Science, science, science, alright now that we’ve scared the idiots away let’s talk science podcasts again. Now to be fair, this week’s recommendation could be counted as another edutainment show but if you are not into science you are not going to enjoy anything much about this show. If you do like science, hopefully you have already heard about, listened to and subscribed to this podcast but if you haven’t then you are in for a treat. Britain has always had a much bigger science influence on the media, just look at David Attenborough, Tomorrow’s World and anything with Brian Cox, speak of the devil.
BBC Radio 4 has been airing The Infinite Monkey Cage since 2009 and the complete episodes have been released in podcast form for a few years now. In fact, the podcasts have actually been extended editions of the show since 2013, which is a beautifully generous decision by the BBC. Most shows don’t even get published to iTunes and when they do there is still the chance that they will be exclusive to the UK. Even though the show is technically a panel show, there is really no structure to any of the chat. Which works wonderfully, when you have so many brilliant minds talking interesting topics all at once. Each week has a topic to cover and the show has been recorded in front of a live audience for the past few series. There is even talk of bringing the show to Australia!
Bureaucratic issues out of the way and The Infinite Monkey cage is a science based, panel show, hosted by both Brian Cox and Robin Ince. If you are unfamiliar with Brian Cox, I don’t believe you but he is actually tipped, by the man himself to be the next David Attenborough. Former rock star, current physicist and endless entertainer, Brian Cox has hosted a number of documentaries for the BBC, namely The Wonders series. Robin Ince on the other hand is a professional skeptic and a very funny one at that, some may even say comedian. For the past few years, Ince has built a name for himself questioning the world in the funniest manner possible.
Aside from Cox and Ince, a number of guests from the world of science, comedy and everything in between have graced the cage, all of whom are notable names in their respective fields. Stephen Fry, Carolyn Porco, Alan Moore, Sara Pascoe, Sir Patrick Stewart, Dr. Lucie Green, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Josie Long, Mark Gatiss, Lee Mack and Professor Sue Black is probably too long of a list for you too care but hey, each one of those names if very impressive. These guests have all been chosen for a reason and whether it be incredible insight to the world of science or just a great dick joke, each guest will bring something special to the table.
At this point, if you have never heard of the infinite monkey theorem then you are probably very confused about a science show named after what sounds like the epitome of animal cruelty. I could probably try to explain it to you now but I feel that even if there was an infinite amount of myselves banging away at this keyboard, we still wouldn’t be able to explain it as aptly as good ol’ Wiki. Don’t worry this also a contentious issue on the show itself as well.
Some of the topics are a little hard to follow at first listen but that is the beauty of a podcast, you can listen to that little mother, until your heart’s content. In the end you will be glad you did because each week revolves around a fascinating topic and even if you don’t manage to understand anything you will at least have a laugh. It’s not just the guests that are interesting and funny on The Infinite Monkey Cage, the members of the audience even get their time in the spotlight to crack jokes and swoon over Brian Cox, there’s a lot of swooning. He’s actually older than Robin Ince and if you don’t know what the two look like, Google them and come back (or just look above), I’ll wait… I know, right?
If for nothing else, listen to The Infinite Monkey Cage so you can finally get an answer to that life long question; “Are strawberries alive or dead?”. Scientists talking science and comedians talking bollocks in the very loose form of a panel show, how could it not be great? You won’t have very far to look, The Infinite Monkey Cage is a very popular show on the iTunes charts but I still think it deserves more attention than it already garners. That’s me done for now, while you go off to examine this new reccommenation, I need to read this copy of Romeo And Juliet that Bubbles has just completed for me, thanks Bubbles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVbciLZDxkc
