Highbrow Drivel
Hilarious takes from serious experts. Each week I'm joined by a new stand up comedian and a new expert to discuss their field of expertise. We're talking the big topics, the brain, space, climate science, psychedelics and all the areas you're most likely to end up when you're drunk, at the end of a party, just trying to figure it all out. . It's a light, funny and easily accessible way to hear the latest from some seriously mind blowing experts.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 58 minutes
- Episodes
- 63
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2022
The Neuroscience of How We Navigate W/ Christopher Kemp & Si Deaves
We've all woken up from a night out and not remembered getting home. How does the brain do that? On this week's ep we look into the neuroscience of navigation and spatial awareness, a completely com…
You're So Lucky - w/ Dr Sean Carroll & Bryan James
You and everyone you know and love are the beneficiaries of a series of fortunate events. From the planet bursting into existence, to the dinosaurs being wiped out by a once-in-a-ever (hopefully) ast…
Disaster Management w Professor Lucy Easthope
How do you prepare for an event that's never happened in your lifetime? What's it like to feel like the boy who cried wolf? Do we have a plan for alien invasion? And why were disaster planners called…
Quantum Steampunks w/ Dr Nicole Yunger Halpern & Isabelle Farrah
What do steam punks and modern quantum physicists have in common? What is quantum entanglement? How did the hippies save science? And we come up with a brilliant idea for the next Pixar blockbuster. …
Guest podcast - The Nothing Podcast - Stand up comedy
For the last week of the break, The Nothing Podcast With Nobody Important is our guest podcast. The team put together a fascinating, fun and always interesting set of human interest stories that get …
Guest pod - Sure Jan - Dating
This week's amazing guest podcast is 'Sure, Jan', an amazing honest, endearing and funny look at modern dating. Jan talks to Anthony about his period of 53 first dates in 9 months when he first moved…
Guest pod - Better Call Daddy - Magic Mushrooms
This guest episode is from the Better Call Daddy Podcast, created by Reena Friedman Watts. The episode focuses on Anthony's use of magic mushrooms for anxiety management.
Quantum vs Cosmic - Small answers to big questions
When you think about how the universe works, most people start from the cosmic perspective, but what about the little guys? Literally! This week we talk to Dr Chris Ferrie about what quantum physics …
A very very short history of life on Earth
Butts, boobies and bacteria. Discover the unsung heroes throughout history who made life on Earth possible.
Expert guest:
Dr Henry Gee is a former paleontologist, evolutionary biologist and senior e…
The science of pain on purpose
From marathon runners, to chilli lovers and kinksters, we all have things that bring us joy and pain simultaneously. Why and how does it happen? Join us to find out.
Expert guest:
Leigh Cowart is a r…
The science of surfaces
Why is some stuff sticky? How does ice work and are we birds swimming through the air? This week we dive deep into the science of surfaces.
Expert guest:
Laurie Winkless is a brilliantly multi-talente…
How to have challenging conversations.
There are a few topics in life that most of us find difficult to have. The most common of those around dying. This week expert Dr Kathryn Mannix, and comedian Jackie Kashian join us talk about how to…
How group identities shape your life
From politics to travel, sports to conspiracy theories, the groups we're in hugely change the way we see and interact with the world. In this episode we look talk to a leading social psychologist abo…
Frequently Asked Questions of the Universe
Get ready to wave hello to Jeff and Elon, we're getting back in the Highbrow Drivel Galactic and heading back to outer space. This week, we're talking about the frequently asked questions of the univ…
Can we solve the problem with Math(s)?
Numbers are the key to unlocking the secrets of the universe, and as we progress in our career, almost all jobs (even fun creative ones) need a basic grasp of mathematics. So why do so many people ha…
Rethinking cities
Are cities broken or brilliant? Most of our population live in cities, so you'd think they should be the most comfortable place a person can be...but a whole lot of people hate them. In this week's e…
The Secret Life of Elements
What's in the periodic table? In this week's episode the infectiously insightful Dr Kathryn Harkup takes us through her love of the periodic table, helping us understand the personalities and charact…
How emotions work
Emotions are confusing as hell, and increasingly, we're paying more and more attention to how we feel. In this episode we talk to one of the world's leading experts on emotions,
Dr Rich Firth-Godbehe…
The particles of the universe
What makes up stuff? And why does it exist? In this episode we talk to particle physicist Dr Harry Cliff and Ashish Suri to find out how a universe is made.
Expert guest:
Dr Harry Cliff is a particle…
The floods are coming
Just this week we saw Tower Bridge flooded. How the heck a bridge floods, I don't know. It seems like flooding has snuck up on most of us as a major consequence of climate change. In this week's epis…