Dr Chris Smith

Question of the Week, from the Naked Scientists

Science EN ↓ 637 episodes

Each week we set out to solve one of the world's weirdest, wackiest, funniest and funkiest scientific puzzles. And along with the answer there's a brand new question to think about for next time...

Be sure to visit the podcast's website and support the creator: www.thenakedscientists.com

Author

Dr Chris Smith

Category

Science

Podcast website

www.thenakedscientists.com

Latest episode

Oct 31, 2025

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Episodes

What would happen if you were swallowed by a whale? 17.11.2014

If you were swallowed by a whale, could you swim out and up through the oesophagus or would you be digested by the stomach acid? Plus, we ask about the future of flight: Are we going to be forever stuck in this air speed? What are the constraints of aerodynamics? Are noise rules the issue? Can a supersonic jet be ever built with decent fuel economy? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting...

Why is my Movember moustache grey? 10.11.2014

Facial hair a different colour to that on your head? We stroke our beards to ponder why. Plus we ask, what happens when you get swallowed by a whale? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How will life end on Earth? 27.10.2014

Will we cause our own demise by burning the candle at both ends? Or will it be something like the giant impact that caused the dinosaurs to go extinct? What do you think? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why do leaves turn red in autumn? 19.10.2014

Why do leaves turn red in the autumn? And how do they know when it is time to drop? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How can I avoid being struck by lightning? 12.10.2014

Listener Ahmed has been struck by lightning twice! Is he prone to attracting lightning, or just unlucky? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How many people have lived on Earth? 28.09.2014

How many people have lived on Earth? We do some number crunching. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How does self cleaning glass work? 21.09.2014

Windows, computer screens and phones that never get grubby? What's the chemistry making that self cleaning glass possible? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

What makes a good password? 14.09.2014

We hack our heads to find out how we can make a secure password. Plus we scrub up the issue and ask: how does self-cleaning glass work? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

What happens if a bee gets lost? 07.09.2014

If you accidentally relocate a bee in your car, what happens? Would it join another colony or would that be it for the lost bee? For the answer to this insterest-sting question, we spoke to Henry Ferguson-Gow from the Zoological Society of London. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Can we use solar panels in space? 31.08.2014

Could we get solar power from space and if so, how would we be able to transmit this energy back to Earth and use it? We spoke to John C. Mankins from Artemis Innovation Management Solutions to find out... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Do emotional and pain-induced tears differ? 17.08.2014

Humans are the only animals that cry tears of emotion as well as pain. But does each type of tear differ in its chemical composition, and can you tell why someone was crying from looking at this? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Music: a concentration aid or complete distraction? 10.08.2014

Music: a concentration aid or a complete distraction? Why do some people find it helpful and others disruptive? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Can humans spontaneously combust? 02.08.2014

This week, we tackle the burning issue of spontaneous human combustion. Reported cases of people bursting into flames nowhere near a fire. Is there any scientific explanation for this? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How much of my body can I live without? 27.07.2014

Which organs are vital and which are luxuries of life? We asked Elena Teh, Medical student at Cambridge University, for the gory details... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Is warp speed possible? 15.07.2014

Star Trek fantasy or scientifically feasible? We find out with NASA! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

What does your sneeze say about your personality? 22.06.2014

We sniff out the science asking does sneeze volume and sound indicate personality type? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Can eating sweets stop brain fatigue? 15.06.2014

Can you combat brain fogginess and help with french homework by munching sweets? We find out if there is any scientific rationale for this sweet toothed strategy to deal with brain fatigue. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Are cremated ashes good for plant growth? 08.06.2014

Would a scattering of your beloved's ashes be good for plant growth? Or could it be toxic? We take this question to Cambridge University's Botanic's Head Gardener. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Is there an antimatter planet out there? 26.05.2014

Are there antimatter planets out there? What would they look like? And how would we tell they exist? We find out! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Which painkiller should I use? 18.05.2014

What's the difference between aspirin, paracetamol and ibuprofen? We turn to a Professor of Pain for the answer. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

What is fire and how does it burn? 11.05.2014

We light up our brains with this burning question, igniting the issue with a Professor of Chemistry and Fire Science, Richard Hull, from Lancaster University. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why am I so tired and bored in the office? 27.04.2014

Do you feel tired, irritable and bored during the week? Yet full of beans and enthusiasm at the weekend? We find out why this could be! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Man v Machine 06.04.2014

Why does my PC need more data storage than my DNA? Surely human processing power is greater than a computers? We crunch into the data to find out! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Is technology steering human evolution? 30.03.2014

Is technology changing at too fast a pace for our genetic material? Has human evolution halted? We find out! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Is elevator style travel across Earth possible? 24.03.2014

Could we banish planes and instead use the Earths natural spin to help long distance travel across it's surface? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

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