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Rating

★★★★★

4.7

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1863 reviews

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Professor Brian Cox and Robin Ince host a witty, irreverent look at the world through scientists’ eyes. Joined by a panel of scientists, experts and celebrity science enthusiasts they investigate life, the universe and everything in between on The Infinite Monkey Cage from the BBC. From the smallest building blocks of life to the furthest stars, the curious monkeys pull apart the latest science to reveal fascinating and often bizarre insights into the world around us and what lies beyond. Can trees talk to each other? Can science help you commit the perfect murder? What might aliens look like and the burning question of our time, are strawberries alive or dead? Join them as each episode they put a different scientific topic under the microscope, from aliens, black holes and hedgehogs, to bacteria, poison and the Big Bang. With past guests including actors Dame Judi Dench and Sir Patrick Stewart, comedians Steve Martin and Conan O’Brien, astronaut Tim Peake, primatologist Jane Goodall and mathematician Hannah Fry, The Infinite Monkey Cage promises to make you laugh, enrich your knowledge and leave you with a deeper appreciation for the universe that we call home. Whether you’re a seasoned scientist or someone who nodded off in physics class, listen in to learn all about funny, fascinating and sometimes ridiculous topics – with the occasional monkey business.

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Leaf it to Nature

2026/11/05

We walk on them, rake them up, often barely give them a thought, but the humble leaf is an extraordinary feat of biological engineering. Adam Rutherford and Jessica Fostekew are joined plant scientist Tracy Lawson, biologist Jonathan Silvertown, and comedian Alex Kealy to uncover the hidden ingenuity of leaves. They explore how leaves evolved, why plants face a constant battle between thirst and starvation, and whether understanding their clever adaptations could help us engineer crops for a hotter, drier future. Producer: Mel Brown A BBC Studios Production

Ghosts - Isy Suttie, Laurence Rickard, Ciarán O'Keeffe and Chris French

2026/10/29

Things that go bump in the night meet the cold light of science as Jessica Fostekew and Prof Adam Rutherford investigate why ghosts continue to haunt our imaginations. Joining them for some spooky science are psychologists Chris French and Ciaran O'Keeffe, comedian Isy Suttie and actor and co-creator of Ghosts Laurence Rickard. From sleep paralysis and haunted houses to séances, paranormal investigations and the power of suggestion, they ask why people see and sense things that aren't there, what makes somewhere feel haunted, and whether science can explain our strangest ghostly encounters. So dim the lights and enter the monkey cage....if you dare!

Nothing Really Matters - Hugh Dennis, Ria Lina, Harry Cliff and Yvette Fuentes

2026/10/22

Jessica Fostekew and Adam Rutherford tackle one of the biggest and strangest questions in science: what is nothing? Starting with the earliest philosophers and journeying through to today's cutting-edge experiments, they ask whether true nothingness can ever exist. Joining them to explore one of science's most perplexing and important questions are physicists Harry Cliff and Yvette Fuentes, alongside comedians Hugh Dennis and Ria Lina. Together, they uncover why vacuums are far from empty, how the concept of nothing transformed science, and what the nature of absence can tell us about the origins and fate of the universe. Along the way, they delve into philosophical debates about the void, discover how scientists measure and define "nothing", and explore why the empty spaces between stars may be more active than they appear. They also role-play as positrons, deliberate over badgers, and learn that geckos harness quantum effects in unexpected ways. Our panel reveal that there is, perhaps surprisingly, rather a lot to say about nothing at all. Producer: Mel Brown A BBC Studios Production

The First Britons - Tim Minchin, Prof Chris Stringer and Dr Selina Brace

2026/10/15

The Infinite Monkey Cage returns for a brand-new series, with Professor Adam Rutherford and comedian Jessica Fostekew swinging into the cage as guest presenters. In this first episode, they find out who were the very first people to land on the British Isles… if they even were Isles at all. Joined by anthropologist Professor Chris Stringer, geneticist Dr Selina Brace and comedian Tim Minchin, they learn that our British ancestors got to hang out with hippopotamuses, uncover what ancient DNA can tell us about man’s earliest best friends, and discover that some Homo sapiens became more than just friends with our Neanderthal cousins... The panel also gets to the bottom of some of the most pressing scientific debates: like if Cheddar Man was really a looker and whether the Brits have always had bad teeth. Producer: Mel Brown A BBC Studios Production

Trailer

2026/10/13

A witty, irreverent look at the world through scientists' eyes, guest hosted by Prof. Adam Rutherford and Jess Fostekew.

The North Pole Unwrapped - Russell Kane, Felicity Aston and Lloyd Peck

2025/12/24

In this Christmas episode of The Infinite Monkey Cage, Brian Cox and Robin Ince head to the North Pole to explore the dazzling science behind the northern lights, the extreme adaptations that help animals - and even Santa Claus - survive the Arctic cold, and how the Earth’s magnetic field might just guide him home. Joining the monkeys are comedian Russell Kane, Arctic explorer Felicity Aston and Polar biologist Lloyd Peck, as they brave the chill to uncover the wonders of one of Earth’s most remote and magical frontiers. Series Producer: Mel Brown Researcher: Alex Rodway Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem A BBC Studios Production

Monkey Business - Robin Dunbar, Dave Gorman and Jo Setchell

2025/12/17

In perhaps the monkiest Infinite Monkey Cage episode there’s ever been, Brian Cox and Robin Ince attempt to uncover the secrets of love, lust and friendship in primates. Swinging by to offer a hand (or tail) are evolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar, anthropologist Jo Setchell, and comedian Dave Gorman. Together the panel explores Dunbar’s number in monkeys – the idea that the number of friendships an individual can maintain correlates with brain size – with the very creator of the theory! They ask whether monkeys feel love the way we do, why some species remain strictly monogamous but others don’t, and what we could learn about ourselves through studying them. Robin goes bananas for bonobo fashion, while Dave couldn’t give a monkey’s about finding an aftershave to complement his natural smell. Series Producer: Mel Brown Researcher: Alex Rodway Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem A BBC Studios Production

Head in the Clouds - Owain Wyn Evans, Gavin Pretor-Pinney, Amanda Maycock

2025/12/10

Robin Ince and Brian Cox look up to the heavens as they try to ‘de-mistify’ the foggy science of clouds. They’re joined by Cloud Appreciation Society founder Gavin Pretor-Pinney, climate scientist Amanda Maycock, and former weather presenter and drummer Owain Wyn Evans, for a whirlwind tour of our too often-overlooked aerial realm. The panel explores how clouds form, why they take such extraordinary shapes, and how satellites and weather balloons help us keep track of them. They discover why low clouds cool the planet but high clouds warm it and why a cloud that weighs as much as a jumbo jet manages to stay up in the sky. From the physics of a crisp packet balancing on a cumulonimbus to the shimmering beauty of noctilucent clouds, tune in for this cirrus-ly fascinating episode. Series Producer: Mel Brown Researcher: Alex Rodway Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem A BBC Studios Production

Fusion – Ria Lina, Yasmin Andrew and Howard Wilson

2025/12/03

Robin Ince and Brian Cox get all fired up, overcome their natural repulsion and come together for this stellar episode on nuclear fusion. They’re joined by plasma physicist Yasmin Andrew, fusion scientist Howard Wilson and comedian Ria Lina to uncover the secrets of star-making here on our planet. Together the panel discovers how the sun fuses atoms to release energy and why misbehaving, jiggling plasma makes this tricky to recreate on Earth. They explore the competing technological approaches — from giant magnets to the world’s biggest lasers — and find out that the hottest place in the solar system is, in fact, in Oxfordshire. Finally, they ask whether fusion could really provide an unlimited source of clean energy, or whether the technology will forever be “just 20 years away”. Producer: Melanie Brown Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem A BBC Studios Production

What’s the deal with eels? – Lucy Porter, David Righton and Caroline Durif

2025/11/26

Fishing rods at the ready, Brian Cox and Robin Ince attempt to reel in a creature that has baffled scientists since Aristotle: the eel. Wriggling in to help them uncover the mysteries of one of nature’s slimiest subjects are marine scientists David Righton and Caroline Durif, and comedian Lucy Porter. How do eels navigate such vast distances so deep under water? Why has no one ever seen them reproduce? And WHY would anyone eat them jellied with pie and mash?! The panel discovers that Spanish eels are always late and that eels from all different countries are thought to meet up somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean for a huge annual orgy. Producer: Melanie Brown Assistant Producer: Olivia Jani Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem A BBC Studios Production

What’s the time? - Marcus Brigstocke, Leon Lobo, Louise Devoy

2025/11/19

Robin Ince and Brian Cox wind up at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich – arguably the centre of time – to uncoil the mysteries of what time is and how on Earth (…and on moon) we keep track of it. Taking the time to join them are comedian Marcus Brigstocke, curator of the Royal Observatory Louise Devoy, and Head of the National Timing Centre Leon Lobo. From ancient Egyptian knuckle counting to sun dials, quartz oscillators and atomic clocks, the panel turns back time to discover how we measured and kept it throughout history. Together, they dial into why Greenwich has become such an important place for time and how time is synchronised and sold across the globe. They explore the flaws and future of accurate astronomical and atomic timekeeping, and Marcus blames the ‘leap second’ for his fry-up failures. Producer: Olivia Jani Series Producer: Melanie Brown Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem A BBC Studios Production

Mind-reading Computers – Phil Wang, Anne Vanhoestenberghe and Luke Bashford

2025/11/12

For once, Brian Cox and Robin Ince are on the same wavelength – with thinking caps firmly on, they plug into the science of brain-computer interfaces. Helping them decode the tech are neuroscientist Luke Bashford, biomedical engineer Anne Vanhoestenberghe, and comedian Phil Wang. Together the panel switches on to the possibilities of using implanted and wearable devices to restore movement, speech, sight… or even to decode thoughts themselves. From the ethics of cognitive enhancement to the future of mind-reading and immersive gaming, strap in for this electrifyingly thought-provoking episode. Producer: Melanie Brown Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem A BBC Studios Production

Illuminating Light - Jess Wade, Russell Foster and Bridget Christie

2025/08/20

What is light? How has it shaped our understanding of the universe, our biology, and even our culture? In this illuminating episode Brian Cox and Robin Ince shine a spotlight on the fascinating science and history of light. From sun and circadian rhythms to the dazzling complexity of quantum, they explore how humans have understood and been influenced by light across time. Joining them to shed light on the subject are physicist Dr Jess Wade, Neuroscientist Professor Russell Foster and comedian Bridget Christie. Together, they trace the story of light from early scientific theories to the cutting-edge research of today. Expect tales of light emitting eyes, the mystery of wave-particle duality and why Bridget thinks that if we had understood light better, we’d never have believed in ghosts! Series Producer: Melanie Brown Assistant Producer: Olivia Jani Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem BBC Studios Audio Production

Moths v Butterflies - Katy Brand, Jane Hill and Chris Jiggins

2025/08/13

What really separates a moth from a butterfly? Is it just a matter of day and night, or is there more to this fluttering feud than meets the eye? Professor Brian Cox and Robin Ince flap into the fabulous world of Lepidoptera with Professor Jane Hill, Professor Chris Jiggins, and comedian Katy Brand. Together, they chase colourful wings through science and storytelling, uncovering epic insect migrations, the secrets behind dazzling wing patterns, and most importantly, why Katy has a butterfly tattoo on her arm! Producer: Olivia Jani Series Producer: Melanie Brown Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem BBC Studios Audio Production

Technofossils - Sarah Gabbott, Mark Miodownik and Aurie Styla

2025/08/06

Brian Cox and Robin Ince dig deep into the strata of an imagined human history to unearth the curious concept of technofossils. Joined by paleobiologist Sarah Gabbott, material scientist Mark Miodownik and comedian and tech enthusiast Aurie Styla the panel unearth how the everyday objects that we throw away today compare to fossils of the past. Together, the panel investigates how these modern artifacts could degrade over time to become the fossils of the future. From old smartphones buried in bedside drawers to sprawling landfill sites, they imagine how these remnants of the Anthropocene might puzzle future archaeologists—and speculate on what these researchers might infer about our technology, customs, and way of life. Series Producer: Melanie Brown Assistant Producer: Olivia Jani Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem BBC Studios Audio Production

Podcast reviews

Read The Infinite Monkey Cage podcast reviews

4.7 out of 5

1863 reviews

★☆☆☆☆

RandomNickname00 2026/10/27

Unsubscribed

Too much of a political minefield. I liked it when it was about wonderment and the natural world. Trans rights are human rights.

★☆☆☆☆

logicalthought 56 2026/10/23

Just because you hired some people doesn’t mean we will listen

Dreadful

★★★★☆

YourFriendlyNeighborhoodWeirdo 2026/10/22

Not the same…

I started listening to this podcast after the show got shut down and was really excited when suddenly new episodes started coming out! But it only too...

★☆☆☆☆

timwilkinson 2026/10/13

After what you did to Robin

Why do you think any of us will listen to this now?

★☆☆☆☆

AnimatedMeatSack 2026/06/27

Robin

Apparently I’m behind, but I just learned of Robin’s essential firing by the BBC because of his humanity. I’m disgusted and saddened. Shame on the BBC...

★★★☆☆

Psdan 2026/05/04

A lot of good info but …

Good info and guests and, unfortunately, a lot of people trying to be funny. I rarely get as much as a chuckle out of the humour that disrupts the flo...

★☆☆☆☆

Poppy Corn 2026/03/02

Disgusted with BBC bigotry I support Ince

I am heart broken to have to leave one of my favorite shows due to the anti-science decision to push out Robin because he has integrity, and the anti-...

★☆☆☆☆

TwoBuckHowie 2026/01/14

Corporate Bigotry

Love this show but the BBC has reared its ugly head once again. Robin Ince will be sorely missed but I believe in a person who stands by their convict...

★☆☆☆☆

markpa 2026/01/09

BBC is transphobic

Not listening to any more podcasts from the transphobic bigots at the BBC after they deny the scientific evidence for transgender individuals and forc...

★★★★☆

Crystalash 2024/12/26

Fix the ads timing

The ads always come at odd times and cut in half-sentence while someone is still talking. Some minimum post production is needed BBC.

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