Simon Watt, Presenter and producer, Level Up Human

https://doi.org/10.36866/pn.118.47

Level Up Human is a comedy science podcast panel show. We answer a simple question: if you could redesign the human body, what would you change? With the support of a Physiological Society Outreach Grant we have been recording our second series.

The show is produced and presented by comedian Rachel Wheeley and me, Simon Watt, a biologist, comic and science presenter. The rest of the panel is made up of excellent guest experts who each have a chance to pitch one change they would make to the human body to make it better. We invariably delve into the complexities of our organs and what can go wrong with them, the tribulations caused by the legacy of evolution and some of the cutting-edge techniques used to tackle disease and disorder.

The suggestions included adding a zoom function to the eye, a live translation facility built into the ear and a green skin allowing us to photosynthesise. Our light format is tangent-friendly, and we are not afraid of discussing the silly and the sincere. I know I feel like I leave every recording having learnt something surprising. Our guests always benefit from being given a chance to think outside of the box, and discuss ideas with our live audience. As one of our panellists put it, we are “great practice for Radio 4.”

The Physiological Society has given us access to a range of terrific Members who have helped make the podcast what it is, each drawing on their research for inspiration. Sarah Withers suggested the ability to change the colour of our adipose tissue, our fat. Specifically, she wanted us to be able to change white adipose tissue that acts mostly as energy storage, to brown adipose tissue that can generate heat. No more problems if you forget your jacket! She added that it could also give us a bonus ability; it might allow us, as it does for bears, to hibernate. We spent much of the rest of the episode discussing not just the physiology of fat but also what family events we might try to hibernate through.

Michael Preedy thought it would be great if we all had lightning breath. His reasoning was that it would allow us to produce our own nitric oxide, a molecule that plays a big role in maintaining cardiovascular health. And let’s face it, it would look cool too.

Holly Shiels pitched a graphene moustache or nose hairs that would purify the air we breathe, keeping us safe from air pollution. Graphene is small and flexible, so it would easily fit. Particulate matter (PM) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons are released into the atmosphere when we burn fossil fuels. When they enter our body via the airways they can get into the blood and disrupt the electrical and contractile activity of our hearts. This can lead to various problems including arrhythmias and stroke. Graphene has already been inserted into air filters to help purify the indoor spaces.

Level Up Human has already completed a residency at the Barbican as part of their Life Rewired season, and recorded episodes for the Bluedot Music Festival. Later this year we will be going back to Bluedot Music Festival, Edinburgh Science Festival and Latitude Festival. You can listen to Level Up Human wherever you get your podcasts.

This article was written before the social distancing rules of COVID-19 were in place. The festivals mentioned in the article are cancelled for the foreseeable future, and instead Level Up Human runs remotely via the internet with guests from all over the globe. Visit leveluphuman.com to find out more.