Synopsis
Jonathan McCrea brings you the latest developments from the world of Science and Technology from robotics in warfare to artificial lifeforms and beyond
Episodes
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Extra: The Genetics of Wrongdoing
01/09/2026 Duration: 18minGuest: Kathryn Paige Harden, Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and author of ‘Original Sin: The Genetics of Wrongdoing, the Problem of Blame and the Future of Forgiveness’
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Did we find evidence of life on Mars in the 1970’s?
30/08/2026 Duration: 42minGuests:Steven A. Benner, Chemist, Astrobiologist and author of ‘Meet the Neighbors: Life on Mars and How to Find It’Jessamyn Fairfield from the University of GalwayFergus McAuliffe, Head of Research Engagement and Impact Trinity College Dublin
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Extra: Growing Old in Ireland - 20 Years of the TILDA Study
25/08/2026 Duration: 19minGuest: Rose Anne Kenny, Regis Professor of Medicine at Trinity College Dublin and Founding Principal Investigator of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA)
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How many insects are there?
23/08/2026 Duration: 37minGuests:Alex Smith, Associate Professor in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of Guelph, Ontario, CanadaDr Ruth Freeman from Science Foundation IrelandMatthew Campbell from TCD
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Extra: The Irish scientists tackling organ transplant rejection
18/08/2026 Duration: 17minGuest: Professor Róisín Dolan, Chief Investigator with the Sentinel Study Ireland at St. Vincent's University Hospital
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The Greenland shark discovered on Ireland’s coast
16/08/2026 Duration: 28minGuests:Emilie De Loose, Project Officer of the Atlantic Whale Deal in the Irish Whale and Dolphin GroupJohn Regan from Maynooth UniversityLaura Hayes, DIAS
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Gold: Neil DeGrasse Tyson - A Brief Welcome to the Universe
11/08/2026 Duration: 36minScience Communicator extraordinaire Neil deGrasse Tyson joined Jonathan in 2021 to discuss his book ‘A Brief Welcome to the Universe: A Pocket-Sized Tour’, and how we communicate science to the public.
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Observing the Solar Eclipse
09/08/2026 Duration: 46minGuests:Peter Gallagher, Director of Dunsink Observatory at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies and an Adjunct Professor at Trinity College DublinJohn Regan from Maynooth UniversityLaura Hayes, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS)If you would like to listen to Jonathan’s experience of flying into the path of totality of the solar eclipse in 2015, here’s the link:https://soundcloud.com/whipsmart-media/path-of-totality-1
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Futureproof Gold: How does the brain conjure consciousness?
04/08/2026 Duration: 21minFor centuries, philosophers have theorised about the mind-body question. Is the mind something separate from the body? If so what does that mean?So, how does the brain conjure consciousness?In this interview from 2021, Jonathan speaks with Anil Seth, Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex, Editor-in-Chief of Neuroscience of Consciousness and author of ‘Being You: A New Science of Consciousness’.
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Could AI be conscious?
02/08/2026 Duration: 01h00sGuests:Charlotte Blease, Philosopher at Uppsala University and author of ‘Dr Bot: Why Doctors Can Fail Us – and How AI Could Save Lives’Kevin Mitchell, Associate Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin and author of ‘Free Agents – How Evolution Gave Us Free Will’Alan Smeaton, Professor of Computing at DCUMatthew Campbell from TCDLaura Hayes, DIAS
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Extra: Could base editing lead to designer babies?
28/07/2026 Duration: 13minGuest: Oliver Bower, Founding Scientist at ‘Preventive’
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The fish species with no males
26/07/2026 Duration: 41minGuests:Ed Ricemeyer, Senior Bioinformatician and Chair of Animal Systems Genomics at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität MünchenJessamyn Fairfield from the University of GalwayShane Bergin, Physicist & Assistant Professor in Science Education at UCD
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Extra: ET Code of Conduct
21/07/2026 Duration: 18minGuest: Professor Michael Garrett, Astrophysicist at the University of Manchester and Chair of the International Academy of Astronautics’ SETI Committee
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The problem solving powers of bumblebees
19/07/2026 Duration: 31minGuests:Jussi Kantola, Data Analyst at the University of OuluMatthew Campbell, Professor of Neurovascular Genetics, Trinity College DublinDr Ruth Freeman, Director of Research for Society at Research Ireland
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Extra: Neuroscience and AI
14/07/2026 Duration: 21minGuest: Rana Gujra, CEO of Behavioural Signals, tech entrepreneur and AI expert
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Is sitting down for long periods killing us?
12/07/2026 Duration: 25minGuests:Dr. Frederick Ho, Senior Lecturer in Public health at the University of GlasgowLaura Hayes, Assistant Professor and Royal Society-Research Ireland University Research Fellow at the Dublin Institute for Advanced StudiesPhil Smyth, Physicist, Engineer and Science Communicator
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Extra: What is Cystinosis?
07/07/2026 Duration: 12minGuest: Anuj Chauhan, Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines
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Is photographic memory a real thing?
05/07/2026 Duration: 33minGuests:Gabrielle Principe, Professor in the Department of Psychology at the College of CharlestonJessamyn Fairfield from the University of GalwayShane Bergin, Physicist & Assistant Professor in Science Education at UCD
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Extra: How VR can improve the health of the elderly
30/06/2026 Duration: 21minGuest: Martin O’Neill, Lecturer in Population Health Informatics & Statistics at the Atlantic Technological University
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The Internet of Animals
28/06/2026 Duration: 33minGuests:Martin Wikelski, Director at the Max Planck Institute of Animal BehaviorAndrea Kwakowsky, Associate Professor of Pharmacology & Therapeutics at the University of Galway