5 Live Science Podcast
970 episodes - English - Latest episode: 14 days ago - ★★★★★ - 102 ratings5 Live's science podcast, featuring Dr Chris and Naked Scientists with the hottest science news stories and analysis.
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Episodes
Artificial platelets, Bonobos and a tribute to Peter Higgs
April 14, 2024 06:00 - 51 minutes - 46.7 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In this week's episode….Scientists invent artificial platelets to help us clot blood better, why it might be time to reappraise the peace loving nature of Bonobos, why the moon apparently turned itself inside out in the past. Plus as a special tribute to the revered British Scientist Peter Higgs who died this week aged 94, his friend Lyn Evans tells us about the 40 year search for the...
Belly fat, BRCA gene and synthetic opioids
April 07, 2024 04:00 - 43 minutes - 40 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs, In this week's episode we discuss why our belly fat could be key to helping people with spinal injuries, a breakthrough in understanding why the BRCA genes lead to breast cancer in some people and we look at the new breed of synthetic opioids making their way on to the streets of Britain, and find out why they’re so deadly. Get the podcast from the BBC Sounds app.
Has Alzheimer's treatment hit a turning point?
March 31, 2024 05:00 - 52 minutes - 47.7 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team find out how climate change is making the earth turn more slowly, whether vaccines can combat bovine tuberculosis, and take an in depth look at our understanding of Alzheimer’s.
Why whooping cough cases are surging and looking for life on Europa
March 24, 2024 06:00 - 53 minutes - 49.2 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientists look at what's behind a spike in whooping cough cases occurring across the UK and Europe.
COVID-19, 4 years on.
March 15, 2024 16:47 - 52 minutes - 47.6 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs, In this week's episode……four years after they declared COVID 19 a global pandemic, we speak to the World Health Organization to get their recollections and perspectives. A surprising finding about the particles shed from the brake pads on our cars, we look back at the remarkable life of Paul Alexander, the man in the iron lung, who’s died aged 78. And we look at the long term effects of...
Cyber Crimes in Cyber Times
March 10, 2024 06:00 - 53 minutes - 48.5 MBOff the back of cyber-attacks on the British Library and Cambridge University, Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist look at the how they happen, who is responsible, and how can we protect against them. Plus the team find out why a gene might be responsible for a Labrador's weight, how early springs are affecting migratory birds, and hear from the Cambridge team who have found the oldest known dead galaxy in the universe.
The gene that turns Labradors into gluttons, migratory birds and the oldest known dead galaxy.
March 10, 2024 06:00 - 52 minutes - 48 MBThe team discuss the gene that turns Labradors into gluttons, migratory birds and the oldest known dead galaxy.
Lithium batteries, human tails and the science behind potholes
March 03, 2024 06:00 - 52 minutes - 48.4 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs, In this week's episode……as the UK re-joins the EU horizon research programme we hear from the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on what she sees as the main benefit from this new deal. Also, scientists discover a way to get lithium batteries charging faster and performing better in the cold, and how and why did we humans lose our tails back in history? Plus we’re...
Whale songs, fake fossils and "Forever Chemicals"
February 25, 2024 06:00 - 52 minutes - 48.2 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs, In this week's episode...scientists unveil prehistoric cases of Down’s syndrome, but how did they find them? How whales really produce whale songs and the famous fake fossil that foxed palaeontologists for the best part of a century. Plus we’re taking a look at the so called “Forever Chemicals”…what are they? And how they might be damaging for us and the environment. Get the podcast f...
Dengue fever, sense of humour and fish skin
February 18, 2024 07:00 - 53 minutes - 49.4 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs, In this week's episode...a huge outbreak of dengue fever in Brazil so should we be worried here in Europe? Also scientists discover the types of microbe that drive the decomposition of animal flesh and they do it in a pretty gruesome way. And where do we get our sense of humour from? Plus we find out how fish skin is fighting infection on the battlefield and take a look at the origins o...
Blueberries, cancer waiting lists and assisted dying
February 11, 2024 06:48 - 53 minutes - 49 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs, In this week's episode... why cancer waiting lists have lengthened and the importance of catching the disease early? Also how pollution is blinding insects to plants they might want to pollinate? And how do blueberries come by their colour? It’s not as simple as it sounds, squash one and you’ll see they are not blue inside. Plus we’re looking at the debate at around assisted dying after...
Elon Musk's brain implants and the science of shipping
February 04, 2024 06:00 - 52 minutes - 48.2 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs, In this week's episode...a human receives one of Elon Musk’s brain implants, but why? Also scientists unlock part of the puzzle of why fasting can cut inflammation and slow down the gaining process, and a brief history of spine – we explore a new exhibition on vertebrates. Plus The science of shipping – we go to sea on a ship of the future to hear how the industry is trying to cut it’s ...
Retinas, biological cells and pond skater insects.
January 28, 2024 06:00 - 52 minutes - 47.7 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs, In this week's episode...what the structure of your retina reveals about your risk of developing a range of different diseases, have we finally cracked how the first biological cells appeared 4 billions years ago? And how pond skater insects survive potentially lethal run-ins with large raindrops. Plus we’re continuing our “Titans of Science” series, this week we interviewing Wales form...
The Black Death, wine measures and pot holes
January 21, 2024 06:00 - 53 minutes - 48.6 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs, In this week's episode...did the black death really kill so many in Europe that if left an indelible mark in the population’s DNA? New research suggests that might be a myth. Also could smaller wine measures in pubs help to tackle our unhealthy relationship with alcohol and later on, the Cambridge engineers who are using science to plug the gaps in the UK pot-holed roads. Plus we contin...
Titans of Science: Professor Deborah Prentice
January 14, 2024 06:00 - 52 minutes - 47.8 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs, In this week's episode...why a dose of old drugs might be a new way to beat depression. With many countries gearing up for general elections in the year ahead, why AI generated deepfakes have got politicians very worried. We look back at the life of the pioneering British transplant surgeon, Professor Sir Roy Calne and we continue our Titans of Science series with the psychologist and n...
Measles, Terror Chatbots and the Microbiome
January 07, 2024 06:00 - 52 minutes - 48.2 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientists investigate why the world is seeing a surge of measles, look into how Japan prepares for earthquakes, asks if AI glorifies terrorism, and whether space junk is worth recycling. Plus they delve into the microbiome including how a "transpoosion" can reverse antibiotic resistance.
Quantum Leap
December 31, 2023 06:00 - 52 minutes - 48.1 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. This week, Chris Smith and Will Tingle look back on some of 2023’s most important scientific discoveries and ponder what we should expect in 2024. Get the podcast from the BBC Sounds app.
Christmas science stories and computer games
December 24, 2023 07:00 - 52 minutes - 47.7 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present a special Christmas The science of champagne, a look at the light hearted stories from the Christmas edition of the British Medical Journal, and the 150 million year old marine reptile with a slot on prime time Christmas TV. Plus a look at some of the best computer games you can play across Christmas. Get the podcast from the BBC Sounds app.
Titans of Science: Chris Hadfield
December 17, 2023 07:00 - 52 minutes - 48.3 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In today’s programme: Nausea in pregnancy, scientists have solved why it happens and what we can do about it. Also, COP28 is over, but what was actually achieved And what science is revealing about the methods of great artists like Rembrandt. Plus Titans of Science returns, talking to leading scientists around the world, and today’s relaunch features former astronaut and commander of t...
Covid Inquiry, fossilised trees in the Fens, and getting Britons moving
December 10, 2023 06:00 - 52 minutes - 48.3 MBJames Tytko and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. This week Boris Johnson gives evidence to the UK Covid Inquiry, the farmers digging up 5000 year old trees on the Fens, a new drug to prevent fentanyl overdose, and how to confront the UK’s activity crisis. Get the podcast from the BBC Sounds app.
COP28, swine flu, Bennu asteroid and digital twins.
December 03, 2023 06:00 - 51 minutes - 47.5 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs, In this week's episode... what’s on the agenda for the COP28 climate summit? What do we know about the new strain of swine flu found in North Yorkshire? Samples from the Bennu asteroid arrive in the UK, we talk to the scientist who just got her hands on some. As technology advances, how can we all save time and money by having a digital twin? Get the podcast from the BBC Sounds app.
Cyber attacks, red wine headaches and Parkinson’s disease
November 26, 2023 06:00 - 52 minutes - 47.8 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs, In this week's episode... a damning indictment of our politician’s grasp of science emerges from the COVID enquiry. We’ll ask who is behind the high-profile cyber attacks on the British Library and how researchers got to the bottom of why some of us get red wine headaches. Plus we find out what it’s like to live with Parkinson’s disease and what is science revealing about why it happens...
Chickenpox, Champion Jockeys and Light Speed
November 19, 2023 05:00 - 27 minutes - 25.3 MBWill Tingle and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. This week, the decision to give chickenpox vaccines to kids: what changed medics' minds? Also, spinal injuries, the building blocks of life and why the universe has a speed limit. Get the podcast from the BBC Sounds app.
Anastrozole, COP 28, hedgehogs and the James Webb space telescope
November 12, 2023 07:00 - 52 minutes - 47.6 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In this week's episode, the drug Anastrozole can prevent thousands of cases of breast cancer among older women, but at what cost? Climate change expert Mark Maslin on what we need to know about the forthcoming COP 28 summit that’s going to kick off soon in Dubai. How the UK’s hedgehogs have been going through something of a rough patch recently. Plus we’ll take a look at what the James ...
Winter flu, AI Summit, Cockney accent and the COVID enquiry
November 05, 2023 06:00 - 53 minutes - 48.6 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs, In this week's episode... Winter flu season hits the northern hemisphere but how are scientists trying to stay one step ahead of the virus, we’ll be unpacking the Artificial Intelligence summit that’s been happening at historic Bletchley Park and we’ll be finding out why the world famous cockney accent is dying out among the young in the Southeast of England. Plus as the ongoing COVID e...
Long COVID, Hurricanes and "Spooky" Organisms.
October 29, 2023 07:00 - 52 minutes - 48.1 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In this week's episode...there’s new analysis on the prevalence of long covid, how widespread is it? Could climate change be making hurricanes in the Atlantic stronger? And as we are in the middle of the spookiest time of year is it time to reappraise the benefits of a few organisms that are considered gross, dangerous and scary. Get the podcast from the BBC Sounds app.
Mouthguard technology, space junk and Is it time to stop changing the clocks?
October 22, 2023 06:00 - 52 minutes - 48.1 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In this week's episode...the mouthguard technology that is helping tackle head knocks in sport. We’ll assess the impact that space junk is having on our atmosphere. It’s that time of year again. As many parts of the world prepare to change their clocks, we’ll examine the case for doing away with the practice altogether. Get the podcast from the BBC Sounds app.
Titans of Science: Dame Sally Davies
October 15, 2023 06:00 - 52 minutes - 48.1 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In this week's episode...the rise of the bed bugs, leading bed bug expert James Logan tells us all we need to know, could genetically modified pig kidneys soon be transplanted into the humans? The clinical trial ixs now awaiting approval. And why it might be time for us to reappraise the impact of the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. Plus in our Titans of Science series, we hear from England...
New malaria vaccine, radioactive water and Lord Robert Winston
October 08, 2023 06:00 - 52 minutes - 48.5 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In this week's episode...Will a new vaccine help to turn the tide against malaria? As Japan releases radioactive water into the sea from Fukushima, should we be worried? What and who have won Nobel prizes this year? And why a lion’s roar isn’t the most feared sound on the South African Savanna. Plus in our Titans of Science series, we talk to Lord Robert Winston, the pioneer of IVF tre...
Covid vaccine for all variants, and Anthony Fauci in conversation
October 01, 2023 05:30 - 52 minutes - 48.2 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In this week's episode... we discuss a future proof Covid jab that combats variants that don’t even exist yet, signs that antimatter does obey the rules of gravity and why one doomsday scenario is predicting we’re all going to wiped out in 250 million years’ time when plate tectonics give us a new super continent. Plus in our Titans of Science series, we talk to former Chief Medical Adv...
Spinal cord injury treatments, red fire ants and asteroid samples.
September 24, 2023 05:00 - 27 minutes - 25.3 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In this week's episode... A breakthrough in treating spinal cord injuries, worrying news about red fire ants in Sicily, we look at what it means for us in the UK and NASA is sending a sample of an asteroid back to Earth - it arrives this weekend - find out what scientists are hoping to learn. Get the podcast from the BBC Sounds app.
Titans of Science: Helen Sharman (Part 2)
September 17, 2023 05:00 - 52 minutes - 47.9 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In this week's episode...After a rise in Covid cases across the country, we try to find out when exactly are people infectious? The potential ban on single use vapes and farewell to Dolly's father, we look at the legacy of Ian Wilmut, who cloned the world's most famous sheep. Plus in our new Titans of Science series, we continue with part 2 of our interview with Helen Sharman, the firs...
Titans of Science: Helen Sharman
September 10, 2023 05:00 - 52 minutes - 47.7 MBJames Tytko, Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In this week’s episode….Can civil engineers help rescue UK’s Schools and hospitals? We’ll be hearing about a new initiative that is hoping to improve the treatment of Sepsis, and how the scent of ancient Egypt has been replicated in a Danish museum. And in our new series Titans of Science, Chris Smith chats to Helen Sharman, the first Britain in space, about her life from h...
Eating well without compromising on taste
September 03, 2023 05:00 - 52 minutes - 48.4 MBJames Tytko, Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. London’s latest ULEZ expansion - will it make much difference to air quality? The concerning impacts of poaching, and not just to endangered species. And Dr Chris Smith takes on a summer cooking challenge in the name of eating well without compromising on taste. Get the podcast from the BBC Sounds app.
India Land on the Moon
August 27, 2023 05:00 - 52 minutes - 48.4 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In today’s programme: a leading authority on serial killers examines Lucy Letby’s motives and how we prevent a repeat. And DJ Chris Evans reveals he has melanoma, but what exactly is it? Plus: India becomes only the fourth country in history to land a spacecraft on the Moon. We find out how much we really know about the brightest object in our night sky.
The real Oppenheimer
August 20, 2023 05:00 - 53 minutes - 48.8 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientists with science news stories and analysis. Including how Artificial Intelligence might influence elections in the future and how brain structure affects the likelihood that teens take up smoking Plus following the release of the Hollywood blockbuster Oppenheimer, an inside look at the reality of the atom bomb.
Q&A
August 06, 2023 05:00 - 52 minutes - 48.5 MBChris Smith and the panel are answering the science questions you've been sending in, including: Is the universe mainly empty space, can you really win the lottery every week, and where does curry really come from. Plus our quiz that you can play along with at home.
Artificial Intelligence
July 30, 2023 05:00 - 53 minutes - 48.7 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In today’s programme: Sweltering temperatures wreak havoc across Europe and North America; Have aliens crash landed on Mars; and the Cambridge scientist who wants to create the largest ever DNA and health research programme for children and young people. Plus we look at Artificial Intelligence - what can this emerging technology really do for us?
Tackling Depression
July 23, 2023 05:00 - 52 minutes - 48.4 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In today’s programme: a breakthrough in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease; warnings we might be on the brink of a measles outbreak in London; and why algae might help vegans with their vitamins. Plus we look at what depression is, and how we can help to manage the condition. For support on topics covered in this programme, you can get details of organisations within the UK by visitin...
Protecting the Oceans
July 14, 2023 17:12 - 52 minutes - 48.3 MBChris Berrow and the Naked Scientist team present the week's science news. In today’s programme we look at the heatwaves sweeping across Europe; how babies in the womb use a “greedy” gene to get more food from mum; and why do tennis players take so long to choose a ball to serve with? Plus we look at some of the ways scientists are trying to protect our planet’s oceans.
We answer your questions
July 09, 2023 05:00 - 52 minutes - 47.9 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In today’s programme - your questions go under the microscope: including why don’t whales and dolphins drown when they go to sleep? Is it true that a fungus from a nuclear reactor can help patients undergoing radiotherapy?And do magnets around your water pipes prevent limescale building up? Plus, when the whistle goes for half time, we’ll have a quiz for you to have a go at too! Get the...
Light Pollution
July 02, 2023 05:00 - 53 minutes - 49.1 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In today’s programme: How an artificial-intelligence technology from Cambridge is helping cut cancer treatment waiting times. We also hear how the James Webb Space Telescope is shedding new light on the chemical building blocks of life, the universe and everything. Plus heat-resistant drones that can fly into burning buildings to track down survivors. And this week, light pollution goes...
Titan sub and an HIV vaccine
June 25, 2023 05:00 - 53 minutes - 48.9 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In today's programme: The missing Titan sub might have imploded - we look at the conditions that the vehicle - and would be rescuers - were having to work with 4km down. Also, we discuss the telescope heading for space to shed new light on dark energy. Plus, 40 years on since the identification of HIV we look at where this virus came from, and how far away we are from an effective vacci...
UFOs - What do we know?
June 18, 2023 05:00 - 52 minutes - 48.4 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In today's programme: As NASA meet to investigate U-F-O’s and whistle-blowers claim countries have been stashing alien spacecraft for decades, we’ll be asking what do we know about Unidentified Flying Objects? Plus we ask how solar power stations in space would work? And we find out more about the fish that fight infection by swimming to warmer waters. Get the podcast from the BBC Soun...
Fossils - why there is so much excitement at the moment?
June 11, 2023 05:00 - 52 minutes - 48.5 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In today’s programme: we look at the enquiry into the Covid-19 pandemic, what is it hoping to achieve? and how an AI is writing its own computer code, speeding up the Internet. Plus fossils - why there is so much excitement in this field at the moment? Get the podcast from the BBC Sounds app.
Alleviating Allergies
June 04, 2023 05:00 - 53 minutes - 48.6 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In today’s programme: are ecstasy and LSD set to become new treatments for depression? Who’s chattier in their first year of life, boys or girls? and We look at what allergies are, and how we can help fight against them. Get the podcast from the BBC Sounds app.
Memory, mosquitos and mowing the lawn
May 28, 2023 05:00 - 52 minutes - 48.5 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In today’s programme: What attracts mosquitoes to some people but not others? Grow not mow: why one Cambridge college has broken hundreds of years of tradition, and decided not to mow their lawn. And we look at the science of memory. What is it, and how can we improve our own memories? New episodes released weekly. If you're in the UK, for more BBC podcasts listen on BBC Sounds: bbc.in/...
Your questions answered
May 21, 2023 05:00 - 52 minutes - 47.8 MBChris Smith and the panel are answering the questions you've been sending in over the past few weeks. New episodes released weekly. If you're in the UK, for more BBC podcasts listen on BBC Sounds: bbc.in/3UjecF5
Singing fish and building better batteries
May 14, 2023 05:00 - 52 minutes - 47.7 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In today’s programme: A breakthrough in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, and the fish that communicate by singing. Plus we’re looking at improvements that are being made when building batteries, and asking: is the prospect of electric airliners about to take off?
Sport and concussion injuries
May 07, 2023 05:00 - 52 minutes - 48.5 MBDr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In today’s programme: What should we make of claims that China is building super weapons to hack and hijack US satellites? We also hear from the couple who have discovered one of the world's most important fossil deposits, almost on our own doorstep! Plus ... we investigate the link between sport and concussion injuries. New episodes released weekly. If you're in the UK, for more BBC p...