Level Up Human

Simon and Rach take a deep dive into gene drives this week, examining the work being done to make island conservation less lethal to the inhabitants it is supposed to be protecting. We consider how CRISPR technology might be able to help with this, how it works and what the unintended consequences of using it might be. Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman, support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley. More information about the series is at www.leveluphuman.com and you can support us at www.patreon.com/leveluphuman  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Simon and Rachel are bickering again, this time about 3D printing. Is it old news, or are recent developments in generative design enough to make it fascinating? Simon thinks it's a toy, no more likely to catch on than Betamax, Rach thinks it's the future of everything. Who is right? We will have to wait and see. Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman, support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley. More information about the series is at www.leveluphuman.com and you can support us at www.patreon.com/leveluphuman  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Producer Rachel and Simon discuss Elon Musk's Falcon Heavy launch, what it means for the future of space travel and whether putting a Tesla onboard was the greatest PR stunt of all time. In this episode we chat with David McKeown, a real rocket scientist. He explains how the two side booster rockets landed, and what the launch means for the Irish space programme. Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman, support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley. More information about the series is at www.leveluphuman.com and you can support us at www.patreon.com/leveluphuman  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Simon Watt and Rachel Wheeley rifle through the science pages in search of stories about the future of humanity. This week we are excited about flying cars, considering what information the apocalypse survivors will need and considering a way to mobilise the body's immune system to fight cancer. Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman, support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley. More information about the series is at www.leveluphuman.com and you can support us at www.patreon.com/leveluphuman  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Happy New Year! Rach and Simon are fisking the science pages once again in search of human enhancement stories. This week they tackle all the most futuristic predictions that came true in 2017. The march of Artificial Intelligence, back-flipping cyborg soldiers and Simon has received the coolest Christmas present of all time. Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman, support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley. For more information, go to www.leveluphuman.com. Support the project via www.patreon.com/leveluphuman  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Simon and Rach finally tackle the big one: sex robots. We discuss what is driving the fastest development in AI, when a robot will join a company's board of directors, Rach has a fact and Simon explains why we should cuddle more. Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman, support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley. For more information, go to www.leveluphuman.com. Support the project via www.patreon.com/leveluphuman  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Rach and Simon siphon the science news in search for human enhancement stories. This week, why Simon is a harbinger of doom, how to kidnap the Queen and why living in cities might not be such a good idea after all. Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman, support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley. For more information, go to www.leveluphuman.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Neil Delamere joins Simon Watt to determine the future of the human body. Our experts here at the Cork Science Festival are biochemist Julie O'Sullivan and marine ecologist Ash Bennison. In this episode we find out how we could listen to the bacteria on our bodies, why acne is evolutionarily useful and how seabirds 'see' the ocean using an odourscape. Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman, support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley. For more information, go to www.leveluphuman.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Simon and Rachel consider co-evolving with AI. Plus! Space salad, seaweed glitter, how spinach is a fraud and why you should never transport dry ice in a lift. Referenced in this episode are Samuel Youd's* novel 'The Death of Grass', Michael Pollan's 'The Botany of Desire' and 17th century bitcoin: the tulip. If you are enjoying the podcast, you can support us via Patreon, at www.patreon.com/leveluphuman Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman, support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley. For more information, go to www.leveluphuman.com * under his pen name, John Christopher  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Neil Delamere joins Simon to sculpt the next human at Cork Science Festival. Joining them are engineer and researcher Alison O'Shea and zoologist and seal enthusiast Cian Luck. The panel discuss how goats have put the Faroe islands on Google Street view, how babies know to be scared of snakes and a creature that doesn't poo. Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman, support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley. For more information, go to www.leveluphuman.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Rach and Simon are on the hunt for human upgrades again. This week: origami robots, the menopause, why old people exist, the CAPTCHA test, magnetic kids, fish with human teeth and the gob faced squid. If you enjoyed this episode you can now become a patron of the show via Patreon, at www.patreon.com/leveluphuman Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman, support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley. For more information, go to www.leveluphuman.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Stuart Goldsmith improves human with Simon Watt in this special episode recorded in association with the Society for Endocrinology at Latitude Festival. Our experts are materials scientist Anna Ploszajski and Neuroscientist Dr. Giles Yeo. The panel discuss why camels put all their fat in their backs, whether fecal transplants are better as 'transpoosions' or 'crapsules', and whether human knees are still fit for purpose. Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman, support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley. For more information, go to www.leveluphuman.com. Join our patrons at www.patreon.com/leveluphuman  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Simon and Rachel rifle through the week's science news in search for human upgrades. This week, reproductive isolation, robobees and why aliens might already have landed. If you enjoyed this podcast you can now become a patron of the show: www.patreon.com/leveluphuman Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman and support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley. For more information, go to www.leveluphuman.com.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Samantha Baines is looking for upgrades which can utilise social media in this episode, recorded at the Wellcome Genome Campus. Joining Simon this week are computational geneticist Dr. Carl Anderson, and postdoctoral research fellow Dr. Shanade Dunn to suggest upgrades for humans from their areas of research. Plus we have audience suggestions and an intriguing idea inspired by a camel. If you enjoyed this podcast you can now become a patron of the show: www.patreon.com/leveluphuman Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman and support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley. For more information, go to www.leveluphuman.com.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Simon and a somewhat fragile Rach leaf through the latest science news in search for advances for the human race. This week: a company that promises to offer a head freezing service within a decade, honey making wasps, why Quakers make the best chocolate and the pitfalls of receiving a phone call directly into your brain. If you enjoyed this podcast you can now become a patron of the show: www.patreon.com/leveluphuman Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman and support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley. For more information, go to www.leveluphuman.com.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ben van der Velde joins Simon to judge suggestions by sleep expert Russell Foster and researcher Catherine Green. The panel discuss sleep, why you should clean your teeth in the dark and whether humans have a squirrelly ancestor. Listen right to the end for a message from our friends at the Worst Foot Forward podcast! If you enjoyed this podcast you can now become a patron of the show: www.patreon.com/leveluphuman Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman and support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley. For more information, go to www.leveluphuman.com.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

LUH producer, Rachel Wheeley, joins Simon for a brand new 'extra' show to sort through some topical science news. On the pile this week: - Scientists at Sun Yat-sen University in China have used base editing for the first time in human embryos to change a single letter in a faulty gene. - Why a barn owls' hearing is awesome, and why it doesn't deteriorate with age. - How we could one day be represented in court by a computer. If you enjoyed this podcast you can now become a patron of the show: www.patreon.com/leveluphuman Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman and support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley. For more information, go to www.leveluphuman.com.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Paul Sinha joins Simon to judge Royal Society fellows Liz Tunbridge, Robert Pal and the studio audience at the Science Museum in London. The panel discuss why horse tranquilisers might be useful in the treatment of depression, why researchers are stockpiling legal highs and Paul is concerned that many upgrades will make it easier for people to cheat in quizzes. If you enjoyed this podcast you can now become a patron of the show: www.patreon.com/leveluphuman Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman and support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley. For more information, go to www.leveluphuman.com.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Sam Baines joins Simon to sort the genetic wheat from the chaff in this episode recorded live at the Wellcome Genome Campus during Cambridge Science Festival. Postdoctoral fellow Anne Neville and Andy Yates, head of the Genomic Technology Infrastructure team, pitch suggestions for human improvement along with the studio audience and an emerald sea slug. The panel discuss elephant fit bits, an egalitarian society and why we should learn to love the microbes that live in and on us. If you enjoyed this podcast you can now become a patron of the show: www.patreon.com/leveluphuman Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman and support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley. For more information, go to www.leveluphuman.com.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Neil Delamere judges suggestions for future humans by Lara Dungan and David McKeown with Simon Watt attempting to keep some kind of order. The panel discuss memory foam people, somebody offers Neil a hug and we find out why owls might not be as wise as people think. If you enjoyed this podcast you can now become a patron of the show: www.patreon.com/leveluphuman Our theme music was written and performed by Laurence Owen. Graphics by Theo Weedon, web design by Ian Bridgeman and support from the Wellcome Trust. The producer is Rachel Wheeley. For more information, go to www.leveluphuman.com.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.