What is BBC Lab UK?

BBC Lab UK launched in September 2009 with the Brain Test Britain experiment, which aimed to answer the question: does brain training actually work? Many thousands of members of the public took part, making it the largest ever study of computer-based brain training.

Since then, BBC Lab UK has launched a series of major experiments – the Big Personality Test, the Web Behaviour Test, How Musical Are You?, the Great British Class Survey, the Big Risk Test, the Big Money Test, the Stress Test, the Get Yourself Hired test,Test Your Morality and Can You Compete Under Pressure? - all of which have received a huge public response. We plan to launch more BBC Lab UK experiments in the future.

Each BBC Lab UK experiment is designed in collaboration with leading scientists and high profile BBC programmes, such as Bang Goes the Theory, Child of Our Time and The Virtual Revolution.

But the key ingredient in every Lab UK experiment is you. Without your participation, we can’t answer the big scientific questions our experiments are designed to answer.

In return for your help, we hope to tell you something new and interesting about yourself, whether it’s Professor Robert Winston explaining your unique personality fingerprint, or discovering your key moral dimension and sharing it with your friends.

Why BBC Lab UK?

By taking part, you are helping create new knowledge

Since 2001, hundreds of thousands of people have participated in online experiments from the BBC. BBC Lab UK builds on this legacy and brings BBC experiments together in one place.

Scientists often rely on relatively small groups of participants to conduct experiments and answer research questions. But generally speaking, the bigger the number of participants, the more accurate and compelling the conclusions the scientists can make.

BBC Lab UK opens science up to hundreds of thousands of participants, enabling you to help us create new knowledge and answer big scientific questions.

The BBC Lab UK Guarantee

We want you to have complete confidence in BBC Lab UK, which is why every experiment conforms to the BBC Lab UK guarantee:

• The purpose of BBC Lab UK experiments is to create new knowledge and understanding with the help of the public.
• BBC Lab UK experiments are based on sound scientific methodology and are run according to accepted ethical standards.
• Data collected for BBC Lab UK experiments will be made available for academic research and educational purposes only.
• Any data you submit to BBC Lab UK experiments will remain completely anonymous unless you choose to share it or otherwise identify it as yours.
• BBC Lab UK will make the scientific findings of all its experiments publicly available through the BBC Lab UK website.