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Life Without: Daily Summaries Delivered
by BBC Radio 4
What if, one day, something essential to our world suddenly vanished? No warning. No explanation. Just gone. What happens next? Life Without is a roundtable-style podcast that explores this fascinating and thought-provoking question with insight, evidence-based assumptions and a range of perspectives. Hosted by Alan Davies, each episode brings together 2 guests, scientists, psychologists, economists, sociologists and journalists to discuss the unexpected consequences of losing something vital to our world. Each episode starts with a bold, imaginative question: What would happen if something fundamental—like the moon, salt, sleep, or even something as random as rats—suddenly disappeared from the world? What's the immediate fallout? How does society cope? And how long would it take before things started unravelling?
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 6 days ago15 min
Life Without Plankton
The ocean’s tiniest drifters disappear. In this episode of Life Without, Alan Davies removes plankton from the sea. They may be hard to see, but what happens when the foundation of ocean life is suddenly gone? Alan episode explores the food webs that begin with plankton, from fish to seabirds and whales. He also looks at the familiar things they shape, including the smell of the seaside and glowing blue tides, and at their broader role in climate and ocean science. Featuring Dr Clare Ostle, marine biogeochemist at the Marine Biological Association, and environmental journalist Anna Turns.An ITN production for BBC Radio 4
- 1 weeks ago15 min
Life Without Memory
No new memories. In this episode of Life Without, Alan Davies takes away our ability to form them. We can still live in the moment, but what happens when that moment will not stay with us? Alan explores different kinds of memory, from knowing how to ride a bike to recalling a personal experience. Can technology, routines and support help us cope? And what might memory loss reveal about how people learn, build relationships and make sense of their lives?An ITN production for BBC Radio 4
- 2 weeks ago14 min
Life Without Bats
No bats in the night sky. In this episode of Life Without, Alan Davies imagines a world where bats suddenly disappear. From tiny insect-eaters to fruit bats, what would humanity miss when these remarkable mammals are gone? Alan explores the role bats play in controlling insects, pollinating plants and dispersing seeds. He also examines their surprising social lives, their unusual immune systems, and what they might teach us about disease and ageing. Featuring Professor Kate Jones, Professor of Ecology and Biodiversity at UCL, and Dr Christina Stanley, Associate Professor in Animal Behaviour and Welfare at the University of Chester.An ITN production for BBC Radio 4
- 3 weeks ago2 min
Life Without S2 - Trailer
What if, one day, something essential to our world suddenly vanished? No warning. No explanation. Just gone. What happens next?Life Without is a roundtable-style podcast that explores this fascinating and thought-provoking question with insight, evidence-based assumptions and a range of perspectives. Hosted by Alan Davies, each episode brings together 2 guests, scientists, psychologists, economists, sociologists and journalists to discuss the unexpected consequences of losing something vital to our world.Each episode starts with a bold, imaginative question: What would happen if something fundamental—like the moon, salt, sleep, or even something as random as rats—suddenly disappeared from the world? What’s the immediate fallout? How does society cope? And how long would it take before things started unravelling?
- Apr 17, 202614 min
Life Without North America
What would happen to the world if the USA disappears? In this episode of Life Without, Alan Davies explores a planet earth without the land mass of North America. How would opening up the Atlantic impact us in the UK and what would the disappearance of North American produce and people mean for the rest of the world?This episode features Dr. Anjana Khatwa an award winning Earth Scientist and author, and Tori Tsui, a climate justice activist, author, and mental health advocate.An ITN production for BBC Radio 4
- Apr 10, 202614 min
Life Without Standard Time
Spring Forward, Fall Back or what if we just didn’t? In this episode of Life Without, Alan Davies looks at how our circadian rhythms would be impacted if we simply stopped changing the clocks. Some scientists have argued to do away with the twice-yearly clock change in order to see some beneficial impacts on our health. So why have some parts of the world adopted this system while places like Russia and Mexico don’t use it at all?This episode features Aarti Jagannath, a leading chronobiologist and Associate Professor at the University of Oxford, and Dr Rebecca Struthers who is a watchmaker, author, historian and Honorary Research Fellow at University of Birmingham.An ITN production for BBC Radio 4
- Apr 3, 202614 min
Life Without Sleep
We all know the importance of sleep, but what happens if we literally can’t? In this episode of Life Without, Alan Davies breaks down how long a world full of sleepy people could function. From memory loss to hallucinations, sleep is keeping all our brains working and our bodies functioning. Without it, we would surely die, but what might happen before we do and has tech found solutions to life without sleep?This episode features Derk-Jan Dijk a expert in sleep and Professor at the University of Surrey, and Dr Sophie Bostock an educator dedicated to the science of sleep and performance.An ITN production for BBC Radio 4
- Mar 27, 202615 min
Life Without Writing
How many of us even use a pen these days and what if we never picked one up ever again? In this episode of Life Without, Alan Davies looks at our ancient skill of handwriting. If we could no longer write, would it really matter? From the feather with ink to our daily ballpoint, writing has been the most personal and poetic way to communicate throughout human history. But as less of us pick up a pencil, would life without writing work?This episode features Nels Abbey a critically acclaimed writer and Dominic Wyse a Professor of Early Childhood and Primary Education at the UCL Institute of Education. An ITN production for BBC Radio 4
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About Life Without
What if, one day, something essential to our world suddenly vanished? No warning. No explanation. Just gone. What happens next? Life Without is a roundtable-style podcast that explores this fascinating and thought-provoking question with insight, evidence-based assumptions and a range of perspectives. Hosted by Alan Davies, each episode brings together 2 guests, scientists, psychologists, economists, sociologists and journalists to discuss the unexpected consequences of losing something vital to our world. Each episode starts with a bold, imaginative question: What would happen if something fundamental—like the moon, salt, sleep, or even something as random as rats—suddenly disappeared from the world? What's the immediate fallout? How does society cope? And how long would it take before things started unravelling?
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Life Without publishes weekly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
What topics does Life Without cover?
Life Without covers topics including Science, Nature, Documentary, Culture, Society & Culture. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
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