The Infinite Monkey Cage
BBC
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.
Location:
London, United Kingdom
Networks:
BBC
Description:
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.
Language:
English
Episodes
Illuminating Light - Jess Wade, Russell Foster and Bridget Christie
8/20/2025
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
Duration:00:42:23
Moths v Butterflies - Katy Brand, Jane Hill and Chris Jiggins
8/13/2025
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
Duration:00:42:08
Technofossils - Sarah Gabbott, Mark Miodownik and Aurie Styla
8/6/2025
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
Duration:00:42:26
The Mighty Spud - Sandy Knapp, Glenn Bryan and Susan Calman
7/30/2025
Robin Ince and Brian Cox get out the ketchup and peel back the layers of one of the most versatile and beloved foods - potatoes. From the science of starch to the surprising role potatoes have played in history, we’re digging deep to uncover the truth behind the mighty spud. Chipping into the conversation are botanist Sandy Knapp, geneticist Glenn Bryan and potato passionate comedian Susan Calman. Susan is astonished to learn that the potatoes lining our supermarket shelves all belong to a single species and once she discovered the rich diversity of wild potato species in South America, she’s already planning her next holiday to visit them! Plus we end the episode on a tuber-powered musical note as Helen Anahita-Wilson plays the monkey cage theme song on none other than a potato keyboard!
Producer: Melanie Brown Assistant Producer: Olivia Jani Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem
BBC Studios Audio Production
Duration:00:42:43
How to Build the Perfect Athlete - Helen Glover, Hugh Dennis, Steve Haake and Emma Ross
7/23/2025
Brian Cox and Robin Ince are limbering up for a high-performance episode all about what it takes to build the perfect athlete. Joining them on the track are physiologist Dr Emma Ross, sports engineer Professor Steve Haake, Olympic rowing legend Helen Glover, and comedian Hugh Dennis - who’s getting into gear and reliving his cycling adventures in the Pyrenees. From muscle power and mental grit to high-tech training tools, the team dives into the science of champions. Can we engineer the ultimate competitor? And how do you get back to peak performance after becoming a parent? Helen Glover shares her inspiring story, while Hugh Dennis wonders if he’s still got what it takes to get to the top.
Producer: Olivia Jani Series Producer: Melanie Brown Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem
BBC Studios Audio Production
Duration:00:42:22
Should We Settle in Space? - Tim Peake, Kelly Weinersmith and Alan Davies
7/16/2025
Brian Cox and Robin Ince blast off into a cosmic controversy as they ask, should humanity become an interplanetary species? At Harwell Campus, a space science innovation hub, they’re joined by astronaut Tim Peake, biologist and Royal Society prize winning author Kelly Weinersmith, and comedian Alan Davies to explore the science, ethics, and challenges of settling on Mars or on the Moon. Are we bold pioneers venturing into the unknown, or just reckless tenants abandoning Earth in search of a new abode? Our panel discuss whether space settlement is inevitable in humanity’s near future and how pushing the boundaries of space exploration could make extra-terrestrial travel more accessible to the masses. From sourcing materials, to surviving radiation, and even growing potatoes from poo, they tackle what it really would take to live a life beyond Earth!
Series Producer: Melanie Brown Assistant Producer: Olivia Jani Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem
BBC Studios Audio Production
Duration:00:42:46
201st Birthday Bonanza - Mel Giedroyc, Deborah Meaden and Nish Kumar
7/9/2025
Get ready for a landmark episode of The Infinite Monkey Cage as we celebrate our 201st show! Brian Cox and Robin Ince invite a lively panel of celebrity guests to pose their burning scientific questions to a top-tier team of scientists. Mel Giedroyc is tunnelling into the world of engineering, asking how we build and operate trains under some of the world’s busiest cities? Mel has found a new best friend in, Isabel Coman, Director of Engineering at Transport for London, who is here to guide her through the particulars of subterranean transport systems. Deborah Meaden, entrepreneur and investor, is delving into the emotional lives of animals - do our furry, feathered, and scaly companions have feelings like grief in the way we do? Helping her to sniff out the science of animal emotions is Dr Liz Paul, a comparative psychologist from the University of Bristol. Comedian Nish Kumar wants to know - are we totally screwed when it comes to climate change, or is there still hope? Helping him unpack tipping points, rising temperatures, and how we might turn the tide is climate scientist Ed Hawkins from the University of Reading.
Series Producer: Melanie Brown Assistant Producer: Olivia Jani Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem
BBC Studios Audio Production
Duration:00:42:35
Nature's Shapes - Dave Gorman, Sarah Hart and Thomas Woolley
3/26/2025
Brian Cox and Robin Ince unpick the hidden codes behind the shapes we see in nature with Mathematicians Sarah Hart & Thomas Woolley and comedian Dave Gorman. The panel marvel at how evolution so often beats mathematicians to finding the most elegant solutions, after all, it’s had millennia to experiment. How do trees achieve the optimal distribution of leaves and why tortoise shells are so geometrically exciting?
Plus we learn why the cheetah got its spots, thanks to the work of Thomas Wolley’s mathematical hero, Alan Turing, how numbers can be more or less irrational, and why Dave Gorman has a vendetta against oblongs.
Producer: Melanie Brown Exec Producer: Alexandra Feachem Assistant Producer: Olivia Jani
Duration:00:42:27
The Sound of Music - Brian Eno, Sam Bennett and Trevor Cox
3/19/2025
Brian Cox and Robin Ince explore the history of music recording, joined by Acoustics Professor Trevor Cox, Music Professor Sam Bennett and musician and producer Brian Eno. Together they guide us through the evolution of sound recording, a space in which technology hasn’t stood still since its advent in the mid 1800’s. We hear the very first recognisable recording of a voice made with a brush making marks in soot and put a spotlight on the Fairlight CMI, a revolutionary digital synthesizer of the 70’s, used in Brian’s records (Cox & Eno’s!)
Plus, we run an audio experiment with our live audience who turn themselves into our in house digital orchestra, with the help of their mobile phones. Now that lots of people have several devices that can play sound, new technology is harnessing this to create a more immersive experience – which (kind of) worked in our experiment!
Producer: Melanie Brown Exec Producer: Alexandra Feachem Assistant Producer: Olivia Jani
Duration:00:42:43
Saturn v Jupiter - Katherine Parkinson, Paul Abel and Michele Dougherty
3/12/2025
Brian Cox and Robin Ince referee as Saturn and Jupiter square up to each other in a planetary face off. Representing team Saturn is space physicist Professor Michele Dougherty, and in the opposite corner is Dr Paul Abel on Team Jupiter. Katherine Parkinson judges this cosmic contest, casting the final vote to decide who will be awarded the coveted Kuiper Belt.
It is not all about looks of course, but it is a significant factor in a first impression. Both Saturn and Jupiter score highly in this department, boasting magnificent icy rings and colourful stripes respectively. But what lies beneath their aesthetically pleasing exteriors? How do the planets compare on the inside? The gas giants have been subjects of investigation for many years, with historic missions like Galileo and Cassini uncovering their secrets. But they aren’t alone, each planet is surrounded by its own mini solar system of moons, which get space scientists just as excited as their parent planets do. Both Jupiter and Saturn have moons which are hot contenders in the search for extra-terrestrial life and our panel discuss the future plans to explore them.
Producer: Melanie Brown Exec Producer: Sasha Feachem Researcher: Olivia Jani
Duration:00:42:21
Adventures on Ice - Darren Harriot, Liz Morris, Christoph Salzmann and Felicity Aston
3/5/2025
Robin Ince and Brian Cox venture into the captivating and surprisingly mysterious realm of ice. Joining them on this cool adventure is former ice dancer Darren Harriot, glaciologist Liz Morris, polar explorer Felicity Aton and ice chemist Christoph Salzmann.
From beautifully formed snowflakes to ice shelves in Antarctica our guests discuss the fascinating science suspended in solid water and how much is still to be discovered. With the help of a gin and tonic they explore the properties of ice - like why it floats and how there are 20 phases of ice, three of which were accidentally discovered by our guest Christoph. Darren shares his respect and fear for ice having learnt to dance and ice-skate on it. Liz discusses how analysing deep ice can provide a window into our past climate whilst also helping us understand our present one and why penguins can be problematic. Polar explorer Felicity explains how being able to read the colours, shapes and sounds of the ice have helped to keep her alive as she's traversed the highly inhospitable (but also incredibly beautiful) polar regions.
Producer: Melanie Brown Exec Producer: Alexandra Feachem Assistant Producer: Olivia Jani
Duration:00:42:32
How selfish are we really? - Jo Brand, Matti Wilks and Steve Jones
2/26/2025
Brian Cox and Robin Ince kindly open the door for each other as they step into understanding altruism asking why humans have evolved to help each. Joining them to explore the human tendency to be kind is evolutionary biologist Steve Jones, psychologist Matti Wilks and comedian Jo Brand.
Starting with the animal kingdom we probe the biological underpinnings of why organisms might act to help others at an energetic cost to themselves and where this fits alongside the theory of evolution. We explore how the development of human societies has necessitated altruistic behaviours and how these manifest in our modern lives. Matti introduces the idea of moral circles as we ask why are we more generous to some people than others. We explore how children feel about being kind to those close and far away with some surprising recent findings and finally consider what can encourage more altruistic behaviour.
Producer: Melanie Brown Exec Producer: Alexandra Feachem Assistant Producer: Olivia Jani
Duration:00:42:26
Journey to the Centre of the Earth - Phil Wang, Ana Ferreira and Chris Jackson
2/19/2025
Brian Cox and Robin Ince slice deep into the lesser explored world beneath us. To join them on the journey from the crust to the core they are joined by seismologist Ana Ferreira, geologist Chris Jackson and comedian Phil Wang.
School children learn about the makeup of the earth with an image depicting the earth's core, mantle and crust layered neatly on top of each other, but is this an oversimplification? Our experts reveal that the earths innards are less uniform than we might think and mysteries still abound, including the makeup of some continental sized blobs deep inside the earth. We learn about the incredible heat and pressure as we descend and why that has limited how far humans have been able to explore these deep realms first-hand. We explore the chemistry of the interactions between the earth layers and how they influence the formation of continental plates and volcanoes. Phil has an existential crisis about falling inside gaps between the plates but is reassured his worries are unfounded as Ana explains the latest techniques being used to understand the world deep beneath us.
Producer: Melanie Brown Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem Researcher: Olivia Jani
Duration:00:42:40
An Unexpected History of the Body
12/25/2024
Brian Cox and Robin Ince uncover the unexpected history of the body in the archives of the Royal Society with special guests Prof Helen King, Sir Mark Walport, Keith Moore and Ed Byrne. Together they dissect some of the most surprising and peculiar beliefs that have been held about the body over the last 500 years, from wandering-womb hypotheses to tobacco-enema resuscitations. They unearth how scientific discoveries have often originated from brave individuals, willing to volunteer their own bodies in the pursuit of science. Our panellist Sir Mark Walport has continued in this tradition of self-experimentation, and has with him x-rays of his own faeces for show and tell!
Producer: Melanie Brown Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem Researcher: Olivia Jani
BBC Studios Audio Production
Duration:00:42:25
Is Extinction the End?
12/18/2024
Brian Cox and Robin Ince dig into de-extinction asking, could we and should we resurrect creatures of the past? They are joined by geneticist Adam Rutherford, palaeontologist Susannah Maidment and comedian/virologist Ria Lina.
Extinction has played a significant role in shaping the life we see on Earth today. It is estimated around 95% of species to have ever existed are already extinct - but could any of these extinctions be reversed? Our panel explore the different methods being pursued in these resurrection quests, including back-breeding, cloning and genetic engineering. They take a close look at the case of the woolly mammoth and the suggestion they could be returned to the Arctic tundra. Some claim the mammoth is the key to ecosystem restoration, but our panel have some punchy opinions on whether this Jurassic Park fantasy is even ethical.
Producer: Melanie Brown Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem Researcher: Olivia Jani
BBC Studios Audio Production
Duration:00:42:27
Fantastic Elastic
12/11/2024
Brian Cox and Robin Ince expand their knowledge of elasticity with Olympian Bryony Page, comedian Jessica Fostekew & experts Dr Anna Ploszajski and Prof James Busfield.
What makes stretchy things stretch? Together our panel journey through different applications of elastic materials and examine, at the molecular level, what happens when we stretch a material and crucially what causes it to return to its original shape. This is especially pertinent to our guest Olympic and British champion trampolinist Bryony Page who has capitalised on elasticity in her 24 year long career. We discover that the bounce of a trampoline mainly comes from the elasticity of steel and how dependent this is on temperature. Cold temperatures are not only treacherous for trampolines; we explore how the cold proved fatal to the elastic components of both the Titanic and the Challenger space shuttle.
Plus we hear how scientists sometimes just can’t beat nature; natural rubber and spiders silk are two such cases. Anna Ploszajski takes us through some of the more inventive techniques scientists have engineered to produced more of these natural materials, including genetically engineering goats to be milked for silk.
Producer: Melanie Brown Exec Producer: Alexandra Feachem Researcher: Olivia Jani
BBC Studios Audio production
Duration:00:42:44
The Science of Baby Making
12/4/2024
Brian Cox and Robin Ince investigate the science of baby making - don’t worry, all theory no practice! They are joined by Professor Joyce Harper, Dr Ben Steventon and comedian Sara Pascoe to discuss how just two cells can turn into trillions, or in other words, how an embryo can turn into an embryologist. The embryo building processes across species are remarkably similar, yet there is still so much we don’t know about the beginning of life. Our panel discuss these unknowns, the latest in fertility treatments and what new capabilities might be available to future parents. It seems that artificial wombs may not be science fiction for much longer and scientists are closing in on being able to make egg and sperm cells out of stem cells. So yes, Brian and Robin could one day have a baby!
Producer: Melanie Brown Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem Researcher: Olivia Jani
BBC Studios Audio Production
Duration:00:42:00
Starless World
11/27/2024
Brian Cox and Robin Ince consider how different our understanding of the universe would be without the stars. They are joined by Maggie Aderin-Pocock, Roberto Trotta and comedian John Bishop who illuminate all that we have learnt from the stars and how different life would be without them.
Every culture has looked up at the night sky, but why are we so drawn to the pin pricks of light in the sky above us all and how have they helped shape human civilisation? Roberto Trotta takes us back to the origins of astronomy, to women who he believes were the first astronomers, linking the orbital period of the moon with the length of the menstrual cycle. We continue the historical journey, through the astronomical greats, Galileo, Copernicus and Kepler who all in part owe their scientific discoveries to the stars. Our panel marvel at how we, an infinitesimally small part of the universe, are able to look up at the stars and comprehend what is beyond and how this star-gazing has profoundly shaped our sense of selves as well as underpinned science as we know it.
Producer: Melanie Brown Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem Researcher: Olivia Jani
BBC Studios Audio production
Duration:00:42:25
Hedgehogs
11/20/2024
Brian Cox and Robin Ince emerge from the hedge row waking up their guests from hibernation to discuss the fascinating lives of Britain’s favourite mammal, the hedgehog. They are joined by hedgehog experts Hugh Warwick and Sophie Lund Rasmussen (also know as Dr Hedgehog), and by broadcaster and poet Pam Ayres. Sophie Lund Rasmussen has crowd sourced 14 freezers worth of dead hedgehogs for her research and has brought one of her more unique samples with her, the penis of the oldest known hedgehog who reached a stupendous 16 years of age! Together our panel snuffle their way through the evolution of hedgehogs, their life cycle and how to stop them getting run over by robotic lawn mowers!
Producer: Melanie Brown Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem Researcher: Olivia Jani
BBC Studios Audio production
Duration:00:42:34
The Cyber Codebreakers
11/13/2024
Brian Cox and Robin Ince head to Bletchley Park with comedian Alan Davies, and cyber experts Victoria Baines and Richard Benham to decode cyberwarfare and discuss its future.
As computers have shrunk from the size of rooms to fitting in our jacket pockets, our cyber sleuths explore the changing nature of cyber-attacks and defence. They decipher the fancy jargon abounding in cyber land, from trojan horses to phishing scams and reveal how prolific these attacks are on nation states, businesses and the public. From digital army battalions to teenage freelance hackers, the cyber-villains are multiple and varied. Our panel discusses the aims of these malevolent forces; from extorting money and holding valuable commercial data hostage to influencing people’s electoral intent.
The panel explores how AI and quantum computing are supercharging cyberwarfare – but in good news, also cyber-defence. Alan Davies shares his susceptibility to being tricked online whilst our experts give some tips for staying safe online, and finally, Alan comes up with his surprising alter-ego hacking name.
Producer: Melanie Brown Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem Researcher: Olivia Jani
BBC Studios Audio production
Duration:00:42:30