Dr Chris Smith

Ask the Naked Scientists

Science EN ↓ 796 episodes

How 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!

Author

Dr Chris Smith

Category

Science

Podcast website

www.thenakedscientists.com

Latest episode

Jul 10, 2026

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Episodes

Glass, Galaxies and the Gulf Stream 28.05.2009

Can we break glass using sound? Is glass a liquid? Can we use GPS to navigate galaxies? Will climate change make the UK colder by affecting the Gulf stream? We tackle these questions on this weeks show as well as reveal how submarines stay at a fixed depth,why toothpase is better with fluoride in it, how sunlight can be converted into energyand we investigate whether we could ever create a time ma...

Solar Wind, Moondust and Mouldy Cheese 20.05.2009

How would astronauts cope in a solar wind? Why did dry moon dust hold a footprint? Why does wine age well but beer go off? And should you eat mould? We find out in this week's Ask the Naked Scientists. Plus, what happens if you exceed the speed of light, and what's going on at the centre of the Earth? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Cameras, probes and mobile messaging 14.05.2009

How do cameras work? What are the Herschel and Plank probes hoping to find out? How are messages sent to computers and mobile phones? We tackle these questions on this weeks show. We also find out if blood gets thinner as you get older, why newspapers are easier to tear vertically than horizontally, and investigate if it's safe to take aspirin and anti-inflammatories at the same time. Like this po...

Spiders, Space and Skyscrapers 07.05.2009

How strong is spider silk? Why are some people scared of spiders? How vast is space and does it have an end? How are skyscrapers built? We answer these question in this week's show. We also discuss swine flu, investigate how good aluminium is as a lining material, uncover what causes allergies to cats, work out the speed of heat and electricity and reveal if it's possible to reverse gravity! Like...

Spotty Bottoms and Jogger's Nipple 30.04.2009

Why do we get spots on our bottoms? What is Jogger's Nipple? What is Gangrene? Why do we have different languages? We tackle these questions on this week's show, as well as find out how our hearts work and how a pacemaker can control it. We also find out what an aneurism is, analyse the conditions in which moss grows and discuss the treatment options for arthritis. Like this podcast? Please help u...

Sticky Water, Static Shocks and Solar Storms 23.04.2009

This week, we ask how water can be both sticky and slippery, what causes static shocks and if Solar storms can take down aeroplanes. Plus, we find out why 240 volts may be better than 110, and how your body can act as a radio aerial! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Painkillers, Plastics and Platelets 16.04.2009

How do painkillers work and which ones are available to us? Why doesn't the plastic on ready-meals melt in the oven? How can we donate platelets instead of blood? How can we ease the pain of arthritis? We take on these questions in this week's show. We alsoreveal why omega oils are so good for us, look into how the International Space Station keeps itself movign over earth and investigate the demi...

Sparks, Lightning and Electricity 09.04.2009

Can horses feel electric shocks through their fur? Can we create lightning artificially? How do we send electric signals via cables to America? Can frozen nitrogen conduct electricity? We tackle these sparky questions on this weeks show. We also learn about the northern lights, reveal why rain falls heavier than snow and investigate if it really is dangerous to pour hot water into a glass. Like th...

Genes and Clones 20.03.2009

Are identical twins clones of each other? Can parents with brown eyes have children with blue ones? Is it possible to have blonde hair and brown eyes? How do conjoined twins form? We answer these questions on this week's show. We also find out why our dreams don't always reflect reality, investigate if it is safe to re-heat food in the microwave, reveal how boils are formed and discover how washin...

Electric cars and Exploding Champagne 13.03.2009

How much does it cost to run an electric car? Why does shaken champagne not explode if you wait a while before opening it? Would a car filled inside with helium run for longer? Is man the only mammal to have racial features? We dig into these questions on this week's show, as well as reveal if hyper-space travel is possible, explain how a memory stick works and investigate if a compass would work...

Atomic Bombs, The Amazon and our Climate 06.03.2009

Can atomic bombs cause changes in our climate? Can understanding the Amazon help control the greenhouse effect? Are we likely to find life in outer space? We take on these question in this week's show. As well as find out about Bell's Palsy, reveal why people have fits, learn how to identify animals by their DNA and learn how to help control diabeteswith our diets. Like this podcast? Please help u...

Planes, Spaceships and Automobiles 27.02.2009

How do mobile phones work on planes? Is flying more environmentally friendly than driving? What is rocket fuel? Can we see the International Space Station with the naked eye? These are just some of the questions asked in this week's show. We also investigate whether we can use our bodies as aerials, reveal how computer animated characters are created in films and find out if we can steam our eggs...

The Earth and Its Elements 20.02.2009

How does the Earth rotate? Why do we not fall off the Earth as it spins? Why is there a periodic table? Why is Oxygen written as O2? We tackle these questions in this week's show. We also find out about the causes and symptoms of diabetes, investigate how our bodies generate heat, and reveal how to create a perfectly straight object! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scient...

Ice, Snow and Space 13.02.2009

What experiments can be done with snow? why is snow white yet ice is clear? How can ice be made without refrigeration? And how do Jet engines work out in space? We tackle these questions in this week's show. We also find out about the Ares-V rocket being built by NASA, investigate why underarm hair hasn't been lost through evolution and reveal how someone's smell could reveal if they're your perfe...

Phantom Limbs and Electric Shocks 06.02.2009

What is phantom Limb Syndrome? Why don't birds get electrocuted when they land on power lines? Why can a tooth filling give us electric shocks? We tackle these questions on this week's show. We also find out why bears and penguins feet don't freeze on ice, look into the world of dreaming to find out why we each dream differently, reveal why waves are white when they break against the shore and dis...

The Science of Lightbulbs and Compact Discs 30.01.2009

Do energy saving lightbulbs give you headaches? How do LED lights work? How do CD's show us the spectrum of light? Can we see magenta in the spectrum? We tackle these question on this week's show. We also find out how trrains stay on their tracks and whether it's possible to communicate when tarvelling faster than the speed of sound! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scient...

Stars, Stings and Tickles 23.01.2009

Why do we see stars in the sky? Why do stars twinkle? Why can't we tickle ourselves? And how do stinging nettles sting? We tackle these question in this weeks show. We also find out whether eyesight can improve with age, how fibre optics work, why water doesn't burn and we reveal what hypermiling is! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Space, Sciatica and Solar Power 16.01.2009

How does Solar heating work? What is Sciatica? What's the point of space exploration? We tackle these challenges in this week's show. We'll also be finding out why we get headaches, whether we can duplicate stem cells using their DNA and explain why it's possible for humans to land on the Moon, but not Mars. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

The Science of Sparks, Candles and Lightbulbs. 09.01.2009

Would a matchbox spark in space? How do re-igniting candles work? How does an energy-saving lightbulb work? Does the sun rotate like the earth? We answer these questions this week, as well as reveal how mobile phone charms work, investigate why New Zealand has mainly non-deciduous trees and find otu if rainwater is safe to drink. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Evolution and Adam's Apples 19.12.2008

Why do we have Adam's Apples? Do other primates have them? When we find new species are they due to evolution? Why do we get sleep in our eyes? We tackle these questions on this week's show. We also reveal the healthiest type of olive oil, investigate spinal surgeries and look into the rare condition of Morgellons Disease. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Moons, Planets and Black Holes. 12.12.2008

Will gravity ever pull our moon into a collision with earth? Why are planets round? How big is the black hole at the centre of our galaxy? We solve these mysteries this week on Ask the Naked Scientists. We also find out how superglue works, investigate how it is possible to have volcanoes under the sea and reveal how our years are getting longer! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the...

Spies and Satellites 05.12.2008

How do spy satellites work? Is it true the US Military can control our GPS? How do we know the centre of the earth is so hot? How can we identify counterfeit money? We answer these questions on this week's Ask the Naked Scientists. We also investigate why venus doesn't rotate like the planets in the rest of our solar system, reveal why some technology is so reliant on remote control and we also re...

Moons, Tides and Teabags! 28.11.2008

What would happen if we didn't have tides? If our moon continues moving away from us, will it affect our tides? Why doesn't tea flow out of the bag if the bag is lifted out quickly? We tackle these questions on this week's Ask the Naked Scientists, as well as find out about giant geysers on a moon of Saturn. We also investugate if chillis can be used to cure a cold, find out how people speed read...

The Science of Time and Space 21.11.2008

Can time ever stand still? could we look back in time with a telescope? Could we see and stop a meteor in space? We tackle these questions on this week's Ask the Naked Scientists. We'll also be finding ou how decaffeinated coffee is made, if guns need oxygen to fire, and why oil makes paper translucent. Plus we'll reveal how to drop bread without it landing butte-side down and how to get an egg in...

Water, Sea Levels and Tides 14.11.2008

Why do sea levels vary around the world? Why are there 2 tides? What is Autism? How were the colleges of Cambridge built along the river? We answer these questions on this week's Ask the Naked Scientists. We'll also reveal how people are brainwashed,explain howdigital radios work and look into why loud music can make some people become aggressive. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting th...

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