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Ask the Naked Scientists

How many organs could you donate and remain alive? How many planet Earths could fit inside the Sun? How high is a giraffe's blood pressure? Why is the sea blue? To find out, Ask The Naked Scientists!
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Episodes

Why pulling nose hairs makes you cry?

Why tugging on nasal hairs causes crying? What triggers static shocks? Why are computers based around binary? What are blood groups? How can babies have 3 parents? Why is yawning contagious? What happens to excess skin when a person slims? When is a hot bath too hot? Why are some infections more common in winter? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Oct 11, 201321 minEp. 247

What Do Rockets Push Against in Space?

What colour were human ancestors? What does a rocket push against in space to propel itself forward? Why does yawning make me cry? How do bats navigate? Can fuel cells run on alcohol? Why are 90% of people right handed? How genetically related would the children of two sets of identical twins be? Plus, noses grown on foreheads and how rotating antibiotic drugs can prevent bacterial resistance... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists...

Sep 27, 201319 minEp. 246

Why does the Universe Spin?

Why scratch your head if you don't know the answer? What about the Earth made the dinosaurs so big? Why does the Universe spin? Is the Sun seem brighter in the morning than the evening? Are autistic people particularly at home with computers? Why do effervescent tablets fizz only in water? Why do Parkinson's patients sleepwalk without difficulty? Plus, news of a decoy molecule that can treat dwarfism and what earwax has revealed about blue whales... Like this podcast? Please help us by supportin...

Sep 20, 201323 minEp. 245

What Makes My Eyelid Twitch?

How is an electron microscope tip made to measure 1 atom thick? Why do I sound different on a recording? Why does light slow down in some media? Why is soft water slimy? How do ants home in on my handbag? What makes my eyelids twitch? Plus, how scientists are exploring spider venoms as a source of new insecticides... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Sep 13, 201324 minEp. 244

Do Diamonds Melt?

How do robotic surgeons work? Do diamonds melt? What is heartburn? Can fish see colours, and what should anglers wear? What is brain plasticity? What would happen if an egg were dropped into boiling oil? What causes blushing? Why does holding the antenna of an AM radio improve reception? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Sep 06, 201322 minEp. 243

How does Digital Storage Work?

Is global warming a given? Can olive leaf extracts combat parasites? Is there a fake tanning pill? Why keep gas cylinders upright? How does digital storage work? Does reducing body temperture aid infections? How does the moon cycle affect human behaviour? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Jul 26, 201323 minEp. 242

Why is space dark?

Why is space dark; do bags of coins deter flies; why don't cats go grey; is GPS or an odometer more accurate; what was the effect of the Med drying up in the past; what does an ice-pack versus a hot-pack do for an injury; how might maternal diabetes affect a baby's future health, and should I let the tap run before drinking any water? Plus, urine-powered electricity supplies... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists...

Jul 19, 201323 minEp. 241

Why are mechanical hearts hard to make?

Why are we ticklish? What happens to blood when we die? Why are mechanical hearts hard to make? What's a burb? Can a mushroom crack tarmac? Why do helium balloons fly forwards in the car when I brake? Why does microwaved milk explode when I stir it? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Jul 12, 201324 minEp. 240

Do Plants do Maths?

Do plants do maths? Has the Internet made us all more intelligent? Why did my milk freeze? Why do my hands get cold, but not my face? How did people realise Earth is round? What's red shifting? Why does squinting make it easier to see things? Why is water unreactive when hydrogen and oxygen are? What makes red shifting happen? Dr Chris answers more top science questions from South Africa... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists...

Jul 05, 201322 minEp. 239

How do solar sails work?

How much ice are glaciers losing annually? What makes eyes itch? Is yoga beneficial to health? How do solar sails work? Do we have dominant feet? Why is a rainbow the shape it is? Plus, news of why breastfeeding could help your offspring to climb the social ladder... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Jun 28, 201321 minEp. 238

Meths for Mosquito Bites?

Why does yawning produce tears? Why do noses tend to run on a cold day? Is methylated spirit good for mosquito bites? Why do computer screens sometimes produce after-images on your eyes? Can blocking blood vessel growth cause cancers to stall? Is cola good for bloat? Is it really colder just as the sun rises? More top science questions from South Africa, as well as news of how the cornea keeps itself clear of blood vessels... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists...

Jun 21, 201319 minEp. 237

Is the weather worse at weekends?

How do continental plates move? Is the weather worse at weekends? What does your brain choose to ignore? Why do wet fingers wrinkle? Are bullets fired into the air dangerous? Are premonitions real? Why does the Sun seem larger at sunset? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Jun 07, 201321 minEp. 236

Can we Reproduce in Space?

How much radiation would an astronaut encounter on the way to Mars? What causes loss of appetite during a fever? Why does camera red eye happen? Can we reproduce in space? Is mercury in dental fillings safe? How old are the atoms in the body? What causes tides? What's the point of male nipples? Why do trees lose leaves in winter? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

May 31, 201322 minEp. 235

What is Colourblindness?

What is genetic diversity? What causes colourblindness? Why does a microwave turntable sometimes rotate in the opposite direction? How are genes linked to behaviour? How accurate are different dating methods? Where does sleep in your eyes come from? And how does an aeroplane wing work? Join Dr Chris for another top clutch of questions from South Africa... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

May 24, 201321 minEp. 234

Why are bubbles white?

What attracts malaria-infected mosquitoes to people? How happens to the brain during adolescence? Why are bubbles always white? Would a sealed box containing an exercising person get lighter? What does a launching rocket push against? Why is water from the hot tap initially cold? What actually is a random number? And is there a formula to calculate the size of a parachute? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

May 17, 201323 minEp. 233

What is Sleep Walking?

Does cold exposure cause colds? What consitutes safe drinking water? Why do distant lights and stars flicker? What is sleep walking? What causes bipolar disorder? How does sound travel in air? Plus, news of a vaccine to help crack heroin addiction. Join Dr Chris for more top science questions from South Africa... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

May 10, 201322 minEp. 232

Does food affect body odour?

Does what we eat alter how we smell? Why does the severed tail of a lizard still wriggle? How does the nervous system re-wire itself? What's in snake and spider venom? Do fuel-saving devices for cars really work? Plus news of how honey helps bees to fight off infections, and pesticides... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

May 03, 201323 minEp. 231

How do Touch Screens Work?

Why do adults smell more than children? How are bionic implants contributing to longevity? What is progeria? How do touch screens work? Why do anti-HIV drugs cause fat redistribution? Why does power = volts x amps? What actually are dark matter and dark energy? Join Dr Chris for the answers to more cool questions from South Africa... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Apr 26, 201323 minEp. 230

Weaning and HIV

Does holding a car remote to your head make it work better? Why does a boat float? Are triple rainbows real? What's a near-death experience? This week we also look at a new scientific study into why - and when - breast milk transmits HIV to a baby... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Apr 19, 201318 minEp. 229

Are babies born to swim?

Are babies born to swim? Can you escape from a black hole? Can an egg with a double yolk yield two chicks? What causes nightmares? Why do we gesticulate when we speak? Why is the Moon visible by day? Dr Chris takes on more top questions from South Africa. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Apr 05, 201321 minEp. 228

Live from 702 HQ

Naked Scientists team, Ben Valsler, Chris Smith and Ginny Smith joined the 702 crew and a studio audience live in Johannesburg to talk science, build vacuum bazookas and challenge listeners' mathematical minds... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Mar 28, 201335 minEp. 227

Do Satellites Collide?

Do satellites collide? Can albinism be diagnosed on a scan? What causes the timing of the equinox to vary? Do bullets fired in the air still kill people? Can we make a human from just a genetic code? Why doesn't glue stick to the container? What's left underground once oil has been removed? And why can't we tickle ourselves? Join Dr Chris for another round up of the best science questions from South Africa. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists...

Mar 27, 201320 minEp. 226

Why does Washing Shrink?

Who was John Snow? Why do things shrink in the wash? How does carbon dating work? Is intelligence down to mitochondria? Why does the banner also bank behind a banking aircraft? And how does the human body develop in utero? Dr Chris answers more top science questions from South Africa... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Mar 15, 201323 minEp. 225

How does a gastric bypass work?

Does a cloudy day aggravate arthritis? Was the biblical flood real? How does a gastric bypass work? Will a knife in water go blunt? Where do the skeletons on sunken ships go? Why do cats have an extra fold of skin in their ears? And why transmit electricity at high voltage? Dr Chris joins Redi Thlabi for thirty minutes of quickfire Q and A... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Mar 08, 201320 minEp. 224

Are urine and sweat the same?

How did horse meat end up in the food chain? Is baking foil bad for you? How big are viruses? How are urine and sweat produced? How do hydrogen vehicles work? And how do we measure the height of things above sea level? Join Chris Smith for this week's crop of top questions from Talk Radio 702, South Africa. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Mar 01, 201318 minEp. 223

How do pills know where pain is?

Why do ovaries run out of eggs and what affects egg quality? Why does diesel smell nice but burning engine oil is unpleasant? Do genes from genetically modified organisms get into eggs and sperm? Does lead affect behaviour? What causes motion sickness? Join Dr Chris for another run of science questions from South Africa... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Feb 22, 201318 minEp. 222

Are you taking the Higgs?

How does alcohol cause liver cirrhosis? Can we make matter massless by removing Higgs particles? How did spiders evolve web-making skills? What is insulin resistance? What does fluoride do? And do scars sustained by adults manifest in their offspring? This week Dr Chris takes on more questions from Talk Radio 702 South Africa. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Feb 08, 201318 minEp. 221

Why Tired Toddlers Rub Their Eyes

Are helium-filled balloons less likely to pop? How does a cordless toothbrush charge? Is there much mercury in compact fluorescent bulbs? Why do tired toddlers rub their eyes? Is lactose intolerance more common than it once was? And is it possible to trigger earthquakes artificially? Dr Chris answers this week's burning questions on Talk Radio 702, South Africa... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Feb 01, 201322 minEp. 220

How does blood doping work?

What is involved in blood doping in sports? Can beetroot make urine red? Can mosquitoes transmit HIV? How do dung beetles use the Milky Way to navigate? Do sneezes stop your heart? Can you hear a supernova? Could plants grow on Mars? Why do ants keep drowning in my drink? Why do we not notice Earth turning? And can flour relieve burns? Dr Chris takes on another batch of top science questions from South Africa. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists...

Jan 25, 201322 minEp. 219

Making more twins

How box jellyfish venom exerts its lethal effect, will the World end, how were the pyramids aligned, why does humid air feel hotter, why does a hot water stream slow after the tap is opened, what causes lights to twinkle, why do humans have language, is there a way to make more twins, where do stepped-on snails go, and why do diabetics sometimes smell like pear drops? Dr Chris tackles another crop of top questions... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists...

Dec 21, 201222 minEp. 218
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