Linguistdiscusses his book Language: The Cultural Tool and we have a report from the Gunther Van Hagen exhibition at the Natural History Museum, Animal Inside Out

This week on Science Weekly we meet Daniel Everett, author of Language: The Cultural Tool. Daniel discusses his thesis that language is not innate, which is central to the theory of universal grammar most associated with his fellow linguist Noam Chomsky. Rather, he believes that language is like a bow and arrow, a tool to solve a human problem.

Also this week we delve into the anatomical world of Gunther Von Hagens, best known for his Body Worlds exhibitions and innovations using the plastination of corpses in order to facilitate unique perspectives on the structure of the body. This time he has turned his skills to the animal kingdom with the exhibition Animal Inside Out, showing at the Natural History Museum in London until 16 September. For Science Weekly, Lexi Topping met with the curator Dr Angelina Whally.

Alok is joined by Guardian science correspondent Ian Sample and Observer science & technology editor Robin McKie to discuss some of this week's big science stories including why the US authorities are nervous about two papers exploring genetically modified strains of influenza, and the discovery in South Africa of the ancient human desire to barbecue.

Subscribe for free via iTunes to ensure every episode gets delivered. (Here is the non-iTunes URL feed).

Follow the podcast on our Science Weekly Twitter feed and receive updates on all breaking science news stories from Guardian Science.

Email scienceweeklypodcast@gmail.com.

Guardian Science is now on Facebook. You can also join our Science Weekly Facebook group.

We're always here when you need us. Listen back through our archive.