Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill

Just what is it about football that makes the world love it so much? This week Luke explores the deeper reasons behind life as a football supporter, and why following your favourite team can be quite a healthy (even if it can be heartbreaking) way to spend your time.

Are you a cat person or a dog person? It's a question that is often asked as if it might reveal something deeper about someone's personality, and tis week Luke picks through the science to show us that our choice of household pet could in fact tell us a lot more about us, and others, than we had ever imagined.

The hunt for worlds and cvilisations beyond our own goes on, and this week Luke delves into the efforts (past and present) to find life in the distant reaches of the universe - and lays out some of the big questions the scientists undertaking the search need to wrestle with.

Let's face it, the bees get all the love, while the wasps are seen as a pest, a threat and an irritant. But are they the victims of much undeserved negative publicity? Luke delves into the science of wasps, which brings us into a realm of many species making a lot of hidden contributions to our natural world.

Ever wondered how much cholesterol an egg has or the benefits of eating them for your health. This week Luke O'Neil explains why eggs were one of his favourite foods growing up and the benefits eggs have on one's diet.

Every wondered about the odds of getting stung by a bee and surviving. This week Luke O'Neil dives deep into different causes of death and how to live your life as best you can!

Ever wondered what Sepsis is? Or how it is caught? Listen this week as Luke analyses the disease and potential artificial intelligence that could be used to spot other diseases. Luke explains how complex the immune system and how different treatments and therapies are used to treat the disease.

Ever wondered about the deep depths of the ocean and what creatures lie beneath the mysterious deep blue?? This week Luke explores the science of the ocean and the incredible creatures that have been discovered as a result of scientists testing the limits and reaching the furthest depths a human has ever been before.

Do you believe in ghosts? Are stories of apparitions and hauntings verifiable truths, or fanciful falsehoods? This week Luke explores the science behind ghosts, hauntings and all things spooky, looking at some examples from the modern day and famous incidents in the past to try to help us understand a little more - and to explain why horror can be good for your health.

This week Luke O'Neill tells us all about the beginning of time and updates us on the current asteroid activity in space. Ever wondered how fast they travel, and what are the odds of them happening again? Listen now to this weeks episode.

Ever wondered about the Science behind evolution or how evolution started? Wonder what the fastest evolving gene in humans are? Well Luke O'Neill has all the answers as he deep dives into the evidence that shows us how we are gradually evolving as humans and connected to everything from mice to trees and chimpanzees.

Did you know that the Irish are the biggest tea drinkers in the world? Ever wondered what the benefits of tea are? Green tea, Black tea, Hibiscus Tea, Oolong tea. Listen as Luke O'Neill explores the world of teas and the variety of benefits each offers us. From our health, mood and overall behavior listen how a cup of tea can do you the world of good.

Feeling Cheerful or wanting to feel cheerful? Ever wondered why upbeat music makes you smile? In this weeks episode we discover why we are social creatures and learn some literary references to cheerfulness including some iconic tales from Shakespeare. We learn all about the benefits and immense power of positive thinking, with a few quotes from Dame Judi Dench along the way.

The world's most glamorous, exotic or intriguing food they may not be (particularly if you're Irish) but the humble spud is no less than the world's super-food, with hidden depths and gifts beneath the skin. In this episode Luke explains why, when the chips are down (or you find yourself living on an alien world) a sack of potatoes is all you really need.

Luke returns with tales of a potentially life altering breakthrough in the world of proteins - or the hunt for proteins to be more precise. Through an incredible new discovery the very building blocks of life are now at our fingertips, but how could it change our world?

Pancreatic and colorectal cancer are two of the most deadly forms of the disease, and science has struggled to ever come t grips with them. However a new breakthrough in treatment could mark the beginning of the turning of the tide, and impact cancer treatment of all kinds. Luke looks at the good news and explains why it could prove to be a landmark moment.

Did you ever meet an optimistic pig? This week Luke looks at the cleverest of animals, from piggy of a sunny outlook, to birds who have taken up tools, and the bees who Luke wants to turn into the world’s greatest (bee) football team.

It can feel like a lifeline in the morning, or when you need a boost during a long day, but could our daily coffee be doing far more for us that just that caffeine kick? Luke explores the findings of a major new study that has made some startling findings about the powers of the coffee bean, and how just two cups a day can have a staggering impact on your life, for the better. There’s also good ne...

IT will come as no revelation that exercise is good for us, and good for our mental health. But the reality is science does not fully understand why it is so good for us. This week Luke delves into the factors behind the benefits of fitness, including the chemical BNDF, and why it is crucial to the link between exercise and our mental health, from battling depression to PTSD.

While most of us might associate the rise of drones as the world of hobbyists, or tools used for photography, in many parts of the world they are being utilised in creative ways to bring emergency medical care to people beyond the reaches of more traditional delivery methods. this week Luke explores the science of drones, and the revolutionary impact they are having on the world of medicine.

It's a culinary favourite for many of us, but could curry hold the secret to health? This week Luke explores the science behind a particular spice at the heart of curries, and explains why it could continue serving us long after dinner is done.

Irritable bowel syndrome or IBS, is an affliction that comes in several forms and impacts a lot of us. This week Luke explores what we know about crohn's and colitis, how treatments have evolved over time and why a new breakthrough may be able to offer far more insight for doctors, and better outcomes for patients, in the near future. Listen and subscribe to Show Me the Science on Apple Podcasts a...

It's called the "motivation molecule" and it is a central factor why we do what we do every day. This week Luke explores the science of dopamine, explains why certain activities cause it to spike and fall, and how we can better handle it to avoid dramatic swings in our dopamine levels, and coach our bodies to better handle it. Listen and subscribe to Show Me the Science on Apple Podcasts and Spoti...

Enceladus is a moon of Saturn, and it perhaps offers the best chance of finding life beyond Earth Scientists have been exploring and probing Enceladus for decades, and discovering more about the mysteries contained within. And now new findings, and one in particular, has some people excited that we could be closer than ever to discovering extra terrestrial life. This week Luke takes us through the...

Can the humble mosquito be genetically altered to become not a spreader of disease, but rather something far more beneficial to the environment? This week Luke delves into the science behind mosquito modification and explains why life on earth could be changed hugely with some minor alterations to these insects. Listen and subscribe to Show Me the Science on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.   Download,...