Why your Neanderthal genes may be affecting your health

Why your Neanderthal genes may be affecting your health

Author: Our Media May 1, 2026 Duration: 29:53
There’s so much we don’t know about Neanderthals. Our stocky, muscular relatives went extinct around 40,000 years ago, leaving a trail of mystery in their wake – about what they were like, how they lived, and why they disappeared. But, while Neanderthals themselves have gone, fragments of their DNA live on inside us. In this episode, we speak to Prof Chris Stringer, scientific associate at London’s Natural History Museum, and author of several books, including Britain: one million years of the human story (with Rob Dinnis) and Our Human Story (with Louise Humphrey). Chris tells us all about Neanderthals, from what they looked like, to where they lived, and how they might have interacted with Homo sapiens – that’s us. He also explains why so many of us have Neanderthal genes, and what that might be doing to our health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Curiosity doesn't have to be a deep dive; sometimes, you just want a clear, smart answer. That's the idea behind Instant Genius, a production from Our Media that brings the editorial expertise of BBC Science Focus Magazine into audio form. Each episode is a compact conversation with a leading researcher, scientist, or technologist, designed to unpack a complex topic in a single sitting. You might explore the mechanics of memory one day and the engineering behind quantum computers the next, all within the same accessible format. This podcast operates on the belief that profound understanding doesn't require hours of your time. Released every Monday and Friday, these bite-sized masterclasses are perfect for a commute or a coffee break, turning spare moments into genuine learning. The discussions are focused and surprisingly thorough, moving from fundamental principles to cutting-edge implications without getting lost in jargon. It’s for anyone who has ever wondered about the science of sleep, the truth about nutrition trends, or how black holes actually work, and wanted a reliable source to explain it clearly. Tuning into this podcast means getting a direct line to experts who are shaping our understanding of the world, all structured to deliver insight efficiently. The range is deliberately broad, spanning health, cosmology, technology, and everyday science, reflecting the endless questions a curious mind can hold.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Instant Genius
Podcast Episodes
What we can learn from music’s ability to evoke images in our minds [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:11
For most of us, music has a unique, almost supernatural, ability to trigger our emotions and memories and conjure up evocative images or even fantasies in our minds in a way that few other experiences or art forms can. B…
Why the liver is the body’s most misunderstood organ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:36
Most of us think about the liver as simply being the body’s filtration system that acts as a sponge that removes toxins from our bloodstreams. But the truth is it performs many more functions that are vital for our healt…
Why this common women’s health condition is so misunderstood [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:12
Despite affecting as many as 80 per cent of women by the age of 50, fibroids, lumps of tissue that grow in or around the womb, are not commonly discussed outside of specialist doctors’ offices. However, they can cause a…
The miraculous healing ability of our brains [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:35
It was previously thought that once our brains suffer an injury due to stroke or trauma, the potential for recovery was severely limited. But recent developments in medicine have proven that this isn’t the case; our brai…
How parasites play a vital role as caretakers of Earth’s ecosystems [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:50
When most of us think of parasites, our minds will likely turn to thoughts of the various icky creatures that can invade our bodies, make their homes there and end up making us ill. But the truth is that parasites make u…
How to keep your body younger for longer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:09
When it comes to the effects of ageing on our bodies, there are many more factors at play than simply the number of years we’ve been alive. It turns out, that for some people, there is a huge gap between their chronologi…
Why wasps are one of the planet’s most misunderstood insects [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:15
The truth is, when most of us think of wasps, our minds will likely go to memories of irritating winged pests landing in our drinks when we’re trying to have a nice summer picnic or perhaps one of the times we got a nast…
Why you probably don’t need to be taking dietary supplements [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:21
These days the supplement industry is booming – supermarket shelves are stacked high with all manner of pills and powders claiming to do everything from helping us to live longer or improving our digestive health to boos…
Why this tiny organism is essential for the health of the planet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:01
Although it often goes unnoticed, plankton is the most abundant form of life in Earth’s oceans, making up 95 per cent of all oceanic biomass. These tiny organisms are responsible for generating around half of the planet’…
What happens in our bodies when our hormones misfire [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:24
Every minute of every day, our bodies are flooded with a complex web of hormones – chemical messengers that travel through the bloodstream, coordinating everything from our blood pressure, body temperature, metabolic rat…