Summary
We've been building computers to think like us for years, but our ability to replicate human senses has been impossible. Until now. This technological revolution is starting to profoundly change not only how we interact with the world around us, but is allowing us to see, hear, smell, taste and even touch things we never imagined possible before.
An artificial intelligence revolution is super-charging sensing technology, promising us eyes with laser precision, ears that can distinguish every sound in a mile's radius and noses than can sniff out the early signs of forest fires before the first flame forms.
Evolutionary biologist and broadcaster Professor Ben Garrod, is off to meet some of these sensory innovators and technological pioneers. The archaeologists, ecologists and medics, who are turning our world upside down and inside out.
Could these new technologies and natural evolutions be redefining what it is to smell? Ben takes us through the amazing adaptations, and technological developments that could help broaden how we think of our noses.
Presenter: Professor Ben Garrod Producer: Robbie Wojciechowski Production co-ordinator: Jonathan Harris
(Photo: Close up of human nose smelling an animated smell. Credit | Getty Images)
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | He's a rule breaker, a trend-setter. He reshaped art and redefined graffiti. |
| 0:07.4 | How does he smell? |
| 0:08.4 | Like paint. |
| 0:09.4 | Has he got any distinction features? |
| 0:10.9 | His anonymity. |
| 0:11.9 | But who is he? |
| 0:13.2 | What's his name? |
| 0:14.1 | Banksy. |
| 0:15.0 | Apparently I've mentioned twice. |
| 0:16.6 | The Banksy story. |
| 0:18.1 | Banksy's work is always about the human spirit versus the establishment. |
| 0:24.3 | Listen on BBC Science. |
| 0:27.6 | Whether you call it football or soccer in your part of the world, |
| 0:30.4 | Match of the Day Africa Top 10 is the podcast from the BBC World Service |
| 0:34.1 | ranking the best African players. |
| 0:35.8 | This guy's recognised as the best in the world, teams. |
| 0:38.2 | Will it come in turn? |
| 0:39.5 | BOOM! |
| 0:40.5 | And the biggest moments in African football. |
| 0:41.8 | The whole world, remember that? |
| 0:43.1 | I remember that, yeah. |
| 0:44.0 | It's not just African, I never found. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.

