The Infinite Monkey Cage

The Infinite Monkey Cage

BBC Radio 4

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.

Categories: Science & Medicine

Listen to the last episode:

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

Previous episodes

  • 240 - Should We Settle in Space? - Tim Peake, Kelly Weinersmith and Alan Davies 
    Wed, 16 Jul 2025
  • 239 - 201st Birthday Bonanza - Mel Giedroyc, Deborah Meaden and Nish Kumar 
    Wed, 09 Jul 2025
  • 238 - Nature's Shapes - Dave Gorman, Sarah Hart and Thomas Woolley 
    Wed, 26 Mar 2025
  • 237 - The Sound of Music - Brian Eno, Sam Bennett and Trevor Cox 
    Wed, 19 Mar 2025
  • 236 - Saturn v Jupiter - Katherine Parkinson, Paul Abel and Michele Dougherty 
    Wed, 12 Mar 2025
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