Ask the Naked Scientists - podcast cover

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

How do I win the lottery?

Chris Smith from The Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions with Eusebius McKaiser from Talk Radio 702. How are buildings demolished? How do you win the lottery? Do aliens exist? Is breast milk best? Does it rain more in rocky areas? Why did life evolve and replicate? Can transplants resolve genetic syndromes? Plus, scientists turn carbon dioxide into coal. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Mar 01, 201923 minEp. 457

Are we getting smarter?

Chris Smith from The Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions. Why are hail stones different sizes? Why do my palms get sweaty? Why do animals moult? What happens if you stop eating sugar? and more. Plus flicking the suicide switch on tuberculosis. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Feb 22, 201923 minEp. 456

What's CERN all about?

What's CERN all about? What is epigenetics, and how is it different to genetics? Why doesn't ice always freeze clear? How does carbon capture work? Why do my eyes go red when I'm drunk? Plus in the news, a new kind of painkiller. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Feb 15, 201921 minEp. 455

Will Japan retrieve an asteroid sample?

The Japanese mission to bring back a sample of an asteroid, are changes in Earth's magnetic field linked to climate change, what causes tip-of-the-tongue experiences when you cannot remember a word, why does the Moon look much larger on the horizon, how do farts form and can farts be harnessed to power things? And is a TV screen next to my bed bad for me? Will mobile phone use do me harm? Why flowers and chocolates for Valentine's Day? Join Dr Chris for this week's crop of questions and answers....

Feb 08, 201930 minEp. 454

Can marijuana kill cancer?

Does marijuana help with cancer? How can one sibling be smart and another be stupid? Are we alone in the Universe? Can vitamin D kill cancer? Plus, male contraception. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Feb 01, 201918 minEp. 453

Why do we get butterflies?

Why do we get butterflies in our stomach? Why is singing in tune difficult? What does vitamin K do? Is aluminium foil safe? How do you measure metres above sea level? Can cold water make you wee more? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Jan 25, 201919 minEp. 452

Is the sky really blue?

Is the sky actually blue? Does petrol go off? What causes myeloma? Why are chicken eggs different colours? If salt melts ice, why are icebergs frozen? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Jan 18, 201918 minEp. 451

Do animals get jet lag?

Why does dog poo change colour? What happens to the brain when we're sleeping? Do animals also get jet lag? Is time travel possible? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Jan 11, 201924 minEp. 450

How do they get the stripes into toothpaste?

How do you measure time when traveling close to light speed? How do you predict the weather? Why don't zebras look dirty? How do they get the stripes into toothpaste? Why do wheels look like they spin backwards? Why can some people move their ears? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Jan 04, 201923 minEp. 449

Why does chilli make my head itch?

Why don't birds get electrocuted on an electric fence? Why do I want to sing along to tunes I know? Does a cut onion soak up toxins from the air? Is Everest really the tallest mountain? Why does chilli make my head itch after I've shaved off my hair? What's the prospect of terraforming Mars? And can women synchronise their periods? Plus, news of the New Horizon's probes fly-by of Kuiper Belt Object (KBO) Ultima Thule, with Chris Smith and Eusebius McKaiser... Like this podcast? Please help us by...

Dec 21, 201820 minEp. 448

Why do I appear upside down in a spoon?

Why do I appear upside down in a spoon? Is the Universe getting bigger or smaller? What would Earth be like if we had two moons? What's the atomic weight of silver? Why does my bum tingle when I get my hair cut? If water can expand why can't it compact? Why do animals never run in a straight line? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Dec 14, 201824 minEp. 447

Can I catch germs from a cockroach?

Can I catch germs from cockroaches? How does the shape of the ear tell you where something is? If the Universe is expanding, is it being pushed or pulled? Is rain water better for crops than irrigation? What's the difference between macro and micro evolution? Do men enjoy spice more than women? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Nov 30, 201827 minEp. 446

Can we create blood in the lab?

How do we tell where a sound is coming from? Why does wine taste differently after many years? Why can't we manufacture blood? Why was Pluto downgraded? Plus, a new blood test for cancer. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Nov 23, 201819 minEp. 445

What is spooky action at a distance?

How do mosquitoes find you in the dark? How do muons reach the earth? Do long-term partners end up looking alike? What is spooky action at a distance? Why do things go black when they're burnt? Why can I hear rain all the time? Plus, redefining the kilogram. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Nov 16, 201821 minEp. 444

What causes double rainbows?

What is deja vu? Why do certain magnets attract? Why do tea stains form in a ring? Can you scientifically work out someone's date of birth? How does mercury and lead stay in your body? Do mermaids exist? Do helium balloons defy gravity? What causes a double rainbows? Why does oxidised cholesterol cause heart attacks? Plus the life saving backpack for bees! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Nov 09, 201821 minEp. 443

Can phantom limb pain be treated?

Can overhead electrical cables interfere with radio signals? Are diesel and petrol made differently? What is a vasectomy? Can phantom limb pain be treated? Are memories passed on through your genes? How much water does it take to boil an egg? Can surgery fix collapsed vertebrae? Is a woman genetically related to her child who was concieved with a donor egg? Plus, scientists help people potentially paralysed with spinal chord injury to walk again. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting t...

Nov 02, 201823 minEp. 442

Why do we need sleep?

Why do we need sleep? How do tides work? Could aliens already be here that we simply can't detect? Plus, how being bird-brained isn't such a bad thing. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Oct 25, 201819 minEp. 441

Can humans slow down time?

How do scientists calculate the mass and velocity of planets? Why does time slow down during accidents? Is table salt bad for us? Why do cockroaches end up on their backs when they die? Will other primates become human? Plus, a lumpy Earth! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Oct 11, 201823 minEp. 440

How did life begin on Earth?

Is our galaxy moving around? How did life begin? Why do my feet only sometimes sweat? How do you explain the big bang? Why do people think the moon landing was faked? Where does foam on the sea come from? Plus, the Nobel prizes! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Oct 04, 201822 minEp. 439

Do paternity tests work on identical twin fathers?

Do serious hurricanes only occur in the Northern hemisphere? Is the Y chromosome a mutated X chromosome? Does a blood transfusion change your DNA? Plus, the gene drive on the most dangerous animal in the world; the mosquito. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Sep 27, 201817 minEp. 438

How can smoking marijuana affect your health?

How do we know the earth is round? Why do some people make noises during sex? Why do crabs move sideways? Why are some parts of the sea violent with lots of waves, whereas others aren't? How can smoking marijuana affect your health? How can some female bees reproduce without males? What causes motion sickness? And why do some females grow facial hair? Plus, scientists in Australia have uncovered evidence of the earliest animal... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientis...

Sep 20, 201820 minEp. 437

How dangerous are shisha pipes?

Does Mars have layers like Earth? Is shisha dangerous? Why does cold water make my toothache worse, but cold beer doesn't? Does cleaning vegetables with baking powder work? Do any two humans have the same fingerprint? Why do I sleep talk? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Sep 13, 201821 minEp. 436

What makes strange quarks strange?

What is so strange about a strange quark? Why do I sweat when I'm eating? Why don't things weigh more on Everest? Why does my speedometer in my car and app show different things? How does a heat shield work? How does alcohol affect people of different sizes? Chris Smith takes on your questions and more in this week's episode of Ask! The Naked Scientists... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Sep 07, 201819 minEp. 435

Can atoms die?

Can atoms die? How does fasting influence diabetics? If you burn polystyrene is it dangerous? Is it possible to grow trees on Mars? How important is fat for baby brains? How long before the planet is overpopulated? Do butterflies taste with their feet? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Aug 30, 201824 minEp. 434

Why do galaxies spin?

Do galaxies turn clockwise or anticlockwise? What's the difference between dark matter and dark energy? Why do older people have quivering voices? Why is our planet called Earth? How do bionic eyes work? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Aug 23, 201823 minEp. 433

Why do women live for longer than men?

Why do women live longer than men? How do birds fly in a group? Why do loose stones hit my windshield? Why are some cremated ashes white and others grey? What's the point of a sneeze? Plus, engineering better batteries. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Aug 16, 201822 minEp. 432

Are Phobias Hereditary?

Are phobias hereditary? Does hair grow after death? Do we really share 5% of DNA with Neanderthals? Why do some people have such good memories? Why is the sea salty? Could we lock away all the carbon dioxide? And also, how to stop the body absorbing dietary fat.... Africa - Dr Chris Smith joining us on the line. It's always a pleasure to talk to you when I can. Chris good morning,Chris - Hey Africa, it's good to catch up again.Africa - It is indeed. Let's start off with this interesting story ou...

Aug 10, 201820 minEp. 431

How are stars born?

Why are some stars second generation? Why is yawning contagious? Why is the moon moving away from us? What causes lag on live broadcasts? Why can't you put metal in a microwave? How do stars form? Plus, organ transplant discovery. Chris Smith joins Eusebius McKaiser to find out... Eusebius - Our science story is a fascinating one. Bioengineers - how close are they to lab-grown lungs?Chris - Yeah amazing this isn't it? We know that millions of people around the world need organ transplants. We kn...

Aug 03, 201821 minEp. 430

Why does marijuana cause the munchies?

Can we harness the power of the ocean for electricity? Why are some people lucky? Can I stop my plant from fruiting? Why do my eyes go red when I smoke a joint? Are cigarettes or joints worse for you? Plus, water on Mars. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Jul 26, 201820 minEp. 429

Can we harness the power of lightning?

How much water do we lose in a day? What's the best way to drink a scotch? Can we harness the power of lightning? Can things move faster than the speed of light? Are things that burn totally destroyed? Could a cable run from earth to space to generate energy? Would exercise just before bed help weight loss? Can we have solar panels instead of windows? Plus, how does circumcising affect populations? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists...

Jul 19, 201819 minEp. 428
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