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
Why does chilli make my head itch?
December 21, 2018 00:00 - 20 minutes - 18.7 MBWhy don't birds get electrocuted on an electric fence? Why do I want to sing along to tunes I know? Does a cut onion soak up toxins from the air? Is Everest really the tallest mountain? Why does chilli make my head itch after I've shaved off my hair? What's the prospect of terraforming Mars? And can women synchronise their periods? Plus, news of the New Horizon's probes fly-by of Kuiper Belt Object (KBO) Ultima Thule, with Chris Smith and Eusebius McKaiser... Like this podcast? Please help us...
Why do I appear upside down in a spoon?
December 14, 2018 00:00 - 23 minutes - 21.7 MBWhy do I appear upside down in a spoon? Is the Universe getting bigger or smaller? What would Earth be like if we had two moons? What's the atomic weight of silver? Why does my bum tingle when I get my hair cut? If water can expand why can't it compact? Why do animals never run in a straight line? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Can I catch germs from a cockroach?
November 30, 2018 00:00 - 26 minutes - 24.7 MBCan I catch germs from cockroaches? How does the shape of the ear tell you where something is? If the Universe is expanding, is it being pushed or pulled? Is rain water better for crops than irrigation? What's the difference between macro and micro evolution? Do men enjoy spice more than women? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Can we create blood in the lab?
November 23, 2018 00:00 - 18 minutes - 17.1 MBHow do we tell where a sound is coming from? Why does wine taste differently after many years? Why can't we manufacture blood? Why was Pluto downgraded? Plus, a new blood test for cancer. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
What is spooky action at a distance?
November 16, 2018 00:00 - 21 minutes - 19.4 MBHow do mosquitoes find you in the dark? How do muons reach the earth? Do long-term partners end up looking alike? What is spooky action at a distance? Why do things go black when they're burnt? Why can I hear rain all the time? Plus, redefining the kilogram. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
What causes double rainbows?
November 09, 2018 00:00 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MBWhat is deja vu? Why do certain magnets attract? Why do tea stains form in a ring? Can you scientifically work out someone's date of birth? How does mercury and lead stay in your body? Do mermaids exist? Do helium balloons defy gravity? What causes a double rainbows? Why does oxidised cholesterol cause heart attacks? Plus the life saving backpack for bees! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Can phantom limb pain be treated?
November 02, 2018 00:00 - 22 minutes - 21 MBCan overhead electrical cables interfere with radio signals? Are diesel and petrol made differently? What is a vasectomy? Can phantom limb pain be treated? Are memories passed on through your genes? How much water does it take to boil an egg? Can surgery fix collapsed vertebrae? Is a woman genetically related to her child who was concieved with a donor egg? Plus, scientists help people potentially paralysed with spinal chord injury to walk again. Like this podcast? Please help us by supportin...
Why do we need sleep?
October 25, 2018 23:00 - 18 minutes - 17.3 MBWhy do we need sleep? How do tides work? Could aliens already be here that we simply can't detect? Plus, how being bird-brained isn't such a bad thing. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Can humans slow down time?
October 11, 2018 23:00 - 22 minutes - 21.1 MBHow do scientists calculate the mass and velocity of planets? Why does time slow down during accidents? Is table salt bad for us? Why do cockroaches end up on their backs when they die? Will other primates become human? Plus, a lumpy Earth! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
How did life begin on Earth?
October 04, 2018 23:00 - 22 minutes - 20.4 MBIs our galaxy moving around? How did life begin? Why do my feet only sometimes sweat? How do you explain the big bang? Why do people think the moon landing was faked? Where does foam on the sea come from? Plus, the Nobel prizes! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Do paternity tests work on identical twin fathers?
September 27, 2018 23:00 - 17 minutes - 16 MBDo serious hurricanes only occur in the Northern hemisphere? Is the Y chromosome a mutated X chromosome? Does a blood transfusion change your DNA? Plus, the gene drive on the most dangerous animal in the world; the mosquito. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
How can smoking marijuana affect your health?
September 20, 2018 23:00 - 20 minutes - 18.8 MBHow do we know the earth is round? Why do some people make noises during sex? Why do crabs move sideways? Why are some parts of the sea violent with lots of waves, whereas others aren't? How can smoking marijuana affect your health? How can some female bees reproduce without males? What causes motion sickness? And why do some females grow facial hair? Plus, scientists in Australia have uncovered evidence of the earliest animal... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scien...
How dangerous are shisha pipes?
September 13, 2018 23:00 - 20 minutes - 18.9 MBDoes Mars have layers like Earth? Is shisha dangerous? Why does cold water make my toothache worse, but cold beer doesn't? Does cleaning vegetables with baking powder work? Do any two humans have the same fingerprint? Why do I sleep talk? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
What makes strange quarks strange?
September 07, 2018 11:00 - 19 minutes - 17.6 MBWhat is so strange about a strange quark? Why do I sweat when I'm eating? Why don't things weigh more on Everest? Why does my speedometer in my car and app show different things? How does a heat shield work? How does alcohol affect people of different sizes? Chris Smith takes on your questions and more in this week's episode of Ask! The Naked Scientists... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Can atoms die?
August 30, 2018 23:00 - 24 minutes - 22.4 MBCan atoms die? How does fasting influence diabetics? If you burn polystyrene is it dangerous? Is it possible to grow trees on Mars? How important is fat for baby brains? How long before the planet is overpopulated? Do butterflies taste with their feet? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Why do galaxies spin?
August 23, 2018 23:00 - 23 minutes - 21.4 MBDo galaxies turn clockwise or anticlockwise? What's the difference between dark matter and dark energy? Why do older people have quivering voices? Why is our planet called Earth? How do bionic eyes work? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Why do women live for longer than men?
August 16, 2018 23:00 - 21 minutes - 20.1 MBWhy do women live longer than men? How do birds fly in a group? Why do loose stones hit my windshield? Why are some cremated ashes white and others grey? What's the point of a sneeze? Plus, engineering better batteries. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Are Phobias Hereditary?
August 10, 2018 11:00 - 20 minutes - 18.5 MBAre phobias hereditary? Does hair grow after death? Do we really share 5% of DNA with Neanderthals? Why do some people have such good memories? Why is the sea salty? Could we lock away all the carbon dioxide? And also, how to stop the body absorbing dietary fat.... Africa - Dr Chris Smith joining us on the line. It's always a pleasure to talk to you when I can. Chris good morning,Chris - Hey Africa, it's good to catch up again.Africa - It is indeed. Let's start off with this interesting story...
How are stars born?
August 03, 2018 11:00 - 21 minutes - 19.7 MBWhy are some stars second generation? Why is yawning contagious? Why is the moon moving away from us? What causes lag on live broadcasts? Why can't you put metal in a microwave? How do stars form? Plus, organ transplant discovery. Chris Smith joins Eusebius McKaiser to find out... Eusebius - Our science story is a fascinating one. Bioengineers - how close are they to lab-grown lungs?Chris - Yeah amazing this isn't it? We know that millions of people around the world need organ transplants. W...
Why does marijuana cause the munchies?
July 26, 2018 23:00 - 19 minutes - 18.4 MBCan we harness the power of the ocean for electricity? Why are some people lucky? Can I stop my plant from fruiting? Why do my eyes go red when I smoke a joint? Are cigarettes or joints worse for you? Plus, water on Mars. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Can we harness the power of lightning?
July 19, 2018 23:00 - 19 minutes - 17.8 MBHow much water do we lose in a day? What's the best way to drink a scotch? Can we harness the power of lightning? Can things move faster than the speed of light? Are things that burn totally destroyed? Could a cable run from earth to space to generate energy? Would exercise just before bed help weight loss? Can we have solar panels instead of windows? Plus, how does circumcising affect populations? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Why Isn't Everyone Ambidextrous?
July 12, 2018 23:00 - 18 minutes - 16.7 MBWhat is a near-death experience? How do you stop mosquitoes getting into water tanks? Why isn't everyone ambidextrous? What is Schrodinger's Cat? Why does elephant urine take so long to dry out on roads? How do we measure the distance to far away stars? Plus, finding a far flung source of neutrinos... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Are GMOs harming my health?
July 05, 2018 23:00 - 25 minutes - 23.8 MBHow do seedless grapes reproduce? What causes serial womanisers? What's the fastest way to cool down a fire? Why does brewing tea for longer taste better? Why do gazelles all look the same? Can GMOs be harming my health? Plus, saving the Northern White Rhino. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Why do we have body odour?
June 28, 2018 23:00 - 21 minutes - 19.9 MBWhy do we have body odour? Can weeds be useful? Could marine animals learn not to eat plastic in the ocean? How does your body warm up when you're swimming in cold water? Why does my dog twitch to a particular sound? If an aeroplane followed the path of a laser beam, would it end up in space? Is time just an illusion? Plus, the science behind a possible insulin pill. Chris Smith joins Eusebius McKaiser to answer your science questions... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Nak...
Why doesn't my snoring wake me up?
June 21, 2018 23:00 - 18 minutes - 17.4 MBWhy is there always room for dessert? Why doesn't my own snoring wake me up? What actually happens when we die? Why does my helium balloon get more squishy? Can humans really live for 200 years? What is vascular dementia? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
How does my brain store information?
June 07, 2018 23:00 - 22 minutes - 20.3 MBWhy can I hold off a bathroom stop when I'm driving? How does my brain store information? Why don't birds sitting on power lines get electrocuted? Why do bubbles in a bath disappear when the water gets cold? Why are rainbows such perfect arches? What causes an itchy backside in the middle of the night? Why have spiders never evolved wings? How do our bodies maintain a constant temperature? Plus, what exactly is going on with the volcano in Guatemala... Like this podcast? Please help us by sup...
Why is phosphorus important for life?
May 31, 2018 23:00 - 22 minutes - 20.4 MBDo white rainbows exist? Why does putting cold hands in hot water itch so much? Do food additives cause cancer? How can you safely store breastmilk? How does race affect eye and hair colours? Plus, fighting off dementia by seeing your friends. Chris Smith joins Eusebius McKaiser to answer your science questions... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Is Jurassic Park possible?
May 24, 2018 23:00 - 18 minutes - 17.4 MBCould Jurassic Park be a reality? How did dinosaur blood survive for 65 million years? Why is volcanic gas poisonous? Is astrology scientific? What is the Universe expanding into? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
How does shark repellent work?
May 17, 2018 23:00 - 22 minutes - 20.4 MBWhy don't I sneeze during the night? Why do flammable liquids feel cold? Can you speed up meteors to help destroy them? What causes me to cry all the time? How do shark repellents work? Plus, a cure for the common cold! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Does The Earth Have A Birthday?
April 26, 2018 23:00 - 22 minutes - 20.5 MBHow can you reduce pain after surgery? Why do thick fluids wobble when poured? Why is the Earth's core molten? Plus, celebrating the 65th anniversary of discovering DNA. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Why can't energy be created or destroyed?
April 19, 2018 23:00 - 20 minutes - 18.6 MBCan any organ get cancer? Why do mints make water feel cooler? Why do cockroaches face upwards when they die? What causes eye twitch? What's the best exercise after a hip replacement? How would high water pressue affect the body? Why is extreme cold as painful as extreme heat? Plus, developments are made with the first human head transplants... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
What came before the singularity?
April 12, 2018 23:00 - 23 minutes - 21.3 MBWhy did my oven explode? Do nerves regenerate? What came before the singularity? Can an HIV-negative person transmit HIV? Should I complete a course of antibiotics? How do wine flies find my wine? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
What is the Universe expanding into?
March 23, 2018 00:00 - 21 minutes - 19.8 MBCan I donate an organ if it was already donated to me? Why do I sweat asymmetrically? What's the difference between a sea and an ocean? What is the Universe expanding into? Plus, a new trial spells hope for curing macular degeneration. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Are other animals conscious?
March 16, 2018 00:00 - 17 minutes - 15.7 MBCan we treat eczema? Why can sour things taste before you eat them? Do testosterone levels spike during sex? Why didn't any other primates evolve high-intelligence? What is the difference between consciousness and intelligence? Plus, a farewell to Stephen Hawking. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
What wakes me up without my alarm?
March 09, 2018 00:00 - 23 minutes - 21.5 MBHow do our bodies digest all the different things inside us. What is a phantom pregnancy? Why do men get middle-age spread? How do I wake up without an alarm clock? When did white skin first evolve? Plus, a message in a bottle. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
What's the limit of human thinking power?
March 02, 2018 00:00 - 20 minutes - 18.6 MBIn a world of self drive cars would they have indicators? Why do you put sugar in before milk? Why are yawns contagious? How did butter come about? What's the limit of our brain capacity? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
How do planes stay in the air?
February 23, 2018 00:00 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MBHow does a plane take off and fly without falling? Why are feathers more colourful than fur? Why don't teeth grow back? How do male seahorses carry babies? Plus, using mini organs to test cancer therapies. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
How does GPS work?
February 09, 2018 00:00 - 22 minutes - 20.5 MBCan you change the pH of your blood? How does GPS work? What causes nosebleeds? Why do we find falling funny? Plus, the smallest geneome sequencer to date. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
How can I remove salt from seawater?
February 02, 2018 00:00 - 19 minutes - 18.3 MBHow can I remove salt from my water? Why does bread go soft inside plastic bags? Will my ginger beer explode? Why does hose spray come out slower under water? Why do I jolt awake sometimes when I sleep? Plus...cutting whiskers off mice. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Why are puppies cute?
January 26, 2018 00:00 - 19 minutes - 17.7 MBWhat causes night cramps? Why is there a delay in audio and not video? How does a tortoise control its temperature? Does your heart stop when you sneeze? How deep is the ocean? Why do we go thirsty? Why do we find puppies cute? Plus, China successfully clones monkeys. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Do blind people dream?
January 19, 2018 00:00 - 17 minutes - 16 MBMy wife and I eat the same food but our farts smell differently - why? Can people who are born blind dream? Why are bricks the shape of bricks? How do I explain infinity? Why do astronauts grow in space? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Do elephants get cancer?
January 12, 2018 00:00 - 20 minutes - 18.7 MBIs it true that elephants don't get cancer? Can science tell us how to be safe from tornadoes? Where does the rubber from tires end up? Why are tardigrades so amazing? How are sausage dogs so long? Does body size affect the perception of time? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
What would happen to someone born on Mars?
December 08, 2017 00:00 - 20 minutes - 18.6 MBWhy does the sound a kettle makes change as it boils? Does a hot drink cool you down more than a cold drink? How does rice remove water from a mobile phone? What would happen to someone born on Mars? Why can't you hear accents in singers? Plus, how pollution affects birth weight.See more at www.nakedscientists.com Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Why is lightning jagged?
December 01, 2017 00:00 - 21 minutes - 19.8 MBIs the brain at birth empty? Why is farting funny? Does raw garlic cause stomach cancer? Why is lightning jagged? Can you fold the Universe? Is space dark? What is the difference between dementia and Alzheimer's? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Is it Safe to Stand Near a Microwave?
November 24, 2017 00:00 - 19 minutes - 18.3 MBHow does aspirin help with a headache? Does microwaving your food affect its nutritional content? What happens to eye drop bottles during a flight? How can we stop waste medicines leaking into the environment? Is it safe to stand near a microwave when it is in operation? Can we tell when someone is looking at us? Plus, in the news, cancer cells' bacterial passengers that could be a new target for treatment. Chris Smith answers your questions with Eusebius McKaiser on South Africa's Talk Radio...
Is bottled water safe to drink?
November 17, 2017 00:00 - 16 minutes - 15.6 MBWhy do some athletes seem to be more injury prone than others? Will bottled water grow algae? If you toast bread will it keep its nutritional value? Are palm trees good at cleaning the air? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
How do energy drinks affect us?
November 10, 2017 00:00 - 23 minutes - 21.2 MBWhy don't I have fingerprints? Why do the helium balloons in my car move the opposite way to people? Do other moons face their planet at the same time? How do energy drinks affect your body? What makes a person left handed? Why do I sneeze when I look at the sun? Could a fly travel at lightspeed? Do you have to gender match a heart transplant? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
What is the speed of dark?
November 03, 2017 00:00 - 23 minutes - 21.5 MBIf the body repairs itself, why do we die? Why does water come out of your eyes? Can galaxies exceed the speed of light? What is the speed of dark? What's the link between substance abuse and insomnia? How do I drive without paying attention? Do we understand stuttering? Plus, how gut bugs affect your cancer treatment. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Is the Earth flat?
October 26, 2017 23:00 - 19 minutes - 18.3 MBWhat is the association of shingles and chicken pox? Is the earth flat? Why are berries red? Does drinking through a straw affect how drunk you are? Does hot water sound different from cold water? How do cats jump so well? How skin prevents damage. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Why are rainbows curved?
October 19, 2017 23:00 - 15 minutes - 14 MBWhy are rainbows curved? Why do you get double rainbows? Why are accents in Australia, England and America so different? Is a warp drive possible? Plus, the difference between good and bad cholesterol. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists