Radio Lab – Sperm

Gosh.

Some episodes of Radio Lab leave me feeling uplifted, wondrous, and in love with life. Some leave me feeling thoughtful, solemn, and in love with life.

This was one of the solemn ones, and unusually not from Robert's thoughts.

It was a gorgeous show, even if I'd already heard another version of the story of the woman looking for her sperm-donor father, and even though it's the first time I can think of hearing bum edits on Radio Lab – frankly, considering how many of those I've put out there myself I am in no position to criticise on that front!

There were lots of pauses in this episode. Perhaps that will soothe the automated grouching of some listeners who object to "that confounded music playing under people – so disrespectful". But that's for my father – for me, the pauses are a reminder that it is called Radio Lab after all. Old school in its creativity and weighting, and it soothes me to know they are able to do that still – god what am I saying, of course they know the can do that, fans (like me) never stop telling them they can.

There were the proper scientific moments of wonder, and the entertainment and engagement that makes us love it. As the ducks were mentioned, I wondered if I was finally going to hear proof that I wasn't hallucinating that time I saw a duck in the Kensington Park Round Pond – well I've seen many ducks there, but for some reason, this one was showing off its willie – and it was corkscrew shaped.

I have an idea this might have been mentioned on an episode of Qi – which when you think about it, is like the TV version of Radio Lab, but with only one, much less impressive, American.

Ok I'm rambling. Just to note I've written this straight after listening – I haven't listened back to the Sperm episode yet at all.

Update: For the first time in ages I've woken up in the early hours fretting about something other than work. I was fretting about… this review of Radio Lab! Having listened just once, it struck me I may have heard an incomplete mix of the show, missing a sub-mix or something – that would explain the editing near the top.

Man I need a life already…