In this first episode, Mark speaks with sleep and respiratory scientist Max Thomas, all about science! Specifically, the unexpected or otherwise fascinating discoveries that have brought us incredible advancement. There’s also stuff about bums and willies, too, and more than one object being inserted into more than one dog.

Max makes a living out of making people breathless, which is a cool way of saying he studies how people breathe, and often has to make them not breathe very well so he can find out why they’re not breathing very well… you’re smart, you get it.

This episode was recorded on Black Wednesday, which, it has been posited, might not be the day you want to find yourself in hospital, as it’s the day when trainee doctors start their residencies. But we’re pretty sure it’s fine now.

• (00:00) - Introduction
• (02:38) - Meeting Max
• (06:13) - Max's pick: Carbon dating
• (11:35) - Mark's pick: the X-Ray
• (14:25) - Max's pick: Sildenafil
• (19:51) - Max's pick: LSD
• (27:02) - Mark's pick: Penicillin
• (29:06) - Max's pick: self-experimentation
• (36:49) - Mark's pick: Insulin
• (39:14) - Max's pick: Stomach ulsers
• (44:42) - Mark's pick: Laminated glass
• (46:24) - Mark's pick: Pacemaker
• (48:44) - Mark's pick: Microwaves
• (52:20) - Building the final list
• (55:23) - A late pick fro mMark: Quinine
• (01:01:00) - Honourable mentions
• (01:04:01) - Finishing up

Max is part of Birmingham-based improv comedy troupe OK Stop!, who you can see perform at 1000 Trades in the Jewellery Quarter on the last Wednesday of every month. You can also follow Max on Twitter @maximum_science.