Dr Masud Husain on what the brain reveals about us

Dr Masud Husain on what the brain reveals about us

The human brain has fascinated and confounded us for centuries. Few dedicate their lives to studying and understanding its inner workings. Fewer still can make those complexities accessible to the ordinary reader. Dr Masud Husain, a neurologist who teaches neurology and cognitive neuroscience at the university of Oxford, has done exactly that. His book, "Our Brains, Our Selves" is a fascinating account of what he has learned over decades of treating patients. Through these stories, he helps us better understand not just neurological conditions, but also the very nature of memory, attention, motivation and identity itself. In this conversation, Dr. Husain shares his thoughts on why we behave the way we do and what that reveals about the brain. He talks about why listening and attentiveness are among the greatest tools a doctor can have, what multitasking and social media are doing to our minds, the role of dopamine in shaping motivation, whether humour has a neurological basis and what all of us can do to keep ourselves mentally healthy.

Tim Wigmore: The story of Test cricket

Tim Wigmore's "Test Cricket: A History" is a definitive account of the game's longest and the most demanding format. In this podcast Tim covers a lot of ground, talking about the greats like Ranjitsinhji, Bradman, Sachin, Lara and Pataudi. Who are the best all rounders of the game? What makes a good captain? What is the history of The Ashes? What is it like to face an orb being hurled at 150km an hour? And how has Test cricket evolved and does it still endure the game's ultimate test?

Samanth Subramanian on the undersea cables that run the world

How do undersea cables work and what is their significance in our daily lives? Samanth Subramanian, an award-winning journalist tells us about "fragile cables that connect our world" in his brilliant new book, "The Web Beneath the Waves". They operate behind the scenes and on the sea bed. Over 600 of them carry around 95 per cent of the world's intercontinental traffic. Unlike satellites which get a lot of press, submarine cables are largely unsung until something goes wrong. Take Ghana's stock exchange which, in 2024, had to shut down an hour earlier than scheduled after seismic activity severed some cables. In 2024 Houtis, a rebel group in Yemen, bombed a cargo ship, whose anchor was said to have damaged three cables. And then there's the occasional shark bite too. With barely 69 or so repair ships out there, the entire process of fixing these cables "is delightfully Victorian", says Samanth. We live in an era that this piece of technology holds enormous geopolitical clout too. His research, for his slim book, took him to some of the most unexpected places. The Economist named it as among the best books of 2025.

Adam Weymouth: What wolves tell us about Europe

In this podcast Adam Weymouth, one of the most compelling young writers in the UK, talks about his latest book, "Lone Wolf: Walking the Line Between Civilization and Wildness". It's an immersive reportage that follows the journey of a wolf across Europe. Through encounters with farmers, hunters and rural communities, Adam examines how wolves have become a proxy for deeper anxieties about migration, economic decline and political control. What is a wolf? How does it think? What are some of the myths and realities of this beautiful animal? Adam takes us through what he learned in his peripatetic excursion to the sticks, which was as physically demanding as it was revealing.

Kieran Mulvaney on the battle for power at the top of the world

How does it feel to stay in a cabin in Alaska? How does one keep their wits about oneself in places like the Arctic when the sun doesn't rise for 65-70 days during polar nights? And before you know it, daylight is back for 24 hours. Kieran Mulvaney has traveled to these lands for over 25 years. His latest book, "Arctic Passages: Ice, Exploration, and the Battle for Power at the Top of the World" is a personal account flush with rich reporting from frigid climes. In this podcast he talks about his experiences of visiting these remote lands, some of the crucial geopolitical implications of melting ice, why global warming is real and how the glacial pace at which we are responding isn't doing us any favours. The Economist has named Kieran's book as among the best non-fiction reads of 2025.