Life Without

About Life Without

What if, one day, something essential to our world suddenly vanished? No warning. No explanation. Just gone. What happens next? Life Without is a roundtable-style podcast that explores this fascinating and thought-provoking question with insight, evidence-based assumptions and a range of perspectives. Hosted by Alan Davies, each episode brings together 2 guests, scientists, psychologists, economists, sociologists and journalists to discuss the unexpected consequences of losing something vital to our world. Each episode starts with a bold, imaginative question: What would happen if something fundamental—like the moon, salt, sleep, or even something as random as rats—suddenly disappeared from the world? What's the immediate fallout? How does society cope? And how long would it take before things started unravelling?

Publisher

BBC Radio 4

Category

science

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

6 Feb 2026

Latest episode

6 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

5 of 16 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   6 Nov 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Life Without Tears

   Host Alan Davies interviews psychology researcher Marc Baker and theatre maker Andreea Tudose about a world without tears, exploring its impact on eye health and emotional expression.

2. 

   30 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Life Without Plankton

   Host Alan Davies interviews marine biogeochemist Dr. Clare Ostle and environmental journalist Anna Turns about the profound impact of plankton's disappearance on ocean ecosystems and climate.

3. 

   23 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Life Without Memory

   Host Alan Davies explores the profound impact of memory loss on learning, relationships, and life's meaning in this interview.

4. 

   16 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Life Without Bats

   Professor Kate Jones and Dr. Christina Stanley join host Alan Davies to explore the ecological and scientific impact of a world without bats.

5. 

   9 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Life Without S2 - Trailer

   Host Alan Davies interviews industry experts exploring the profound societal impacts when something essential to our world suddenly vanishes.

6. 

   17 Apr 2026

   Life Without North America

   Earth Scientist Dr. Anjana Khatwa and climate justice activist Tori Tsui join host Alan Davies to explore a world without North America and its global impacts.

7. 

   10 Apr 2026

   Life Without Standard Time

   Host Alan Davies interviews chronobiologist Aarti Jagannath and historian Rebecca Struthers about the health impacts of eliminating standard time.

8. 

   3 Apr 2026

   Life Without Sleep

   Host Alan Davies interviews sleep expert Derk-Jan Dijk and sleep educator Dr. Sophie Bostock about the consequences of a world without sleep.

9. 

   27 Mar 2026

   Life Without Writing

   Host Alan Davies interviews writer Nels Abbey and Professor Dominic Wyse about the impact of losing the ancient skill of handwriting on human communication and connection.

10. 

    20 Mar 2026

    Life Without Sex

    Host Alan Davies interviews comedian Miranda Kane and biological anthropologist Sarah Johns about the declining rates of sex among Gen Z and its implications for human biology.

11. 

    13 Mar 2026

    Life Without Bees

    Ecologist Simon Potts and author Alison Benjamin join host Alan Davies to explore our profound dependence on bees and the consequences of their absence.

12. 

    6 Mar 2026

    Life Without Salt

    Professor Mark Miodownik and Kumud Gandhi explore the profound impact of salt on our world and bodies, revealing our dependence and potential alternatives.

13. 

    27 Feb 2026

    Life Without Worms

    Host Alan Davies interviews Professor Mark Hodson and horticulturist Sandra Salazar D’eca about the vital role of earthworms in our ecosystems.

14. 

    20 Feb 2026

    Life Without Rats

    Host Alan Davies interviews Professor Steven Belmain and nature writer Joe Shute about the ecological and scientific consequences of a world without rats.

15. 

    13 Feb 2026

    Life Without the Moon

    Host Alan Davies interviews Merit Researcher Sara Russell and artist Luke Jerram about the profound impacts of a moonless Earth on tides, wildlife, and human psychology.

16. 

    6 Feb 2026

    Introducing... Life Without

    Hosted by Alan Davies, Life Without looks at what would happen to our planet if we removed one thing. Could pulling a single thread from our world really unravel the whole thing?

Inside a recent episode

Life Without Tears

Published 6 Nov 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] They're at work, they have caring responsibilities and they simply don't have the energy. So crying becomes this logistical nightmare of trying to see where you could find the time for yourself to really connect with what you're feeling. All vertebrates produce tears. Fish, frogs, tortoises, the lot. […]

Who has been a guest on Life Without

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Clare Ostle
• Anna Turns
• Kate Jones
• Christina Stanley
• Anjana Khatwa

Reach and audience

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

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

27 ratings

Spotify

4.7 / 5

26 ratings

Contact Life Without

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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Questions about Life Without