The Rest Is Science Podcast Launches: Hannah Fry & Michael Stevens Join Goalhanger for a Video-First Science Show
In a landmark collaboration blending sharp mathematics, creative storytelling, and science that genuinely makes you stop and think, Goalhanger — already one of the UK’s most successful podcast studios — has announced its brand-new series, The Rest Is Science. Fronted by two of the most recognisable public science communicators of the last decade, Professor Hannah Fry and Michael Stevens (of Vsauce fame), this ambitious show aims to explore not just what science can tell us, but what we think we know — and how those assumptions fall apart under closer examination.
Launching 25 November, this new series marks Goalhanger’s most significant expansion into video-first podcasting, designed for audiences who discover science through TikTok scrolls, YouTube rabbit holes, and snackable Instagram Reels just as often as through traditional long-form formats.
With episodes dropping every Tuesday and Thursday, and short-form clips populating social feeds in between, The Rest Is Science promises to be one of the most talked-about science podcasts of the year — and potentially one of the most influential.
A Science Podcast Built for the Way We Learn in 2025
Goalhanger describes the show as one that “explores the forces and patterns shaping the world around us” — a mission statement that fits perfectly with the careers of both hosts. But what makes this podcast stand out is its hybrid format, merging slow, deep exploration with quick, curiosity-triggering snippets engineered for modern attention spans.
How the Weekly Format Works
The show follows a smart split-episode rhythm:
🧪 Tuesdays — The Deep Dives
Each Tuesday episode focuses on a single scientific theme, taking listeners on a structured but surprising journey. These episodes:
Examine widely accepted ideas with fresh angles
Connect scientific principles with real-world impact
Pull in stories from mathematics, physics, biology, psychology, engineering and more
Encourage listeners to challenge assumptions
Think of it as long-form thinking, but narrated with the wit, clarity and understated humour Fry and Stevens are known for.
🔍 Thursdays — Field Notes
Thursdays introduce a playful twist with episodes that start from a single odd object — a fossil, a broken gadget, a kitchen sponge, a meteorite fragment, a leaf — and follow its story wherever it leads.
This segment is designed to highlight:
Hidden histories
Overlooked scientific facts
The strange connections that tie everyday objects to global systems
The kind of “wait, what?!” insights that make science endlessly fascinating
Field Notes is ideal for listeners who love surprising, digestible content that still teaches something meaningful.
📱 A Show Designed for Social Media Discovery
Throughout the week, short clips will be published across:
YouTube Shorts
Instagram Reels
TikTok
These will include memorable explanations, mini-demonstrations, visual metaphors, and moments where Fry and Stevens bounce ideas off each other with the kind of infectious enthusiasm that makes you want to know more.
Goalhanger is aiming for a show that thrives on every platform, acknowledging that the way people discover podcasts in 2025 is dramatically different from the traditional RSS-feed era.
The Hosts Behind the Mic: Why This Duo Works
The pairing of Hannah Fry and Michael Stevens is not just strategic — it’s almost scientifically engineered.
Hannah Fry: The Mathematician Who Makes Patterns Personal
Professor Hannah Fry has spent more than a decade shaping public understanding of mathematics, complexity, and human behaviour. Her ability to translate abstract ideas into emotionally resonant stories has made her a mainstay on British TV and radio.
Her credentials include:
Professor at the University of Cambridge
Presenter of The Future with Hannah Fry
Host of The Secret Genius of Modern Life
Co-host of Curious Cases
A bestselling author
Trusted BBC science communicator
Fry’s strength lies in showing that mathematics is not cold or mechanical — it’s the heartbeat of everything from relationships to pandemics to city design.
Michael Stevens: The King of Internet Curiosity
Michael Stevens, the creator of Vsauce, is arguably the most influential digital science communicator in the world. His channel’s 24 million subscribers and billions of views speak to his unparalleled ability to ignite curiosity.
Stevens brings:
Global experience with scientific outreach
A background in psychology, philosophy, and cognitive science
Knowledge from designing toys and experiments for The Curiosity Box
A legacy of breaking down complex questions with humour and warmth
Insight from live shows, world tours, and educational programmes
Stevens specialises in unraveling the “space between what we know and what we think we know” — the very space where The Rest Is Science positions itself.
What the Hosts Say: Curiosity at the Core
The hosts have offered compelling insights into what makes this project special.
Hannah Fry explains:
“We wanted to make a show that takes familiar ideas and turns them inside out — breaking them down and looking so closely that they start to feel almost unrecognisable. Science is full of things we think we understand — time, randomness, beauty, evolution — until you actually start to question them. Then you realise how strange, fragile, and completely astonishing reality really is.”
This statement captures the show’s spirit: curiosity as an act of defamiliarization. Understanding the world by first admitting how little we really understand.
Michael Stevens adds:
“With The Rest Is Science, we wanted to go beyond pop science and maths — to dig into the kinds of details that usually get skipped over. I’ve always been fascinated by that space between what we know and what we think we know. That’s where curiosity really lives.”
For long-time Vsauce fans, this is a return to form — but with higher production values, deeper research, and one of the best minds in UK science broadcasting sitting across the table.
Episode One: The Science of Water — More Astonishing Than You Think
The debut episode examines something humans encounter every single day: water. But the show makes it clear from the beginning — the ordinary becomes extraordinary under the right lens.
Key themes explored in Episode One include:
Is water actually “wet”? — A classic question, re-examined with rigour rather than memes.
How minerals shape taste — Why different brands of bottled water taste different, and why “pure” water isn’t always the most desirable.
Global freshwater scarcity — The surprising limits of our drinkable water supply.
The science of over-hydration — What actually happens when we drink too much.
Water’s cosmic origins — How hydrogen from the Big Bang and oxygen forged in dying stars combined to form the most life-enabling substance on Earth.
This is science presented with the enthusiasm of a documentary and the intimacy of a conversation.
Future Episodes: A Map of Wonder
Following its launch, the series will explore a vast array of concepts — from the microscopic to the cosmic.
Confirmed topics include:
Randomness, scale, and infinity
The evolution of modern humans
Why people cry and how emotional expression evolved
Off-grid engineering innovations on a remote Scottish island
How moths navigate across long distances
Whether future skyscrapers could be built from mushrooms
The range is ambitious, reflecting the hosts’ shared belief: all science is connected, and the most engaging stories are often hiding in plain sight.
A Partnership With Purpose: Cancer Research UK Collaboration
One of the most significant elements of the show is its launch partnership with Cancer Research UK.
This collaboration adds a powerful dimension: monthly insights into scientific progress, featuring:
Human stories behind breakthroughs
Data-driven research
Innovations in treatment and detection
The people whose lives have been transformed
Michelle Mitchell, CEO of Cancer Research UK, notes:
“Science transforms lives when curiosity and collaboration meet. This show brings research stories to life in an accessible and inspiring way.”
For a series built on expanding curiosity, this partnership anchors the show in real-world impact.
Goalhanger’s Vision: A New Chapter in Global Podcasting
Goalhanger has experienced extraordinary growth, recently surpassing:
One billion lifetime streams
Seventy million monthly full-episode downloads
This new show reflects the company’s strategy for the next era: video-first storytelling, collaborations with global talent, and formats designed to travel effortlessly across platforms.
Co-founder Jack Davenport explains:
“The Rest Is Science reflects our future direction — ambitious ideas, international presenters, and a format made for the next generation of listeners.”
Given the studio’s success with franchises like The Rest Is Politics and The Rest Is History, expectations are extremely high.
Why The Rest Is Science Matters in 2025
In 2025, scientific literacy is more crucial than ever — from AI ethics, to climate change, to public health, to space exploration, to everyday digital decision-making.
This show arrives at the perfect moment because:
Audiences crave clarity in an era overwhelmed by information
Short-form science has exploded, but long-form depth is increasingly rare
Younger generations discover knowledge through hybrid media ecosystems
The public wants storytelling, not lectures
Curiosity has become a cultural value, not just an academic pursuit
The Rest Is Science bridges all of these gaps — with style, authority, and a sense of wonder.
A Podcast Designed to Change How We See the World
At its core, the series invites listeners to slow down, look more closely, and question the unseen patterns shaping our lives.
It encourages a mindset:
Where everyday objects reveal hidden universes
Where complicated ideas become exhilarating, not intimidating
Where science becomes a habit of thinking, not a discipline
Where curiosity becomes a way of moving through the world
The show has the potential to redefine what a science podcast in the 2020s can be.
Availability
The Rest Is Science will be available from 25 November on:
