Can we grow a conscious brain?

With advances in stem cell research, could we grow a human brain? And would we want to?

• 26 mins

What is consciousness?

It's easy to observe that we ourselves are conscious but how do you study this phenomenon?

• 36 mins

Can humans be part of healthy ecosystems?

We depend on ecosystems for our survival, so can we play a more sustainable role in them?

• 30 mins

Why are spices delicious?

CrowdScience listener Kristine wants to know why herbs and spices taste so good?

• 27 mins

Which is healthier, farmed or wild salmon?

This week on CrowdScience: which is healthier, farmed salmon or wild?

• 36 mins

Green Man Festival: Why are some animals so ugly?

Why are some animals cute – and some downright weird?

• 26 mins

How does food affect our mood?

What we eat impacts our microbiome. How does that impact our mental health?

• 27 mins

What will 1.5° of warming look like?

Listener Julian wants to know what to expect on the other side of this climate threshold.

• 39 mins

Why do we lie?

Almost all of us lie. But how did it become so engrained in human behaviour?

• 26 mins

What’s the difference between reading and listening to books?

Why our brains respond differently if we listen to books instead of reading them

• 27 mins

What is brainwashing?

Is it possible to control someone’s mind?

• 36 mins

Where does our fat go when we exercise?

What happens to the fat in our bodies when we exercise?

• 26 mins

Are seeds alive?

How come a seed can do nothing for months, or even years, before bursting into life?

• 27 mins

2023 Year-End Extravaganza, Part 1

It’s Part 1 of CrowdScience’s year-end extravaganza! Say hello to some familiar faces.

• 35 mins

2023 Year End Extravaganza, Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of our year-end extravaganza, full of bonus content and stories

• 26 mins

Will electric cars help solve noise pollution?

Will electric cars solve noise pollution?

• 28 mins

Can planting trees solve the climate crisis?

Can we plant enough trees to soak up all the extra carbon we put into the atmosphere?

• 26 mins

Were humans ever semi-aquatic?

Was there a semi-aquatic period for humans as we’ve evolved?

• 26 mins

How should we measure cleverness?

The CrowdScience team are tested to the limit to see how brainy they are.

• 26 mins

Why do we daydream?

Meandering into your wandering mind, why can’t we stay present?

• 30 mins

When will the next earthquake hit?

Will we ever be able to predict earthquakes?

• 27 mins

What time was the first clock set to?

From sundials to atomic clocks via Big Ben, a quest into the history of timekeeping.

• 27 mins

Why do we have wisdom teeth?

Answering your questions about life, Earth and the universe

• 28 mins

How bad is our data for the planet?

What's the environmental impact of all the data we use?

• 27 mins

Do we all see the same colour?

Caroline Steel investigates what affects the way we see the colours of the world

• 29 mins

Is the BMI fatphobic?

How useful is the Body Mass Index?

• 29 mins

Do animals have anxious habits like us?

Why do we bite our nails - and do animals share similar habits?

• 27 mins

Could climate change lead to more volcanic eruptions?

We head to New Zealand to ask how a hotter planet will affect volcanoes.

• 27 mins

How many people have ever existed?

Listener Alpha in Sierra Leone asks us to count all the humans who have ever lived

• 26 mins

How do my ears sense direction?

How can we hear a sound and immediately know where it’s coming from?

• 32 mins