Life Without
Claim This Podcastby BBC Radio 4
Podcast Overview
<p>What if, one day, something essential to our world suddenly vanished? No warning. No explanation. Just gone. What happens next? </p><p>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. </p><p>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?</p>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
2/6/2026
1 verified contact email on file for Life Without
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Recent Episodes
April 17, 2026
Life Without North America
<p>What would happen to the world if the USA disappears? In this episode of Life Without, Alan Davies explores a planet earth without the land mass of North America. How would opening up the Atlantic impact us in the UK and what would the disappearance of North American produce and people mean for the rest of the world?</p><p>This episode features Dr. Anjana Khatwa an award winning Earth Scientist and author, and Tori Tsui, a climate justice activist, author, and mental health advocate.</p><p>An ITN production for BBC Radio 4</p>
April 10, 2026
Life Without Standard Time
<p>Spring Forward, Fall Back or what if we just didn’t? In this episode of Life Without, Alan Davies looks at how our circadian rhythms would be impacted if we simply stopped changing the clocks. </p><p>Some scientists have argued to do away with the twice-yearly clock change in order to see some beneficial impacts on our health. So why have some parts of the world adopted this system while places like Russia and Mexico don’t use it at all?</p><p>This episode features Aarti Jagannath, a leading chronobiologist and Associate Professor at the University of Oxford, and Dr Rebecca Struthers who is a watchmaker, author, historian and Honorary Research Fellow at University of Birmingham.</p><p>An ITN production for BBC Radio 4</p>
April 3, 2026
Life Without Sleep
<p>We all know the importance of sleep, but what happens if we literally can’t? In this episode of Life Without, Alan Davies breaks down how long a world full of sleepy people could function. </p><p>From memory loss to hallucinations, sleep is keeping all our brains working and our bodies functioning. Without it, we would surely die, but what might happen before we do and has tech found solutions to life without sleep?</p><p>This episode features Derk-Jan Dijk a expert in sleep and Professor at the University of Surrey, and Dr Sophie Bostock an educator dedicated to the science of sleep and performance.</p><p>An ITN production for BBC Radio 4</p>
11 total episodes available
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Frequently asked questions
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- What is Life Without?
<p>What if, one day, something essential to our world suddenly vanished? No warning. No explanation. Just gone. What happens next? </p><p>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. </p><p>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?</p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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