This week Alok Jha meets journalist and science writer Jonah Lehrer for an extended interview about his new book Imagine: How Creativity Works.

Jonah's background is in neuroscience but he is best known for his popular science writing and is a contributing editor for Wired magazine.

In his new book he attempts to bring together a scientific and cultural understanding of creativity. From the invention of a floor mop to the spontaneous creation of an iconic rock song, Lehrer traces this process, mapping it to recent scientific research into how and why the brain allows us these moments of insight and creativity.

On a practical level, for those with creative aspirations, he explains why taking a shower, a nap or a long walk might trigger that vital moment of inspiration. The rest, he says, is down to "grit".

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