Conversations with Vania

About Conversations with Vania

Hello everyone! On this podcast, I explore the most important ideas of our time with great scientists, philosophers, historians, and thinkers. We discuss the frontiers of science and AI, climate change, culture, the arts, and the role of history in understanding the present. We also dive into the lives of the men and women who have shaped our understanding of the world. My goal is to explore big and important questions, spark curiosity, and share meaningful insights from some of the greatest minds of our time. Join me for conversations that inform, inspire, and expand your perspective.

Publisher

Ivan

Category

science

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

11 Mar 2025

Latest episode

8 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

15 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   8 Oct 2026

   The Goebbels Children: Inside Hitler’s Bunker Through Helga’s Eyes | Emma Craigie

   What was it like to be a child growing up at the very heart of Nazi Germany? In the final days of the Second World War, twelve-year-old Helga Goebbels was living with her five younger siblings in Hitler’s bunker in Berlin. Their parents, Joseph and Magda Goebbels, had brought the children there as Nazi Germany collapsed around them. The children were told that victory was still possible, spent time with Adolf Hitler, and even ate chocolate cake with him — while the adults around them knew that the end was near. In this conversation, I speak with brilliant writer and teacher Emma Craigie about her acclaimed book Chocolate Cake with Hitler, a fictional retelling of these final days from the imagined perspective of Helga Goebbels. We discuss why Emma chose Helga as the central character, what a child might have understood about the world around her, how Nazi ideology shaped the Goebbels children, and why their parents brought them into the bunker. We also explore what might have happened if the children had survived, how we can understand people shaped by destructive ideologies, and what this story can teach us about parenting, childhood, and the ways history is experienced by ordinary people. Emma Craigie has also written Who Was – King Henry VIII: The Exploding King, Hitler’s Last Day: Minute by Minute (with Jonathan Mayo), and the young-adult novel What Was Never Said. Her forthcoming book, The Sound of the Sky: A History of the World Through a Somerset Village, explores the history of the Somerset village where she has lived for decades. Emma Craigie is a writer, teacher and writing coach based in Somerset. She has a doctorate from the University of Exeter and has taught creative writing.

2. 

   28 Jul 2026

   The Human Paradox | Robert Sapolsky on Why We Behave the Way We Do

   I had the great pleasure of speaking with Robert Sapolsky — one of the world's leading neuroscientists and primatologists. A professor at Stanford University, Sapolsky has spent decades studying stress, primate behavior, and the biology of human nature. His university lectures have been viewed by millions of people around the world, helping a global audience better understand why we behave the way we do. In this conversation, we explore some of the biggest questions about what makes us human. We begin with depression, discussing why it is a serious biological disease rather than simply an extreme form of sadness, and how scientific understanding of depression has evolved over the past two decades. Sapolsky explains the roles of genetics, early-life trauma, epigenetics, and rumination in shaping one of the world's most devastating mental illnesses. We then turn to stress, one of the defining themes of Sapolsky's scientific career. Drawing on more than three decades of studying wild baboons in East Africa, he explains how social support protects us against stress-related disease and why humans and baboons respond to psychological stress in remarkably similar ways. Finally, we explore what makes humans unlike any other species. Sapolsky reflects on our extraordinary capacity for both compassion and cruelty, the origins of "us versus them" thinking, the unique role of dopamine in motivation and aspiration, and why understanding the biology of human behavior may ultimately help us build a more compassionate society. Robert Sapolsky is the author of several acclaimed books, including Behave, Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers, A Primate's Memoir, and Determined — his bestselling book exploring the question of free will and what its absence might mean for how we understand ourselves and others.

3. 

   12 Jul 2026

   The Biggest Mysteries of Human Evolution | Chris Stringer

   What can the latest fossil discoveries tell us about our origins — and why are we the only human species left? In this conversation, I speak with renowned paleoanthropologist Chris Stringer about some of the greatest mysteries of human evolution. We discuss the remarkable discovery of the million-year-old Yunxian skull from China, why it may push the origins of the Denisovan lineage — and the common ancestry of Denisovans, Neanderthals, and Homo sapiens — much further back in time, and how new fossil discoveries, ancient DNA, and modern analytical techniques are reshaping our understanding of the human family tree. Chris explores what we know — and what remains deeply mysterious — about Neanderthals, Denisovans, Homo floresiensis, Homo naledi, Homo luzonensis, and other ancient humans. We discuss why Homo sapiens became the only surviving human species, what may have happened to our extinct human relatives, how scientific views of Neanderthals have changed over the past two decades, whether human evolution is still continuing today, and what the future may hold for our species in a changing world. Chris Stringer is one of the world's leading paleoanthropologists and spent more than five decades studying human evolution at the Natural History Museum in London. After joining the Museum's permanent staff in 1973, he became internationally known for his work on the Recent African Origin, or Out of Africa, model for the evolution of modern humans. He retired from the Museum in 2025 and is now a Scientific Associate. Throughout his career, Chris has collaborated with archaeologists, geneticists, and Earth scientists to reconstruct the evolutionary history of our species. He directed the Ancient Human Occupation of Britain project from 2001 to 2013 and is now co-director of the Pathways to Ancient Britain project, which has helped establish the Centre for Human Evolution Research. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society and was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to the understanding of human evolution. Chris has published more than 200 scientific papers and several acclaimed books on human evolution, including The Origin of Our Species (Lone Survivors in the US), The Complete World of Human Evolution, African Exodus: The Origins of Modern Humanity (with Robin McKie), Homo Britannicus: The Incredible Story of Human Life in Britain, Britain: One Million Years of the Human Story (with Rob Dinnis), and Our Human Story (with Louise Humphrey).

4. 

   2 Jul 2026

   Our Place in the Universe: Paul Sutter on the Big Bang, Alien Life & Why Anything Exists

   I'm very pleased to have had the opportunity to talk with cosmologist Paul Sutter, whose books and podcast I've thoroughly enjoyed, and whose work has been an amazing source of knowledge and insight for me. Paul M. Sutter is a cosmologist, award-winning science communicator, NASA advisor, U.S. Cultural Ambassador, and a globally recognized leader in the intersection of art and science. He is currently an associate research scientist at Johns Hopkins University. In addition to writing three critically acclaimed books exploring everything from our place in the universe to the ways modern science can improve its relationship with the public, Paul’s commentary and analysis also appears in The New York Times, Scientific American, Ars Technica, Nautilus, Undark, Popular Mechanics, and more. Paul hosts a variety of science shows on TV and digital media, including How the Universe Works on Science Channel, Space Out on Discovery, and Edge of Knowledge on Ars Technica, as well as numerous appearances on other shows. He also writes and hosts his hit Ask a Spaceman podcast, which has been downloaded over 7 million times. You can watch the video podcast on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvHudWvCrTo

5. 

   27 Jun 2026

   Can Life Have Meaning Without Free Will? Love, Music & Language — Robert Sapolsky

   I had the great honour of talking with the world-renowned scientist Robert Sapolsky, whose work I have been following for years. His books and lectures have had a profound impact on the way I see the world and on my own life. Robert Sapolsky is an American neuroendocrinologist, bestselling author, and Professor of Biology, Neurology, and Neurosurgery at Stanford University. He received the MacArthur Foundation "Genius Grant" and is world-renowned for his pioneering research on stress and wild baboons, as well as for his Stanford lectures on human behaviour. Despite covering highly technical subjects, these lectures have attracted millions of views — a testament to how engaging and insightful they are. His books include "A Primate's Memoir," "The Trouble with Testosterone," "Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers," and "Behave." The latter became a New York Times bestseller and was named one of the best books of the year by both The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. His most recent book for a general audience is "Determined: A Science of Life without Free Will." In our conversation, we discuss many of the ideas he explores in the book, along with the broader implications of his argument that free will does not exist. I also asked him about the war in Ukraine and how people in the West perceived Russia's full-scale invasion when it began in February 2022. I was deeply moved by the message he shared with my fellow Ukrainians. Watch the video podcast on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJBNn3oXU20

6. 

   25 Jun 2026

   The Search for New Physics: What Comes After the Standard Model? — Harry Cliff

   What comes after the Standard Model? Has the Large Hadron Collider failed? And how do scientific revolutions actually happen? In this conversation, I speak with Cambridge particle physicist and author Harry Cliff about some of the biggest unanswered questions in fundamental physics. We discuss the remarkable success of the Standard Model, the mysteries it still leaves unexplained, and why physicists believe there may be new physics waiting to be discovered. Harry explains what the Large Hadron Collider has and hasn't revealed about the universe, why finding evidence of physics beyond the Standard Model has proven so difficult, and how small anomalies can sometimes point the way to major scientific breakthroughs. We also talk about the future of particle physics, the proposed successor to the LHC, the power of international scientific collaboration, and how science manages to uncover reliable truths about the universe. Harry Cliff is a particle physicist at the University of Cambridge working on the LHCb experiment at CERN's Large Hadron Collider. He is also the author of "How to Make an Apple Pie from Scratch" and "Space Oddities".

7. 

   12 Jun 2026

   What Makes Us Human, Life Without Free Will: Conversation with Robert Sapolsky

   I have had the great honour of talking with the world-renowned scientist Robert Sapolsky, whose work I have been following for years. His books and lectures have had a huge impact on the way I see the world and my own life.Robert Sapolsky is an American neuroendocrinologist, bestselling author and professor of biology, neurology and neurosurgery at Stanford University. He has received the MacArthur Foundation "Genius Grant" and is world-famous for his research on stress and baboons, as well as for his Stanford lectures on human behaviour. Despite being full of technical jargon, the lectures have gathered millions of views, which is no surprise given how amazing they are.His books include A Primate's Memoir, The Trouble with Testosterone, Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers, and Behave. The latter was a New York Times bestseller and was named the best book of the year by both The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. His most recent work aimed at a general audience is a book titled Determined: A Science of Life without Free Will. We discuss some issues he raises in the book, as well as the implications of his view that there's no free will. I also asked him about his thoughts on the war in Ukraine and how people in the West perceived the Russian invasion when it began in February 2022. I was deeply moved by the message he had for my fellow Ukrainians.

8. 

   29 May 2026

   The Last Days of Hitler: Goebbels’ Children Inside the Bunker | Emma Craigie

   I had a fabulous time speaking with the brilliant writer and historian, Emma Craigie. In our conversation, she examines the psychology of Nazi leaders and the final days of Hitler's life, focusing on those people who were around him in the bunker, including his secretary Traudl Junge and Joseph Goebbels' children.Emma Craigie is the co-author (with Jonathan Mayo) of Hitler's Last Day: Minute by Minute, which reconstructs Hitler’s final hours from inside the bunker and across the wider world, from Berlin to Washington, London and Moscow. She is also the author of Chocolate Cake with Hitler, a powerful novel about Helga Goebbels, a twelve-year-old girl who was trapped in the bunker during the collapse of the Third Reich. It's a conversation about Hitler's last days, moral complicity and the psychology behind those Nazi leaders and why they rarely saw themselves as evil. We also discussed the question of responsibility, considering how we should think about the crimes of 'ordinary' Nazis who worked in concentration camps and, when put on trial, claimed that they were just following orders and had no choice.I thoroughly enjoyed hearing Emma Craigie's perspective on these big and important issues, and I hope you enjoy the discussion and find it valuable, too. She's an excellent writer, and I would encourage everyone to read her books.

9. 

   24 May 2026

   Does History Really Teach Us Lessons? Human Nature, War & Fiction | Dominic Sandbrook

   I had the great honor of speaking with Dominic Sandbrook — British historian, author, columnist, podcaster, and co-host of the hugely popular podcast The Rest Is History alongside historian and author Tom Holland.In this conversation, we discuss how Dominic first fell in love with history as a child, whether history really teaches us lessons, the idea that human nature never truly changes, and how nuclear weapons may have prevented a third world war.We also explore whether humanity has actually become less violent, why we should be careful about judging historical figures by modern standards, and which era of history Dominic would most want to visit if he had a time machine.The second half of the conversation focuses on books, fiction, and literature. Dominic talks about his new podcast The Book Club with Tabitha Syrett, explains why fiction matters, reflects on the book that shaped him most as a child, and shares several fascinating book recommendations.We also discuss Ukraine, the Russian invasion, why much of the West misjudged Putin, and what surprised Dominic most about Ukrainian resistance.I hope you enjoy this conversation.

10. 

    22 May 2026

    How Evolution Actually Works: The Great Transitions in the History of Life | Neil Shubin

    I had the incredible honour of speaking with Neil Shubin — a great evolutionary biologist, paleontologist, author, and science communicator who has led fossil-hunting expeditions around the world. Among his pioneering discoveries is the 375-million-year-old Tiktaalik roseae, an important transitional form between fish and land animals. Tiktaalik was the focus of his bestselling book Your Inner Fish (2008), later adapted into an Emmy Award-winning PBS series, as well as The Universe Within: The Deep History of the Human Body (2013). He is also the author of Some Assembly Required: Decoding Four Billion Years of Life from Ancient Fossils to DNA (2020), and most recently Ends of the Earth: Journeys to the Polar Regions in Search of Life, the Cosmos, and Our Future (2025).If you’re curious about how evolution actually works, life’s great transitions, or how scientists piece together the deep history of our planet, I think you’ll enjoy this conversation. And yes, I couldn't help mentioning Darwin a couple of times — he was such a remarkable person, and any discussion about evolution that doesn't mention him feels incomplete.

11. 

    15 May 2026

    Nobel Prize Winner John Martinis on the Birth and Future of Quantum Computing

    I had the great honour of speaking with John Martinis, winner of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics, about the origins of quantum computing and the experiment that helped make it possible.We discussed how his early work had demonstrated that quantum mechanics could exist not only in tiny particles, but also in macroscopic electrical circuits. This breakthrough paved the way for the development of quantum computers — machines that could one day solve problems beyond the capabilities of classical computers.John explains, in clear and simple terms, what a quantum computer actually is, how qubits work and why quantum computing is so powerful, but also why it's so difficult to build and scale. He also shares what it was like to receive the Nobel Prize.

12. 

    9 May 2026

    We Are Made of the Universe: Astrophysicist Kelsey Johnson on Meaning, Curiosity, and Awe

    Kelsey Johnson is a former president of the American Astronomical Society, a professor of astronomy at the University of Virginia and the founding director of the award-winning Dark Skies Bright Kids programme. In her book Into the Unknown, she delves into some of the Universe's greatest mysteries. I was delighted to have the chance to talk to her about these and ask her some really deep questions. Kelsey Johnson has won numerous awards for her research, teaching, and promotion of science literacy. Her TED talk on the importance of dark skies has more than 2 million views, and her writing has appeared in nationwide publications, including the New York Times, Scientific American, and Washington Post.

13. 

    6 May 2026

    What Happened at the Beginning of Time? Cosmologist Jo Dunkley Explains the Big Bang

    In this conversation with the world-renowned cosmologist Jo Dunkley, we explore one of the deepest questions in science: the origin of the universe. We trace how our understanding of this story developed, beginning with Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity, and then turn to Georges Lemaître, Edwin Hubble, and other key figures who helped establish the Big Bang model. We discuss the discovery of the cosmic microwave background — the oldest light in the universe — and how it allows scientists to peer back more than 13 billion years. We also examine the mystery of dark matter — the invisible substance that makes up about 27% of the universe — and the search for primordial gravitational waves from the first fraction of a second after the Big Bang. We reflect on how the scientific view of the universe changes our perspective. Jo explains how the atoms in your body, forged in stars, connect your story to the history of the universe. Jo Dunkley is the Joseph Henry Professor of Physics and Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton University. She received her Ph.D. in astrophysics at the University of Oxford. Her research is in cosmology, where she studies the origins and evolution of the universe, and connects cosmological theory, data, and statistical methods. She is especially interested in the earliest moments of the universe’s history, and in understanding the composition of the cosmos including its invisible dark matter. She has received several awards over her career, including the Tomassoni Chisesi physics prize, the New Horizons in Physics Prize, and the Gruber Prize for Cosmology. She was also appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), for her services to science in 2019, and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2024. Her first book, Our Universe: An Astronomer's Guide was published in 2019.

14. 

    11 Mar 2025

    On the universe, value of science, human life: my conversation with Sean Carroll

    I had the incredible honour of talking to Sean Carroll, cosmologist, science communicator, author of some amazing books like "The Big Picture" which I absolutely love, host of the Mindscape podcast. Sean Carroll is currently the Homewood Professor of Natural Philosophy at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and the Fractal Faculty at the Santa Fe Institute. Most of his career has been spent researching cosmology, field theory, and gravitation, working on topics such as dark matter and dark energy, modified gravity, topological defects, extra dimensions, and violations of fundamental symmetries. More recently, his focus has shifted to more fundamental questions, both in quantum mechanics (the origin of probability, the emergence of space and time) and statistical mechanics (entropy and the arrow of time, emergence and causation, the dynamics of complexity).It was a great pleasure to be able to talk to him about some of the questions that have been on my mind, and I'm happy to say that he provided many valuable insights and perspectives. Dr. Sean Carroll is someone I've wanted to talk to for years, his work has informed much of my thinking on these issues, and I'm so glad it finally worked out, and I got to talk to him.

15. 

    11 Mar 2025

    Building blocks of the Universe, beauty of science: my conversation with Harry Cliff

    Was very happy that I got to talk with Harry Cliff, whose books I've immensely enjoyed and who I've wanted to talk to for years. Harry is a particle physicist at the University of Cambridge working on the LHCb experiment, a huge particle detector buried 100 metres underground at CERN near Geneva. He's a member of an international team of around 1400 physicists, engineers, and computer scientists who are using LHCb to study the basic building blocks of our universe, in search of answers to some of the biggest questions in modern physics.He also spends a big chunk of his time sharing his love of physics with the public. His latest popular science book, Space Oddities, came out in 2024. His first book, How To Make An Apple Pie From Scratch, was published in August 2021. They are beautiful works of non-fiction and I encourage everyone to check them out.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

4,657,729,234

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 41 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

46

Social presence

0

YouTube

93

Engagement

0

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Guest appearances

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