Ask the Naked Scientists

What 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 supp...

Can 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

Do 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 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? 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 Afric...

Why 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...

Can 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

How 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...

What 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

How 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? 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 McK...

Why 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

Why 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, w...

Do 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

Could 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

Why 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

How 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

Can 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 N...

Why 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

Can 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

Can 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

How 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

In 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 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

Can 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