What's Up Docs?

Doctors' Notes: Lungs Special at Crossed Wires Festival

In this extended episode of What's Up Docs?, Chris and Xand van Tulleken continue their conversation with Professor Robin Condliffe.Together, they explore how our understanding of the lungs has evolved over time, from early theories about breathing to the breakthroughs that transformed modern respiratory medicine.They also examine why lung health is shaped by more than biology alone. From air pollution and housing quality to poverty and access to healthcare, they discuss the social and environmental factors that continue to influence who develops lung disease and who receives treatment.Recording at Crossed Wires Festival in Sheffield, they reflect on the city's industrial heritage and the lessons it offers for modern public health. They also ask what has changed in respiratory medicine during Robin's career, and how his work has influenced the way he thinks about his own health and wellbeing.If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic covered on the podcast, you can email us at whatsupdocs@bbc.co.uk.Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken Guest: Professor Robin Condliffe Producer: Maia Miller-Lewis Editor: Jo Rowntree Executive Producer: Rami Tzabar Researcher: Grace Revill Production Manager: Lisa Lipman Tech Lead: Reuben Huxtable Social Media: Leon Gower Digital Lead: Richard Berry Composer: Phoebe McFarlane Sound Design: Melvin RickarbyAt the BBC: Assistant Commissioner: Greg Smith Commissioning Editor: Rhian RobertsA Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4.

How can we look after our amazing lungs?

Welcome to What's Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing.In this episode, recorded live at Crossed Wires Festival in Sheffield, they are joined by Professor Robin Condliffe, Consultant Respiratory Physician at Royal Hallamshire Hospital.Together, they explore the extraordinary science of the lungs: how they work, how they keep us alive, and what happens when they start to go wrong. From asthma, COPD and lung cancer to air pollution, smoking and respiratory infections, they discuss some of the biggest challenges facing lung health today.Along the way, they examine the links between lung health, deprivation and the environment, reflect on Sheffield's industrial heritage, and explore the latest advances in respiratory medicine. Finally, they ask what we can all do to keep our lungs healthier for longer. If you want to get in touch, you can email us at whatsupdocs@bbc.co.uk. Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken Guest: Professor Robin Condliffe Producer: Maia Miller-Lewis Editor: Jo Rowntree Executive Producer: Rami Tzabar Researcher: Grace Revill Production Manager: Lisa Lipman Tech Lead: Reuben Huxtable Social Media: Leon Gower Digital Lead: Richard Berry Composer: Phoebe McFarlane Sound Design: Melvin RickarbyAt the BBC: Assistant Commissioner: Greg Smith Commissioning Editor: Rhian RobertsA Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4

Doctors’ Notes: Heart Palpitations

Chris and Xand van Tulleken take a deeper dive into heart palpitations and the rise of wearable technology.With devices like smartwatches now able to detect irregular heart rhythms, more people are being alerted to potential problems, often without any symptoms. But is this early detection saving lives, or creating new challenges?Joined again by Consultant Cardiologist Dr Pranev Sharma, the docs explore how wearables actually work, how accurate they are, and what happens when they flag something abnormal. They unpack the balance between prevention and overdiagnosis, and ask whether we risk medicalising normal bodily sensations. They also look at how decisions are made about treatment, and whether these decisions are changing as more cases are detected through technology.If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic covered on the podcast, you email us at whatsupdocs@bbc.co.uk or Whatsapp on 08000 665 123.Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken Guest: Dr Pranev Sharma Producer: Maia Miller-Lewis Executive Producer: Rami Tzabar Editor: Kirsten Lass Researcher: Grace Revill Tech Lead: Reuben Huxtable Visual Producer : Leon Gower Digital Lead: Richard Berry Composer: Phoebe McFarlane Sound Design: Olga ReedAt the BBC: Assistant Commissioner: Greg Smith Commissioning Editor: Rhian RobertsA Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4.

What are your heart palpitations telling you?

Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing.In this episode, they turn their attention to heart palpitations. That sudden flutter, skipped beat or racing heart can feel alarming, but what’s actually going on, and when should you be concerned?They break down what palpitations are, what causes them, and what’s happening in the heart when you feel them. From everyday triggers like stress and caffeine to more serious rhythm problems, they explore the full spectrum, from completely normal to potentially dangerous.They also look at how doctors investigate palpitations, the warning signs not to ignore, and what to do if you’re worried.To help them unpack it all, they’re joined by Dr Pranev Sharma, Consultant Cardiologist at Midland Metropolitan Hospital in Birmingham. If you want to get in touch, you can email us at whatsupdocs@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08000 665 123.Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken Guest: Dr Pranev Sharma Producer: Maia Miller-Lewis Executive Producer: Rami Tzabar Editor: Jo Rowntree Researcher: Grace Revill Tech Lead: Reuben Huxtable Social Media: Leon Gower Digital Lead: Richard Berry Composer: Phoebe McFarlane Sound Design: Melvin RickarbyAt the BBC:Assistant Commissioner: Greg Smith Commissioning Editor: Rhian RobertsA Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4

Doctors’ Notes: Body Odour

Chris and Xand continue their conversation about body odour with Matthew Cobb, Professor Emeritus of Zoology at the University of Manchester.They explore whether it’s possible to predict how someone experiences an odour based on their DNA, and how our sense of smell compares to that of other animals.Many people lost their sense of smell during the Covid-19 pandemic, bringing greater awareness to just how central this sense is to our everyday lives. They discuss the role that smelling ourselves and each other plays in everyday life, what happens when that sense is lost, and what support is available for those experiencing anosmia.If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic covered on the podcast, you email us at whatsupdocs@bbc.co.uk or Whatsapp on 08000 665 123.Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken Guest: Professor Matthew Cobb Producer: Jo Rowntree Assistant Producer: Dr Samara Linton Researcher: Dr Samara Linton Executive Producer: Rami Tzabar Visual Producer: Leon Gower Technical Lead: Reuben Huxtable Digital Lead: Richard Berry Composer: Phoebe McFarlane Sound Design: Melvin RickarbyAt the BBC: Assistant Commissioner: Greg Smith Commissioning Editor: Rhian RobertsA Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4.