The Convex Conversation Convex

Former Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter gives his assessment on the current conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as reflects on his 45 years serving in the military. 
Sir Nick says the world looks a lot more like it did in the 1910s and 1930s and explains the geopolitics behind why he believes conflict is now possible at a scale and intensity he hoped we’d never see again after 1945 came to an end. 
Britain’s longest serving military chief since Lord Mountbatten shares fascinating stories from the start of his career as an 18-year-old soldier in the Northern Ireland Troubles to advising Prime Ministers and securing billions for defence. 
General Carter is now lecturing at Stanford University in California, advising leading businesses and working for the Tony Blair Institute as well as with the charity Supporting Wounded Veterans. 
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As NASA prepares to land people on the Moon for the first time since 1972, aerospace physiologist Dr Tess Morris-Paterson talks about her work selecting astronauts for missions like Artemis and what it takes to become an astronaut. 
Tess explains the lunar orbit of the Moon's South Pole, discusses plans for astronauts to live and work under the Moon's surface, and how these missions will pave the way to travel to Mars using hydrogen from the lunar ice caps. 
Tess went through the gruelling selection process herself with the European Space Agency. Combining her aerospace knowledge with a decade working in Formula One and Premier League football, she founded Astro Perform to design selection programmes and prepare candidates for the challenges of space flight. 
 

Bonita Norris became the youngest British woman to summit Everest in 2010, aged just 22. What was even more remarkable about her feat, was that she only started mountaineering at university.
Inspired and driven by the thought of seeing the curvature of the Earth from the world’s highest peak, Bonita explains how she conquered tough mental, physical and practical challenges to achieve her dream.
She recounts the moment she fell on the way down, landing on the treacherous Hillary Step – a near vertical rock face where many have perished. Find out how she survived.
 










 
 

Eminent scientist Russell Foster, Professor of Circadian Neuroscience at Oxford University, shares some of his extraordinary life’s work, taking us on a fascinating journey through the science of our body clocks.
As work and recreation time has become increasingly blurred, we’ve neglected our 24-hour biological clock which guides us towards the best time to sleep, eat and think.
Using his own studies and those of other international sleep scientists, Russell explains how new science has proved that living out of synch with our clock not only disrupts sleep, but leaves us more vulnerable to infection, cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and mental illness.
However, with the right knowledge, we can get back into our rhythm and live healthier, sharper lives.


 

Historian Alice Loxton is on a mission to bring history to a wider, younger audience using the power of her 2 million followers on socials.
 
The 28-year-old presenter and author travels up and down the UK, filming intriguing bite-sized historical facts and little-known stories from various periods in authentic settings.
 
Alice has packed a lot in – working with The National Trust, Downing Street, Sky Arts, Christies, Sotheby’s, and more – and hosts documentaries on History Hit TV with Dan Snow who calls his co-presenter ‘the star of her generation - the next big thing in history’.
 
Her debut book Outrage is released in paperback this month and her new book, 18, is available to pre-order.
 

 

 

 

When a 26-year-old American astrophysics major arrived in the Old City of Kabul in Afghanistan to volunteer, she had no idea the work would become a major part of her life, helping tens of thousands of people survive and thrive in unstable, war-torn countries. 
Shoshana Stewart, President of Turquoise Mountain, explains how the international NGO started with a chance conversation between the then Prince of Wales and former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, followed by an extraordinary mission for her now husband Rory Stewart. 
Eighteen years on, Shoshana shares the compelling story of how the charity supports artisans like rug makers, carvers, and jewellery designers whose lives and ancient traditions in Afghanistan, Myanmar and the Middle East are under threat, giving them a livelihood and restoring their pride in their cultural heritage. 
 




The King's Lodge at The Connaught designed by Guy Oliver with support from Turquoise Mountain artisans

The King's Lodge at The Connaught designed by Guy Oliver with support from Turquoise Mountain artisans