Ask the Naked Scientists

This week: plummeting bird populations; the global climate strike; whether blood-letting benefits high blood pressure; why vaseline won't melt in the microwave; how pilots land planes even though the Earth is spinning; how birds pattern their plumage; why your nose runs when you wake up; what causes morning breath, and why would a car use more fuel driving a journey on the outward leg compared wit...

Is flying a threat to glaucoma? Do blood groups affect diet? Is 5G harmful to my health? Why do cats have vertical pupils? What is candida infection and how can I treat it? Does speaking quickly actually communicate more information? Why am I addicted to eating toilet paper? Is the new 5G data network a health hazard? Join Dr Chris Smith and Talk Radio 702's Azania Mosaka as they strip down your s...

Chris Smith from the Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions. What's the link between humidity and temperature? Is cooked meat or food healthier than the raw version? Why does the moon always have the same face pointing towards the Earth? Why do you feel like you're breathing in cold air after eating a menthol sweet? Why do we open our mouths when putting on makeup? Why are some people more susce...

How long does a body take to decompose? Why is spinach difficult to digest? How can you find natural water sources? Can stem cells repair retinitis pigmentosa? Does tolerance of temperatures change with race? Dr Chris answers the science questions you've always wondered about... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Chris Smith from the Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions. Why do you sometimes see a half moon at sunrise? Why do some body hairs never go grey? Could a coin falling from the top of the Empire State Building kill you? What is the Earth's murmur? Why do effects from nuclear disasters like Chernobyl persist for many years? Does the amount of UV from the sun vary between different countries? Why...

Chris Smith from the Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions. Can you use magnets as a source of electricity? Does chemotherapy make you lose hair from other parts of your body alongside your head? Can your brain adjust to seeing upside down by flipping your vision? Does leaving your car heater on in winter make you sick? Why does a microwave cook meat starting on the outside, but butter starting...

Chris Smith from the Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions. Why do men go bald on the tops of their heads first? Do we really share 50% of our DNA with bananas? Why do birds swoop down in front of cars? Is there such a thing as tuberculosis of the spine? How is it you can tell people are looking at you out of the corner of your eye? Plus, the seagulls that are carrying antibiotic-resistant bact...

Chris Smith from the Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions. Do dogs recognise themselves in the mirror? Why is the sky blue? Why doesn't mitochondrial DNA recombine like other DNA, and does it run into problems with natural selection? Why did my tracksuit give me an electric shock? Would planting trees prevent climate change? Plus, Chris reflects on almost twelve years of questions on Talk Radi...

This 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...

Chris 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 yo...

Chris 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 pl...

Why 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 supporti...

Why 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

This 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...

Chris 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,...

Join 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 ca...

Chris 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 b...

For 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...

Chris 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...

Chris 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...

Chris 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...

Chris 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 Scient...

Chris 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 st...

Chris 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 h...

Chris 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 s...