Question of the Week

David wants to know whether the intricate and varied spiders' webs seen in nature are a product of arachnid instinct, or something that is cultivated across their life. To get to the truth, James Tytko sought out spider expert Professor Sara Goodacre from the University of Nottingham... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Jim writes in to say, 'Sometimes when I pinch near my knee, I will feel a tingling or tickling sensation behind one of my shoulder blades. What's up with that?' James Tytko found him an answer, with help from neuroscientist Dr Mark Hoon from the NIH... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Oscar asks whether the snail stuck on the inside of his car wheel while he went for a drive would have felt the effects afterwards. Jon Ablett from the Natural History Museum helped James Tytko with the answer... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Akori wants to know whether it is safe to eat vegetables and herbs grown where animals have been buried in the past. James Tytko sought the help of Professor Malcolm Bennett at the University of Nottingham's School of Veterinary Medicine and Science... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Thanks to Jim Dale for the answer! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, Carl writes in to ask whether he can be cured of specific musical anhedonia. This is a condition whereby a person can hear and distinguish between different types of music and the emotion they convey, but doesn't feel moved in the same way most people do. James Tytko took on Carl's conundrum with the help of Malinda McPherson, Assistant Professor at Purdue University's Department of Spe...

When listener Suzy is taking pictures of the night sky, she makes use of longer shutter speeds to capture more light to get better images of stars. That got her thinking, do human eyes also have a shutter speed? James Tytko took up the question... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Thanks to Dana Mackenzie for the answer! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this week's Question of the Week, listener James writes in to ask, is it just him, or does spider silk feel really strange? James Tytko took on the question with Professor of Evolutionary Biology and Genetics at the University of Nottingham, Sara Goodacre, and entomologist at Western Sydney University, Eleanor Drinkwater... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, Jon wants to know, in the wake of wildfires across the world in recent years, should we be concerned about their carbon footprint? James Tytko asked Jim Dale from British Weather Services for the answer... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Christine emails in with this message: 'Does bacteria contained in probiotics become part of the microbiome; in other words can one stop taking probiotics after 30 days of taking probiotic-containing capsules?'James Tytko sought to find the answer with the help of Alex Almeida, microbiologist at the University of Cambridge. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Anne writes in with this question, which James Tytko took on with the help of the University of Cambridge's Public Astronomer, Matt Bothwell... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Elizabeth with a transatlantic teaser for this question of the week: "I heard that people in the UK can't smell when it rains, but us Americans can. If I went to the United Kingdom, would I be able to smell the rain there? Would someone from the UK be able to smell rain here? What is going on?" James Tytko sought the answer with the help of Anne Jungblut from the Natural History Museum... Like thi...

Join James Tytko in the hunt for ancient DNA thanks to this question from listener Phil. Jack Lovegrove from the Natural History Museum was on hand to help with the answer... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Phil sent in this quantum conundrum which Will Tingle took on with the help of Ben Allanach, Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Cambridge... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Thanks to Garth Jenkins from the University of Glasgow for the answer! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Brian has been in touch to ask whether stars can be independent of galaxies. James Tytko asked the University of Cambridge's public astronomer Matt Bothwell to help find the answer... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

For today's question, James Tytko takes on Janey's query on the shape of modern wind turbine blades and draws a comparison with old fashioned windmills: why such different designs? Professor of Renewable Energy Simon Hogg from Durham University provides the answer... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

While helping his son with his maths revision, Andrew was struck by the ease with which he slipped back into the groove of the subject. He wants to know why that might be. James Tytko sought to find out with help from Catherine Loveday, neuropsychologist at the University of Westminster... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

James Tytko answers listener John's question with the help of Professor of Cardiovascular Health, Nadia Rosenthal... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Thanks to Rhod Jervis for the answer! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Thanks to Steven Abbott for the answer! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

James Tytko asked Toby Wiseman, professor of theoretical physics at Imperial College London, to answer this question from listener Daniel... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Jimmie sends in this week's question, seeking an answer as to why plastic loses its flexibility. James Tytko took on the question with the help of Chemistry World's Phillip Broadwith... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Thanks to Professor Heather Graham for the answer! This episode of Question of the Week, listener Donald asks:"Assuming mosquitoes have taste buds, then they should have adverse tastes. Have molecular scientists explored how to make or find chemicals that make mosquitoes disgusted?"Will - As someone who's about to head off to a particularly mosquito-heavy part of the world, I too would find great...