The Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas

Take three top academics, some dangerous ideas, add one comedian and it’s the force of nature that is the Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas (CODI). Hosted by comedian Susan Morrison, and now in its eleventh year, CODI is ninety minutes of rapid-fire research from some of the finest minds in the country.

High performance sport? Despite the concerted efforts to deter athletes from taking illegal substances to enhance performance, doping in sport remains a problem. More recently, attempts to justify a positive test in a 15 year old athlete suggests that a new low has been reached. Join Dr Derek Ball (University of Aberdeen) to explore doping in sport and discuss whether the latest revelation is a new low point or simply history repeating itself.

Socially Awkward?

Why do some people seem to have an easy manner while others appear awkward, misjudge jokes and miss verbal, body language and social cues? Is it all down to personality? What affects how people perceive, understand and interact with the world, and how important are other factors such as mood, health or environment? And just how different are the experiences of autistic people to everybody else? Mary Stewart (Heriot-Watt University) looks at what influences social interactions and why that matters for individuals and society.

CODI is curated by the University of Edinburgh as part of Beltane Public Engagement Network and produced by Fair Pley.