The Infinite Monkey Cage

Jessica Fostekew and Adam Rutherford tackle one of the biggest and strangest questions in science: what is nothing? Starting with the earliest philosophers and journeying through to today's cutting-edge experiments, they ask whether true nothingness can ever exist.
Joining them to explore one of science's most perplexing and important questions are physicists Harry Cliff and Yvette Fuentes, alongside comedians Hugh Dennis and Ria Lina. Together, they uncover why vacuums are far from empty, how the concept of nothing transformed science, and what the nature of absence can tell us about the origins and fate of the universe.
Along the way, they delve into philosophical debates about the void, discover how scientists measure and define "nothing", and explore why the empty spaces between stars may be more active than they appear. They also role-play as positrons, deliberate over badgers, and learn that geckos harness quantum effects in unexpected ways. Our panel reveal that there is, perhaps surprisingly, rather a lot to say about nothing at all.
Producer: Mel Brown
A BBC Studios Production

The Infinite Monkey Cage returns for a brand-new series, with Professor Adam Rutherford and comedian Jessica Fostekew swinging into the cage as guest presenters. In this first episode, they find out who were the very first people to land on the British Isles… if they even were Isles at all.
Joined by anthropologist Professor Chris Stringer, geneticist Dr Selina Brace and comedian Tim Minchin, they learn that our British ancestors got to hang out with hippopotamuses, uncover what ancient DNA can tell us about man’s earliest best friends, and discover that some Homo sapiens became more than just friends with our Neanderthal cousins... The panel also gets to the bottom of some of the most pressing scientific debates: like if Cheddar Man was really a looker and whether the Brits have always had bad teeth.
Producer: Mel Brown
A BBC Studios Production

A witty, irreverent look at the world through scientists' eyes, guest hosted by Prof. Adam Rutherford and Jess Fostekew.

In this Christmas episode of The Infinite Monkey Cage, Brian Cox and Robin Ince head to the North Pole to explore the dazzling science behind the northern lights, the extreme adaptations that help animals - and even Santa Claus - survive the Arctic cold, and how the Earth’s magnetic field might just guide him home. Joining the monkeys are comedian Russell Kane, Arctic explorer Felicity Aston and Polar biologist Lloyd Peck, as they brave the chill to uncover the wonders of one of Earth’s most remote and magical frontiers.
Series Producer: Mel Brown
Researcher: Alex Rodway
Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem
A BBC Studios Production

In perhaps the monkiest Infinite Monkey Cage episode there’s ever been, Brian Cox and Robin Ince attempt to uncover the secrets of love, lust and friendship in primates. Swinging by to offer a hand (or tail) are evolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar, anthropologist Jo Setchell, and comedian Dave Gorman.
Together the panel explores Dunbar’s number in monkeys – the idea that the number of friendships an individual can maintain correlates with brain size – with the very creator of the theory! They ask whether monkeys feel love the way we do, why some species remain strictly monogamous but others don’t, and what we could learn about ourselves through studying them. Robin goes bananas for bonobo fashion, while Dave couldn’t give a monkey’s about finding an aftershave to complement his natural smell.
Series Producer: Mel Brown
Researcher: Alex Rodway
Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem
A BBC Studios Production