logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2
28m 21s

What does caffeine do to our bodies?

Bbc Radio 4
About this episode

Sweet, caffeinated energy drinks are in the headlines again as the UK Government says it wants to ban under 16s from buying them. Some can contain the equivalent caffeine as 2 to 4 espressos. James Betts, Professor of Metabolic Physiology at the University of Bath, explains the science behind how caffeine affects the bodies of adults and children.

Earthquake scientist Dr Judith Hubbard from Cornell University in the US explains what we are learning from the magnitude 6 earthquake which hit Afghanistan this week. Professor Dan Levitin is a neuroscientist, cognitive psychologist, musician, and the third author shortlisted for the 2025 Royal Society Trivedi Book Prize. In his book ‘Music as Medicine’ he explores whether music can be harnessed to heal us. And BBC science journalist Caroline Steel brings her selection of brand new research.

To discover more fascinating science content, head to bbc.co.uk search for BBC Inside Science and follow the links to The Open University

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producers: Dan Welsh, Jonathan Blackwell, Lucy Davis, Tim Dodd, Clare Salisbury Editor: Martin Smith Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth

Up next
Nov 20
What’s in the wording of the COP 30 negotiations?
<p>COP 30 delegates from around the globe are about to depart the Amazon city of Belem in Brazil. But not before some very important documents are drawn up. Camilla Born, former advisor to Cop 26 president Alok Sharma speaks to Tom Whipple about the scientific significance of the ... Show More
26m 29s
Nov 13
Could technology replace animal testing in science?
This week the UK government set out its vision for a world where the use of animals in science is eliminated in all but exceptional circumstances. Animal experiments in the UK peaked at 4.14 million in 2015 driven mainly by a big increase at the time in genetic modification exper ... Show More
26m 29s
Nov 6
Is Dark Energy Getting Weaker?
<p>Astronomers have new evidence, which could change what we understand about the expansion of the universe. Carlos Frenk, Ogden Professor of Fundamental Physics at Durham University gives us his take on whether the dark energy pushing our universe apart is getting weaker.</p><p> ... Show More
26m 29s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2024
Are psychedelics breaking science?
Drugs like ecstasy and mushrooms have shown promise as mental health treatments, but they’re also exposing some major cracks in how scientists study the brain. Guests: Jonathan Lambert, science journalist; Boris Heifets, professor at Stanford University of Medicine; Amy Mcguire, ... Show More
24m 40s
Sep 2024
Your Brain On... Coffee
<p dir="ltr"><strong>What does the most-purchased beverage in the world — coffee — do to your brain?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Five centuries after its discovery, coffee is deeply entrenched in our diets on a global scale. More than half the U.S. population drinks coffee daily. W ... Show More
41m 34s
May 2025
Imagine a sunset, now imagine you can't
Aphantasia is the inability to see with your mind’s eye. And its discovery has made scientists ask a surprising question: What is the mind’s eye even for? (First published in 2022.) Guests: Alice Coles, artist; Adam Zeman, cognitive neurologist at the University of Exeter Medical ... Show More
23m 45s
Dec 2021
Michael Pollan On Mind-Altering Plants, A Second Pandemic Winter. December 10, 2021, Part 1
<p>How America Is Preparing For Another Pandemic Winter</p> <p>The weather is getting colder, the days are getting shorter, and the world is approaching the two year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like last year, experts are wary that a winter surge in cases could happen a ... Show More
47m 6s
Feb 2025
Recap: Is your morning coffee harming your health? | James Hoffmann
Today we’re diving into coffee. Most of us are greeted by its earthy aroma every single morning. It’s hot bitter taste signaling that the day has officially begun. Coffee is so ingrained into our daily routine we rarely pause to consider the effect of coffee on our health. So, wh ... Show More
12m 28s
May 2025
Do Mitochondria Talk to Each Other? A New Look at the Cell’s Powerhouse
Mitochondria are known as the powerhouse of the cell—but new research suggests they might be far more complex. Columbia University’s Martin Picard joins Scientific American’s Rachel Feltman to explore how these tiny organelles could be communicating and what that might mean for e ... Show More
27m 4s
Feb 2022
Science Advisor Resigns, COVID Drug Treatments, Science Drag Artists. Feb 11, 2022, Part 1
<p>An Abrupt Departure For Biden’s Science Adviser</p> <p>This week, Eric Lander, the Presidential science advisor and head of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/eric-lander-resignation/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast& ... Show More
53m 30s
Jan 2025
Titans of Science: Marc Abrahams
Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs.Including the news that the US has recorded their first human death from bird flu, and should we be concerned? Plus a new drug to treat drug resistant prostate cancer, and new ... Show More
51m 30s
Sep 26
The Dead Composer Whose ‘Brain’ Still Makes Music
In a hauntingly innovative exhibit, brain cells grown from the late composer Alvin Lucier’s blood generate sound. Set in a museum in Perth, Australia, the installation blurs the line between art and neuroscience. Host Rachel Feltman and associate editor Allison Parshall explore t ... Show More
25m 25s
Apr 2025
From the Internet’s Beginnings to Our Understanding of Consciousness, This Editor Has Seen It All
Senior mind and brain editor Gary Stix has covered the breadth of science and technology over the past 35 years at Scientific American. He joins host Rachel Feltman to take us through the rise of the Internet and the acceleration of advancement in neuroscience that he’s covered t ... Show More
20m 15s