The Naked Scientists Podcast

How Internet searches can give clues to drug side-effects, the science of sink holes, flame-retardant DNA, brain stimulation for anorexia, and feeding the planet in future: why flies might hold the key to better food security... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, research at the extremes: We find out how the new Halley VI station was engineered to withstand Antarctic conditions, and how scientists tackle some of the harshest environments on Earth to do groundbreaking research. In the news we discover a battery you can bend, share our thoughts on open access, find out how yeast can aid in the fight against tropical disease and hear how the ozone...

New drugs for flu, bees read electrical fields, why moles are sensitive to seismic vibrations and how good is a sharks sense of smell...? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Love is... neurochemistry? This week, we look at love from a scientific perspective. We go looking for love in the brain and explore the chemistry behind falling, and staying, in love! Plus, how ovaries become damaged with age, and the new virus strain with pandemic potential. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

We're analysing asteroids in this edition of the Naked Scientists, as Earth is due a very near miss next week! We'll also meet the asteroid miners - companies looking to go prospecting in outer space - to find out how to mine an asteroid. Plus, the new material that can generate electricity from the heat in your hand, and what will the Large Hadron Collider be looking for next... Like this podcast...

How can science save the Tasmanian Devil? New research reveals why an infectious cancer that's spreading amongst the animals isn't attacked by the immune system. Plus, the quantum basis of smell, reading a fish's thoughts and are scientists on the verge of a cure for the common cold? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

WE'RE BACK! And in this first episode of our new series, a sponge for soaking up oil slicks, how dung beetles navigate by starlight, the world's largest jelly, the rebound effect, how dogs came to be, why DNA is the data storage medium of tomorrow. Plus, a heads-up on transparent electronics, including a device that will superimpose a map of the road ahead onto your glasses... Like this podcast? P...

As we gear up to launch a new series of the Naked Scientists, here's a taste of things to come with a recording of the second hour of the Naked Scientists 'Science Night' aired on BBC 5 Live, December 30th 2012. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Can a frozen body be shattered with a hammer, how can speedbumps diagnose appendictis and why are reindeers' noses red? For Christmas 2012 we talk to a host of scientists doing seasonal research, find out how Elite, the blockbuster computer game launched 30 years ago, is about to make a comeback, and answer your brain-busting science questions, including why chewing gum gets tougher the longer you...

How does radio reach out of the studio? This week, we tune in explore the science and technology of broadcasting to find out how a voice hits the airwaves. We discover the difference between AM, FM and DAB, and use basic physics to build our own microphone. Plus, the 7000 year old cheese and the surprisingly simple solution to a box jellyfish sting. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting...

Epigenetics controls the activity of genes inside cells and holds the key to new treatments for old diseases. We explore the impacts of epigenetics on embryonic development, cancer, and stem cell biology, and find out how epigenetic changes during pregnancy can even affect your grandchildren! Plus, why parenthood extends your lifespan, and the genetic recipe for the red blood cell. Like this podca...

How should we protect marine ecosystems? We examine the science behind Marine Protected Areas and find out how a new plan could protect the oceans around England. In the news, the sub-zero bacterial ecosystem surviving in an Antarctic lake and fibres inspired by slimy fish. Plus, will mixing spider and human DNA give us superpowers? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scienti...

This week, join us on a tour of ISIS, the STFC's Neutron and Muon source. We find out how neutrons can probe the properties of materials, help to protect electronic circuits from failure and shed light on the action of antibiotics. Plus, in the news we hear how to print out perfect replacement cartilage. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why does biro ink smell? How can you reset your tolerance to caffiene? Why can't my sat nav and my speedometer agree? We take on your science questions, as well as discover a lonely rogue planet and hear the DNA detective story that stopped an MRSA outbreak in its tracks. Plus, in our Question of the Week, we find out if menstrual cycles synchronise... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporti...

Bed bug cases are on the rise after a 50 year absence from much of the Western world. But why now? We explore the genetics and bizarre biology of these parasitic pests. In the news, we examine the fungal disease killing Ash trees across Europe that may decimate up to 40% of British woodland... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How does cancer spread? How can we target our immune system to take out tumours? This week we visit the National Cancer Research Institute's annual conference to explore the cutting edge of cancer research. We'll find out why cancers become resistant to chemotherapy, and how new research offers us a window to watch a cancer as it spreads. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked S...

It's not just pandas, great apes and big cats - ugly animals need our attention too. This week, we find out why some of nature's least attractive species are under threat and explore the arguments for conserving bacteria, fungi and even parasites! In the news we hear how to fix mitochondrial faults, discover a cocktail of bacteria that can see off C. diff and we find out how dung beetles are on th...

Are vegetables intelligent? Is Pi a "normal" number? Are humans the only picky eaters? We take on your science questions, including why women generally don't go bald and how fingers can feel cold even though they're warm to the touch. Plus, we're joined by Matt Parker, the Stand Up Mathematician, who takes on your mathematical brain teasers, and explains how a simple mathematical trick can let you...

How do we tell where sounds are coming from? What does life sound like through a hearing aid? Can we cure tinnitus? We try to answer all these questions and more in our show on hearing. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

The tricks your mind plays on you are up for analysis this week as we explore the science of taste including why noise diminishes food flavour aboard an aeroplane and how much affects your choice of wine. We also speak to a synaesthete who, quite literally, tastes the people he meets, and we probe the workings of the placebo effect. Plus, pain killers from black mamba venom, why teenagers take ris...

How can we stay sharp as a senior citizen? This week, we explore the different biological approaches to understanding healthy ageing, discover a protein that may prevents age-related nerve degeneration and find out how to preserve cognitive function as we age. Plus, why Eunuchs lived longer, and how to turn trousers into catalytic converters that filter polluted air! Like this podcast? Please help...

Can spiders weave webs in microgravity? Can shampooing cause hair loss? How much brain do we use at once? Can a person survive on raw food alone? This week we're answering your science questions, plus news of the IgNobel prize for research into 'hairodynamics' and a way to wipe out bad memories... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Would you set sail with a robotic skipper? This week, the World Robotic Sailing Championships grace the waters of Cardiff Bay, and we meet the teams to find out how this could lead to a sea change in robot science. Plus, we find out how robots are coming out of the factory and into the home, to care for the elderly and help children learn. In the news, stem cells restore hearing to deaf gerbils, f...

Will we find life in a lake trapped under 3 kilometres of ice? How can living above an abandoned mine cut your heating bills? What is the future for diet foods? This week, we bring you the best from the British Science Festival in Aberdeen. We also discuss the Higgs and antimatter, how plastics are affecting our health and how to recreate the colours of fossilised insects... Like this podcast? Ple...

How is data sent safely online, and how can we keep prying eyes away? This week we investigate the basis of cybersecurity, ask if chip and pin is safe and talk to a team of hackers who attempt to penetrate websites legitimately. We also reveal the dangers of wifi as we find out what your mobile phone is revealing about you. Plus the genetic basis of movement, a new form of flexible battery and, in...