Share
Eureka!
Where do irrational obsessions come from?
•
This week we’re on a mission to understand phobias, manias and obsessions! We look at where our phobias come from, how people use obsessions as a coping mechanism and how you define a phobia. We also find out about a fascinating case of ‘dancing mania’, we consider the evolutionary purpose behind phobias and we look at how our fears have changed over time.
Special thanks to today's expert, Kate Summerscale.
More episodes
View all episodes
We’re taking a break… Back soon!
00:45|We’re taking a break from Eureka for the time being. We love making the show and we’re hoping to resume soon - so keep your eyes peeled for a new season. In the meantime, please enjoy our back catalogue, there are about sixty episodes ready for you to get stuck into. We’ll see you soon!Will we ever use nuclear fusion power?
36:54|It’s easy to get very excited about nuclear fusion - but are we all getting ahead of ourselves? This week, Michael explains the basics of nuclear fusion, why the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) has been disastrous and what we’ve actually managed to achieve with nuclear fusion so far. We also take a look at whether nuclear fusion is a wise investment and we consider whether our money could be better spent on other energy sources!Why do we need leaders?
57:48|With the coronation just around the corner, we’ve decided to dig into the science behind leadership. We examine the history of leadership and how events like WWI have had an impact on our relationship with leaders. We also look at what personality traits make a good leader and we find out whether society is evolving beyond the need for leadership…Special thanks to today’s expert, Professor André Spicer.Will we ever understand consciousness?
42:16|Prepare to get your head in a spin this week, as we have a go at cracking one of science’s greatest enigmas: consciousness. We delve into the complexities of what it means to be conscious, we explore the history of our understanding of consciousness and we look at some mind-blowing ways that it can be manipulated!Special thanks to today’s expert, Professor Anil Seth.Why does anyone still believe in astrology?
45:57|This week, we take a closer look at the fascinating world of astrology and consider how it has managed to maintain its popularity in the age of science. We find out how astrology historically interacted with science, why decision fatigue can make it so appealing and how some businesses use astrology to make choices. Michael also shares a fascinating way that the month you are born CAN have an impact on your life (with some scientific evidence to back it up) and we find out whether astrology is actually doing anyone any harm…Special thanks to today's expert, Mystic Michael.What makes a great father?
45:52|Rick has recently become a father, so this week we are on a mission to make him the best parent possible. We get some advice on the best ways to bond with a child and we look at how the role of fathers has evolved throughout history. We also look into the benefits of having a good father and we take a look at the fascinating ways your brain and hormones change when you become a Dad!Special thanks to today’s expert, Anna Machin.What are evolution’s greatest hits?
53:07|It's time to delve into one of science’s most fascinating discoveries of all time: evolution! This week, we revel in ten of our favourite organisms and look at how they’ve evolved in amazing ways. We uncover the plants that have developed the ability to hunt, the mould that can navigate its way through a maze (despite not even having a brain) and the ants that can take down a chicken. There’s some seriously freaky stuff out there and this episode will have you thinking ‘wtf’ from start to finish - in a good way, of course.Is the metaverse going to be sh*t?
42:37|It’s undeniable that technology is creeping further and further into our lives - but are we going to end up living inside a virtual reality? Mark Zuckerberg certainly hopes so.This episode, we uncover what the metaverse might look like, we examine some of its potential benefits (and take a critical view of just how good they actually are) and we consider some of the drawbacks. We also discover how close the metaverse is to becoming a reality and we find out whether anyone actually wants any of this in the first place…Special thanks to today’s expert, Professor Victoria Baines.