higher risk of sudden cardiac death. Joining Jonathan to explain how it works is Gaby Captur, Consultant cardiologist in Inherited Heart Muscle Conditions at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust & Senior lecturer at the UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science.

We all know that our urine is yellow, or at least, it should be. While we have known for some time that it is urobilin that's responsible for the yellow pigment, it was unclear what was responsible for the urobilin's production - that is of course, until very recently. Brantley Hall, Assistant Professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics at the University of Maryland joins Jonathan to discuss.Also joining us for this week's installment of Newsround is Fergus McAuliffe, Education, Public Engagement, and Communications Manager at iCRAG & Dr. Oran Kennedy, Associate Professor in Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine at RCSI.

This year we will come closer than ever to touching the Sun than ever before. That’s because of an upcoming NASA mission called the Parker Solar Probe that has been compared in significance to that of the Moon landing. Joining Phil Smyth to discuss is one of the scientists involved, Dr Nour Raouafi from Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.

Road safety has been at the forefront of the minds of many of us with the significant death toll last year but scientists at the University of Cambridge are exploring a new way of warning drivers of road obstacles through 3D holograms. Joining Phil Smyth to discuss this is Jana Skirnewskaja from Cambridge’s Department of Engineering.Also joining Phil for Newsround is Lianne Shanley, Ph.D. Researcher from the School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin & Dr. Fergus McAuliffe from iCrag.

Looking back at the best episodes in 2023: Have you ever wondered how humans came about the concept of ‘measuring’ things? How did Ancient Egyptians use giant rulers to predict the harvest in coming months? James Vincent is the author of ‘Beyond Measure: The Hidden History of Measurement from Cubits to Quantum Constants’ and he joined Jonathan to talk about how this concept shapes the way we see the world.

One of the best conversations from 2023: Ryan Kerney, organismal biologist at Gettysburg University, joined Jonathan to discuss why humans can’t breath underwater and what the likelihood is of us ever developing that ability again.

The notion of human beings getting to and settling on Mars has been a staple of science fiction for decades.But what are the social, scientific, and engineering constraints for establishing a colony, and what are the current blueprint and design concepts for the settlement of an entire Martian city?Justin Hollander, Urban Planning Professor at Tufts University and the author of ‘The First City on Mars: An Urban Planner’s Guide to Settling the Red Planet’ joins Jonathan to discuss.https://jholla03.pages.tufts.edu/

Professor Mike Tipton from the University of Portsmouth joins Jonathan to discuss the effect of the extreme cold on our bodies and how we try to stay warm.

Claire Gasque, physics graduate at the University of California, Berkeley, joins Jonathan to discuss the mysterious atmospheric phenomenon only known as STEVE.Also joining Jonathan for the Newsround is Dr Ruth Freeman from Science Foundation Ireland and Shane Bergin from UCD to look back on 2023's biggest science stories.Image by Elfiehall - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=58633661

Did you know that your organs can be a different age than your body? Jonathan is joined by Jarod Rutledge, longevity scientist and Stanford Excellence Bridging Fellow to discuss what this means.

If you’ve ever experimented with VR, you know it can trick your brain into thinking that what you see is real.But in the United States, they are taking this technology to a whole new level – a minuscule one. Scientists there have created miniature VR goggles for mice to wear, but why?Professor Daniel Dombeck, Department of Neurobiology, at Northwestern University, joins Jonathan to discuss.Also joining Jonathan for this week's Newsround is Lianne Shanley, PhD Researcher from the School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin & Dr. Ruth Freeman from Science Foundation Ireland.

Jonathon is joined by Prof. Daniel Granato, course director for Functional Foods and Product Development at the University of Limerick to discuss functional foods and what benefits they can give to us.

Hypoxia training could help patients at risk of health complications ahead of surgery, scientists at the University of Limerick have found. Joining Jonathan to discuss more is Professor Phil Jakeman, Professor of Sport and Exercise Sciences at UL.

Leaves have many different jobs: photosynthesis, gas exchange, water exchange, and more. But how do they end up in the shapes that they are? Joining Jonathan to discuss is Dr Katie Gray Ferris, Assistant Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Tulane University in the United States.

For centuries we have been marketed and sold products that claim extraordinary things only to find out that the evidence and application don’t match up.So-called snake oil products have littered the internet recently and despite pretty clear regulations, the internet has turned on the firehose when it comes to advertising and marketing, to the point where regulators can’t keep up.So, to protect ourselves we should be developing a sceptical approach, so says Nick Teller, the author of 'The Skeptic’s Guide to Sports Science' - he joins Jonathan to discuss.Also joining Jonathan for Newsround is Catherine McGuinness, Research and Education Officer at Cavan County Museum & Lianne Shanley, PhD Researcher from the School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin.

Our brain has about 86 billion neurons making it a pretty busy place but how much of that space is dedicated to storing our memories and where exactly does that happen? Joining Jonathan to get a better understanding of how we store memories is Tomás Ryan, Associate Professor in Trinity’s School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, and the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience.

Joining Jonathan to discuss new research that indicates that a delay in clamping the umbilical cord of premature babies could decrease the risk of death by as much as two-thirds is Professor Eugene Dempsey, Horgan Chair in Neonatology at the INFANT Centre at UCC.Also joining Jonathan for Newsround is physicist, Philip Smyth, and sustainable food production scientist, Laura Healy.

When it comes to the end of humanity, there are numerous ways it might come to pass - be it a wayward asteroid, the eruption of a super volcano, the ever-growing presence of Artificial Intelligence in our lives, or the unseen spores of a killer fungus. But which one of these poses the greatest risk? This is the question posed by Jonathan in this very special episode of Futureproof which was recorded in front of a live audience at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre.Joining us to discuss is:Dr. Robert Ross, Senior Lecturer in the School of Computer Science at TU DublinProfessor Chris Bean, Senior Professor and Head of Geophysics at the Dublin Institute for Advanced StudiesProfessor Caitriona Jackman, Senior Professor of Space Physics at Dunsink ObservatoryJerry Clancy, PhD student at the School of Chemical Sciences in DCUDr. Shane Bergin, physicist and an assistant professor in science education at UCD's School of Education & Immunologist, Dr. Lara Dungan, also join Jonathan for this week's Newsround.With thanks to Science Foundation Ireland.

There are around 400 million global cases of UTIs or urinary tract infections per year, and they can often persist, but why? Researchers in the UK have been using artificial bladders to find out what makes them stick around. Joining Jonathan to discuss is Prof Jennifer Rohn, Professorial Research Fellow in Renal Medicine at University College London and Head of the Centre for Urological Biology.

The Educational Irish Research Satellite 1 (EIRSAT-1) is set for launch in November, which will make it Ireland’s first venture into space. To discuss, Jonathan is joined by Dr. David McKeown, Assistant Professor/Lecturer in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at UCD, and the Engineering Manager for the EIRSAT-1 project.For this week's episode of Newsround, Jonathan is joined by Dr Oran Kennedy, Associate Professor of Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine, RCSI & Dr. Fergus McAuliffe, Communications and Public Engagement Manager at iCRAG, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Applied Geosciences.

On this episode of Futureproof, Jonathan McCrea interviews Johann Hari, author of ‘Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention'.

Synthetic compounds are found in a multitude of items that we manufacture. They can help us create newfound or superior chemical composites that go into the everyday items we take for granted like non-stick and water-resistant materials. But these synthetic compounds are now being detected in drinking water sources worldwide, being dubbed ‘Forever Chemicals’.So, what can be done about it?Dr. Ruairí Brannigan, Assistant Professor in the School of Chemical Sciences at DCU joins Jonathan to discuss.

Prof. Noah Whiteman has been exploring the secrets of nature’s toxins, how they evolved, and how we use them. Noah is Professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development and Director of the Essig Museum of Entomology at UC-Berkeley and author of ‘Most Delicious Poison: The Story of Nature's Toxins - From Spices to Vices’ - he joins Jonathan to discuss.Also joining Jonathan for Newsround is Dr. Lara Dungan and Dr. Oran Kennedy from RCSI.

Why is your cat ginger or black? Often it comes down to a very small type of pigment that scientists in Cork have been examining to learn more about the colourisation of ancient animals. Joining Jonathan to discuss is Dr Tiffany Slater, Palaeobiologist at UCC who is interested in the preservation of ancient biomolecules.Also on the programme, did you know you can use light to detect specific cells in the body? Professor Stefan Andersson-Engles is the Head of Biophotonics and Deputy Director of IPIC based at the Tyndall National Institute and is also a Professor of Physics at University College Cork who has just been awarded a €5.3 million grant by Science Foundation Ireland to further investigate the application of light-based technologies. He joins Jonathan to discuss.

When it comes to free will, we think of our ability to independently make decisions based on our own desires or interests. That being said, there are those who say that we are the mere conscious witnesses of decisions that, deep in our brains, have already been made. Our guest argues that we are not mere vessels responding to physical forces, but agents acting with purpose. Kevin J. Mitchell is Associate Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin and author of ‘Free Agents – How Evolution Gave Us Free Will’.

Now when it comes to elite sports, there are many attributes that set the best apart from the rest. Not only do you probably have to have won the genetic lottery in the physical stakes, but also the mentality to persevere and work tirelessly to get to the top of the pile.So, with all that setting them apart from those of us sitting on the couch, do some athletes perceive the world differently as well? David McGovern, Assistant Professor in the School of Psychology at Dublin City University has been conducting research looking to answer that very question, and joins Jonathan on this week's episode.Dr Ruth Freeman of Science Foundation Ireland and Phil Smyth, Physicist join Jonathan for the latest science stories in the news this week.

Male pattern hair loss is something that over 80% of men will experience in their lifetime. Yet despite it being so widespread, the fundamentals of what actually causes it to occur, in the manner in which it occurs, still elude researchers to this day. According to a new paper, the secret may lie deep in our genetic past, with our embryonic origins. Dr. Claire Higgins, Reader in Tissue Regeneration from the Faculty of Engineering in the Department of Bioengineering of Imperial College London joins Jonathan to discuss.

Scientists at the European Space Agency have used the James Webb Space Telescope to reveal the presence of pairs of planet-like objects in the Orion Nebula that have never been detected before.Referred to as "JuMBOs" - free-floating objects the size of Jupiter - the discovery has the potential to upend our understanding of how stars and planets are formed.Joining Jonathan to discuss this is Mark McCaughrean, ESA Senior Advisor for Science & Exploration.

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have conducted the largest-ever study of the genetics of our brain structure. But how can the shape and size of our brain impact our understanding of neurological and psychiatric conditions? Joining Jonathan to discuss is the co-lead of this study Professor Richard Bethlehem who specialises in brain imaging, genomics, and computational neuroscience. 

What are the consequences of living in a world so driven by efficiency, pace, and cost? Applied mathematician Coco Krumme, uses mathematical modelling to get to the bottom of this in her new book 'Optimal Illusions: The False Promise of Optimisation' - she joins Jonathan to discuss.Also joining Jonathan to go through the top news stories from the world of science is Dr. Fergus McAuliffe from iCRAG & Laura Healy, Sustainable Food Production Scientist with Teagasc.

What if we told you that a tiny parasite might be influencing the very core of wolf behaviour, making these fierce predators act in ways contrary to their survival instincts? Enter Toxoplasma Gondii, the unseen puppeteer. Kira Cassidy, a leading research biologist from the Yellowstone Wolf Project - who has delved deep into the mysteries of this parasite and its staggering effects not just on wolves, but possibly on us humans as well - joins Jonathan to discuss.

Listeners to the show might remember that last year we spoke to Dr. Vera Gorbunova from Rochester Aging Research Center at the University of Rochester about her work on SIRT6 - often referred to as the “longevity gene” because of its important role in organising proteins and recruiting enzymes that repair broken DNA. Since then, she and her team have made significant progress in the study of longevity by successfully transferring a different gene from naked mole rats into mice, resulting in improved health and an extension of the mouse’s lifespan. Jonathan is joined by Dr. Vera Gorbunova to discuss.

Walk into any national museum, in any part of the world, and you will see artifacts of significance – from coins and jewellery, to weapons, utensils, artwork, clothing, and even human remains. They are preserved because these objects tell us something about who we are and where we came from.But what if there is an artifact that is tens, or even hundreds, of meters underwater? How do we protect it from deterioration?Joining Jonathan to discuss this is Dr. David Gregory, Senior Researcher and Honorary Professor from the National Museum of Denmark.

While the question of 'what is a robot?' might have been easily answered just a few years ago, it is increasingly difficult to define.So, rather than try to fit robots into the existing categories of what is a person and what is a thing, do we need a new framework for the twenty-first century?David J. Gunkel thinks so. He is Professor of Media Studies at Northern Illinois University and author of ‘Person-Thing-Robot: A Moral and Legal Ontology for the 21st Century and Beyond’ - he joins Jonathan to discuss.

Dust. You might hate it, you might want to get rid of it, you might not know where it comes from, but did you know there are actually two billion tonnes of dust lifted into the Earth’s atmosphere each year? Joining Jonathan to discuss the world of dust is researcher Jay Owens, who has written a new book called ‘Dust – The Modern World in a Trillion Particles’.

We think of our eyes as external organs, but anatomically we can also consider them to be an extension of the brain, and this feature is proving to be really useful when trying to understand not just what's happening in our brains, but in our bodies as well.Joining Jonathan to discuss is David Keegan, Consultant Ophthalmologist at the Mater Hospital.

Did you know that in one sleep you will have travelled close to million miles by the time you wake up? This is due to the fascinating science of spin and rotational force. Joining Jonathan to detail his fascinating new book “The Science of Spin" and explain how understanding this force we can enhance our lives was Roland Ennos visiting professor of biological sciences at the University of Hull

Weight loss drugs such as Wegovy and Ozempic have exploded in popularity over the past few years with them producing some quite incredible results. But could these drugs be the cure to obesity and do we have the wrong approach in dealing with the illness? Joining Johathan to discuss was Dr Margaret Steele a post-doctorate researcher at the School of Public Health at University Colledge Cork.

From dietary downsides to the environmental impact large-scale farming has on the planet - not to mention the profound cruelty to which billions of animals are subjected annually - there are plenty of arguments against human consumption of animal meat. But what about meat that’s not derived from animals who once roamed in fields, but grown in labs instead? Is it really the future of food? Dr. Mark Post, Professor of Sustainable Industrial Tissue Engineering at Maastricht University joins Jonathan to discuss.

In a pioneering operation, the first womb transplant took place in the UK this week. But how soon could we see this in Ireland? Joining Jonathan to reflect on this is Conor Harrity, Consultant Gynaecologist, Sub-specialist in Reproductive Medicine at the Rotunda & Beaumont, and Medical Director of First IVF.

Cosmic dust might be closer than you think - in fact, it might even be on top of a nearby tall building. And that’s exactly where Dr. Penelope Wozniakiewicz, Senior Lecturer in Space Science at the University of Kent, is focusing her searches as she and her colleagues are exploring cathedral roofs to find traces of these particles. But why? What can we learn from cosmic dust and what is it in the first place? Penelope joins Jonathan to discuss.

You might think becoming eternally young isn’t possible but scientists from Cornell University, the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, and Cancer Research UK, are actively exploring how to reverse the ageing process. Dr. Meng Wang, Clinician Scientist in Haematology at Cornell University joins Jonathan to discuss.

In the depths of the ground in Finland, high-level radioactive nuclear waste will be buried in the world’s first such permanent storage facility of this kind. So, what does this process look like and will other countries in Europe soon be following suit? Joining Jonathan is journalist Erika Benke who has been writing about this for the BBC.

Have you ever wondered about what goes into making a spacesuit? Amy Ross has been with NASA for 30 years, and is a spacesuit engineer specialising in pressure garments. She joins Jonathan to discuss her work. This week’s Newsround with Dr Lara Dungan and Dr Ruth Freeman features a vaccine showing promise against the virus linked to multiple sclerosis; a massive sun 'umbrella' could be tethered to an asteroid to shield Earth from the sun and fight global warming; walking fewer than 10,000 daily steps still reduces the risk of death; and babies' and adults' love for Van Gogh shows a connection between early sensory preferences and later aesthetic judgments.

The science behind suncream is really surprising, as explored by writer Grace Browne in her recent piece in Wired. She joins Jonathan to shed light on something most people haven't thought of.

Black holes - cosmic enigmas with immense gravitational forces - have long perplexed scientists. At Nottingham University's Black Hole Laboratory, Prof. Silke Weinfurtner pioneers an unconventional method using a hi-tech bathtub and superfluid helium as analogues to explore black hole behaviours. How might these analogues provide us with new insights into the mysteries of black holes and the fundamental laws of physics? Prof. Weinfurtner joins Jonathan to discuss her innovative research.

The way we sleep has dramatically changed in recent years. Our alarm clock used to be the only piece of tech we associated with sleep, but we now have apps that track our sleep, evaluate its quality, and how much more or less we may need on a day-to-day basis. But how do all of these advances in sleep-orientated actually technology affect us? Katie Coveney is a senior lecturer in Sociology at Loughborough University in the UK & a medical sociologist with expertise in social and ethical aspects of medicine and health care. Catherine has just co-authored 'Technosleep: Frontiers, Fictions, Futures', a book that examines the relationship between sleep and technology. She joins Jonathan to discuss.

Did you know your gut might be able to tell you about the strength of your relationships? A recent study from Arizona State University shows that the strength of a couple’s emotional connection is correlated with the diversity of their individual microbiome. Joining Jonathan to discuss their findings is Rosy Krajmalnik-Brown, Director of the Biodesign Center for Health Through Microbiomes and a Professor at the School of Sustainable Engineering and The Built Environment at Arizona State University & Shelby Langer, Associate Professor at the ASU’s College of Nursing and Health Innovation and a member of the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. Also joining Jonathan for this week's Newsround is Dr. Shane Bergin, Assistant Professor in Science Education at University College & Dr. Ruth Freeman from Science Foundation Ireland.

Dr. Kit Yates, senior lecturer in the Department of Mathematical Sciences and co-director of the Centre for Mathematical Biology at the University of Bath, joins Jonathan to teach him ‘How To Expect The Unexpected: The Science of Making Predictions and the Art of Knowing When Not To’.

With the advancement of artificial intelligence, deepfakes are becoming easier and cheaper to produce and as a result, scientists are testing the potential benefits and risks of incorporating them into your movie-going experience. Joining Jonathan to discuss is Dr Gillian Murphy, a lecturer in Cognitive Psychology at the School of Applied Psychology in University College Cork, who supervises projects on memory distortion, fake news, deepfake technology, critical thinking, conspiracy theories, and the ethics of deception in research.

Weapons of the Future We can see it in our newsfeeds every single day, as war rages on the eastern frontiers of Europe - so too are the changing dynamics evident in the way war is conducted in the 21st century. But as tactics and strategies continue to evolve, so too do the technologies that underpin the armed forces of nations the world over. So, when it comes to the weapons of the future, what can we expect exactly? Jonathan is joined by military technology journalist, Kelsey D. Atherton. The Fibonacci Sequence They’re found so commonly in the natural world, such a precise mathematical pattern. From pine cones to ferns unfolding, hurricanes, many other natural phenomenon. Essentially it’s still an ongoing question about why they are so common. Jonathan talks to someone who is trying to get to the bottom of this natural phenomenon, Dr Sandy Hetherington, UKRI Future Leaders Fellow, Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, University of Edinburgh. Cryo Conservation It’s a sad truth that the number of species on this planet is diminishing every day, mostly due to human activity. In order to save what we have and even one day restore species back from the edge of extinction, we need to save as many samples of living animals as we can. Joining Jonathan to talk about cryo conservation and its importance in science is Dr Andrew Mooney who is with Dublin Zoo and the Department of Zoology at Trinity College Dublin.

Jonathan is joined by Jon Blundy, Royal Society Research Professor, Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Oxford who proposes we utilise volcanic power to help metal extraction.

You might think of MDMA as more of a recreational drug but actually it is being clinically trialled in a therapeutic setting as a potential treatment for PTSD among a number of health conditions. To break it down, Jonathan is joined by Rachel Nuwer, science journalist & author of 'I Feel Love: MDMA and the Quest for Connection in a Fractured World'.

According to the World Economic Forum, 99% of the world’s population experiences air pollution levels exceeding WHO guidelines. But recent studies have shown that air pollution doesn’t just impact our lungs, but can also lead to heart attacks and strokes. Joining Jonathan to discuss is Annette Peters, Chair of Epidemiology at the Faculty of Medicine at LMU Munich, Director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, and Visiting professor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston.

The biology underpinning a rare genetic mutation that allows its carrier to live virtually pain-free, heal more rapidly, and experience reduced anxiety and fear, has been uncovered by new research from University College London. Dr. Andrei Okorokov, Associate Professor at the Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research at UCL joins Jonathan to discuss.

As our energy consumption continues to grow, we will need to find more and more ways to actually create the electricity we need. But soon you might be able to generate clean energy from thin air and that’s just one of the potential uses of a new device created by Dr. Jun Yao, Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and his team at the University of Massachusetts. He joins Jonathan to discuss.

According to new research, the drug dimethyl fumarate has been shown to block blood clotting during infection, which could make a sizable impact on people who are suffering from a number of different conditions, one of which being the life-threatening disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC). Joining Jonathan to discuss this development is one of those behind the research, Professor Luke O’Neill from the Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute. Also joining Jonathan for this week's installment of Newsround is Dr. Jessamyn Fairfield, physicist at the University of Galway & Dr. Oran Kennedy, from the Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine and the Tissue Engineering Research Group at RCSI.

Have we just been made futile as a reproductive species? This week researchers in the University of Cambridge and in the US announced their creation of synthetic human embryos that won’t need eggs or sperm. To explore how they did this and its practical implications, Dr David Walsh, chairman of First IVF joins Jonathan to discuss.

Generally speaking, Ireland is a pretty safe place. For example, when it comes to natural phenomena, insects, or animals, very few things can do you serious harm. We have no snakes, bears, wolves, or venomous species, and our spiders are 99.9% benign. And it's also the case that seismic activity is very rare here and even if it is detected, it pales in comparison to our nearest neighbour, the UK. Why? Chris Bean who leads the Geophysics Section at DIAS joins Jonathan to discuss.

Recently hundreds of leading technology experts, journalists, and policymakers from across the world released a statement saying that: “Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside pandemics and nuclear war”. But as we are just now beginning to grapple with this brave new world of generative artificial intelligence it can still be difficult to know what the future might actually hold for us, what role AI will have in our lives, and where the danger really lies. Patricia Scanlon, Ireland’s AI ambassador, and founder of Dublin-based speech recognition tech company SoapBox Labs joins Jonathan to discuss.

When you look up into the night sky and you see the incredible array of stars and planets that are visible to us here on Earth, it is impossible not to feel something. Wonder. Amazement. Insignificance. Inspiration - maybe all of these things and more. Either way, it’s truly humbling to see just how small we really are. But soon you might have a very different experience - one where there is nothing to gaze up at at all - and that future might be nearer than we think. Prof. Peter Gallagher, Head of Astrophysics, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies joins Jonathan to discuss the impact of light pollution on our night sky. Dr. Shane Bergin from UCD & science communicator, Catherine McGuinness also join us for this week's installment of Newsround.

Nature is, without over-egging things, an unstoppable force – one which we pale miserably in comparison to with all our brio and intellect. But we do try to understand nature and the world we live in and perhaps the most fundamental way that we do that is through numbers. And while we like to think we have a pretty good grasp of them, that’s unfortunately, not always the case. Georgina Sturge, author of ‘Bad Data: How Governments, Politicians and the Rest of Us Get Misled by Numbers’ and the House of Commons Library's statistics specialist. She joins Jonathan to discuss.

Induced temporary hibernation for surgery and long-term space travel, creating energy from nothing, skin patch immunotherapy for peanut allergies, and the mechanism of our foot arches- Jonathan looks back at the latest breaking stories from the world of science this week with Catherine McGuinness, science communicator and Dr Shane Bergin, physicist, and an assistant professor in science education at UCD's School of Education. Jonathan explores the establishment of Ireland's first Institute for Clinical Trials at the University of Galway. Led by Director Peter Doran, the Institute aims to transform the clinical research landscape by translating scientific advances into improved patient care. Through collaboration with academia, clinicians, and industry partners, the Institute will prioritize research areas that benefit the wider population, with a focus on improving patient outcomes and positioning Ireland as a leader in clinical trials. Jonathan hears from Peter Doran and parent Noreen Doyle about how this new initiative will drive innovation and positively impact healthcare delivery.

Immunotherapy is a type of treatment which helps the immune system fight cancer. It enhances the system ability to recognize, target, and eliminate cancer cells, wherever they are in the body, making it a potential universal answer to cancer. However, not all cancers respond to this type of treatment. Why is it only effect in 20-40% of cases? And is there anything we can do to improve the response rate? Aideen Ryan joins Jonathan to bring us up to date on new research which may hold the answers for improving cancer treatment. She is an associate professor in tumour immunology from the University of Galway.

People with prosthetic limbs are able to feel warmth in their missing hands, a type of bacteria in babies being a predictor of future weight struggles, car racers seemingly blink in synchronicity, and new research suggesting chronic and acute pain are two different things. The latest science news is brought to you by Dr Ruth Freeman from Science Foundation Ireland, and Dr Jessamyn Fairfield from the University of Galway. Jonathan also speaks with Sara Sabry, an astronaut who was selected from 7,000 citizens to go into space at the age of 29. She was the first Egyptian astronaut, the first Arab woman in space, and the first woman from the African continent to go to space. She is the Co-Founder of Deep Space Initiative and appearing at the Dublin Tech Summit, held between 31 May 2023 and 1 June 2023.

Speech to text, text to speech, but what about thoughts to text? A new technology has been developed which allows AI to convert your thoughts into text. The person behind the research is Alexander Huth, Assistant Professor of Neuroscience and Computer Science at the University of Texas at Austin. He joins me on this week’s Futureproof Extra to discuss “semantic decoders”.

On this week’s episode, Eoin Murphy and Dr Jessamyn Fairfield take us through the latest stories in our Newsround. We hear about the world’s deadliest mushrooms, gender disparity in science referencing, dream gloves and what bears are telling us about blood clot prevention. Not only that, but we get to hear from a lung and evolutionary expert on why humans can’t breathe underwater and what the likelihood is of us ever developing that ability again.

It is not a matter of how we become immortal, it's a matter of when- that’s according to this week’s guest, José Luis Cordeiro. He is the author of ‘The Death of Death’, and believes we are getting closer to discovering the secrets of nature by identifying cells that do not age.

Have you ever wondered how humans came about the concept of ‘measuring’ things? How did Ancient Egyptians use giant rulers to predict the harvest in coming months? James Vincent is the author of ‘Beyond Measure: The Hidden History of Measurement from Cubits to Quantum Constants’ and he joins me this week to talk about how this concept shapes the way we see the world. I'm also joined by Dr Lara Dungan and Dr Shane Bergin for this week's Newsround discussing intrauterine surgery, blood tests to check sleep, a new organelle and how body odour could be the antidote to social anxiety.

Helen Czerski, bubble physicist and the author of 'Blue Machine: How the Ocean Shapes Our World', joins Jonathan McCrea to discuss the secrets of our seas.

In this episode of Futureproof, Dr Susan Kelleher and Dr Lara Dungan join Jonathan McCrea for Newsround, and he explores the future of lab-grown blood with Dr Rebecca Cardigan, National Head of Component Development from NHS Blood & Transplant.

Dr. Zheng-Yi Chen, Associate Scientist in the Eaton-Peabody Laboratories at Mass Eye and Ear Hospital in Boston, speaks with Futureproof host Jonathan McCrea about his efforts to cure hearing loss.

On this episode of Futureproof: Dr Ruth Freeman, Science Foundation Ireland & Eoin Murphy, biochemist and science communicator, join Jonathan McCrea for Newsround. And Dr. Anne Moore, Senior Lecturer and Principal Investigator in Vaccines at University College Cork, explains her work in developing vaccine patches.

Surrogacy can be a complicated enough process but if you bring in the potential of AI into it, how would it look? To discuss this and the future of surrogacy in general, Jonathan is joined by Dr. David Walsh, 'First IVF' chairman.

Over time, our memory begins to fade but new research suggests human memory can go wrong just three seconds after an event takes place. The author of a new study on short-term memory illusion, Dr. Marte Otten, a Cognitive Psychologist from the University of Amsterdam joins Jonathan to discuss.

Professor Caitriona Jackman is an Irish space scientist and head of the planetary magnetospheres group at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies and was among those at the European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany, for the launch of ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer mission, or “JUICE”. She joins Jonathan to discuss the mission and what she and her colleagues hope to learn.

Implanting an electrode into your fragile brain to control abnormal activity can cause extensive damage. But researchers in Sweden have developed a type of gel that they hope will ease the process of neural implantation for humans and perhaps ultimately help the treatment of diseases like Parkinson’s. Joining Jonathan to discuss is Hanne Biesmans, Ph.D. student at the Laboratory of Organic Electronics, at Linköping University in Sweden.

What would a message from ET sound like? Researchers at the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Post-Detection Hub at the University of St Andrews in Scotland have their eyes and ears peeled to interpret alien language. Among them is Dr John Elliott, Honorary Research Fellow in the School of Computer Science and the Coordinator for the SETI Post Detection Hub at the University of St Andrews in Scotland and Chair of UK SETI Research Network.

Joining Jonathan on this episode of Futureproof is Dr Aashish Manglik, Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of California who is examining how odour activates our human receptors. Also featuring Dr Lara Dungan and Dr Oran Kennedy in Newsround.

Diamond formation occurs when carbon deposits deep within the earth are subject to high temperatures and pressure. But what are the specific environmental conditions needed to make this actually happen? You’d think that by now we would have a pretty good grasp of how they form considering the value we place on them, but that’s not the case. Until now that is. Dr. Emma Tomlinson is an Associate Professor of Geology at Trinity College Dublin and part of a team from TCD and Queensland University of Technology who have been looking into this. She joins Jonathan to discuss.

Theoretical physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking is famous the world over, but one of his closest collaborators for twenty years was working alongside him developing a new theory of the cosmos. Thomas Hertog, a cosmologist from KU Leuven University in Belgium, explores this in his newly published book, ‘On The Origin of Time: Stephen Hawking’s Final Theory’. He joins Jonathan to discuss.

In this special episode of Futureproof Extra, we host 'The Trust Race', a six-part podcast series about scandals and controversies that have affected our trust in science. The show is hosted by regular contributor and friend of the show, Dr. Shane Bergin, and is available on all podcast platforms.

Although on the outside we may all seem very similar, we experience the world in wildly different ways. A fascinating illustration of this is 'Tickertape Synesthesia' in which people experience live subtitles of every sound around them appearing in front of their very eyes. Joining Jonathan to discuss the condition is Professor Laurent Cohen, Professor of Neurology at the Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris. Also joining Jonathan is Professor Séamus Davis, Professor of Quantum Physics at University College Cork. Together they discuss quantum computing and its future. Dr. Susan Kelleher, Assistant Professor of Polymer Chemistry at DCU & Dr. Fergus McAuliffe, Communications and Public Engagement Manager at iCRAG, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Applied Geosciences also join us to go through the top science stories from throughout the week for Newsround.

Despite being in an environmental and biodiversity crisis, there are a number of animals that have come to the brink of extinction. So what can we learn from them, and are we being optimistic by thinking we can bring more species back? Joining Jonathan is Dr. Christopher Preston, Environmental Philosophy Professor at the University of Montana and author of 'Tenacious Beasts: Wildlife Recoveries That Change How We Think about Animals'.

Settling in space might seem like a fun otherworldly concept, but it could also bring a number of practical realities to consider like what would space prisons be like? How would we monitor labour laws? And how could we control population growth? All of these are themes and considerations in astrophysicist Dr. Erika Nesvold’s book "Off-Earth: Ethical Questions and Quandaries for Living in Outer Space", and she joins Jonathan to discuss.

When ChatGPT came on the scene late last year, it was seen by many as a novel and fun piece of new technology, to others like Nick Cave, "a grotesque mockery of what it is to be human". But as new generations of AI come online in the weeks and months ahead, what exactly does that mean for us? Will we look back to this year and say this is when it all changed? Joining Jonathan to discuss where we are with AI technologies and where we are headed is Dr. Benjamin Cowan, Associate Professor at UCD's School of Information and Communication Studies and Co-Principal Investigator at The ADAPT Centre & Naomi Harte, Professor in Speech Technology in the School of Engineering in Trinity College.

Joining Jonathan to discuss the efforts going into creating Ireland's first solar-powered racing car is Philipp Eichhorn, Head of Business for the DCU Solar Racing campaign.

This is a special episode on 'Face Blindness' & 'Super Recognition' featuring Fiona Newell, Professor of Experimental Psychology at the Trinity Institute of Neurosciences, and Meike Ramon, Cognitive Neuroscientist and Assistant Professor at the University of Fribourg. Together they explore 'Prosopagnosia' aka "Face Blindness", a neurological disorder characterised by the inability to recognize faces. First aired on May 25th, 2021

When we’re happy, our bodies become flooded with dopamine and serotonin, two types of neurotransmitters in the brain; our hearts might even beat faster and maybe, we even muster a smile. But does it work the other way? Can contorting our faces into a smile give us that chemical hit that actually makes us feel good? Nicholas A. Coles from the Center for the Study of Language and Information at Stanford University joins Jonathan to discuss.

Roughly 10% of murders in New York are motivated by revenge. But what exactly is revenge and why are some people consumed by it? Jonathan McCrea speaks with psychology PhD student Katie McGaughey from Queen's University Belfast, who is conducting research on revenge and its impact on crime victims. Joining Jonathan for Newsround is physicist Dr Shane Bergin and science communicator Catherine McGuinness.

How far away are we from actually inhabiting the Moon? Professor Mahesh Anand, Open University Professor in Planetary Science and Exploration, has been among those testing lunar rocks to see if we can both extract and produce water up there. He joins Jonathan to discuss this as well as the primary challenges currently preventing us from making the lunar surface our home.

It’s estimated that 1 in 8 to 1 in 5 people have depression, but it’s mostly those at the moderate to the severe end who turn to antidepressants. This week, we wanted to delve into how exactly antidepressants work and the scientific impact they have on the alchemy of the brain. Joining Jonathan to discuss this is Dr. Christelle Langley, Cognitive Neuroscientist at the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge. Dr. Oran Kennedy from the Dept of Anatomy & Regenerative Medicine and the Tissue Engineering Research Group at RCSI & Dr. Susan Kelleher from DCU also joins Jonathan for Newsround.

When it comes to contraception it seems women have the lion's share of options. This is perhaps down to the fact that society has decided that they, not men, must bear most of the burden of preventing pregnancy. But men’s birth control options — and, therefore, responsibilities — could soon be expanding. So how far away are we from seeing the likes of a non-hormonal male contraceptive pill in our pharmacies and why is it taking so long to develop? Dr. Gunda Georg, is Regents Professor & Director of the Institute for Therapeutics Discovery and Development at the College of Pharmacy at the University of Minnesota - she joins Jonathan to discuss.

It takes a special kind of person to be keen to conduct an autopsy and this week's guest is taking that interest to a whole new level this month as she performs a live demonstration for an audience at the Northern Ireland Science Festival - albeit on an actor playing a dead body. Joining Jonathan to discuss the scientific process of what exactly is involved in a postmortem is Dr. Louisa Miller, specialist registrar in histopathology. Note: Louisa’s event at the Crescent Arts Centre in Belfast on 16th February is sold out but some tickets remain for the event at The Playhouse, Derry / Londonderry on Friday 17th February.

At this stage, we are all pretty familiar with the circular way in which nature works. If we think of the hydrologic cycle for instance we know there are four main parts Evaporation, Convection, Precipitation and Collection, etc. But there are still, even to this day, aspects of the earth's cycles that we are only beginning to understand and, in some cases, finding out they exist at all. My next guest is one researcher who is looking at the phenomena known as Turbidity currents and the complex relationship they have with our deep oceans. Peter Talling is a Professor in Submarine Geohazards in the Department of Earth Sciences and Department of Geography at the University of Durham - he joins to discuss.

When we’re happy, our bodies become flooded with dopamine and serotonin, two types of neurotransmitters in the brain; our hearts might even beat faster and maybe, we even muster a smile. But does it work the other way? Can contorting our faces into a smile give us that chemical hit that actually makes us feel good? Nicholas A. Coles from the Center for the Study of Language and Information at Stanford University joins

For years we have wondered what the purpose of sleep really is, and while huge strides have been made regarding our understanding of the function of sleep, much more remains to be uncovered. Joining Jonathan to chat through some of the theories we have on why we sleep and have dreams is Robert Stickgold, Professor of Psychiatry at the Center for Sleep and Cognition, Harvard Medical School.

Semiconductor devices are everywhere, with almost 80% of the Irish population having a smartphone - not to mention any number of other computer devices. And not only is their presence in modern life ubiquitous, but the way in which these devices are produced is also astonishing - being created through a painstaking process requiring single atoms to be removed one by one. Joining Jonathan to discuss the challenges and solutions involved in making semiconductors is Michael Nolan, Principal Scientist at Tyndall National Institute, where he leads the Materials Modelling for Devices activity in the MNS Centre.

Severe period pain, infertility and even depression - living with endometriosis can have serious effects on quality of life. Will new technologies finally yield therapy for those with the condition? Joining Jonathan to discuss this is Dr Kate Lawrenson, associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in LA.

An injury to the spinal cord can be hugely traumatic and life-changing. While currently, there are no proven treatments that protect against the consequences of SCI work goes on to change that. Aleksandra Serafin, a Ph.D. researcher at the School of Engineering at the University of Limerick, is involved in one line of research that looks to be a part of that change - she joins Jonathan to discuss.

The Africanized honey bee has earned itself the nickname of ‘the killer bee’, but how much truth is there to the suggestion that the species was created by an experiment gone wrong? Joining Jonathan to discuss this is Mark L. Winston, Professor Emeritus and Senior Fellow at the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University, in British Columbia, Canada. Catherine McGuinness, Zoologist and Educator & Dr Jessamyn Fairfield, University of Galway physicist join us to go through the top science stories from the week in Newsround.

Think of those greatly-preserved Roman structures like the Pantheon and you might marvel that they are still standing after all these centuries. So what’s so special about this ancient construction that leaves us with these marvelous buildings? Linda Seymour, a former MIT doctoral student with a background in civil engineering – alongside researchers from MIT, Harvard, and labs in Switzerland and Italy – has been examining what made Roman concrete so durable - she joins Jonathan to discuss.

The notion of human beings getting to and settling on Mars has been a staple of science fiction for decades. But what are the social, scientific, and engineering constraints for establishing a colony, and what are the current blueprint and design concepts for the settlement of an entire Martian city? Justin Hollander, Urban Planning Professor at Tufts University and the author of ‘The First City on Mars: An Urban Planner’s Guide to Settling the Red Planet’ joins Jonathan to discuss. https://jholla03.pages.tufts.edu/

We would traditionally associate sperm as solitary swimmers but new research suggests that the male reproductive cell can sometimes move into groups. Joining Jonathan to discuss why this might be the case and what significance this behaviour could have on our future fertility is Chih-Kuan Tung of the Department of Physics at North Carolina A&T State University.

It may come as no great surprise to any of our listeners that it is our goal here at Futureproof to educate and reveal the world of science to you. In order to do that, we must keep you entertained, and engaged - we absolutely have to hold your attention. That being said, try as we might, chances are that at least for some of you, your mind will wander. But in this modern age are we inclined to allow our minds to drift off more than before? Is our attention being stolen? Johann Hari, author of ‘Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention' joins Jonathan to discuss. Dr. Shane Bergin & Dr. Susan Kelleher also join Jonathan for this week's installment of 'Newsround'.

In this special episode of Futureproof, Jonathan looks back at some of our favourite pieces from throughout 2022. - Martin Wikelski, Professor at the University of Konstanz & Director at Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour explores the idea that animals can detect natural disasters. - Carl Zimmer, an award-winning New York Times columnist and author of ‘Life’s Edge: The Search For What It Means To Be Alive’ speaks to Jonathan about the myriad ways we define life itself. - And to sift through some of the most ethically questionable experiments to ever take place is Gina Perry, writer, science historian, and author of ‘Behind the Shock Machine’ & ‘The Lost Boys’.

Our senses are at the heart of how we navigate the world - coalescing in any moment, in any combination, to varying degrees, to relay what is going on around us and within us. But when you stop to think about the level of complexity involved in making sense of all of this in your brain - it really is quite astonishing. That being said, are we guilty of doing our senses a disservice by reducing their scope to just five? Is there more to it than just smell, sight, taste, touch, and hearing? If so, what are the other ways we sense the world and what function do they serve? Ashley Ward is a professor in Animal Behaviour at the University of Sydney & author of ‘Sensational: A New Story of Our Senses’ - he joins Jonathan to discuss.

Over the 13 years of doing this show one of the things that we, and indeed all of the field of Astrophysics, has been trying to get our collective head around is the idea of Dark Matter and Dark Energy. To the layperson, these ideas can seem like rather convenient inventions thought up merely to paper over the cracks in our current models. But let’s be honest, most of us don’t really know enough about physics to make such bold accusations. This week's guest however does, and not only does he think that there is no such thing as Dark Matter, he also says our fundamental model of gravitation is wrong. Pavel Kroupa is a Professor of astrophysics at the University of Bonn and Head of the Stellar Populations and Dynamics research group. He joins Jonathan to discuss.

Evolution is constantly adapting us to our environment, making species more suited and better equipped to survive in their natural habitat. So why did our distant ancestors have better teeth than we do? And what can the study of our gnashers tell us about our diet, our oral health, and our very origins as a species? Professor Peter Ungar is a Paleoanthropologist, and author of 'Evolution’s Bite: A Story of Teeth, Diet, and Human Origins'. He joins Jonathan to discuss what teeth can tell us. First Aired 28/7/2018

From day one we feel our way into, and through, the world. By utlising a complex array of sensory receptors that grow and evolve as we mature, we come to understand not just everything we encounter in our external lives but also in our internal lives as well. We are sentient beings. But what is sentience and when did it arise in animals? And why are we sentient at all? Nicholas Humphrey is Emeritus Professor of Psychology at the London School of Economics. He is the author of many books on the evolution of human intelligence and consciousness, the latest being ‘Sentience: The Invention of Consciousness' - available in all good bookshops or online - he joins Jonathan to discuss.

One of the most blindingly obvious problems facing human space travel is that space is very big. It’s like REALLY big. Space being big means things in it are far away and the amount of time it takes to get from one rock to the next presents a myriad of challenges for any aspiring "Star Trekker". First of all, you’re going to need a lot of supplies, you’re going to have to spend a lot of time exposed to radiation, and you’re going to get bored and old. Mainly for the sake of storyline, Sci-Fi has often circumvented these problems by putting the crew into hibernation but as it turns out, that might just be a viable solution in the real world as well. Sandy Martin is Professor Emerita in the Department of Cell & Development Biology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus - she joins Jonathan to discuss.

Photography may, at a cursory glance, appear to dwell in the domain of the humanities and artistic expression but it is a vital tool to science as well. When it comes to understanding the vastness of the cosmos or the structure of a cell, we rely on imagery to help us better understand the natural world around us. But how do the technologies that give us these images actually work? How do we make the invisible visible and what developments might we expect in the years to come? Jack Challoner, an independent science writer and the author of more than 40 science books the latest of which is ‘Seeing Science: The Art of Making the Invisible Visible’. He joins Jonathan to discuss.

For most of us, the word “multiverse” probably conjures up some sort of fun sci-fi episode like the universe in which we all have hot dogs for fingers in Oscar contender ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ or the parallel universe in Star Trek where there’s an evil you with a moustache. Multiverses are just vehicles for our flights of fancy, right? Well, that’s what we thought until Professor Will Kinney casually mentioned that the majority of physicists now accept that we live in a multiverse in an interview with us earlier this year. Laura Mersini-Houghton is a Professor of Theoretical Physics and Cosmology in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and author of 'Before the Big Bang: The Origin of the Universe and What Lies Beyond', she is also one such physicist, and furthermore, she says she has the evidence to back it up. She joins Jonathan to discuss.

In this special insatllment of Futureproof Gold, we take a listen back to our award-winning episode 'Enemies of the State'. Among other guests, Mara Hvistendahl, Contributing Correspondent for Science, National Fellow at New America and author of the Wired article 'Inside China's Vast New Experiment in Social Ranking', joins Jonathan to explore the true potential that technology has in controlling and manipulating the behaviour of entire populations through social credit scores.

For this very special episode of Futureproof, recorded live at the TU Dublin Grangegorman Campus, Jonathan was joined by a panel of guests to explore the limits of human and artificial intelligence. Joining Jonathan is: -Dr. Benjamin Cowan, Associate Professor at UCD's School of Information & Communication Studies and Co-Principal Investigator at The ADAPT Centre. -Dr. Tomás Ryan - Associate Professor in the School of Biochemistry and Immunology and the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin.

For this very special episode of Futureproof, recorded live at the TU Dublin Grangegorman Campus, Jonathan was joined by a panel of guests to explore whether it is possible for a human being to run forever. Joining Jonathan is: - Ultra Runner, Keith Russell - Helen French, Associate Professor in the RCSI School of Physiotherapy - Dr. Oran Kennedy, Senior Lecturer in Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine at RCSI - Sinead Bradbury, Performance Nutritionist (SENr) Dr.Ruth Freeman from the SFI & Dr. Susan Kelleher, Assistant Professor of Polymer Chemistry in the School of Chemistry at UCD were also on hand to go through the top news stories from the world of science for Newsround.

Joining Jonathan to discuss how the skills needed to perform laparoscopic keyhole surgery as well as e-sports can be significantly enhanced by applying electric neurostimulation during training is Adam Toth, ESRL Research Program Manager at Lero in the University of Limerick.

When you walk out your door today, it may be sunny, it may be windy, the waves may be crashing against the shores with an awesome fierceness. Or, you know, none of those things might be happening. And therein lies one of the fundamental issues with renewable energy, its unpredictability. But one thing that won’t happen when you go out there this morning is that you won’t float off into the air. Gravity is reliably keeping your feet on the ground and it will continue to do so ad infinitum. So couldn’t we use this persistent force in some way to solve our energy woes? Jill MacPherson is Senior Test & Simulation Engineer with Gravitricity - she joins Jonathan to discuss.

Jonathan is joined by Karen Bakker, Fellow at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies and author of 'The Sounds of Life: How Digital Technology Is Bringing Us Closer to the Worlds of Animals and Plants' to explore the sounds in nature that we cannot hear. Andrea Maier, Oon Chiew Seng Professor in Medicine, Healthy Ageing and Dementia Research, Co-Director at the Centre for Healthy Longevity, National University of Singapore, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam joins Jonathan to discuss what we can take to help us live longer. Dr. Shane Bergin & Dr. Lara Dungan also joined Jonathan to run through the week's science news for Newsround.

As well as trying to sell you products you’ve just been talking about but don’t want, and beating humans at chess or Go or Mario cart, AI can actually do some real good in the world. One field in which AI could really have a profound effect is medical diagnostics for instance. Dr. Nikolas Pontikos is the Principal Investigator and Group Leader of the Pontikos Lab at UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital - he joins Jonathan to discuss.

Physics, while absolutely fascinating, can be impenetrable. And it isn't just cutting-edge ideas that can melt our brains, often we accept basic principles and ideas without really knowing how they work or even what they are. This week, Jonathan is joined by Sean Carroll, physicist, and author of 'The Biggest Ideas in the Universe: Space, Time, and Motion', to explain some of the fundamental aspects of science we thought we knew.

Pain is a deeply subjective thing. When it’s with us it’s all we can think about. So, what is life like then for someone for whom pain never leaves? Haider Warraich, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and author of 'The Song of Our Scars: The Untold Story of Pain' joins Jonathan to discuss.

It can be easy to think poorly of humans. When we're not destroying the planet or starting wars, we're likely off somewhere making fools of ourselves on social media. We're not all bad though, as some people dedicate their spare time, and even their lives, to helping others. But can we say the same about other animals? (We're looking at you, cats.) Bob Pitman is a Marine Ecologist at the Marine Mammal Institute at Oregon State University. He joins Jonathan to discuss.

Yiddish author and playwright Sholem Aleichem; the man whose stories formed the basis for 1964 musical Fiddler on the Roof once proposed that “life is a dream for the wise but a game for the fool”. So, is modern technology and more specifically “Gamification” making fools of all of us? Adrian Hon - CEO of Six to Start and author of You've Been Played: How Corporations, Governments, and Schools Use Games to Control Us All joined Jonathan on the show to discuss.

We have covered the lives and behaviors of bees a few times here on the programme. So much so we thought we’ve seen and heard it all. Well, we may have been wrong about that…in particular, with something to do with the dance they perform in the hive and how it relates to their ability to communicate and navigate. Prof. Jürgen Tautz is a bee expert, animal behaviorist and Emeritus Professor at the Biozentrum, University of Würzburg and author of ‘Communication Between Honeybees: More Than Just a Dance in the Dark’ and he joined Jonathan on the show.

Drug development is notoriously slow and expensive to bring a new compound from the lab bench to market. A major cause of this inefficiency is the traditional reliance on testing drugs in animals before they are tested in humans. Animal models often do not accurately reflect human physiology, meaning that drugs that appear to be safe and effective in animals frequently turn out to be harmful or ineffective in humans. The solution could come from computer microchip manufacturing methods to create “Organs-on-Chips", microfluidic culture devices that recapitulate the complex structures and functions of living human organs. Dane Gobel, the Co-Founder and Operations Director of Methuselah Foundation joins Jonathan to discuss.

Average adults' heart beats 72 times a minute. In a lifetime it creates enough energy to drive the truck to the moon and back and generates astonishingly 2,5 gigajoules of energy. Yet, cardiac arrests and heart diseases are major causes of death worldwide, despite decades of research. How much further we'll have to go before we solve this problem? To discuss Jonathan was joined by Sian Harding, Emeritus Professor of Cardiac Pharmacology at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, and author of The Exquisite Machine. The New Science of the Heart.

If you have acute migraines, your doctor might refer you to a neurologist. If your Asthma is really bad, maybe you’ll be sent to a respiratory specialist. They will then use their expertise to alleviate your symptoms but crucially they won’t be able to tell you what is causing your illness because frankly, they don’t know. So, what if the ultimate cause of these ailments isn’t happening in the brains or the lungs but elsewhere? Doesn’t that present a problem for how our medical system operates? The resounding answer is yes according to Professor Harald Schmidt who is Chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Personalized Medicine at the University of Maastricht and author of 'The End of Medicine as We Know It and Why Your Health Has a Future'. He joins Jonathan to discuss.

Recently, the Chinese government has been testing a thorium nuclear reactor that uses molten salt as a coolant. Although this radioactive element has been trialed in reactors before, experts say that China is the first to have a shot at commercializing the technology. The Wuwei reactor is designed to produce just 2 megawatts of thermal energy, which is only enough to power up to 1,000 homes. But if the experiments are a success, China hopes to build a reactor that could power hundreds of thousands of homes by 2030. So could Thorium Nuclear Reactors be the answer to all of our current climate woes? Simon Middleburgh, Professor of Materials at the Nuclear Futures Institute in Bangor University joins Jonathan to discuss.

Depending on your social media proclivities you may or may not have noticed that your feed is awash with images from the JWST. Certainly science Twitter is very excited about it. And so they should be, it’s amazing to see what we can observe of the very big and very far away thanks to the increased resolution of our newest space telescope. In a similar vein the third run of the Large Hadron Collider is allowing us to peer ever further into the world of the very small. So what might we find? Amanda Donohue is a UCD Doctoral Student at the Large Hadron Collider in CERN Jon Butterworth is Professor of Physics at University College London (UCL) working on the ATLAS experiment at CERN's Large Hadron Collider.

How do you eat an elephant? One spoon at a time, right? Well It's the same with living forever. No one is going to find a magic potion that will make you 20 again but over the years we are slowly, consistently and incrementally improving patient health and preventing diseases associated with ageing. We've nearly doubled life expectancy in just over a century. Doubled! Jonathan caught up with Author and Biomedical Gerontologist Aubrey De Grey at the Inaugural Longevity Summit in Dublin to hear why he thinks the first person to live to 150 has already been born.

A recent Newstalk survey on commuting has found that people are spending longer on their journeys to work since the pandemic. And so all week we’ve been speaking to transport experts, policymakers as well as commuters themselves to hear about the issues being faced on a daily basis as we look to get from A to B. But what does the future hold for commuting and for transport in general? Are the likes of Hyper Loop, Air Taxis, and automated pods a thing of science fiction? Professor Marcus Enoch, a professor of transport strategy at Loughborough University in the UK joins Jonathan to discuss.

You’ve probably seen the likes of '2012' or more recently 'Don’t Look Up' - disaster movies where there’s a race against time to save humanity. Those films also have a common thread: you have a superset of super-rich people looking to buy their way to salvation. Pretty silly stuff, right? But what if we told you those preparations are happening right now, and that there really is no room at the inn for the like of you and me? Douglas Rushkoff is Professor of Media Theory and Digital Economics at the City University of New York, and is the author of over 20 books, the latest of which is called ‘Survival of the Richest: Escape Fantasies of the Tech Billionaires' - he joins Jonathan to discuss.

Sometimes in science, a question can be so hotly debated that attempting to answer it can become a lifetime project. And more often than not these questions are ones that we didn’t even realise were up for debate. In plant biology, the topic getting researchers all hot under the collar at the moment is the question of whether plants can be intelligent or not and this week's guest is just one of the many voices in the debate. Paco Calvo is Principal Investigator in the MINT (Minimal Intelligence) lab at the University of Murcia and co-author of 'Planta Sapiens: Unmasking Plant Intelligence'. He joins Jonathan to discuss.

Steven N. Austad is the Chair and a Distinguished Professor within the UAB Department of Biology and the author of 'Methuselah's Zoo: What Nature Can Teach Us About Living Longer, Healthier Lives'. He joins Jonathan to discuss what we know about longevity in animals, and what they might be able to teach us humans about extending our own lifespans.

When Leo Szilard conceived of the idea of a nuclear chain reaction in 1933 he immediately tried to suppress his own discovery culminating in 1945 with the Szilard petition which advocated a demonstration of the atomic bomb rather than its use in warfare. Szilard knew only too well the awesome destructive power of what he had discovered and knowing what we do about what happened next, what then should we make of the field of genetic engineering, a field of research that has instigated a self-imposed moratorium on four separate occasions in the last 50 years? Professor Matthew Cobb from the University of Manchester is author of 'The Genetic Age: Our Perilous Quest To Edit Life' - he joins Jonathan to discuss.

Prof. Lee Cronin, Regius Chair of Chemistry in the School of Chemistry at the University of Glasgow joins Jonathan to discuss working on taking the guesswork out of creating the pharmaceuticals that we depend on through the use and development of 'Chemputers', a new method that is capable of reliably synthesising organic chemicals.

Language is fundamental to who we are and what has makes us so successful as a species, and while all species have their own means of communicating, we are the only ones that seem to have mastered it. But where did this ability to share complex ideas using sound come from? And what effect has it had on our development? In this Futureproof special, Jonathan looks to unravel questions about the evolution of language, the impact it has on our brain, and how we might communicate with extraterrestrials if we were to encounter them. - Mark Pagel, Professor in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Reading - Lera Boroditsky, Associate Professor of Cognitive Science at UCSD and author of '7,000 Universes: How the Languages We Speak Shape the Way We Think' - Daniel Oberhaus, writer with 'Wired' and author of 'Extraterrestrial Languages'

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a genetic disorder that occurs in approximately one out of every 15,000 births. It affects males and females with equal frequency and affects all races and ethnicities and is recognized as one of the most common genetic causes of life-threatening childhood obesity. To discuss this disorder and what can be done to help people living with it, Jonathan is joined now by Dr. Tony Holland, Professor Emeritus at the University of Cambridge, UK & President of the International Prader-Willi Syndrome Organisation.

Most of us could probably put together a list of things we find attractive in a potential partner and a lot of those things will likely come down to our personality or the cultural environment. But what about that initial, almost unconscious, spark of attraction? What causes that and does it have any real impact on whether a relationship with that person will stand the test of time? Paul Eastwick is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Davis, and Head of the Attraction and Relationships Research Laboratory - he joins Jonathan to discuss.

There has been a lot said about the extinction of the dinosaurs. But aside from the actual extinction event itself, when it comes to the days, weeks, months, and years immediately following it well, not so much. So, how exactly did any species survive it, and why those specific species? Riley Black is a freelance science writer specializing in evolution, paleontology, and natural history, and the author of ‘The Last Days of the Dinosaurs: An Asteroid, Extinction and the Beginning of Our World’ - She joins Jonathan to discuss.

In years gone by, if a bee was annoying you, it was usually "bye-bye Mr. Bee" but nowadays, we’re more likely to put out plates of sugary water to help them on their way as in recent years our appreciation for these incredible insects has grown, our understanding of their importance more rounded. But just how intelligent are they? Lars Chittka, Professor in Sensory and Behavioural Ecology at Queen Mary University of London and author of 'The Mind of a Bee' joins Jonathan to discuss.

Jurassic Park came out in 1993, then "Dolly" the sheep was cloned in 1996, and yet here we are more than two decades later and we still haven’t got a dinosaur theme park. So, what’s the hold-up? Well aside from the many significant ethical issues, the scientific challenges are huge and one in particular that adversely affects much more reasonable de-extinction projects is the simple fact that right now we can’t clone birds or dinosaurs for that matter. Why? Ben Novak is Lead Scientist with Revive & Restore, he joins Jonathan to discuss.

While you may be King or Queen of your local park run, no matter how much training you do, even if you were to use performance-enhancing drugs, you'll still never outrun the likes of the common house cat. So, what are the determining factors when it comes to the top speed that can be achieved by animals? Michael Gunther is a Researcher in Biomechanics at the University of Stuttgart, he joins Jonathan to discuss. Dr. Shane Bergin & Dr. Lara Dungan also join Jonathan for this week's installment of Newsround.

Have you ever seen a ghost, or a UFO, or had some seemingly supernatural experience that you can’t explain? If you haven’t, we'd be willing to bet you probably know someone who has. These experiences are fairly common across cultures and they can’t all be the work of hoaxers and charlatans. So what’s going on? Chris French is Emeritus Professor of Psychology in the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at the Goldsmiths University of London. He joins Jonathan to discuss.

If you are a pet owner you probably have plenty of experience trying to get a basic message across to your dog or perhaps if you own a cat you gave up on that hope years ago. Yet many of us have had that momentary glimpse of understanding; that sense that we could communicate if we just worked at it. But is animal translation actually possible? Diana Reiss is a Co-Founder of the Interspecies Internet and Professor in the Department of Psychology at Hunter College. She joins Jonathan to discuss. Dr. Lara Dungan & Dr. Shane Bergin also join Jonathan for Newsround.

Dr. Julia Shaw, a psychological scientist at University College London and the author of ‘Bi: The Hidden Culture, History, and Science of Bisexuality’ joins Jonathan to discuss her work in uncovering the many surprising truths behind sexual orientation and bisexuality as a whole.

For us humans, our overall sensory capabilities - the scope of our sense of smell, our sight, our hearing, and touch - feels all-encompassing, like there’s nothing more that we could possibly conceive of that would change how we experience the world around us. But that’s dead wrong. And this is an illusion that we share with every animal and insect in the world. But what we might humans lack in one area of perception, another animal or insect might excel. So, what are we missing? Ed Yond, science journalist and author of ‘An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us’ joins Jonathan to discuss. Dr. Ruth Freeman, Director of Strategy and Communications at Science Foundation Ireland & Dr. Shane Bergin, Physicist and Assistant Professor in Science Education at UCD also joined Jonathan for this week's episode of Newsround.

We have a complex relationship with psychedelics. To some, they can be gateways to a higher level of consciousness, to others, a poison that should be stamped out. Regardless of where you stand though, the fact that our brains are capable of creating these fluid, dynamic, altered states of perception seemingly on their own is pretty cool. But can these experiences be created with light flashes instead of chemicals? And if so, what might we learn from them? Fiona Macpherson, Professor of Philosophy, and Director of the Centre for the Study of Perceptual Experience at the University of Glasgow and a part of the creative team behind The Dream Machine joins Jonathan to discuss.

The biggest story this week was the release of some absolutely spectacular views of the cosmos from the James Webb Space Telescope, which include the deepest infrared view of our universe that has ever been taken. Joining Jonathan to discuss this incredible achievement is one Irish person who has been involved in the project for two decades, Professor Tom Ray, Director of the School of Cosmic Physics at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies.

There's much to admire about birds. They can soar through the skies, build durable nests, sing the most beautiful songs, and possess a visual acuity that is truly something to behold. But when it comes to their other senses how do they fare? For a long time, it was widely believed that birds had none, but that didn't sit right with Danielle J. Whittaker, Evolutionary Biologist, Managing Director of the COLDAX Center for Oldest Ice Exploration, and author of ‘The Secret Perfume of Birds: Uncovering the Science of Avian Scent’. She joins Jonathan to discuss.

How do we get someone to change their mind? Is it by arguing them into submission or is it by letting them explain the story about how they arrived at that point of view? What is the underlying brain chemistry of how opinions change? A new book titled ‘How Minds Change’ delves into these questions. The author, David McRaney, joins Jonathan to discuss.

Annie Jacobsen, author of 'The Pentagon's Brain: An Uncensored History of DARPA, America's Top-Secret Military Research Agency' joins Jonathan to discuss the history of the US Defense Department's most secret, most powerful, and most controversial military science R&D agency. First broadcast July 9th 2016

For most of us, our image of what goes on in an operating theatre comes from television and movies; we think scalpels, scrubs, facemasks, and beeping heart monitors, etc. What we don’t envisage, is robots and augmented reality glasses but increasingly modern surgery is incorporating these and other cutting-edge technologies into their systems and procedures. So just what does the operating theatre of 2022 look like? Connor Green is Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh. He joins Jonathan to discuss.

If you’ve seen classic B Movies like 1954’s 'Them' or the criminally underappreciated classic, 'Starship Troopers', the words “Insect Warfare” probably conjure up some specific, likely silly imagery. But insects have featured in human conflicts in very real and often terrifying ways since the beginning of the historical record and likely, long before it. Jeffrey Lockwood is Professor of Natural Sciences and Humanities at the University of Wyoming and the author of 'Six-Legged Soldiers: Using Insects as Weapons of War'. He joins Jonathan to discuss, Catherine McGuinness, Zoologist and Educational Assistant at the National Museum of Ireland & Dr. Lara Dungan also joined Jonathan for Newsround.

We conventionally think of time as something simple and fundamental that flows uniformly, independently from everything else, from the past to the future, measured by clocks and watches. In the course of time, the events of the universe succeed each other in an orderly way: pasts, presents, futures. The past is fixed, the future open. . . . And yet all of this has turned out to be false. Carlo Rovelli is Director of the Quantum Gravity Group of the Centre de Physique Théorique (CPT) of the Aix-Marseille University and author of 'The Order of Time', he joined Jonathan to discuss. First aired 21/7/2018

We here at Futureproof don't need to tell you that biodiversity is in crisis. This is true in our seas as much as in our oceans, and despite that, only 2% of our waters are designated "Marine Protected" areas but a national campaign called 'Fair Seas' is trying to change that. Joining Jonathan to discuss is Regina Classen, Marine Policy and Research Officer with the Irish Wildlife Trust and co-author of the 'Fair Seas' report, 'Revitalising Our Seas'.

When it comes to maintaining that youthful luster, we have, over the years, concocted all manner of things - from cosmetics, dietary plans, and exercise regimes - to get the job done. But unless you’ve got the actual fountain of youth in your back garden or the holy grail sitting on your mantle you’re probably plum out of luck when it comes to reversing the aging process completely. That being said, researchers at the University of Rochester have uncovered more evidence that the key to longevity resides instead with a simple enzyme. Vera Gorbunova, Professor of Biology and Medicine & co-director of the Rochester Aging Research Center at the University of Rochester joins Jonathan to discuss. Dr.Ruth Freeman from the SFI & Shane Bergin, Physicist & Assistant Prof in Science Education at UCD also joined Jonathan for Newsround.

Whether AI is capable of reaching the point of sentience has long been debated; and with the news this week around Blake Lemoine - an engineer at Google who has claimed that the firm's LaMDA AI system has achieved just that - the conversation has been given a new lease of life. It begs the question - at what point do we call something sentient? And does it even matter, if a computer programme is actually sentient if it appears to be thoughtful, self-aware and reflective? To tease out these threads and discuss the story of LaMDA in general, Jonathan is joined by Dr. Anya Belz, Professor of Computer Science at DCU & The ADAPT Centre as well as Dr. Benjamin Cowan, Assistant Professor at UCD's School of Information & Communication Studies and Investigator at The ADAPT Centre.

Jonathan is joined by Jules Howard - Zoological Consultant & Correspondent and Author of Wonderdog: How the Science of Dogs Changed the Science of Life Shane Bergin and Catherine Mc Guinness join us for newsround

An injury to the spinal cord can be hugely traumatic and life-changing in nature. And while inroads have been made in terms of the development of treatments, there’s still a way to go. But what are the treatments currently in development and are outcomes getting any better than they were 20 years ago? Dr. Rory Murphy is a neurosurgeon in the Department of Neurosurgery at Barrow Neurological Institute, in Phoenix, Arizona - he joined Jonathan to discuss.

From thermostats, to step counters, pressure gauges, and chips that guide the Roomba around your living room, there are now more electronic sensors in the world than there are people. So what do all of these sensors mean for us and our relationship with the world and where exactly will it take us? Chris Salter, artist & Professor of Immersive Arts at Zurich University of the Arts (ZHDK) and the author of ‘Sensing Machines: How Sensors Shape Our Everyday Life’ joins Jonathan to discuss.

For centuries, stories about the origin of life have gripped us, while attempts to understand and define it have confounded us as for every metric we use to measure and qualify life, inevitably there’s some microbe or animal that doesn’t quite fit the bill. So, how do we answer this question and what does it mean to be a living thing anyway? Carl Zimmer, an award-winning New York Times columnist sought to discuss just that in his latest book - ‘Life’s Edge: The Search For What It Means To Be Alive’ - he joins Jonathan to discuss.

Of the five (traditionally accepted) senses, smell is definitely the one that gets overlooked. But it can also be one of the most evocative. If you’ve ever had a smell bring you back to a specific time or feeling you’ll know exactly what we mean by that. But how does smell work exactly? Luca Turin is a Biophysicist, Group Leader in Quantum Neurobiology at the Fleming Institute in Athens, and author of 'The Secret of Scent: Adventures in Perfume and The Science of Smell' - He joined Jonathan to discuss.

Knowing where we come from can be one of the most important pillars by which we establish and develop our sense of who we are. Not only that, understanding our genealogy can help answer questions around personality traits, physical characteristics, and our genetic history - but what percentage of those traits get passed down through generations, and how much of ourselves is borne of our upbringing? In this special episode of Futureproof, we hear the heartwarming story of one woman and her journey to find her father - in the process, answering questions once thought to be out of reach - and the advancements in science that helped her do it.

Whether you’re aware of it or not, right now, you are vibrating. In fact, the natural frequency of a human body while standing is roughly between 5Hz-10Hz. And the same goes for all things in the universe - the earth for instance resonates at 7.83Hz. But, if all things resonate then sure they must have a sound…and if so, then what do they sound like? Richard Mainwaring is a composer, broadcaster, and author of ‘Everybody Hertz: The Amazing World of Frequency, from Bad Vibes to Good Vibrations’ - he joined jonathan to discuss.

The incredible science behind organ transplant surgery is perhaps something that has become a bit normalised as for the majority of us, these life-saving and life-extending procedures have always been around. But is there a limit to what we can transplant and what might we expect in the years to come in this area? Reza Motallebzadeh, Head of the Centre for Transplantation at University College London joined Jonathan to discuss.

The peopling of the Americas has long been a hot topic. After all, there are no written records and scant archaeological evidence to tell us what happened or how it took place.  There have been many different models put forth to explain how the Americas were peopled but recent strides in the field of genetics are upending some long-held assumptions. Jennifer Raff is an associate professor of anthropology at the University of Kansas and author of ‘Origin: A Genetic History of the Americas’ - she joined Jonathan to discuss. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

If you ask most people how the universe began, they might say “the Big Bang” - but it’s hard to be satisfied with that answer and to resist the temptation to ask “but what happened before that?” Well, that is precisely the question that Will Kinney, Professor in the Department of Physics at the University at Buffalo, strives to answer in his new book - 'An Infinity of Worlds: Cosmic Inflation and the Beginning of the Universe'. He joined Jonathan to discuss. Dr.Ruth Freeman from SFI & Dr. Lara Dungan also joined Jonathan to run through some of the week's biggest science stories for Newsround. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

In our efforts to better understand the very fabric of the universe we sometimes have to think outside the box. So it might seem strange then to think that in our search for the elusive dark matter we need not necessarily look to the depths of the solar system, the Milky Way, or the universe itself but to the ground beneath our feet. Alan Kelly, Professor in Astrophysics and Director of Space Technology and Industry Institute at Swinburne University of Technology in Australia joined Jonathan to talk about The Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory - held inside an active gold mine 1 km beneath the surface of the earth. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

The climate change problem can often seem intractable and in a political sense, painfully slow. But it's important to remember that some progress is being made and we are innovating new techniques and technologies to address the issue. One such innovation is CO2 upcycling - Andrea Ramirez Ramirez, Professor in the Faculty of Low-Carbon Systems and Technologies at Delft University of Technology joined Jonathan to discuss. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Joining Jonathan on Futureproof this week was Dr Matthew Campbell - Associate Professor in Trinity’s School of Genetics and Microbiology . Dr Campbell has pioneered research on what actually triggers Epileptic seizures in the body. Epilepsy is a central nervous system (neurological) disorder in which brain activity becomes abnormal, causing seizures or periods of unusual behavior, sensations and sometimes loss of awareness. Anyone can develop epilepsy. Epilepsy affects both males and females of all races, ethnic backgrounds and ages. He joined Jonathan to discuss. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Joining Jonathan on Futureprooof this week was Kory Kiepert - Engineer & Partner at The Gravity Group. Kory is a rollercoaster engineer who designs rollercoasters. Kory in fact, got married on a rollercoaster. So what does Kory actually do as a rollercoaster engineer? He will do some of the structural engineering and the mechanical engineering for the ride. Usually an amusement park will come to him and show him the plot of land they have chosen for the ride, what the budget is, what kind of ride it will be? He incorporates some of the features of the land or to have the ride interact with other rides or buildings in the park. The process is driven by much the same codes that are in place for the design of any building. His job is to give you the illusion that it’s daring and adventurous but at the same time it’s very controlled. That’s at the heart of what he does. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Evolution has a funny way of equipping creatures that are small in size with attributes that make them deadly to deal with - the poison frog, blue-ringed octopus, or some species of jellyfish for instance. But is this also true of scorpions? Is it really a case of "the bigger the better"? Well, that is exactly the question that Dr. Kevin Healy, Lecturer of Zoology at NUI Galway wanted to answer. He joined Jonathan to discuss. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Since the first draft of a human genome sequence was completed in 2000, genomics research has led to huge strides in the understanding of our biology, but it wasn't complete. Well, in 2019, an international team of scientists set out to rectify that - earlier this month unveiling the first-ever gap-free sequence of a human genome. So how did they do it and what does this mean for the likes of genetic diseases, human diversity, and evolution? Karen Miga, Assistant Professor of Biomolecular Engineering at UC Santa Cruz and an Associate Director of the UCSC Genomics Institute joined Jonathan to discuss. Dr. Shane Bergin & Dr. Lara Dungan also joined Jonathan to run through the week's science news in Newsround. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

We can learn a lot about the animals of the past by studying the fossils we find in the ground but there’s something else that pre-historic creatures leave behind too - their burrows. To discuss what we can learn from these ‘paleoburrows’, Jonathan was joined by Renata Netto, professor at the Geology Graduate Program, Unisinos University in Brazil. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Earlier this month the Dunedin Study into health and behaviour marked its 50th birthday. In 1972, a researcher in the city set out to track the development of more than 1,000 newborn babies up to the age of three. Little did Phil Silva realise that over the next 50 years, his research would morph into one of the world’s most important longitudinal studies - the subsequent work yielding more than 1,300 peer-reviewed research papers, reports, and books. Terrie E. Moffitt, Ph.D. Nannerl O. Keohane University Professor of Psychology at Duke University, and Associate Director of the Dunedin Study joined Jonathan to discuss. Dr. Shane Bergin & Dr. Lara Dungan also joined Jonathan to run through the week's science news in Newsround. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Gravity is everywhere. We and every other thing in the cosmos experience its force at all times no matter how small, no matter how oblivious you might be to its presence - it's there. But for something that causes the falling of a leaf in autumn as well as the collision of supermassive black holes in interstellar space - there’s a whole lot we don’t know about it too. Claudia de Rham, Professor of Theoretical Physics at Imperial College London joined Jonathan to run through everything we don’t know about gravity. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

We have a funny relationship with alcohol. Many of us enjoy how it can make us more outgoing or ready to laugh but for others, it can be a source of significant, long-term problems. So could a synthetic alcohol - which provides the relaxing and socially lubricating qualities of alcohol without the hangovers - be a solution? Professor David Nutt, Edmond J. Safra Professor of Neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London, and the man behind Alcarelle, joined Jonathan to discuss. Dr. Shane Bergin & Dr. Lara Dungan also joined Jonathan to run through the week's science news in Newsround. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Futureproof Extra: The Joy of Science with Jim Al-Khalili

Designing a Vaccine for Covid-19

For millenia the people’s and states of western Europe were at war with each other. They fought the 9 years war, the 100 years war, the Napoleonic wars, two world wars, and way too many others to mention. These people hated each other. It was a cauldron of “us versus them” But today with the rise of the EU and an extended period of peace in the region many of “them” have become “us”. So what caused those centuries of hate, where has it gone, and is it possible to eliminate hate altogether? Matthew Williams, Professor of Criminology in the School of Social Sciences, Director of HateLab and the Social Data Science Lab at Cardiff University, and author of 'The Science of Hate: How Prejudice Becomes Hate And What We Can Do To Stop It' joined Jonathan to discuss. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

For many people, the single greatest human achievement of the 20th century happened on July 20th, 1969 when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon, and a large proportion of those people probably hope for a similar spectacle on Mars in the coming decades. But aside from it being cool, is there actually any reason to send humans to these far-flung places? Britain's Astronomer Royal, Martin Rees, and Astrophysicist & Science Writer Donald Goldsmith consider this very question in their new book 'The End of Astronauts: Why Robots are the Future of Exploration'. They joined Jonathan to discuss. Also joining Jonathan to run through the week's top science stories are Dr. Lara Dungan and Dr. Jessamyn Fairfield. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

One of the things we here at Futureproof talk a lot about is the genome, the complete IKEA instructions to building you that exists in nearly every one of your living cells. As research and genetic technologies improve, the potential for medicine and society is huge, but there are also potential dangers too. It’s why the 'Irish Platform for Patient Organisations, Science & Industry' (IPPOSI) is looking for people to apply to join the Citizens’ Jury on Genomics to discuss all of the implications. To discuss, Jonathan was joined by Gianpiero Cavalleri, Professor of Human Genetics at RCSI & Deputy Director of the SFI FutureNeuro Research Centre. If you think you'd be interested in taking part you can apply at www.ipposi.ie before March 23rd. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

When you think of motorsport, your mind might think of the speed, the danger, or the excitement. But it might surprise you to find that it is the motorsport industry, and its various R&D Departments, that have contributed to a wide range of applications - from climate change solutions to help in the fight against Covid. Dr. Kit Chapman, an award-winning science journalist and author of ‘Racing Green: How Motorsport Science Can Save The World’ - joined Jonathan to discuss. Dr. Susan Kelleher & Dr. Jessamyn Fairfield also joined Jonathan to run through the top stories from the week in science for Newsround. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Futureproof Extra: The Expectation Effect

Can Animals Detect Natural Disasters?

Futureproof Extra: Measuring Intelligence

NeoMimix: The New Sperm Selection Technology

The Winchcombe Lockdown Meteorite

How to Solve a Crime with Science with Dr. Angela Gallop

Futureproof Extra: Hybrid Humans

Unraveling the Mysteries of our Ancient Dead

What Sleep Can Teach Us About Epilepsy?

Can Geoengineering Help in the Fight Against Climate Change?

Now, while we may not be aware of it, each and every one of us is a slave to an unseen and unknowable master. It rules the sun and the earth, roving the cosmos with indifference - presiding over the birth and death of stars and galaxies and every living thing.It is Time. And, consequently, we have a long-standing obsession with measuring it. But just how far back does that obsession go? Chad Orzel, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Union College in Schenectady, NY, and author of ‘A Brief History of Timekeeping – The Science of Marking Time, from Stonehenge to Atomic Clocks’ joined Jonathan to discuss. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

When we eat it may not occur to us how important chewing is. Food impaction is when a morsel of food is blocking the oesophagus or needs to be taken out because it hasn't been broken down correctly via chewing. Jonathan speaks with a gastroenterologist about why chewing is both necessary and important. Gastroenterologists are doctors who are trained to diagnose and treat problems in your gastrointestinal tract and liver. These doctors also do routine procedures such as colonoscopies, which look at the inside of your colon. They get 5-6 years of specialized education after medical school. Marianna Arvanitakis is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Gastroenterology, Erasmus University Hospital, Brussels and specialises in pancreatic disease, nutrition and endoscopy. Dr Shane Bergin of University College Dublin & Dr. Lara Dungan also joined Jonathan to go through the top science news stories from the week in Newsround. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease affecting the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord). MS occurs when the immune system attacks nerve fibers and myelin sheathing (a fatty substance which surrounds/insulates healthy nerve fibers) in the brain and spinal cord. A new paper has been published that seems to have discovered the cause of Multiple Sclerosis. This paper could pave the way for a vaccine for MS Dr. Claire McCoy Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy & Biomolecular Sciences at RCSI joined Jonathan to discuss. Broadcaster and Science Communicator Philip Smyth & Dr. Lara Dungan also joined Jonathan to go through the top science news stories from the week in Newsround. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Futureproof Extra: How Do We Navigate?

Where Are All The Irish Dinosaurs?

Futureproof Extra: A Natural History of the Future

What Life In Space Teaches Us About Life On Earth

Now, science is many things but at its core, it is fundamentally human - to strive to understand, to seek out; and to know. And while we strive to do this while adhering to strict codes of conduct & ethical boundaries. At least we do now anyway. But in the field of psychology In the middle of the 20th century however, all bets were off.   Gina Perry, writer, science historian and author of ‘Behind the Shock Machine’ & ‘The Lost Boys’ 

Futureproof Extra: The Robbers Cave Experiment

he Story of Testosterone, the Hormone that Dominates and Divides Us

Futureproof Extra: Reading Monkey Brains with AI

Why Do We Kiss?

Futureproof Extra: Resignation Syndrome & Other Mysterious Illnesses

FutureProof Gold: The Pentagon's Brain

How Military Funding Shapes What We Know About The Oceans

Michael Grothaus Novelist, Journalist and Author of ‘Trust No One: Inside the World of Deepfakes’ joined Jonathan McCrea to discuss his book and the scary reality of deepfakes currently. Grothaus examines cases that demonstrate the threats presented by morally dubious creators. From the personal to political, the impact of deep fakes is considered carefully by Grothaus, both on the victims and on society as a whole, creating an essential picture of a growing trend in disinformation. The image for this podcast is a Collage of hyperrealistic AI-generated human faces so the images you see are not real people. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

The Science of Sound with Dr. Nina Kraus

Can We Make Synthetic Blood?

On the program this week Jonathan chats to world-renowned Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson about his new book as well as all things cosmos related. This week for the Newsround Jonathan McCrea was joined by Dr Fergus McAuliffe and  scientist Jessamyn Fairfield. They discussed a recent incident in which the US has condemned a Russian anti-satellite test this week which forced crew members on #ISS to scramble into their spacecraft for safety! Amongst other interesting stories in the News this week. Science Communicator extraordinaire Neil deGrasse Tyson joined Futureproof this week to discuss his new book ‘A Brief Welcome to the Universe: A Pocket-Sized Tour’ in which he makes the science of the universe accessible and easy to comprehend. The astrophysicist covers everything from the cosmos, to planets, stars, and galaxies to black holes and time loops! Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Futureproof Extra: The Invisible Universe

Every time you get behind the wheel of the car you will have to deal with countless driving decisions that get you safely from A to B, and it could be argued that those decisions amount to what are essentially life-or-death considerations. But self-driving cars might soon have to make those kinds of judgements and settling on a universal moral code for the AI that drives them could be a problem.  Jean-François Bonnefon, Research Director at the French Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and author of ‘The Car That Knew Too Much’ joined Jonathan to discuss. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

In your news feed or the newspapers or on television, there is probably a recent story on the explosion of some kind of improvised explosive device (IED). For us here in Ireland, those occurrences are nowadays quite rare. However, there are many countries where explosives are a regular occurrence and every day there are men and women who put themselves in harms way in order to deactivate these devices. These are the bomb disposal experts who make a living from switching off devices designed to maim and kill. Many people will have the movie 'The Hurt Locker' in mind when thinking of Bomb Disposal Experts but it is a position that carries many risks and doesn't necessarily match with portrayals depicted in Hollywood movies. In this exclusive and rare interview Jonathan speaks to a bomb disposal expert from the Irish Defence Forces, where for operational reasons the identity of the bomb expert are kept anonymous. On Futureproof today, Jonathan speaks with a bomb disposal expert on what skills are required to diffuse a bomb. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Futureproof Extra: Fighting Infectious Diseases

Life As We Made It with Beth Shapiro