English on the Rocks

Science, Polarisation, and Why Nobody Trusts Politicians

Science, Polarisation, and Why Nobody Trusts Politicians In the first part of today’s show, we explored how teaching the history of science could help students navigate increasingly polarised times and encourage more critical thinking in public debate. Today’s unpopular opinion was: politicians should earn minimum wage. In the second half of the show,...

Why Cancer Rarely Reaches the Heart, Europe’s Social Media Crackdown & Paywall Debate

Why Cancer Rarely Reaches the Heart, Europe’s Social Media Crackdown & Paywall Debate In the first part of today’s show, we looked at a fascinating new discovery that may explain why cancer almost never spreads to the heart. Then we discussed the possibility of a new EU social media ban arriving as early as this summer, following comments from Ursula von der Leyen. Today’s unpopu...

Longevity Science, World Cup Fears, and the Comfort of Familiar Pain

Longevity Science, World Cup Fears, and the Comfort of Familiar Pain In the first part of today’s show, we looked at a new study claiming that one critical factor may predict longevity even better than diet or exercise. Then we discussed concerns surrounding the 2026 World Cup and why some people believe the tournament could end up being a colossal disappointment. ...

AI Consciousness, Humanity’s Final Countdown, and Why Cruises Need to Go

AI Consciousness, Humanity’s Final Countdown, and Why Cruises Need to Go In the first part of today’s show, we looked at why people are beginning to mistake AI behaviour for genuine consciousness and what that could mean for the future of human interaction with technology. Then we talked about the Doomsday Clock, who controls it, and why experts believe “the odds are...

AI Consciousness, Happiness, and Human Nature

AI Consciousness, Happiness, and Human Nature In the first part of today's show, we looked at Richard Dawkins concluding that AI may already be conscious, even if it doesn’t know it yet. We discussed what consciousness actually means, whether self-awareness is necessary, and how humanity might react if machines begin to think in ways we recog...

Tech Ethics, Human Evolution & Why You Can’t Focus

Tech Ethics, Human Evolution & Why You Can’t Focus In the first part of today’s show, we looked at why some employees at Palantir Technologies are beginning to question the impact of their own work, and what it means to work in powerful tech companies shaping the world. Then we talked about why humans have eyebrows, as explained by evolutionary bi...