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Jo Marchant

Jo Marchant

journalist and author

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    • The Human Cosmos
    • Cure
    • The Shadow King
    • Decoding the Heavens
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Jo Marchant on BBCJo Marchant on panelJo Marchant talking


Jo Marchant regularly captivates live audiences around the globe. She has spoken at the Royal Institution in London, New Scientist Live, the Hay Festival, the Edinburgh Science Festival, the Getty Villa in Los Angeles, the Aspen Ideas Festival, the World Science Festival in New York, the Dutch-Flemish Institute in Cairo and the Emirates Literature Festival in Dubai, among many others. She writes and presents lecture courses for The Great Courses, as well as speaking at corporate events and workshops about how the mind influences physical health and performance.

Popular talk topics include: The Science of Mind over Body; The Life-changing Power of Awe; Why Placebos Work; How the Stars Have Shaped Humanity; Solving the Mystery of the Antikythera Mechanism

Recent events

How the Stars Have Shaped Humanity, Getty Villa, Los Angeles, October 2024

Under One Sky opening keynote, November 2023

SOUL Festival, Maldives, September 2023

Emirates Literature Festival, Dubai, February 2023

Lost in Translation: The placebo effect in theory and practice
Royal Society of Medicine, London; 12 December 2022

Ottawa International Writers Festival, October 2022

The Great Courses

  • The Power of Mind over Body
    In this 12-part lecture course, dive into the science behind the brain-body connection to understand how our moods, mental states, and life circumstances impact us in both sickness and in health.
  • The Human Cosmos
    In this 2-part lecture course, follow our connections with the cosmos to see how the stars have helped to shape who we are and how we live.

Testimonials

“Jo is a fantastic speaker and delivers the perfect balance of accessible science, human stories and practical actions – highly recommended.” Dr Mark Williamson, Director of Action for Happiness

“Our members were delighted with Jo’s fascinating presentation. She drew from the latest scientific research to provide valuable insight on how the mind can affect the body in areas that our members really care about, such as health, medicine, stress, and maximising performance. We would strongly recommend Jo for anyone looking to discover what we can learn from science in order to live a better life.” Andy Clayton, Entrepreneurs Organisation UK

“Jo shared cutting edge insight from the latest research and medical studies to help us understand the true healing power of our minds.  A completely unique topic of interest for our group, and Jo didn’t disappoint. We heard how ‘mind over matter’ could seriously stop us undergoing unnecessary invasive treatments. Her extensive knowledge captivated the room, and encouraged us to make better choices for our health. A truly fascinating talk.” Emma Kirby, Cushman & Wakefield

Watch here

  • Decoding the Heavens: The Antikythera mechanism
    Darwin College Lecture Series, Cambridge, 31 January 2019 Watch here
  • How your mind can heal your body
    Action for Happiness, Conway Hall, London, 8 February 2018 Watch here
  • Science and Story: Joyce Carol Oates, EL Doctorow, Sean Carroll, Jo Marchant and Steven Pinker on science writing.
    World Science Festival, New York 29 May 2014 Watch here
  • Secrets of science writing: Geoff Brumfiel, Linda Geddes and Jo Marchant discuss tricks of their trade
    The Guardian and Wellcome Trust, 1 April 2013 Watch here
  • Tracking the Cosmos: The technology of the Antikythera mechanism
    The Getty Villa, Los Angeles 4 March 2010 Watch here

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About Jo

Marchant surveys with grace what we think we know, and what we would like to know…
The Guardian

Speaking

Jo delivers the perfect balance of accessible science, human stories and practical actions…
Action for Happiness

Praise For Cure

A cautious, scrupulous investigation of how our brains can help our bodies…
Wall Street Journal

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