Thinking about the future comes so naturally to most people that we do not realise what a complicated and essential skill it is. Claudia Hammond and an expert panel of psychologists look into our ability to mentally travel to the future.

Catherine Loveday, professor of cognitive neuroscience at the University of Westminster, explains how our ability to mentally time travel into the future is useful for everyday tasks as well as fundamental to shaping our identity.

Daryl O’Connor, professor of psychology at the University of Leeds, discusses how thinking about the future motivates us in the present.

And Peter Olusoga, senior lecturer in psychology at Sheffield Hallam University, describes how professional sportspeople use visualisation and future thinking to improve sporting success.

Together they discuss how we hold ideas of the future in mind, whether unbounded optimism is the best way ahead – or not, and how to science-proof our goal setting and future planning.

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Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Lorna Stewart Sound engineer: Emma Harth and Sue Maillot Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Maguire and Andrew Rhys Lewis

As mpox cases rise in Sierra Leone, we check-in with Professor Trudie Lang to understand the implications of the continuing spread of the disease and what progress is being made in responding to the outbreak.

In a breakthrough for HIV research, scientists have used mRNA to reveal the virus hiding in white blood cells. For now, it is only in a laboratory setting, but they hope this could lead to future treatment pathways that clear HIV from the body.

Also on the show we take a look at healthy ageing; from the role of power in living longer, to reducing the risk of dementia in younger generations, and even the influence of daily cups of coffee on our health as we get older.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producers: Katie Tomsett and Louise Orchard Studio Managers: Dyfan Rose and Sue Maillot

(Photo: Digitally generated image of virus cells of mpox infection. Credit: Getty Images)

A new immunotherapy regime has shown significant improvements in treatment for head and neck cancer. Meanwhile, exercise is boosting outcomes for colon cancer patients. BBC journalist Philippa Roxby explains what’s been shown in these studies.

Aflatoxins are a toxin produced by a fungi which can be found in crops. They’re having a severe impact on harvests and health including immune suppression, growth stunting and damage to the liver. The BBC’s Sophie Ormiston reports on what’s being done to tackle the problem.

Ultra-processed foods are increasingly seen as bad for us and self-reporting our diets can be very inaccurate. But now, a new urine test has found a way to accurately show how much of these kinds of foods we consume.

Finally, can an e-tattoo placed on the forehead effectively monitor stress and concentration? And how might such a device be used?

Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Hannah Robins and Louise Orchard