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Description
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?
16 Episodes
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No more tears, for sore eyes or sad films. In this episode of Life Without, Alan Davies turns off the tap. What happens when humanity loses the tears that protect our eyes as well as the ones we cry?Alan examines how tears keep eyes working, why artificial replacements may not be enough, and what changes when emotional weeping vanishes too. From courtrooms to funerals, can society show distress and find comfort without them? Featuring Marc Baker, a psychology researcher at the University of Portsmouth, and actor and theatre maker Andreea Tudose, co-creator of the dystopian cabaret Cry For Me.An ITN production for BBC Radio 4
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 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
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
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
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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