Ask the Naked Scientists

Why do you get dark circles under your eyes, could animal blood be used for human transplants, could we dry out silica packets in the microwave, does ozone treatment work, what's the difference between a blood transfusion and a plasma transfusion, what are the new developments in cataract surgery, is there a general anaesthetic alternative in surgery and how do anti-inflammatories work. Plus, a ne...

Is rewarming food dangerous, what does uranium look like and how do you find it, does olive oil become toxic when it's heated, how can you treat allergies, why don't aeroplane black boxes float, can laser technology be used for water purification, what causes inner ear infections, what's causing itching from exercise and should we be keeping cows near roads? Like this podcast? Please help us by su...

Can we 3D print teeth, how does air conditioning remove condensation from a car, how do helicopter blades carry a helicopter without breaking, why don't people wake themselves up from snoring, why do things knot themselves, how do anti-inflammatory's work and could we use a positively charged solution for fuel? Plus news from the Science on the Swan conference in Perth, Australia. Like this podcas...

How do flu jabs really work? Should you refrain from sex before a sports competition? Why don't we sneeze when we're sleeping? Could we use stem cell therapy to cure autism? Is it better to drink beer made from natural products or fizzy drinks with sweeteners? What's crystalline folliculitis? Are all antibiotics variations of the same thing? How many blades do you need to get a clean shave? Like t...

Are waves slowed by kelp, is there a neural basis for societal differences, why is there more rain after a thunder storm, why do electric stoves keep cooking after they've been turned off, why does the sound of an aircraft change as it flies towards us, why do you shudder when you wee, what does lightning do to a tree when it hits it, how did we define a global time. Like this podcast? Please help...

If I was on another planet would we see stars the same way? Why do we measure rain in ml? How do we get vitamin D from sunlight? How accurate are DNA tests? What is a lipoma? How long does it take to recover from malaria? Plus, is pollution harming unborn babies? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Do antioxidants prevent cancer, how does hypnosis work, how does exercise impact cancer, do girls whistle worse than boys, how does exercise affect weight from a recovery drink and are plastic cars less safe in a lightning storm? Plus, plastic eating bacteria. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why do mosquitoes prefer me over my husband? How do they film fast moving golf balls? And if I received a kidney transplant, could I then donate my kidney to someone else when I die? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why are there warm patches in the sea, why do we get butterflies in our stomachs, does skin absorb face cream and is a magnetic field energy? Plus in the news, immunotherapy for cancer treatment. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How big is a drop, how do you measure gravitational waves, how do we get accents, why is there thunder after a heatwave and how do trees know when to produce tannin? Plus in the news - a breakthrough in 3D printing organs and bones. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

What are gravitational waves and how were they found? What is UHT milk, why do stars look like pinpricks of light, what are shin splints, and is moving an injured body part bad for you? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Could humans evolve to one sex, what is the difference between a hydrogen and an atomic bomb, can eczema be caused by a virus, what keeps the sun burning, are some people more prone to addiction than others, is it possible to have a stroke twice and can fingerprints ever be identicle? Plus in the news, 7 dogs born by IVF. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How does loneliness affect your health, why is it less windy in the morning, is giving blood good for you, are sugar calories different to other calories, what happens to a baby's waste in the womb, what happens when your skin burns, is it safe to use a repaired microwave, does decomposition produce worms and what are butterflies in you stomach. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the...

Why does Jacob Zuma giggle in parliament? Antimatter and Dark Matter; why snails like to eat cigarette filters; rusty water cisterns; why tupperware stays wet after dishwashing; cyanobacteria in water courses; and how gravity works. Plus, news of the antibiotic apolcalypse: evidence of human carriage with bacterial strains resistant to the antibiotic colistin secondary to farm use. Dr Chris joins...

Where does water come from, what would have happened if the dinosaurs hadn't been wiped out, does rheumatoid arthritis ever go away, do animals have blood groups, how to stop water from getting contaminated, can the ozone regenerate and why do mosquitos like humans? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

What is the universe made of? Can neutrinos really travel faster than the speed of light? Will robots ever take over the world? How does wind form? What would happen if you expose yourself to outer space? Can you tickle yourself? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

What happens to the rubber that comes off tyres, what causes stuttering, how do living things produce oil, why do you develop allergies in adulthood, how can one blood clot in the brain cause so much damage, are memories only stored in the brain and does taste develop in the womb? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

What was before the big bang? Does turning off your heating intermittently actually save energy? Can you prove or disprove free will? Why are flies attracted to bad smells? What is the point of going to Mars? Why do I get a shock from my blanket? Why do we see the same stars at night? Plus, growing a human kidney... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How does sugar addiction happen? Where do deleted emails go? Plus, flowing water on Mars. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why do wires tangle? Is borehole water drinkable? Does sea water evaporate? Why are there no more intelligent hominids except humans? How are mountains formed? What makes up non-stick linings on frying pan and are they safe? Plus, the Volkswagen emissions scandal. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

What causes sleep paralysis? Is urine beneficial to drink? Can we clone from fossils? How can galactic collisions occur? What is the difference between Bipolar and PTSD? Can carnivores eat other carnivores? Plus the first ever in vitro sperm genesis. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How old are the Homo naledi remains? How do nails end up in tyres to cause punctures? How did the H. naledi people see in the dark cave where the remains were found? Can vitiligo be reversed? Why were the H. naledi remains deposited in the Rising Star Cave? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Does the intensity of the sun influence water evaporation, what reasons could there be for a sudden drop in heart rate, how do fixed drug erruptions work, if you stop water from expanding will it still freeze, by keeping sick people alive are we getting weaker as a species, does a full moon energise water, as a species do we have physical limits, how does a headless chicken run and how does a grea...

Is DNA set to replace the harddrive? Chris told us about a story where DNA could be used to store digital information and preserve essential knowledge for thousands of years. We then opened the lines and invited listeners to call in with their science related questions. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

The Naked Scientist told us about a possible universal flu vaccine that is being researched. We then opened the lines to listeners to call in with their science related questions. What happens to a full container of water when you freeze it? Why does it seem to get colder at day break? Do our bodies use 70% of the energy we consume even when we are not active? Should I eat for my blood type? How d...