The Information Entropy Podcast

This week on The Information Entropy Podcast, we dig into what addiction actually is — beyond the stereotypes. We explore the difference between chemical dependence and behavioural addictions, trace how our understanding has shifted from the old “just say no” model to a modern brain-based view, and look at why teenagers and young adults are particularly vulnerable. It’s science, it’s storytelling, and as always, it’s us waffling about random things while trying our hardest to stay on track. Music: HOME – AWAY

This week, we dive into the chemical dark arts of the natural world. What is the difference between a poison and a venom? Why do some animals weaponize their biochemistry while others simply make themselves too toxic to touch? We explore how different toxins work at the molecular level, how evolution turns simple enzymes into precision biological weapons. From cobras fine-tuning neurotoxins in an evolutionary arms race, to plants quietly loading their tissues with defensive chemistry, we unravel how life learned to kill — or defend — with molecules. All while we lose it along the way with our own hilarity and stupidity :D Music: HOME – AWAY

This week we dive into the wonderfully weird world of the Ig Nobel Prizes — celebrating research that makes you laugh, then think. But first, as always, we take the scenic route: detouring through music, coffee philosophy, and the art of the perfect cheese toastie before actually getting to the science. We explore whether painted cows can really fend off flies, how physics explains why cacio e pepe sauce clumps, what happens when scientists get bats drunk on purpose, and how narcissists react when you tell them they’re geniuses (or not). Between aviation, physics, psychology, and literature, this one’s equal parts silly and smart — the episode where science meets stupidity in the best possible way. Music: HOME – AWAY

This week, Tom dives into the endlessly complex world of fractals, repeating patterns that appear everywhere from galaxies to your lungs. Tom explores how fractals shape the natural world, why measuring something as simple as a coastline turns out to be impossible, and what happens in the brain when people on psychedelics see fractal-like visions. That may not seem like science but LSD consumption and fractals have had a profound impact on our understanding of the brain and how we function. Music: HOME – AWAY

This week on The Information Entropy Podcast, we’re diving into the science behind the 2025 Nobel Prizes — the discoveries that shaped this year’s biggest scientific headlines. Firstly, Tom apologises for his audio, we double checked everything but sadly audacity glitches strike again. But if you can bear it, it was a very fun episode! In Physics, we explore how researchers made quantum mechanics go big, building superconducting circuits that behave like single quantum particles — the groundwork for quantum computers of the future. In Chemistry, it’s all about molecular architecture. The laureates designed metal–organic frameworks — crystalline structures so porous they can trap gases, harvest water from desert air, and maybe even help clean up the planet. And in Physiology or Medicine, we meet the immune system’s own peacekeepers: regulatory T cells. Their discovery revealed how the body prevents its defences from turning on itself, paving the way for new treatments in autoimmune disease, cancer, and organ transplantation. So join us as we unpack the science, the stories, and a bit of the chaos behind this year’s Nobel Prizes — with our usual mix of curiosity, tangents, and mild existential dread. Music: HOME – AWAY

This week we return for some planetary defence chat with some tangents along the way! The boys start off speaking about the changing nature of AI use and its real-world implications. Once on topic they turn to discussing how one might go about avoiding interstellar catastrophe. Is it possible to move large objects in space out of the way, what about using stellar engines to move the sun and all the planets along with it? What are these marvellous machines and how would they function? Music: HOME – AWAY

This week on we’re looking at how Earth protects itself from dangers that come hurtling out of space. Mitch takes us through NASA’s DART mission and what it means for defending the planet against near-Earth objects — those asteroids and comets that occasionally pass a little too close for comfort. Meanwhile, Tom explores solar storms: massive eruptions from our Sun that could knock out satellites, fry power grids, and disrupt life as we know it. Music: HOME – AWAY

Are we alone in the universe? This week we dive into the science of astrobiology — the hunt for life beyond Earth. From NASA’s latest discovery of potential biosignatures on Mars to the strange possibilities of methane seas on Titan and silicon-based aliens straight out of science fiction, we explore what it takes for a world to be habitable, how scientists search for life, and what counts as real evidence. Music: HOME – AWAY

From the phone in your pocket to the car on your driveway, batteries quietly power modern life. But how do these tiny boxes of chemistry actually work? In this episode we crack open the science of batteries — from the basics of anodes, cathodes, and electrolytes, to the differences between lithium-ion, alkaline, and lead–acid cells. We explore why voltage and current matter, how thousands of cells are scaled up to run electric cars, and what really happens when batteries fail or catch fire. We also dig into why they wear out over time, the challenge of long-term storage, and the big question: can energy storage keep up with our growing global demand? Batteries aren’t just about powering gadgets — they may shape the entire future of energy.

Join us on this episode as we delve into the stealthy threat of appendicitis. We explore the anatomy of the appendix, why its obstruction turns emergency, how symptoms can mislead even seasoned clinicians, and what scores like Alvarado and AIR add to the diagnostic toolkit. We’ll guide you through the treatment landscape— from keyhole surgery to antibiotic-first strategies—highlighting the risks, benefits, and when each is appropriate. Through real-life cases, we’ll underscore the consequences of a delayed diagnosis and the power of early intervention.

Ever wonder why you keep scrolling, buying, or clicking — even when you know you shouldn’t? In this episode, we dive into the science of attention and the clever tricks marketers and social media platforms use to capture it. From supermarket layouts and clever packaging to TikTok’s endless scroll and online ads, we explore how your brain is being subtly steered and why compulsive behaviours like doomscrolling are so hard to resist. Music: HOME - AWAY

Ever wonder why we spend a third of our lives lying in the dark trying to hallucinate? ME TOO FRIEND! So, come and dive into the science of sleep, from the stages your brain cycles through, to the surprising tricks animals use to rest, and the shocking effects of going without sleep. Plus, explore why we sometimes stay up late on purpose and what really makes sleep restorative. Music: HOME – AWAY

The universe is vast—hundreds of billions of stars, trillions of planets—so where is everyone? This week we dive into the Fermi Paradox, the puzzling question of why we haven’t found any signs of intelligent extraterrestrial life despite the overwhelming odds. We break down the science behind the paradox, explore the Drake Equation, and examine possible explanations for the cosmic silence—from civilizations being short-lived to the unsettling idea of the Great Filter. Is the galaxy teeming with life that hides from us, or are we truly alone? Music: HOME – AWAY

This week we’re back in the world of dog minds, digging into whether dogs really understand the words we say, or if we’re just wishful-thinking pet parents. We explore why they might ignore our commands, whether their so-called “bad behaviour” is actually intentional, and how different training styles affect behaviour. It’s dog psychology with a healthy dose of science, scepticism, and sympathy for the little chaos machines we love

The UK’s Online Safety Act just went live — and it's got nothing to do with safety. In this episode, we break down how this sweeping new law threatens free speech, demands intrusive age checks, and opens the door to mass surveillance. We’ll expose the tech behind the ID dragnet, unpack the VPN boom, and ask the big question: is this the end of online privacy in Britain? Plug in, encrypt everything, and hit play — your digital freedom depends on it.

This week we dive into the minds of dogs — exploring how they interpret human gestures, what their behaviour might reveal about their emotions, and whether breed really shapes personality. We break down the science of training, cognition, and attachment — and ask what’s really going on behind those puppy-dog eyes. Turns out, your dog might be understanding more than you think. And probably judging you a little less than you fear. Music: HOME – AWAY

This week we dive into the twisted psychology behind reality TV. From enforced gender stereotypes to the dark influence of producers, we explore how contestants are pushed, manipulated, and reshaped for the cameras. What makes people obey, conform, or completely lose themselves on screen? Think Love Island meets the Milgram experiment—with a dose of online misinformation, social pressure, and the false belief that everyone else thinks just like you.

What makes perfectly sane people eat bugs, betray teammates, or forget their own name on national TV? This week, we dive into the wild world of game show psychology—from group conformity and mob mentality to time pressure and full-blown cognitive collapse. We unravel the science behind why the game format lowers our guard, how 30% of a group can flip the entire consensus, and why your brain starts short-circuiting the moment a buzzer goes off. Spoiler: it’s not just about the money. Music: HOME - AWAY

Welcome to this very special episode of the Information Entropy Podcast: Episode 150! Today we take a bit more of a relaxed approach to the structure of the episode exploring a variety of topics that we find interesting such as new space telescopes and their discoveries as well as the influence that games are having and will have on our technology in the future. Thank you to each and every one of you who tunes in, whether for a few minutes or each and every week. Music: HOME – AWAY

In this episode of The Information Entropy Podcast, Tom explores one of the biggest mysteries in modern cosmology: the Hubble tension. Why do we get different answers while measuring the expansion rate of the universe? Is our standard model of the cosmos missing a crucial piece of the puzzle? Join Tom as he journeys from the discovery of cosmic expansion and the Big Bang, through the ingredients of our universe, to the Nobel Prize-winning revelation that expansion is accelerating — and then into the heart of the tension that’s challenging our understanding of the cosmos. We’ll look at how scientists are tackling this problem, what it could mean for the ultimate fate of the universe, and why this is a moment of exciting discovery. Music: HOME - AWAY