Ask the Naked Scientists
698 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 days ago - ★★★★★ - 60 ratingsHow many organs could you donate and remain alive? How many planet Earths could fit inside the Sun? How high is a giraffe's blood pressure? Why is the sea blue? To find out, Ask The Naked Scientists!
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Episodes
Water, Snow and Icy Roads.
January 15, 2010 00:00 - 25 minutes - 8.68 MBAt what temperature does sea water freeze? Why do aeroplanes not freeze when up in the cold air? Why can't we use sand on icy roads? We tackle these chilling questions on this week's show as well as reveal if parachutes could slow down a space ship, whether we can see stars from the moon, if smoke stacks can be harvested for energy and if wood vapourises before it burns! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Food, Fats and Healthy Eating!
January 08, 2010 00:00 - 29 minutes - 10.2 MBIs goose fat bad for us? What food ingredients are healthy? Is soy healthier than meat? What is cellulitis? We tackle these questions to kick off our healthy eating regimes for 2010. We also explore the depths of outer space to reveal how far away our planets are, how long a rocket would take to reach Neptune and whether there are planets beyond our own solar system. Plus, we calculate how long it would have taken Santa to deliver presents to everyone! Like this podcast? Please help us by sup...
The Wrong Sort of Snow?
December 18, 2009 00:00 - 21 minutes - 7.46 MBHow the moon might make you behave badly, why snowstorms beget thunderstorms, the wrong sort of snow for trains, and whether tomato soup would be a warmer filling for radiators. Dr Dave tackles a festive crop of questions in this week's Ask! the Naked Scientists... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Soap, Water and Tidal Power
December 11, 2009 00:00 - 32 minutes - 11.2 MBHow do facial scrubs work to remove spots and oil from our skin? does hot water freeze faster than cold water? Why do we not make more use of tidal power? We take on these questions in this week's show as well as reveal why we faint, how close our genes are to our ape ancestors and what legionnaires diseases is and how to prevent it. Plus we discuss the effects of obesity on our health and whether our organs are unique to each individual! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the N...
Gold, Hydrogen and Atomic Bombs
December 04, 2009 00:00 - 27 minutes - 9.35 MBHow is Gold formed? Could hydrogen be used in power plants? How small can an atomic bomb be? Could we reverse electrolysis to make water? We tackle these questions in this week's show as well as find out how the shrunken heads in Borneo are shrunk, why burnt toast goes black, and why white bread is white. Plus, we investigate if bullets can be made from custard and whether we can trap light to use as energy! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Jetlag and Body clocks
November 27, 2009 00:00 - 28 minutes - 9.87 MBCan we re-set our body clocks? How can we ease the effects of jetlag? Do body clocks change with age? We look into these questions in this week's show as well as investigate whether lightning can occur without clouds, the effects of head injuries, why spacecrafts need to travel at high speeds and we discuss the optimum world population. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Dark Skies, Meteors and 3D Vision
November 20, 2009 00:00 - 23 minutes - 7.96 MBHow can you measure how dark a place is? When do meteor showers occur and how can we see them? How do 'magic eye' paintings work? We reveal the answers to these mysteries in this week's show. We also find out whether the earth breathes, why car wheels appear to move backwards, and how DNA can narrow criminals down to a specific location. Plus, we investigate where all the hazelnuts have gone! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Snot, Spit and Criminal Minds
November 13, 2009 00:00 - 28 minutes - 9.8 MBWhat is snot? Why do we make saliva? How do babies have such sweet smelling breath? These, and other less bodily questions, get tackled in this Ask the Naked Scientists. We find out how a radio can consume batteries quickly, where to live to avoid floods and if a brain scan can spot criminal intent! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Tough Tomatoes and Custard Conflagrations
November 06, 2009 00:00 - 26 minutes - 9.14 MBWhy are tomato skins so tough? Can you make fireworks from custard powder? What is the speed of dark? Join us as Dave Ansell takes on your science questions, explaining if satellites get dusty, how much damage the infamous Guy Fawkes' gunpowder plot would have done and why you can't see stars in footage shot in space! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Venom and Stings
October 30, 2009 00:00 - 30 minutes - 10.4 MBCan venoms be used to treat disease? How deadly is the sting of an Irukandje jellyfish? Do all bees die when they sting? We tackle these buzzing questions on this week's show, as well as find out how our brains process pleasure, reveal where dust comes from, and investigate why cows are bad for our environment! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Climate Change and Future Technologies
October 15, 2009 23:00 - 30 minutes - 10.4 MBIs global warming natural as well as man-made? What effect will arctic melting have on our sea levels? Why have cars not evolved past piston engines and fossil fuels? Can sugars be used to fuel cars? We tackle these energy-related questions on this week's show as well as reveal how iron ships are kept buoyant, how inkjet printers work and how many wind turbines are needed to power the UK. Plus we investigate how much of our coastline is eroding each year and how old the water is that comes o...
Exploring our Universe
October 08, 2009 23:00 - 29 minutes - 10.3 MBThis week, Dr Dominic Ford joins Dave Ansell to take on your questions about our universe. They reveal whether it's possible to live in outer space for years on end, if we can see the flames of the sun from here on Earth, discuss what dark matter is, and investigate what existed before the big bang! Plus, we find out why snakes aren't poisoned by their own venom and explore when the modern calendar was created. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Eyes, Aliens and Goosebumps!
October 01, 2009 23:00 - 29 minutes - 10.1 MBWhy is our peripheral vision so good in the dark? Why do we have goosebumps? Do UFOs exist and is there life on other planets? We explore the answers to these questions as well as investigate how bacteria know where to infect us, how our TV screens work, why we set our clocks back in winter and reveal if covering our bodies in salt would make us shrivel up like a slug! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Batteries, Lightning and Stainless Steel
September 17, 2009 23:00 - 29 minutes - 10.1 MBWhy do cameras use batteries so quickly? Why does warmth help a battery last longer? How do humans survive lightning strikes? We tackle these questions as well as reveal how steel ships protect themselves from erosion, whether stainless steel really is stainless, investigate the different types of salt and discover how lie detectors work! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Aliens, The Moon and The Bermuda Triangle
September 10, 2009 23:00 - 22 minutes - 7.9 MBDo Aliens Exist? Did Neil Armstrong really walk on the moon? What happens over the Bermuda Triangle? We take on these mysteries in this week's show as well as reveal if the earth is growing, why planes leave vapour trails and investigate whether deodorants are flammable. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Elements, Planets and Satellites
September 03, 2009 23:00 - 23 minutes - 8.18 MBHow do new elements enter the periodic table? How much does the earth weigh? Could Jupiter blow up? We tackle these explosive questions on this weeks show as well as reveal the workings of the internet and how it was created, investigate how the government could spy on our phone calls, and discover why our fingers go wrinkly in the bath! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Spiders, Wasps and Evolution
August 27, 2009 23:00 - 26 minutes - 9.25 MBHow do wasps reproduce? Do all spiders bite you? Why have some animals lasted many years without evolving? We take on these questions on this week's show as well as find out how helicopters fly, explain why kettles go silent before boiling, reveal how far radio signals can travel and discover how to get a boiled egg into a bottle! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Mobiles, Glowsticks and 3D Films
August 21, 2009 14:42 - 35 minutes - 12.1 MBHow do glowsticks glow? Do mobile phones have limited frequencies? How do 3D films work? We tackle these questions on this weeks show, as well as discuss the causes of heart attacks, why it's less windy at night and find out why our accents aren't always reflected when we sing. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Parallel Universes, Making Moons and Artifical Brains
August 13, 2009 22:00 - 28 minutes - 9.87 MBYou ask Dave Ansell whether parallel universes are possible, how moons are formed around Saturn, what's new for car batteries, the existence of wormholesand how one might go about building an artificial brain. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Brainy Birds and Winding Watches
August 07, 2009 14:22 - 23 minutes - 8.18 MBWhy do astronauts feel weightless in space? What makes teenagers throw tantrums? Do mobile phones damage our health? We tackle these questions on this weeks show as well as reveal how jay birds find their food, how self-winding watches work and whether losing weight can help us avoide certain diseases. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Exploding Stars, Shoe Polish and Lost in Space
July 30, 2009 23:00 - 32 minutes - 11.3 MBWhen do stars explode? How does shoe polish work? What happens if you float away from your spacecraft? Why can't we feel the Earth spinning? Dr Dave answers your questions in this week's ASK. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Yeast, Gyroscopes and Nuclear Waste
July 23, 2009 23:00 - 30 minutes - 10.3 MBWe take a turn around gyroscopes, find out if it's better to run through the rain, identify the origins of yeast, chomp our way through the make-up of white chocolate and ponder the future of telecommunications. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Flashes, Orbits and Dogs
July 16, 2009 23:00 - 25 minutes - 8.9 MBWe find out why field mice aren't green, why the Earth isn't put off its orbit by the Sun's activity and how dogs have evolved alongside humans. We combat these conundrums in addition to: why does my radio keep playing after I've switched off the mains and why is my reflection in a spoon upside down? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Trees, Tyres and Teleportation
July 09, 2009 23:00 - 24 minutes - 8.42 MBHow big can aeroplanes get? Will we ever teleport? And When we lose weight, where does it go? We take on all these brainteasers and more in this Ask the Naked Scientists Podcast. Plus, Did dogs evolve from wolves? Why do roads need resurfacing after an accident? And what are clouds made of? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Hiccups and Helium
June 18, 2009 23:00 - 32 minutes - 11 MBWhy does helium make our voices higher? What are hiccups and how can we get rid of them? How contagious is swine flu? We take on these questions on this weeks podcast as well as find out how beta blockers slow our heart rate down, why food sticks to the bottom of a pan when it burns and how sewage waste is moved round an aeroplane. Plus, we look into the role of the prostate in men and the conditions associated with this organ. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Stars, Wormholes and our Expanding Universe
June 11, 2009 23:00 - 30 minutes - 10.6 MBAre Orion's stars shrinking? What are wormholes and do they really exist? What is our universe expanding into? We tackle these cosmic conundrums on this weeks show, as well as find out why light travels faster than sound, if everything spins in space, why TV adverts sound so loud and we investigate the existence of the Bermuda Triangle! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Laughter, Smell and Sounds
June 04, 2009 23:00 - 33 minutes - 11.6 MBHow has laughter evolved? Why can'we tickle ourselves? Why do hot and cold water sound different? What is smell and why do things have a smell? We tackle these chalenges on this weeks show, as well as investigate if blood pressure varies in different sized people, why mouthwash makes water taste colder, investigate why we shouldn't breed with relatives and discuss the causes of vertigo. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Glass, Galaxies and the Gulf Stream
May 28, 2009 23:00 - 24 minutes - 8.41 MBCan we break glass using sound? Is glass a liquid? Can we use GPS to navigate galaxies? Will climate change make the UK colder by affecting the Gulf stream? We tackle these questions on this weeks show as well as reveal how submarines stay at a fixed depth,why toothpase is better with fluoride in it, how sunlight can be converted into energyand we investigate whether we could ever create a time machine! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Solar Wind, Moondust and Mouldy Cheese
May 20, 2009 23:00 - 29 minutes - 10.1 MBHow would astronauts cope in a solar wind? Why did dry moon dust hold a footprint? Why does wine age well but beer go off? And should you eat mould? We find out in this week's Ask the Naked Scientists. Plus, what happens if you exceed the speed of light, and what's going on at the centre of the Earth? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Cameras, probes and mobile messaging
May 14, 2009 23:00 - 28 minutes - 9.77 MBHow do cameras work? What are the Herschel and Plank probes hoping to find out? How are messages sent to computers and mobile phones? We tackle these questions on this weeks show. We also find out if blood gets thinner as you get older, why newspapers are easier to tear vertically than horizontally, and investigate if it's safe to take aspirin and anti-inflammatories at the same time. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Spiders, Space and Skyscrapers
May 07, 2009 23:00 - 27 minutes - 9.45 MBHow strong is spider silk? Why are some people scared of spiders? How vast is space and does it have an end? How are skyscrapers built? We answer these question in this week's show. We also discuss swine flu, investigate how good aluminium is as a lining material, uncover what causes allergies to cats, work out the speed of heat and electricity and reveal if it's possible to reverse gravity! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Spotty Bottoms and Jogger's Nipple
April 30, 2009 23:00 - 29 minutes - 10.3 MBWhy do we get spots on our bottoms? What is Jogger's Nipple? What is Gangrene? Why do we have different languages? We tackle these questions on this week's show, as well as find out how our hearts work and how a pacemaker can control it. We also find out what an aneurism is, analyse the conditions in which moss grows and discuss the treatment options for arthritis. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Sticky Water, Static Shocks and Solar Storms
April 23, 2009 23:00 - 18 minutes - 6.48 MBThis week, we ask how water can be both sticky and slippery, what causes static shocks and if Solar storms can take down aeroplanes. Plus, we find out why 240 volts may be better than 110, and how your body can act as a radio aerial! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Painkillers, Plastics and Platelets
April 16, 2009 23:00 - 29 minutes - 10 MBHow do painkillers work and which ones are available to us? Why doesn't the plastic on ready-meals melt in the oven? How can we donate platelets instead of blood? How can we ease the pain of arthritis? We take on these questions in this week's show. We alsoreveal why omega oils are so good for us, look into how the International Space Station keeps itself movign over earth and investigate the demise of the honeybee. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Sparks, Lightning and Electricity
April 09, 2009 23:00 - 25 minutes - 8.81 MBCan horses feel electric shocks through their fur? Can we create lightning artificially? How do we send electric signals via cables to America? Can frozen nitrogen conduct electricity? We tackle these sparky questions on this weeks show. We also learn about the northern lights, reveal why rain falls heavier than snow and investigate if it really is dangerous to pour hot water into a glass. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Genes and Clones
March 20, 2009 00:00 - 29 minutes - 10.2 MBAre identical twins clones of each other? Can parents with brown eyes have children with blue ones? Is it possible to have blonde hair and brown eyes? How do conjoined twins form? We answer these questions on this week's show. We also find out why our dreams don't always reflect reality, investigate if it is safe to re-heat food in the microwave, reveal how boils are formed and discover how washing powders make our whites dazzling bright! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Na...
Electric cars and Exploding Champagne
March 13, 2009 00:00 - 19 minutes - 6.69 MBHow much does it cost to run an electric car? Why does shaken champagne not explode if you wait a while before opening it? Would a car filled inside with helium run for longer? Is man the only mammal to have racial features? We dig into these questions on this week's show, as well as reveal if hyper-space travel is possible, explain how a memory stick works and investigate if a compass would work on the moon! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Atomic Bombs, The Amazon and our Climate
March 06, 2009 00:00 - 29 minutes - 10.2 MBCan atomic bombs cause changes in our climate? Can understanding the Amazon help control the greenhouse effect? Are we likely to find life in outer space? We take on these question in this week's show. As well as find out about Bell's Palsy, reveal why people have fits, learn how to identify animals by their DNA and learn how to help control diabeteswith our diets. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Planes, Spaceships and Automobiles
February 27, 2009 00:00 - 29 minutes - 10.2 MBHow do mobile phones work on planes? Is flying more environmentally friendly than driving? What is rocket fuel? Can we see the International Space Station with the naked eye? These are just some of the questions asked in this week's show. We also investigate whether we can use our bodies as aerials, reveal how computer animated characters are created in films and find out if we can steam our eggs for breakfast! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
The Earth and Its Elements
February 20, 2009 00:00 - 33 minutes - 11.5 MBHow does the Earth rotate? Why do we not fall off the Earth as it spins? Why is there a periodic table? Why is Oxygen written as O2? We tackle these questions in this week's show. We also find out about the causes and symptoms of diabetes, investigate how our bodies generate heat, and reveal how to create a perfectly straight object! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Ice, Snow and Space
February 13, 2009 00:00 - 27 minutes - 9.34 MBWhat experiments can be done with snow? why is snow white yet ice is clear? How can ice be made without refrigeration? And how do Jet engines work out in space? We tackle these questions in this week's show. We also find out about the Ares-V rocket being built by NASA, investigate why underarm hair hasn't been lost through evolution and reveal how someone's smell could reveal if they're your perfect match. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Phantom Limbs and Electric Shocks
February 06, 2009 00:00 - 33 minutes - 11.5 MBWhat is phantom Limb Syndrome? Why don't birds get electrocuted when they land on power lines? Why can a tooth filling give us electric shocks? We tackle these questions on this week's show. We also find out why bears and penguins feet don't freeze on ice, look into the world of dreaming to find out why we each dream differently, reveal why waves are white when they break against the shore and discover what makes an electric train travel. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the N...
The Science of Lightbulbs and Compact Discs
January 30, 2009 15:20 - 25 minutes - 8.74 MBDo energy saving lightbulbs give you headaches? How do LED lights work? How do CD's show us the spectrum of light? Can we see magenta in the spectrum? We tackle these question on this week's show. We also find out how trrains stay on their tracks and whether it's possible to communicate when tarvelling faster than the speed of sound! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Stars, Stings and Tickles
January 23, 2009 00:00 - 35 minutes - 12.1 MBWhy do we see stars in the sky? Why do stars twinkle? Why can't we tickle ourselves? And how do stinging nettles sting? We tackle these question in this weeks show. We also find out whether eyesight can improve with age, how fibre optics work, why water doesn't burn and we reveal what hypermiling is! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Space, Sciatica and Solar Power
January 16, 2009 00:00 - 29 minutes - 10.3 MBHow does Solar heating work? What is Sciatica? What's the point of space exploration? We tackle these challenges in this week's show. We'll also be finding out why we get headaches, whether we can duplicate stem cells using their DNA and explain why it's possible for humans to land on the Moon, but not Mars. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
The Science of Sparks, Candles and Lightbulbs.
January 09, 2009 00:00 - 31 minutes - 10.9 MBWould a matchbox spark in space? How do re-igniting candles work? How does an energy-saving lightbulb work? Does the sun rotate like the earth? We answer these questions this week, as well as reveal how mobile phone charms work, investigate why New Zealand has mainly non-deciduous trees and find otu if rainwater is safe to drink. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Evolution and Adam's Apples
December 19, 2008 00:00 - 28 minutes - 9.66 MBWhy do we have Adam's Apples? Do other primates have them? When we find new species are they due to evolution? Why do we get sleep in our eyes? We tackle these questions on this week's show. We also reveal the healthiest type of olive oil, investigate spinal surgeries and look into the rare condition of Morgellons Disease. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Moons, Planets and Black Holes.
December 12, 2008 00:00 - 27 minutes - 9.57 MBWill gravity ever pull our moon into a collision with earth? Why are planets round? How big is the black hole at the centre of our galaxy? We solve these mysteries this week on Ask the Naked Scientists. We also find out how superglue works, investigate how it is possible to have volcanoes under the sea and reveal how our years are getting longer! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Spies and Satellites
December 05, 2008 00:00 - 27 minutes - 9.38 MBHow do spy satellites work? Is it true the US Military can control our GPS? How do we know the centre of the earth is so hot? How can we identify counterfeit money? We answer these questions on this week's Ask the Naked Scientists. We also investigate why venus doesn't rotate like the planets in the rest of our solar system, reveal why some technology is so reliant on remote control and we also reveal if a domino chain has the potential to go on forever! Like this podcast? Please help us by s...
Moons, Tides and Teabags!
November 28, 2008 00:00 - 27 minutes - 9.35 MBWhat would happen if we didn't have tides? If our moon continues moving away from us, will it affect our tides? Why doesn't tea flow out of the bag if the bag is lifted out quickly? We tackle these questions on this week's Ask the Naked Scientists, as well as find out about giant geysers on a moon of Saturn.We also investugate if chillis can be used to cure a cold, find out how people speed read and analyse the psychology behind our signatures. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting ...