He has spoken to about 42,000 children in schools throughout the UK in 2016 alone. He has written 15 or 16 books for children (he's not sure which it is). As well as being a prolific author and professor of Science and Society at Imperial College, London, he's a medical doctor, a scientist and a television presenter. (And you think you're busy?) Robert Winston took time out of what must be his very busy day to talk to Ray D'Arcy about his new book for children, My Amazing Body Machine: A Colourful Visual Guide to How Your Body Works. When Ray asked him what part of our bodies we know least about, he replied, "genitalia". And he wasn't being funny. The conversation then quickly moved on from Prof Winston's most recent book for children.

"There's huge ignorance about reproduction in parts of the Republic of Ireland."

People's knowledge – or lack thereof – of their own sex organs and how human reproduction happens, is an area of deep concern for Prof Winston. And despite the fact that education in developed countries like Ireland and the UK has improved in this area, there are still hardened attitudes, he says.

"People do not have babies to go on charity… It's really just not true."

As an expert in Human Reproduction, Prof Winston has strong views on the commodification of fertility treatment. He explained to Ray that, due to cuts in funding from Britain's National Health Service, "the private practice element has proliferated". There are big profits to be made in fertility treatment these days, it seems. Prof Winston believes that people are undergoing unnecessary treatment before the cause of their fertility problems are fully investigated.

"About half the treatment cycles with IVF – which are very expensive – are unnecessary."

Prof Winston has been presenting the ground-breaking BBC longitudinal documentary series, Child of our Time, since 2000. The most recent installment of the series, set up to follow twenty-five children from birth until age 20, was broadcast in April this year, and saw the children at age 16. Ray wondered what the effects of technology have been on them. Prof Winston believes that these children are much more responsible, outgoing and communicative than we might have expected. And, he says, they use technology very wisely.

"These children, at 16, show a wonderful facet of our society."

He's a fascinating man, Prof Robert Winston, with fingers in so many pies, it's no wonder he can't quite remember how many children's science books he's written. Although he only spoke with Ray for 14 minutes, they covered so many engrossing topics that we can only hope the next time, they'll get longer to talk.

My Amazing Body Machine: A Colourful Visual Guide to How Your Body Works by Robert Winston is published by Dorling Kindersley.

You can listen back to The Ray D'Arcy Show here

Photo credit: Credit: BSIP / Contributor, Getty Images.