Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill

Paris 2024 is in full swing and Irish swimmers are having a very successful games with a bronze so far for Mona McSharry and gold for Daniel Wiffen. On this week's Show Me The Science, Luke takes a timely look at the history and evolution of swimsuit design and how scientific advances have helped swimmers maxmise their performances in the water.

The use of processed foods has lead to longer shelf lives and cheaper foods but just how damaging are they to our long term health? In this week's episode Luke lays bare the stark reality of the damage over compumption of ultra-processed food is causing. What exactly is the definition of ultra-processed food? Why and where is it so damaging and what can the huge number of studies do to help curb i...

This week Luke responds to a request from a listener to do an episode on the general science of evolution and he has duly obliged. Why do we see evolution? How LUCA started it all, the effect of modern technology and how the study of evolution could lead to breakthroughs in the treatment of diseases such as alzheimers.

It's a question that has puzzled and perplexed the greatest minds for eons and has literally had them scratching their heads. Why do some people go grey and/or go bald and why do others keep their colour and lucious locks?. The answer science is discovering is a fascinating one and it just might have you binning your Grecian 2000 soon. Luke also reveals an incredible connection between balding and...

Turbulence might be one of the only things that might make you dread jetting off on your summer holidays, especially after recent reports of injuries sustained on flights. Luke will put your mind at ease by explaining the science behind the phenomenon and the differences between the various types. He also explains why there's an apparent increase in turbulence and why it's becoming more likely wit...

50,000 years ago homo-sapiens arrived in Papua New Guinea - It was a big change of environment and the evolution of the people there is a clear demonstration of the survival of the fittest. Research looking at the DNA of the people in Papua New Guinea showcases two big genetic differences which helped them to survive. For one group living in the mountains, a variant which increases your red blood...

What is the role of the brain in our immune response? We already know that the brain makes us feel rotten when we're sick so we stay away from the rest of the herd and don't spread the infection further. But, now there is new research into the brain stem which showcases the two neural pathways that increase and suppress inflammation. While there are still questions to be answered about finding the...

You know if things had worked out differently 800,000 years ago you wouldn't be here to listen to this podcast? There wouldn't even BE podcasts which is even more shocking to comprehend. In this week's episode Luke discusses how fossil records have recently revealed that there was a big disappearance of hominids which has led them to conclude that we may not have happened!

There is no doubting that A.I is here to stay and it is here to revolutionise pretty much every aspect of our lives. There has been many concerns as to what that future will look like but in this week's episode Luke tries to allay at least some of those fears by identifying 4 major benefits of A.I.

Utilizing our own immune systems to fight cancer has always been an interesting idea to scientists, and now there's serious progress being made in this filed that could see us developing personalized treatments for the disease. Radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgeries are all useful treatments but a vaccine against the tumor could be much more effective without being as intrusive. Luke explains ho...

Between 1980 and 2009, the rate of twinning in the US increased by 76%, and this trend is seen across the world. Twins can be either fraternal where two eggs are fertilized at the same time, or identical where one fertilized egg splits in two. Both of these offer huge opportunities for scientists to learn about genetic traits and environmental impacts on development. Luke explains what we've learn...

The Covid-19 pandemic may still be fresh in all our memories, but scientists are already looking ahead to the next big pandemic to allow us to prepare and get ahead of it. A flu virus seems to be the most likely cause and in particular there is concern around the H5N1 strand which has now jumped from birds to cattle, and even a few dairy farmers. Human to human transmission is the next big warning...

We all have our favourite songs - The ones that remind us of childhood memories, give us a boost of energy or the ones we play to make us cry. But where did music come from and what makes us connect so strongly to it? Luke answers these questions as well as explaining what makes some people so talented musically, and others more tone deaf.

How can we increase our life expectancy? Do we have any control over it or is it all to do with our genetic makeup? A new study into microscopic worms has revealed how their genes allow them to enter a 'dauer' state of almost hibernation during times of limited food and in doing so expand their lifespan from 2 weeks to over 2 months. Luke explains how this works and how this finding could be usefu...

Why did we all put our clocks forward by an hour a few weeks ago? And why will we push them back again come autumn? The historic justifications were to allow for brighter mornings in the autumn and winter and extra daylight at the end of the working day across spring and summer. But, now there's some push back on the practice and Luke explains why some think it's harmful.

Is 2024 the year we'll finally see self driving cars on our roads? While there are already some 'Robo-cabs' in service in the United States aiming to provide a 'safer' driving experience, there are still big challenges for the futuristic technology before they can be more widely rolled out. Luke gives us an update of the latest state of affairs in the world of driverless cars.

When new machinery was first invented, researchers notices that frequent users such as factory workers or typists were developing repetitive strain injuries. And, now that technology has become such a crucial part of all our lives, and we all spend hours daily with our heads tilted down at a screen they are seeing a surge of the phenomenon known as 'Tech Neck' . Luke looks at the research into the...

Why does the immune system differ from person to person? Why do some people seem more resistant to infections or viruses than others? New research has sought to answer these questions, and in the process shown the impact of smoking on your immune system and in particular the effects on the adaptive immune response. Luke takes us through the new research and explains how smoking can turn off some o...

An Irish research team has just had a breakthrough on their research into Long Covid. Luke recaps what we already know about the condition which causes brain fog and fatigue in roughly 1 in 3 patients infected with Covid-19. He also explained what the brain blood barrier may have to do with it, and what potential treatments or preventative measures may come from this research.

Elon Musk's latest venture 'Neuralink' which aims to place a chip within the brain of a human has shown 'promising neural spike detection'. This means that down the line a brain implant could pick up on our thoughts and communicate them directly to a computer, allowing our thoughts to be sent as text messages without ever picking up a phone, or to move a prosthetic limb with ease. Luke takes us th...

Could Viagra an erectile dysfunction drug, have a second function working to prevent Alzheimer's? Luke recalls how the drug was initially created to treat angina before it's accidental side effect made it a huge success for Pfizer. He explains how the drug works and why researchers are looking at it more closely now.

Are you a night owl looking to become more of a morning person? There are lots of health benefits to waking up earlier but is it even possible to become a morning lark if it's against your nature? Luke explains the role our genes and even the Neanderthal's play in our chronotypes. He also offers some tips for changing your sleeping patterns and explains how your sleep patterns alter over time.

How many times should you shower each week? Or should we shower at all? The average changes depending on location and culture, ranging from 12 per week in Brazil to 5 per week in the UK. We all know the obvious risks of not showering enough, but showering too much can also have it's downsides like overly dry skin and increased risk of infection. Luke explains how showering affects our body and why...

Multiple sclerosis also known as MS is an auto immune disease that causes symptoms such as muscle weakness, pins and needles, double vision, poor balance and fatigue. There are various factors that affect your chances of developing MS including genetics, geography and according to a new study exposure to the Epstein–Barr virus. Luke explains the thought behind this new research and how it could he...

Although it might seem like it was just yesterday, it's already been 4 years since the first fatality as a result of Covid-19. Luke takes us back to what we knew then and shows just how quickly science reacted to the disease with things like vaccines and therapeutic remedies. He also asks what we have learned from the last 4 years and the most important question of all - Are we ready for the next...