In Season 4 of IFLScience ’s podcast The Big Questions , we ’ve dig into some of the most intriguing ( and biggest ) scientific puzzle of 2024 , from whether or not octopuses are sentient to the cause why we ’re the only surviving human mintage . We ’ve even taken on the supernatural .

Hosts Dr Alfredo Carpineti , Rachael Funnell , Katy Evans , Tom Hale , and Laura Simmons were joined by external client experts to look into questions and problem at the very limit point of our knowledge . What did we study ? Find out below .

Episode 1 – Why Are We The Only Surviving Human Species?

Homo sapiens – us – are the only hold up human metal money . Professor Chris Stringer , human evolution inquiry star at the Natural History Museum link up us to discuss why – and what happen to those who hail before us .

Episode 2 – How Is Climate Change Impacting Our Health?

We verbalise with generator and neuroscientistClayton Aldernto explore the science that second up what we screw about how extreme weather condition can interpolate the way we think , act , and feel .

Episode 3 – Is Evolutionary Biology Sexist?

Together with animal scientist and presenterLucy Cooke , we explore how biases in skill have affected – and sometimes foreclose – what we fuck about beast biology in some in truth eye - opening ways , and hopefully expose some myth along the way .

Episode 4 – Can We Make Dogs Live Longer?

say goodbye to a pet is an incredibly painful prison term in a soul ’s life , but what if there were a direction we could avail our pets live longer , serious life ? We speak withCeline Halioua , who ’s been search that very question as chief executive officer and laminitis ofLoyal .

Episode 5 – How Will The Solar System End?

While our Solar System is stable , it wo n’t be that way constantly . With the help of astronomerDr Jon Zink , we cast our thinker ’s eye far into the time to come and explore how it will end .

Episode 6 – How Did Dinosaurs Have Sex?

Grab your headphones and switch on incognito mode – fossilist and science writerRiley Blackjoins us to plunge into what science roll in the hay about the sexual urge life of dinosaur .

Episode 7 – Are The Drugs Of The Future Coming From The Deep Ocean?

We speak withDr Sam Afoullouss , a nautical scientist at the University of South Florida , about the interesting interpersonal chemistry find oneself in the cryptic sea and its potential difference to be the pharmacy of the future .

Episode 8 – What Would A Human On Mars Look Like?

In this episode , we ’re joined byScott Solomon , author and prof of biosciences at Rice University , to hash out whether settling on an alien world with an environment unlike Earth ’s could take us on a different evolutionary trajectory .

Episode 9 – Are Octopuses Sentient?

It ’s no secret that octopuses are intelligent – but are they sentient ? And how is that reflected in the way that they ’re treated ? We tackle these complex question withSy Montgomery , writer ofSecrets of the Octopus , andSophika Kostyniuk , Managing Director at the Aquatic Life Institute .

Halloween Special – Britain’s Most Haunted Castle: IFLScience Takes On The Supernatural

In this special bumper Halloween installment , we ask can fear be fun , why do mass believe in ghosts , and why does the paranormal have us in such a chokehold ?

Bonus Episode – Why Do Humans Love Playing Competitive Games?

We sit down with neuroscientist and physicistKelly Clancyto find out why we love challenger so much , and what our foresighted history of gameplaying together can learn us about each other – and ourselves .