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
Being mixed race w/ Dr. Nitasha Tamar Sharma
Race, it's a crazy hot mess that needs unpacking. In this week's episode, I get the amazing Dr. Nitasha Tamar Sharma to join me on the podcast to help me unpack the mixed race experience. Because it'…
The disordered cosmos and the ethics of astronomy w/ dr Chanda Prescod-Weinstein & Anoushka Rava
We're back in space, this time with an Author, Activist and Astrophysicists who's list of achievements is so long I wonder if she's managed to build a time machine to manage it all and an awesome act…
The science of the musical human w/ Jordan Gray & Dr Michael Spitzer
Is there such thing as bad music? How important was music to human evolution? Is musicology a real thing? And, why is Baby Shark one of our expert guests favourite bits of new music? All this and mor…
The science of self-awareness w/ Dr Stephen Fleming & Juan Miles
How do you know if you know yourself? In this episode we speak to one of the leading scientists in the world of metacognition to find out what self-awareness is, why we have it, whether it's a blessi…
Let's talk about tech baby! Can the law keep up with big tech? w/ Joshua Fairfield & Davina Bentley
Let's face it, most of us have got used to ignoring the fact that our tech has become a sneaky spy selling our every move to the highest bidder. So how do we change that? In this week's episode I tal…
Cancel Culture w/ Sikisa 'Twix' Bostwick-Barnes & Dr Gwen Bouvier
According to some cancel culture is rife and freedom of speech is under attack, but then a look around most mainstream newsrooms and social media platforms will show a lot of people getting a lot of …
Dinosaurs w/ Ahir Shah and Dr. Emma Dunne.
We're kicking it ol' school....Really ol' school. This week we're joined by Ahir Shah and Dr Emma Dunne to talk all things dinosaurs. In one the most fun episodes we've ever recorded we cover whethe…
Mind the Orgasm Gap for International Women's Day.
If you've ever had an orgasm, you're probably not surprised to hear that people like them. But, unfortunately in news that will surprise few women but too many men, women cum significantly less than …
Why we need to get rid of billionaires w/ Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP and Suse Steed
I have 99 problems and the economic structures that allow billionaires to exist cause 98 of them. In this episode we speak to Suse Steed, who is both a former economist and a comedian (a great venn d…
Memory lane - How memory works in the brain w/ Dr Janine Cooper and Laura Davis
Ever forget your own name? Or know that you know something but just can't seem to remember it? How about those times where an absolute random memory you didn't even know you have pop into your head f…
Technology and the future of dating w/ Rachel New and Juan Miles
For Valentine's Day we look at the way sex robots, bereavement tech, algorithms and more will impact the future of dating. Joining me on this episode is crowd favourite Juan Miles and dating coach Ra…
You're dreaming - the science of sleep with Caroline Horton and Neil O'Rourke
Why do we dream? How can you learn to lucid dream? How do you prevent nightmares and why in the hell do random people end up in your dreams? We discuss all that and more in this week's episode.
Expe…
Stars, space and astronomy with Jenifer Millard & Eve Ellenbogen
We're off to infinity and beyond with the mind blowing Jenifer Millard (soon to be Dr.) and the hilarious Eve Ellenbogen.
In this episode we discuss how scientists can almost, but not quite see the b…
Does love ruin dating with Hayley Quinn and Alexandra Haddow.
In this week's episode we talk dating.
Expert guest:
Hayley Quinn is an internationally recognised dating coach and founder of the UK’s largest dating coaching company. She has over 2 Million views on…
The trouble with memes with Dr Bradley Wiggins
In this week's episode I talk to Dr Bradley Wiggins about the pervasive power of memes. From a way to shame school friends who were too excited about their Goosebump books to becoming a way to commun…
The politics of climate change with Ross Greer and Alex Kealy
Poll after poll has shown that most people believe climate change is an important issue that we need to act on. And yet, for more than 3 decades the response to this from governments around the world…
What you should know about machine learning w/ Ben Byford and Alice Fraser
Machine learning and artificial intelligence already play a huge role in our life. From trivial things like what movies and songs are recommended to us, to important things like politics (or vice ve…
Conspiracy theories and why people believe them with Dr Daniel Jolley and Juan Miles
Conspiracy theories spread like wildfire in 2020, which is unfortunate, because wildfire also spread like wild fire in 2020 and some of the conspiracy theories downplayed the impacts of climate chang…
Psychedelics and the brain with Dr David Luke and James O'Donnel
Dr David Luke a leading researcher into the benefits of psychedelics on the brain joins guest comedian James O'Donnell to discuss what to tell your parents about using psychedelics, when you might be…
How we (the left) can stop losing with Catherine Dawkins from the Greens Party Southwark and Mitch Alexander
In this episode, we're joined by the hilarious Mitch Alexander, and Catherine Dawkins from the Southwark Greens Party. We discuss why the left should start lying to old people and how we can win peop…