Synopsis
Ask the Naked Scientists - Solutions to the science questions you always wondered about...
Episodes
-
Is the Moon a piece of planet Earth?
19/07/2019 Duration: 25minThis week, on its 50th Anniversary, Dr Chris reflects on the Apollo 11 Moon landings, explores the basis of Bell's Palsy, explains the origins of an itch, and asks if wheat is bad for you. We also discuss the microbiome and food intolerance, why burned food tastes great but could give you cancer, whether Tourette's would be a good excuse for being caught speeding, why radio signals are out of sync through different devices, and if the Moon is a piece of planet Earth. As always, if you want to know the scientific answer... Ask the Naked Scientists! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
-
Are we really related to Neanderthals?
12/07/2019 Duration: 19minChris Smith from the Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions. Why might someone with diabetes lose a limb? How can you predict a dangerous solar flare? Are humans really related to Neanderthals? Do we love water because we evolved from the ocean? What percentage of our brains do we really use? What causes shingles, and what's the best way to treat it? Which parts of the brain are affected when you're stressed, and can cannabis help with stress relief? Plus, the 'smart' insulin that could mean the end of insulin pens... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
-
Can local honey cure hay fever?
05/07/2019 Duration: 24minChris Smith from The Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions on Cape Talk. Do we need an appendix? How does the Sun burn when there's no oxygen in space? How much water is lost in tinned goods? How can damaged fingertips grow back? Does bloodtype indicate whether a tattoo will fade? Was Einstein's brain different from most? Can local honey cure hayfever? Which form of transport is best for the planet? Are the continents drifting? Plus, we successfully launched your screams into space! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
-
Why do humans have cannabis receptors?
03/07/2019 Duration: 19minWhy do flies exist? Could sound propel a spaceship? Why do humans have receptors for tetrahydrocannabinol in their brains? How do cars calculate their fuel consumption? And is all life descended from bacteria? Plus, we report on the recent discovery of a plume of methane on Mars: what does this mean for the likelihood of finding life on the red planet? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
-
Do microwaves damage food?
27/06/2019 Duration: 23minWhy do achilles tendons snap, and can they be strengthened? Are gingers disappearing? Why does crying make your voice shake? Why can't we accurately predict the weather? Do microwaves damage food? Why does my eyelid twitch sometimes? What is burn-out? Is it normal to feel groggy some days? How important are lymph nodes? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
-
Why does alcohol make me dizzy?
26/06/2019 Duration: 21minThis week we discuss the Naked Scientists experiment to test a scream in space, explain why some people sneeze so loudly, ask where standard weights and measures came from, hear why singing makes it easier to remember the words, and find out why the Chernoble power station exploded, why alcohol makes you drunk, and the basis of optimism... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
-
Why do we hum?
20/06/2019 Duration: 24minChris Smith from The Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions. Can contact eyes make your eyes better than perfect vision? How intense can deja-vu be? Why do we hum? Why are there more jetstreams in the Northern Hemisphere? Why doesn't armpit hair grow like head hair? Why are mushroom clouds mushrooms? Can you be allergic to electricity? And why does gravity attract mass? Plus, they say in space, no one can hear you scream, how true is that... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
-
Why does water bubble when it boils?
19/06/2019 Duration: 20minJoin Africa Melane and Dr Chris for this week's round-up of science questions from the South African Cape, including why we can open the doors of a helicopter but not a passenger plane when it's flying, why water bubbles when it boils, what's the best position for sleeping, why fog rises from a lake surface on a cold day, and why boxers shouldn't blow their noses. Plus news of the world's first cannabis consumption... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
-
Why do bright lights trigger sneezes?
13/06/2019 Duration: 20minChris Smith from The Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions with Eusebius McKasier from talk radio 702. Could gravity from my first-floor apartment impact my sleep patterm? Why do hearts beat faster when we're excited? What are the consequences of dental surgery? Is prejudice carried in DNA? How does a master-key work? Does exercise and breathing more oxygen increase the ageing process? Why do bright lights cause sneezes? Plus, the single use plastic that saved endangered snails in Bermuda. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
-
Do anti-ageing creams really work?
12/06/2019 Duration: 18minFor CapeTalk this week, Dr Chris explains what causes stomach butterflies, whether honey is healthier than sugar, why fog lifts, how to keep your memory in tip top condition, how much the Earth weighs, whether fish need to drink water, why cannabis makes some people feel creative, and whether anti-ageing skin creams actually make you look younger... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
-
Why do we blush?
06/06/2019 Duration: 20minChris Smith from The Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions with Eusebius McKasier from Talk Radio 702. Would a brain transplant keep someone's memories? Why do we blush? Is it bad to exercise when ill? How do you lose a sense of smell? Can it return? What is the difference between IQ and EQ? Why do we have three sets of DNA? With some questions from the BIO conference in Philadelphia. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
-
Were early humans vegetarians?
23/05/2019 Duration: 21minChris Smith answers YOUR questions with Pippa Hudson.... Why does temperature change food flavour? Does the full moon impact the human body? Why do car wheels move in reverse in films? Were early humans vegetarians? Can you produce electricity in a vacuum? Does Vitamin-C cure a cold? Do 5G networks affect health? Plus, celebrating 100 years of Arthur Eddington and the eclipse that made Einstein's laws of gravity famous. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
-
Why do we cough?
16/05/2019 Duration: 21minChris Smith answers the questions you've been sending in... Could we use charged liquid for electric cars? Why do beds feel cold and not room temperature? What causes climate change? How efficient are batteries? Why do we cough? Why do chillies give me hiccups? Plus, sea explorers find plastic in the most remote part of the ocean.  Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
-
Why do cats purr?
02/05/2019 Duration: 22minChris Smith from The Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions with Africa Melanie from CapeTalk. Why can only some animals be domesticated? Why do cats purr? Can senses change after surgery? Why don't I have a runny nose during sleep? How old is moon dust? Why do scars last until old age? Plus scientists detect a black hole that's munching on a neutron star... For more podcasts by The Naked Scientists, head to nakedscientists.com/podcasts.PLUS, you can follow the team on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook; @nakedscientists. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
-
What causes cyclones?
25/04/2019 Duration: 18minChris Smith from The Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions with Eusebius McKaiser from Talk Radio. Is the Earth flat? Does cannabis have a healing effect? Can stem cells repair skin overgrowths? What causes cylones? Why can I hear sounds when my head is against a pillow? Why do stars look stationary from Earth? Can stem cells repair eye conditions? Plus the news story that kicked off all the stem cell questions; the new technique that repairs wounds faster. For more podcasts by The Naked Scientists, head to https://www.thenakedscientists.com/podcasts.PLUS, you can follow the team on... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
-
Will a comet crash into Earth?
11/04/2019 Duration: 18minChris Smith from The Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions with Eusebius McKaiser... Why do my nails hurt after I remove nail polish? What does GI mean? Do black holes stop the universe expanding? How are flight routes planned? Will a comet crash into Earth? Why do I get electric shocks from my car? Plus, the first ever image of a black hole! For more podcasts by The Naked Scientists, head to https://www.thenakedscientists.com/podcasts You can follow the team on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
-
Can computers develop consciousness?
04/04/2019 Duration: 20minChris Smith from The Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions with Eusebius McKaiser from Talk Radio 702. Can we use energy from nuclear fusion yet? Is the water in our atmosphere the same as in a river? Can computers develop consciousness? Why do some people think the Earth is flat? Why are clouds different colours? Why is a plane's black box indestructible? Why do hot baths make me dizzy? Plus scientists strap cameras on to Great White Sharks to keep them safe! Like what you hear? Why not support The Naked Scientists by leaving a review. For more chatty science head to... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
-
Could we live on Mars?
29/03/2019 Duration: 37minChris Smith takes on YOUR questions in a bumper edition of Ask! The Naked Scientists. How long do dreams last? How did Einstein measure the speed of light? Could we live on Mars? What is sleep paralysis? Could an asteroid hit and travel underground? What is a sonic boom? Can you change your subconscious? Could a falling bullet injure you? How does carbon harm our environment? Could we have wireless electricity? Why did the continents break apart? Plus, how plants can still function with less water.For more podcasts by The Naked Scientists, head to https://www.thenakedscientists.com/podcasts.... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
-
Why do men have nipples?
22/03/2019 Duration: 17minChris Smith from The Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions with Eusebius McKaiser from 702 Cape Talk. Why is the sun's halo hotter than its surface? Why do ice cubes crack when you add water? Why do men have nipples? How do noise-cancelling headphones work? Can you implant genes to become immune to HIV? Can batteries prevent power cuts in South Africa? Plus we say Hello Tomorrow! Chris explains the latest and greatest technology showcased at a recent conference in Paris. For more podcasts by The Naked Scientists, head to https://www.thenakedscientists.com/podcasts.PLUS, you can follow the... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
-
Are horseshoes unlucky in a thunderstorm?
08/03/2019 Duration: 23minChris Smith from The Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions. What would happen if a horse with metal shoes on was struck by lightning? How was DNA code devised? Could electricity go wireless? How much calcium is in a cup of tea? Why can slime change colour with heat? Is second hand smoke from e-cigarettes harmful? Does NASA still have contact with Voyager? How can goats climb mountain sides? Plus, the new wireless technology allowing more cuddles for premature babies. For more podcasts by The Naked Scientists, head to nakedscientists.com/podcasts. PLUS, you can follow the team on Instagram,... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists