ZOE Science & Nutrition Recap: The hidden clock controlling your health | Professor Russell Foster
32 snips
Feb 3, 2026 
Professor Russell Foster, neuroscientist and circadian rhythm expert, explains the brain's biological clocks and their role in health. He discusses the master clock in the brain and molecular timing in cells. He explores how timing affects metabolism and eating, and the harms of circadian disruption for mood, immunity and disease risk.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Master Clock Coordinates Cellular Timing
- The body clock coordinates timing so the right substances reach the right tissues at the right time of day.
- A master SCN clock in the brain conducts billions of cellular clocks across the body.
Early Discovery Of Internal Clocks
- A 1729 French astronomer found plant leaves kept rhythm in constant darkness, revealing an internal clock.
- Early research then tracked a master brain clock (SCN) whose neurons tick independently in a dish.
Neural Signals Drive Organ Rhythms
- The master clock uses neural and humoral signals to synchronize organs.
- Cutting nervous connections to organs like the liver abolishes their rhythmic metabolism.