In this episode of the Physics World Weekly podcast we look back on the life of the prodigious condensed-matter physicist Philip Anderson, who died age 96 on 29 March.

We also have an exclusive interview with Professor of Extragalactic Astronomy at the University of Bath, Carole Mundell, who talks about her research on gamma-ray bursts. Mundell is also Chief Scientific Advisor to the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office and explains how she translates science into scientific advice on issues of national importance.

We round off the programme by laughing along with a few physicists who have admitted to doing some pretty stupid things.