The Human Library: Life as an open book

Would you like to borrow a person for a half-hour candid conversation?

• 6 mins

Body language online

How can we make video conferences feel more natural? That's what Sam and Neil talk about.

• 6 mins

Changing the Earth's climate

Could diamonds help to prevent a climate catastrophe? That's what we discuss.

• 6 mins

Algorithms

We talk about the maths formulas that are increasingly part of our lives.

• 6 mins

Do trees have memories?

We discuss whether plants can 'remember' stressful situations, such as droughts or pests.

• 6 mins

Welcome to the 'metaverse'

We discuss how things like the metaverse and AI might influence how we live.

• 6 mins

Inventing languages

Learn about how languages get invented

• 6 mins

Are personalised diets the best way to be healthy?

We discuss how microbes matter when it comes to food, and teach some related vocabulary.

• 6 mins

Preparing for the Beijing Winter Olympics

Artificial snow, coronavirus and controversy surround the Beijing Games starting soon.

• 6 mins

Sleepy in South Korea

Life in a place where people work longer hours and get less sleep than anywhere else.

• 6 mins

Sleepy in South Korea

Life in a place where people work longer hours and get less sleep than anywhere else.

• 6 mins

The benefits of boredom

We talk about the positive side of boredom and teach you related vocabulary.

• 6 mins

Eating bugs

Neil and Sam discuss eating insects and teach you related vocabulary.

• 6 mins

Is being kind good for you?

Neil and Sam discuss the benefits of kindness and teach you related vocabulary.

• 6 mins

Why laughter is the best medicine

Shouldn't we take laughter more seriously? We discuss and teach related vocabulary.

• 6 mins

Mars: Mysteries of the Red Planet

Neil and Sam discuss our fascination with the 'Red Planet' and teach you related vocab.

• 6 mins

The world of Agatha Christie

We discuss one of her most famous characters and teach you related vocabulary.

• 6 mins

Optimists vs Pessimists

Which one you are may be linked more to your birthplace and age than attitude.

• 6 mins

Britain's love affair with coffee

It's not all about tea - Britons like coffee too. Learn vocabulary to talk about it.

• 6 mins

Rhetoric: How persuasive are you?

We talk about an art that started with ancient Greek philosophers

• 6 mins

Discoveries of the Deep Sea

We talk about an extreme environment, and teach you vocabulary along the way.

• 6 mins

Remembering Desmond Tutu

Deep convictions and a sense of humour - we talk about a man who helped end apartheid.

• 6 mins

Life in the modern office

Great or awful? How do people rate office working? We talk about it and teach vocabulary.

• 6 mins

Can VR treat fears and phobias?

VR is helping people overcome phobias and even tackling more serious problems.

• 6 mins

Finding your way in space

What’s up and what’s down for astronauts who are floating in zero gravity?

• 6 mins

People who can taste words

Can you imagine being able to ‘taste’ every word that you hear?

• 6 mins

What is the Platinum Jubilee?

We talk about a very British tradition involving Queen Elizabeth II

• 6 mins

The technology of translation

What is the relationship between translation, technology and the human brain?

• 6 mins

Island life: Is it paradise?

Rob and Sam discuss some of the problems Pacific islanders face and teach vocabulary.

• 6 mins

The Manhattan Project

Learn about the invention of the atomic bomb

• 6 mins