Join mathematician Professor Hannah Fry and science creator Michael Stevens (Vsauce) as they dig into the weird scientific questions that often go unexplored. Welcome to The Rest Is Science, a show that sits in the fascinating space between what we think we know, and what we actually know. Why do we assume we understand things like time, randomness, or even gravity? Once you start questioning these familiar ideas, reality becomes astonishingly strange and completely fragile. Whether you're a lifelong science fan or just naturally curious, The Rest Is Science will change your perception of reality, and prove that the biggest questions are always the most fun.
What this show covers
psychologyspacephysicsneurosciencechemistryperceptionplacebo effectListener questionsLanguageconfirmation biashuman evolutionspaceflightcuriosityscience historyevolution
What listeners will find here
Why placebos seem to be getting stronger, especially in U.S. pain trials
The episode examines a striking trend in clinical trials: placebo responses in pain studies appear to be rising, narrowing the gap between real medication and dummy treatments. Hannah Fry and Michael Stevens explore how expectation shapes pain, treatment outcomes, and even everyday experiences beyond medicine.
A mammoth bone opens a window onto the drowned world of Doggerland
Doggerland, the Ice Age land now under the North Sea, anchors this episode as Hannah and Michael explore who lived there, what animals roamed it, and how an entire landscape vanished. It also detours into listener questions on the word “cool,” “skank face,” and what they’re reading now.
How false accusations snowball into certainty
False accusations are the focus here, from Richard Jewell and the Salem witch trials to social media pile-ons. Hannah Fry and Michael Stevens examine why crowds become so certain, why we think we can spot liars, and how bias and conformity keep bad judgments alive.
Why a heavier kendama turns a toy trick into a physics lesson
Kendama becomes a crash course in pendulums, angular momentum, and catching mechanics as Michael challenges Hannah to land a catch. The episode also branches into listener questions on Jupiter, faster swimming, and how to get back into maths as an adult.
Why fire captivates us more deeply than a screen
Fire is the subject here, from the chemistry of a flame to its role in human history and attention. Hannah Fry and Michael Stevens connect how fire glows, how humans learned to use it, and why its pull may feel so different from a phone.
Episodes
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