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,...

AI Hate, Gen Z University Skepticism, and the Real Secret to Learning Languages

AI Hate, Gen Z University Skepticism, and the Real Secret to Learning Languages In the first part of today’s show, we looked at the growing wave of AI backlash and why some people are beginning to actively resent artificial intelligence. Then we discussed why Gen Z increasingly sees university degrees as “useless,” despite 20 years of data showing that graduates are still...

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...

The Psychology of Thinking About Thinking & Why We Overthink Everything

The Psychology of Thinking About Thinking & Why We Overthink Everything In the first part of today’s show, we explored the idea of thinking about thinking and why learning how to think may be far more important than being told what to think. Today’s unpopular opinion was: overthinking is avoidance disguised as analysis. In the second half of the show, we asked 100 h...

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...

Dolls vs Screens, Peeing In The Shower & Naked Activities

Dolls vs Screens, Peeing In The Shower & Naked Activities In the first part of today's show, we looked at a new study suggesting that dolls may be better than screens for helping children develop social skills and emotional intelligence. Today's unpopular opinion was that peeing in the shower is gross, which sparked plenty of debate in the chat. In the sec...

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...

AI and the Future of Human Minds, Strange Bird Behavior, and Why Love Depends on Timing

AI and the Future of Human Minds, Strange Bird Behavior, and Why Love Depends on Timing In the first part of today’s show, we looked at whether human minds will still be special in an age of AI. Then we talked about a strange scientific mystery: city birds appear to be more afraid of women than men, and researchers still don’t fully understand why. Today’s unpopular opinion was: ...

AI Layoffs, Heathy Coffee & Why Your Job Doesn’t Need to Fulfill You

AI Layoffs, Heathy Coffee & Why Your Job Doesn’t Need to Fulfill You In the first part of today’s show, we looked at comments from Sam Altman calling out companies for “AI washing” and blaming unrelated layoffs on artificial intelligence. Then we talked about a new study suggesting that all coffee, even decaf, can boost mood and support brain health. Today’s ...

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...