
The Infinite Monkey Cage
Series 33
Should We Settle in Space? - Tim Peake, Kelly Weinersmith and Alan Davies
July 17, 2025
43 minutes
Available for over a year
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Brian Cox and Robin Ince blast off into a cosmic controversy as they ask, should humanity become an interplanetary species? At Harwell Campus, a space science innovation hub, they’re joined by astronaut Tim Peake, biologist and Royal Society prize winning author Kelly Weinersmith, and comedian Alan Davies to explore the science, ethics, and challenges of settling on Mars or on the Moon.
Are we bold pioneers venturing into the unknown, or just reckless tenants abandoning Earth in search of a new abode? Our panel discuss whether space settlement is inevitable in humanity’s near future and how pushing the boundaries of space exploration could make extra-terrestrial travel more accessible to the masses. From sourcing materials, to surviving radiation, and even growing potatoes from poo, they tackle what it really would take to live a life beyond Earth!
Series Producer: Melanie Brown
Assistant Producer: Olivia Jani
Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem
BBC Studios Audio Production