When 0 = 1000

When 0 = 1000

From The Rest Is Science by Goalhanger

May 6, 2026 · 39 min · Season 1 · Episode 49

About this episode

The episode explores the complexities of calories and their measurement in relation to nutrition and human metabolism.

Why does one of the most familiar numbers on a nutrition label turn out to be far more complicated than it looks? What can a can of fizzy drink teach us about thermodynamics, human metabolism, and the strange ways scientists measure energy? Professor Hannah Fry and VSauce’s Michael Stevens dive into the weird science of calories. From century-old experiments involving fire, body heat, and human digestion to the hidden quirks of modern food labelling. Do “negative calorie” foods really exist? Where does burned fat actually go? Why chewing matters more than you’d think, and how your body is constantly leaking energy out into the universe. ------------------- For more information about Cancer Research UK, their research, breakthroughs and how you can support them, visit https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/our-research/rest-is-science⁠⁠ Cancer Research UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1089464), Scotland (SC041666), the Isle of Man (1103) and Jersey (247). A company limited by guarantee. Registered company in England and Wales (4325234) and the Isle of Man (5713F). Registered address: 2 Redman Place, London, E20 1JQ. ------------------- Find The Rest Is Science all over…

People in this episode

Host: Professor Hannah Fry

Guest: Michael Stevens

Topics covered

  • calories
  • nutrition
  • thermodynamics
  • human metabolism
  • energy measurement
  • food labeling

Keywords

  • calories
  • nutrition labels
  • thermodynamics
  • human digestion
  • negative calorie foods
  • energy leakage

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Cancer Research UK

More episodes of The Rest Is Science

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Rest Is Science podcast page.