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
What is burnout and why does it happen?
According to some studies 75% of people have experienced burnout. And according to some of my friends you can be burned out 75% of the time. In this week's episode we talk to an organisational psycho…
How the brain understands sound
Making sense of sound is one of the most interesting and difficult things that our brain does constantly. So how does it work? And can you really have 'selective hearing' find out this and more on th…
Why do people still get married?
Most of us wouldn't go to a restaurant if 42% of it was crazy expensive and 42% of its review were terrible. Yet, every year 1000's of people still get married. In this episode we discuss what marria…
The joy of sweat w/ Sarah Everts & Jamie Allerton
This is a downright hilarious and often surprising chat about sweat. That's right smelly, wet, sweat. We discuss why it happens, why it sucks, some of the weird (and occasionally scary) things it can…
The mind of a murderer w/ Dr Richard Taylor and Cressida Wetton
Can someone of sound mind commit murder? What makes someone become a murderer and what is the home security like of someone who has worked on over 100 murder cases? We discuss all that plus some of t…
Deep Oceans w/ Dr Karen Osborn & Jonathan Duffy
What's hiding in our deep oceans? A whole bunch of beautiful and interesting animals it turns out. Today Dr Karen Osborne joins us to answer all our important questions on our deep oceans, what they'…
What We Can Learn From Spies w/ Sir David Omand
What does it take to be a spy? And what can we learn from spies about how to influence people, manage risk and make good decisions? We bring Sir David Omand, former Head of UK Security and Intelligen…
Dealing with our own mortality w/ a thanatologist
Gonna be controversial, but I wouldn't be a bad boy of comedy if I didn't say it. I don't like the idea of dying. So of course, on this episode I squirm through the topic of dying, how to prepare for…
How Did The Social Instinct Evolve?
Dawkins said that there was no room for altruism in evolution, so why are we so cooperative as a species? This week we speak to Dr Nichola Raihani is PI of the Social Evolution and Behaviour Lab. She…
Did hippies ruin psychedelics?
We've already discussed the scientific benefits of psychedelics. Today we look at whether that comes from magical elves, third eyes and interdimensional wisdom, or perhaps if there is a way to experi…
Averting the insect apocalypse
Bugs, creepy crawlies, insects, pests. Whatever you call them, these little critters play an important part of our ecosystem and their disappearing at an alarming rate. In this episode, we chat to Dr…
A Zoologists Guide To Aliens w/ Dr Arik Kershenbaum & Will Preston
There's a lot of what we know from Earth that can teach us what to expect from extraterrestrials in the future. In this week's episode, Zoologist, Dr Arik Kershenbaum joins comedian Will Preston to d…
Drunk: How Alcohol Shaped Society w/ Edward Slingerland and Juan Miles
Fresh from his appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, Distinguished University Scholar and Professor of Philosophy at the University of British Columbia, Edward Slingerland joins us to discuss his n…
The philosophy of evolution w/ Tom Ballard & Dr Kim Sterelny & Tom
How did we evolve to be the way we are? I'm joined by international award winning philosopher on evolutionary science Dr Kim Sterelny and international acclaimed comedian Tom Ballard to find out.
Gue…
Quantum physics and the multiverse w/ Dr Jim Rantschler & Eve Ellenbogen
From spiderman to Loki to Rick and Morty, pop culture loves a good multiverse at the moment. In this episode we ask a quantum physicist what a multiverse is and whether the science behind it checks o…
The Quest to Transplant a Soul w/ Dr Brandy Schillace
In this episode we deep dive into a bizarre story in medical history. A Dr obsessed with being able to transplant human heads to prove that he could save the immortal soul. It's a wickedly macabre, b…
The science of love w/ Kevin O'Connel and Andrew McGovern
What is love (baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me know more). On this week's episode we speak to budding neuroscientist and co-host of 'Living Room Logic' Andrew McGovern and Loveryboy comedian Kevin O…
The world before us w/ Professor Thomas Higham & David Lewis
The average modern person has around 2% Neanderthal DNA. For thousands of years, modern humans, Neanderthals and Denisovans shared the earth. In this episode, we speak to Professor Thomas Higham who'…
All manner of manners with Professor Stephen Mennell and Jamie D'Souza
What's the deal with manners? The weird, often arbitrary rules that we abide and judge people by? In this episode we dive into where they come from, their purpose and some of the weirdest social con…
Return of the Jen-i: Mars, Aliens and life on other planets with - Dr Jeni Millard and Steele Saunders
May the 4th is days away. We thought we'd invite the awesome Dr Jeni Millard from the Awesome Astronomy podcast back on the show to chat to comedian, mate and Star Wars aficionado, Steele Saunders ab…