Ask the Naked Scientists

Is microwaved water safe? Why does a mirage form? What causes that shimmer on a hot road? We tackle all of these questions this week, as well as look at how anti-dandruff shampoo works, how ships stay upright and whether humans are the only species that cry. We also find out if your laptop would survive a dunking in de-ionised water! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scient...

How did HIV originate? Why does anaemia occur more often in Africa? Do growing pains exist? We take on these infectious questions as well as find out how limescale remover works, how rainbows form and whether all objects expand in heat. Plus, we investigate if humans can get stronger under stress and reveal how much water we should drink for a healthy body. Like this podcast? Please help us by sup...

How do Tornadoes form? What's a daisy cutter bomb? Why do we get electric shocks when leaving our cars? We take on these questions as well as find out why Jelly freezes in the fridge, why humans can't pickup radiowaves and how far away the moon is. We also investigate when a scientific theory becomes a fact! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Does our sense of taste change with age? How are horrid and pleasant smells decided by our brains? Is it harder to urinate when you're older? We tackle these time-sensitive questions in this week's show as well as find out how de-caffeinated coffee is made, whether caffeine is bad for us and how we acquire the bacteria that live naturally inside us. Plus, we investigate whether love can rule our b...

Why can't we tickle ourselves? Is deafness down to our genes? Can diabetes cause Eczema? How does deodorant prevent body odour? We take on these questions in this week's show as well as reveal if botox can be used as a medicine, why some people don't feel pain and whether it's possible to wake up with a new accent. Plus we investigate if bacteria could be used to clean the oil spill in the gulf of...

Ask the Naked Scientists, South Africa! This week we're adding a new member to the Ask! family with a new show on South Africa's flagship station TalkRadio 702. We look at man-boobs, hair cells, relativity at work in rugby, the right way round for your headphones, the getting-cold-causes-colds myth, excito-toxicity, how the immune system works, why asparagus makes urine smell and the lifespan of a...

What effects can underground nuclear explosions have on our land? How do antibacterial cleaners work? Could bacteria be used to clean up our environment from pollutants? We take on these question in this week's show as well as find out why the colour blue is so hard to see at night, why grass can survive when covered with snow, whether tanks could be made with armoured glass and how data can be sa...

Do earthquakes shift the earths axis? If the population of China jumped at once would it cause an earthquake? How much lava is inside the earth? Would more eruptions lead to an ice age? We tackle these questions as well as find out what makes stainless steel stainless, why it is colder further out in space, and why wet towels whip harder than dry ones. Plus we investigate how ice found on asteroid...

Could a comet shield the earth from the sun? How do planets form around stars? Why are planets spherical? What's the temperature in space? We tackle these astronomical questions in this weeks show as well as reveal why there isn't a cure for the common cold, why 3D glasses make some of us feel dizzy and if volcanic ash can disrupt space travel. Plus, we investigate what the Hubble Telescope sees i...

Why are some Volcanic Eruptions stronger than others? Why can't aeroplanes fly around the ash in the sky? Is our ozone layer still a concern? Why will sea levels rise if the ice caps melt? We take on these explosive questions in this week's show as well as find out if dogs can communicate, how boats sail into the wind, how outdoor infra-red heaters work and why clingfilm expands over food in the m...

Why does it feel hotter when the sun is out? Why can we see clouds at night? Is the sky always grey when it rains? We tackle these question on this week's show as well as find out if a magnet could replace the wires in a pendulum, why some plugs only have 2 prongs, how it is possible to go blind only temporarily and we reveal how our blood clots. Plus, we investigate the science behind near-death...

Do cats have a sixth sense? How do dogs moult? Why are some hairs longer than others? Why do women get hot flushes? We tackle these questions on this weeks show as well as find out why we form tears, how animals navigate and why our voice changes when we hold our nose? Plus, we investigate if toads can detect earthquakes! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why do boomerangs return? How do painkillers know where to go? Are some painkillers faster than others? Why do men have nipples? We take on these questions in this week's show as well as find out why rainbows form arcs, what Menieres disease is, how sea breezes form and why we don't sing with accents. We also investigate the difference between X-rays, MRIs and other medical scans! Like this podcas...

How does lightning strike? Should we worry about radiation from mobile phone masts? Do our TV sets give off any radiation? Why do we see the Northern Lights? We tackle these questions in this weeks show as well as reveal how a gyroscope works, why some batteries last longer than others and if the earths core uses oil as a coolant. Plus, we compare the energy consumption of electric and internal co...

Could the Earth cope without the Moon, how do safety matches work, what causes hiccups, why don't frosts form undercover, should NASA put people on an asteroid, why do nails grow faster on holiday, and what was here before the Big Bang? Join Dr Chris as he embarks ona brain-stretching scientific tour of the Cosmos for this week's Ask the Naked Scientists! Like this podcast? Please help us by suppo...

How does fuel burn in spaceships without oxygen? Why do we see sun rays from behind clouds? Why is there often a red glow in the night sky? We take on your cosmic questions in this week's show as well as reveal how radios pick up aircraft transmissions, why solar panels work better when facing south and we investigate if the recent earthquakes have knocked the earth off its Axis! Like this podcast...

Why is Jupiter round and how does it hold onto its gas, how does skin thickness vary around the body, why does milk soothe the effects of chilli, how do brain sizes vary amongst animals, what makes a person blush, why don't we deafen ourselves when we shout and what makes bottoms attractive? Join Dr Chris as he pits his wits against this week's crop of questions... Like this podcast? Please help u...

How do meat-tenderisers make meat more succulent, how do they get the corks into Champagne bottles, do explosions travel in space, why have golf balls got dimples, how do holograms work and what does light weigh? Find out with Dave Ansell in this week's fact-packed Ask! The Naked Scientists... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How do we fall in love? What is our universe Expanding into? Will our universe ever be sucked back inwards? We take on these cosmic questions in this week's show as well as find out how dogs tell the time, if cracking our knuckles causes arthritis and why vegetables are less crisp once frozen. We also investigate whether the forces created by volcanes could be harnessed for energy! Like this podca...

Why does the earth spin? Is the moon moving farther away from earth? What are the odds of winning the lottery twice in a row and of getting the same numbers twice? We take on these questions in this week's podcast as well as reveal the difference between blu-ray and DVD's, what will happen when the earth's magnetic poles flip, why certain materials are transparent, and if water changes composition...

Does being hot under the collar ever lead to spontaneous combustion? Will we ever get smellovision? Does being ill make you smarter? We take on these questions in this week's show as well as reveal if animals and humans react to drugs in the same way, whether milk is what makes mucus in our bodies and if microwaves are as good at heating water as your kettle! Like this podcast? Please help us by s...

Why do buses get steamy, how do ships withstand super-waves, what's really invovled in balancing on a bike, how come Hawaii's on a hot-spot and do fluorescent tubes flash beneath power lines? Join Dr Dave as he pits his wits against your scientific conundra... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How long to bones take to heal? Are healed bones stronger than they were before? How do glow worms glow? We tackle these bright questions on this week's show as well as reveal what a headache is, how to cure a hangover, the strength of atomic bombs and how trees and coral can tell us about past climates! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

At 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...

Is 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...