When 0 = 1000

The Rest Is Science

Goalhanger

Science, Physics, Mathematics

4.5 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 6 May 2026

⏱️ 39 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Why does one of the most familiar numbers on a nutrition label turn out to be far more complicated than it looks? What can a can of fizzy drink teach us about thermodynamics, human metabolism, and the strange ways scientists measure energy? Professor Hannah Fry and VSauce’s Michael Stevens dive into the weird science of calories. From century-old experiments involving fire, body heat, and human digestion to the hidden quirks of modern food labelling. Do “negative calorie” foods really exist? Where does burned fat actually go? Why chewing matters more than you’d think, and how your body is constantly leaking energy out into the universe. ------------------- For more information about Cancer Research UK, their research, breakthroughs and how you can support them, visit https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/our-research/rest-is-science⁠⁠ Cancer Research UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1089464), Scotland (SC041666), the Isle of Man (1103) and Jersey (247). A company limited by guarantee. Registered company in England and Wales (4325234) and the Isle of Man (5713F). Registered address: 2 Redman Place, London, E20 1JQ. ------------------- Find The Rest Is Science all over the internet by ⁠⁠clicking here.⁠⁠ ------------------- Video Producer: Adam Thornton + Oli Oakley + Jack Meek Animator: Sam Benson Video & Social: Bex Tyrrell Assistant Producer: Lucy Lipscombe Producer: Simona Rata Senior Producer: Lauren Armstrong-Carter Head Of Digital: Samuel Oakley Exec Producer: Neil Fearn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello and welcome to the rest is science. Today we're going to be field noton.
0:06.7	Field hootin-tutin-nootin. Yeah, we're doing like a little field journey. I've brought some
0:11.4	specimens. Not biological specimens. Don't worry. But I'll just start. I'm going to dive right
0:17.0	into this. Okay. Let's do it. Let's do it. Here's Exhibit 1. Exhibit 1 is an American Coca-Cola Zero can. You spoil us, Michael. You really do. Well, it's empty. I've already drank it. It's just a can. Can I, can I, is there's, I can touch it. Is there anything special about it? There's nothing special about it. It is exactly how it comes when you buy one in America.
0:39.1	You know, honestly, I thought we'd get through a few more months before we completely ran out of
0:42.9	material. Well, hold on. This is going to be cool. It's cooler than you think.
0:52.6	This episode is brought to you by Cancer Research UK.
0:57.5	Here's something strange.
0:59.7	Your DNA contains more ancient viral fragments than genes.
1:06.5	The genes that build our cells make up only 2% of our DNA. And for years, that is what scientists
1:13.9	focused on. They treated the rest, the ancient viruses and stuff as junk. But now we know
1:19.5	that that hidden majority, sometimes called the dark genome, influences how our biology works
1:25.7	and how disease like cancer behave.
1:28.3	It's a reminder that progress rarely comes as a single breakthrough.
1:33.3	It builds gradually.
1:34.3	Cancer Research UK plays a central role in that progress,
1:38.3	supporting decades of research into over 200 types of cancer,
1:43.3	work that's helped double survival in the UK over
1:46.6	the past 50 years. For more information about Cancer Research UK, their research breakthroughs,
1:52.2	and how you can support them, visitcancerachuk.org forward slash the rest is science.
2:00.0	Selling your car can be super simple.
2:02.6	If you choose We Buy Any Car instead of a confusing part exchange,
	...

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