Welcome back to the Information Entropy Podcast where this week we are questioning why some animals live to be 500 and others less than a day! Tom starts with some out of this world news before the boys get onto the topic in a semi-reasonable time this week! The boys explore different life history strategies and the effects it has at an individual and population level, when is it more beneficial to live fast and when is the slower approach more appropriate, and what effects does each have on our ability to perceive and interact with the world around us? The boys discover how much they didn’t know about the Greenland shark, so you’re bound to learn something! Music: HOME - AWAY…

Welcome back to the Information Entropy Podcast we’re exploring the fascinating world of forests…. Eventually. First the boys get lost on their adventure and they talk about moving house and some life updates. Mitch explores the next steps in light-based computing technologies before the boys debate whether dire wolves are really back! Then onto forests: Tom defines what they are and explores the different layers and their ecological niches. Mitch looks at the different types of forests and how they sequester carbon from our atmosphere. To round out the show the boys discuss forest psychology and the impact that being in a forest has on us. Music: HOME - AWAY…

Welcome back to the Information Entropy Podcast where today we are exploring the world of Plains and Grasslands! What are plains and grasslands in the first place and why are they scientifically interesting? Mitch defines them and Tom looks at how they form. The boys then explore the important ecosystem services that plains provide in the form of carbon sequestration while also investigating the fascinating interactions keystone species (such as lions) have on their environment. Music: HOME - AWAY…

Welcome back to the Information Entropy Podcast where Tom is back at his lone ramblings on Vocal Learning. In the previous episodes Tom explored what vocal learning is and how we categorise/define it. This week Tom is taking a look at the implications of being able to choose when to vocalise. A crucial underpinning of proper language use is our ability to produce the sounds when we want to, but what if we can’t? How do other species compare? How do we even test it to find out? Music: HOME – AWAY…

Welcome back to the Information Entropy Podcast where this week, we’re climbing to new heights—literally—as we take a deep dive into the science of mountains! From the violent tectonic forces that build them to the brutal conditions of the Death Zone, we break down what makes these towering giants so extreme. Why do some mountains keep growing while others crumble away? How do animals survive in one of the harshest habitats on Earth? And what happens to the human body when you climb above 8,000 meters? (Spoiler: It’s not great.) Music: HOME - AWAY…

Welcome back to the Information Entropy Podcast where today we are taking you on a wild and chaotic episode of Swamps! Yes, the wetlands that are smelly and gross… much like the opening half of the episode. Mitch takes us on a journey exploring the immune response to food poisoning to shed light on his week and it is fascinating as well as horrifying. Back on track the boys explore what differentiates swamps from other wetland habitats, how important they are for carbon sequestration, and the Surinam Toad… but if you have trypophobia don’t listen to that bit! Music: HOME - AWAY…

Welcome back to the Information Entropy Podcast where we are exploring islands! Islands are one of the most fascinating things for scientists to study and unveil massive amounts of information about the world around us. By looking at island formation we understand continents. By look at animal and plant dispersal methods to islands we extrapolate to population level movements. Islands offer unique looks into evolutionary effects of isolation and specific environmental conditions. So, join us this week as we explore what makes islands so special. Music: HOME - AWAY…

Welcome back to the Information Entropy Podcast! Today, we dive into the invisible forces that shape our world. Tom kicks things off by exploring the surprisingly misunderstood emu—are these birds really as dumb as they seem? Mitch takes us on a journey through the oceans and the cosmos to unravel the mysteries of tidal forces. What causes tides, and what are their broader impacts? Tom then heats things up, delving into kinetic and potential energy to explain why things get hot and how heat transfers across materials and systems. Finally, Mitch wraps up the episode with a look at the Casimir effect and the strange behavior of quantum mechanics. Music: HOME - AWAY.…

Welcome back to the Information Entropy Podcast where Tom is a lone rambling madman taking you through one of his favourite science topics: Vocal Learning. Where does language come from? Why do different places have different dialects or accents? How can we learn where language has come from through the comparative assessment of behaviour with other animals? Well, you're in the right place to get all of the background information on this complex topic! Music: HOME – AWAY…

Welcome back to the Information Entropy Podcast where today we looking into the invisible forces that hold together our very existence. From gravity to magnetism, the universe is ruled by invisible forces we can’t see but feel every day. This week, Mitch breaks down the four fundamental forces of nature, exploring how they hold everything together—from atoms to galaxies. Meanwhile, Tom dives into the weird world of magnetism, uncovering how spinning electrons create powerful, unseen fields and why magnetism and electricity are really the same thing. Music: HOME - AWAY…

Welcome back to the Information Entropy Podcast where today we are exploring Microplastics! Microplastics are everywhere—in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. But what happens when they make their way inside our bodies? In this episode, we explore how microplastics enter the human system, where they accumulate, and what the latest research says about their potential health effects. From their presence in human blood, lungs, and even placentas, to concerns about inflammation, toxic chemical exposure, and long-term risks, we take a serious look at what these microscopic particles could mean for our health and the future. With plastic production showing no signs of slowing down, are we already past the point of no return? Music: HOME - AWAY…

Welcome back to the Information Entropy Podcast where today we are exploring Nothing! No, really… can nothing even exist? Tom takes a look at the philosophical underpinnings of exploring nothingness and the journey some of the most famous minds in history have taken in understanding it. Mitch then takes us into a vacuum to see if these are really places where “nothing” can exist as we would expect. Tom talks about atoms and whether they really are 99.9999% empty and Mitch explains it with Zero Point Energy. The boys end up the show rambling about equations and “nothing”. Music: HOME - AWAY…

Welcome back to the Information Entropy Podcast where this week we taking a look at plants. It may seem crazy to ask, but what are plants and why are they so different to animals or fungi? Well, if you are curious then find out here! Tom looks at some crazy plant behaviours and then explains how plants will communicate to each other. Mitch on the other hand looks at ballistic seed dispersal and carnivorous plants. P.S. Tom’s audio is of potato quality because of technical difficulties and so we apologise if this is insufferable for anyone and understand if you skip this episode. Music: HOME - AWAY…

Welcome back to the Information Entropy Podcast where this week are diving into the world of cognitive biases! Where do they come from and how does it impact our day to day lives? Mitch looks at the current TikTok banning as a springboard to assess the reactance bias, why are we reluctant to do things that we are told to do? He then dives into cognitive dissonance where we question performing actions that go against our morals but find ways to justify it. On the other side, Tom takes a question based approach looking at the study of heuristics and how we have to be careful of cognitive biases in science. Music: HOME - AWAY…

Welcome back to the Information Entropy Podcast for our first show of the year where we will be looking at habits and resolutions! The boys explore the difference between habits and routines and the habit loop so you can understand how to best form new behaviours! Tom explores the brain and neuroscience behind habit formation while Mitch enlightens us on the difference between motivation and discipline. Music: HOME - AWAY…