Ask the Naked Scientists
Episodes
Why won't water burn?
08 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week, the Covid-19 crisis in India and why it's happening, we discuss why water, despite being replete with hydrogen and oxygen which burn readil...
Why don't animals have green fur?
30 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week, why it's more comfortable to look at the Sun on the horizon compared with when it's directly overhead, why dogs pee on upright objects, whe...
Low platelets, but blood clots. Why?
19 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If the AZ vaccine causes blood clots, why do affected individuals have low platelets, which should make clotting less likely? Also, when the Earth wob...
Why halt the Johnson and Johnson Vaccine?
16 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Smith and Kieno Kammies discuss the latest on blood clots and Covid-19 vaccines, including the US and South Africa decisions to halt use of the ...
Flu and Covid-19 vaccines together?
14 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Should I get vaccinated despite previous Covid-19 infection? Can I get a combined flu and Covid-19 shot? Why can't my pharmacist give me a Covid jab i...
Why do masks stop Covid-19 but not smells?
26 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The people that don't believe Covid-19 is real, how ants smell out sources of food, how soda water makes you burp, a way to banish ants, what would yo...
If I've had Covid-19, do I need a vaccine?
22 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Why are the EU posturing around AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine, and what will be the consequences? And if you've already caught coronavirus, should yo...
Do catwalk models have more neck bones?
12 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Why is the Moon moving away from the Earth, and what would have been the consequence of it being closer to us millions of years ago? Also, why does Co...
Will not having sex harm my health?
08 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Why do we fall asleep when we don't want to? Will going without sex harm your health? Why do aircraft resort to black boxes when they could send data ...
Why haven't we evolved not to age?
27 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Good news on the Covid-19 vaccine front from the UK, why South Africa isn't using AstraZeneca's vaccine, is the Universe under threat from "strangelet...
Why does Covid come in waves?
15 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Will loud music deafen my dog? Why are some dog breeds more docile than others? Why do Covid-19 outbreaks follow cycles of boom and bust? What gives a...
Can teeth fillings tune in to radio waves?
05 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week we talk vaccines for Covid-19, especially the Novavax trial results, and hear why it might be possible to tune into radio waves with your te...
Are the Covid-19 vaccines safe?
26 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Dr Chris and Kieno Kammies talk Covid-19 vaccinations, explore whether ivermectin might be a helpful coronavirus drug, explain how maggots ...
Am I a snake: my yawns spray saliva!
22 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week, journey times to Mars, how stars come by the matter inside them, why some people feel compelled to eat paper, how coronavirus antibody leve...
Can you swallow upside down?
18 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Aza catches coronavirus, Covid-19 vaccines, viral variants and where are the mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 genome, can you still swallow when...
Why do you float on the Dead Sea?
11 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How do energy drinks give you a buzz? Why do planets orbit on a plane? Should we test for Covid-19 infection before we vaccinate? Do energy drinks cau...
Why car indicators flash at different rates
18 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How do point of care tests for Covid-19 work? Are they any good? How infectious are people asymptomatically infected with Covid-19? Why do different c...
Why is it dark in space?
08 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
An update on the Pfizer vaccine for Covid-19, the lotto likelihood of sequential winning numbers, why swallows congregate around motorway bridges, the...
Why shave sheep in winter?
04 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Why shear a sheep in winter when it's cold? And can animals count? Why do geese and turkeys chase people? Also, how does coronavirus infection alter o...
Can we taste through our fingers?
27 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Why did touching something make me taste metal? Also, what's the best liver detox, why does listening to loud music stop a stammer, does music help at...
Why does my Coke froth up when I add ice?
17 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Why does my Coke froth up when I add ice? How is an oesophageal stricture treated? Does immunity to other coronaviruses confer immunity to Covid-19? C...
Why fidgeters are less fat
06 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, why teenagers can feel moody, what causes restless leg syndrome, fidgeting and obesity, Covid-19 genetic risk factors, whether potatoes can...
Do named painkiller brands work better?
04 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What's the best way to avoid mosquito bites, and a suggestion that tomatoes ward the insects off. Also, why cookers heat some parts of pans better tha...
Why only use big dogs as sniffer dogs?
30 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Vitamin D for coronavirus? Narcissism and the brain. Why use big dogs as sniffer dogs? Understanding conversations in noisy places, and why that gets ...
Would a fat person last longer in a famine?
26 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Can omnivores switch their diets to survive on whatever is available? Would a fat person last longer in a famine? How does serology help in the manage...
What would a brain transplant feel like?
19 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The virtual reality system for visualising molecules, where Covid-19 came from, what would a brain transplanted individual experience, where did all t...
How does all that web fit inside a spider?
17 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How a tiny spider can spin so much silk, how the moon's cycle affects human behaviour, the effect of body weight on bone mass, the reason people have ...
How does body weight affect the skeleton?
12 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hyenas everywhere in the Kruger, but why so many? How does the human skeleton respond to changing body weight? Why remove and dump a whale carcass whe...
Donald Trump diagnosed with Covid
02 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Donald Trump diagnosed with Covid-19, SNP MP Margaret Ferrier takes two trains despite coronavirus infection, and the answers to why toddlers have pot...
Toilet bleach: what's best, thick or thin?
25 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Would a baby exposed to 5 languages from birth learn all of them? Toilet bleach: what's best, thick or thin? Are new varieties of fruits equally good ...
How does alcohol in hand sanitiser work?
20 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How do different tasks recruit different parts of the brain? What's the story of potential life on Venus? How long to boil the perfect egg? What's hom...
Covid-19: Has the world over-reacted?
13 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What causes new infections, like Covid-19, to emerge in the first place? Why does the same temperature seem to feel colder in the day than it does at ...
Would sea level rise if we all went swimming?
07 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Why does sugar get onion smells off my skin? Are aluminium cooking pots harmful to health? Why don't hail stones make holes in leaves? What causes hea...
Asymptomatic Covid-19, and where space starts
04 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
At what temperature does the new coronavirus survive the best? Is there a tension between science and religion? Are food additives harmful? Why is cov...
How animals eat venomous snakes and not die
31 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr Chris and 567 CapeTalk's Kieno Kammies to hear why certain sounds make us shudder, whether you should sunbathe in winter, why Donald Trump is ...
Why do I look upside down in a spoon?
24 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week climate records and snow in Australia. We also explain why reflections in a spoon are upside down? Would an astronaut adrift in space be fri...
Will living next to a 5G mast harm my health?
21 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How do induction loops in the road control traffic lights? Are there any health threats from 5G masts? Why do we yawn and why are yawns infectious? Wh...
What causes a dead leg?
17 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What's happening when your arm or leg goes to sleep? What is the odds that ET exists elsewhere in the Universe? Is there a "right" way to sleep? What ...
How bacteria and viruses turn drug resistant
14 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Why we love music, the reason that standing on one leg becomes a challenge with age, how bacteria and viruses become drug resistant, how plants swap c...
Why does my barbecue smoke follow me around?
07 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The science of explosions, including what happens when brake fluid and hypochlorite mix, and what blew up in Beirut, why lemons make you grimace, the ...
Can birds carry Covid-19?
02 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How supermarkets ripen fruits and vegetables, how people knew space existed before they went there, whether Covid-19 can infect birds, the advent of s...
Can I catch Covid19 from a library book?
27 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Evidence for Russian Covid-19 vaccine espionage, whether minicabs spread coronavirus infection, whether Covid-19 can cling to a library book, how to s...
Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis
19 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week what is special about the word pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, and, more importantly, what does it mean? Also, how do viruses...
Is time travel possible?
12 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, how blood transfusions from individuals who exercise could take decades off the brain ages of recipients, the toenails that refuse to grow,...
Why is it easier to park a car in reverse?
08 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, the intriguing question of how visible light, but not microwaves, can escape through the grille of a microwave oven, how far Earth and Mars...
How fast does a decapitated head stop seeing?
03 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What causes phantom limb pain? How does the bladder control when it fills and empties? What the F are food E numbers? Where does medical oxygen come f...
How long am I infectious with COVID19?
01 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, if something could move faster than light, how would we detect its speed? Also, why do we cry, and why do the experiences of others make my...
Does a mirror multiply light?
24 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The UK eases the lockdown... a little bit, what makes our eyes move together, what makes Earth so special when it comes to supporting life, how long d...
Why don't birds get cold feet?
12 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week how birds keep warm in winter, how long to recover from ventilation for Covid-19, when do doctors need to ventilate a patient, seeing your o...
101 ways to sterilise a facemask
06 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How to sterilise a facemask: will zapping it in a microwave oven, or steaming it over a kettle work? What's the deal with UVC to kill coronaviruses? A...
Where does methanol come from in home brew?
01 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week where methanol comes from in home brewing, 5G and the coronavirus conspiracies, why cut flowers still need water, rice behaving bizarrely in...
Are my muscles more efficient than a car?
25 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Engine efficiency, what happens when the Earth's magnetic field flips, what is a solar minimum, why are some people shorter than others and what cause...
What are the thin bones in chicken wings for?
15 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Antibody tests for Covid-19, do mild Covid cases produce as many antibodies as more severe infections, what is covid viral load, where did the water o...
Can blood group affect Covid-19 risk?
08 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Rasmussen's encephalitis and brain surgery, are packages safe from coronavirus contamination, do blood groups affect Covid-19 risk, why doe...
Can a common cold confuse a coronavirus test?
01 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sending children back to school, the role of different facemasks in controlling coronavirus spread, whether common colds are confusing coronavirus tes...
UV light therapy for coronavirus? No Mr Trump
24 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to coronavirus and the lockdown, are we at risk of a treatment worse than the disease? Also is UV the new therapy for Covid-19, as Mr. T...
Will lockdown lead to a fitter coronavirus?
19 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, are we breeding a fitter coronavirus? Lockdown measures suppress spread, but do they select for a virus with superior spreading power? Also...
Can coronavirus be carried in semen?
10 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, coronavirus infection in big cats, how new diseases emerge in the first place, whether face masks work against coronavirus, can Covid-19 sp...
What does Earth look like inside?
04 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, how did birds dodge the dinosaur apocalypse? Why does my rug climb the wall? How can we make a country richer? What does Earth look like in...
Is Covid-19 a problem in pregnancy?
31 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What is Covid-19? Are masks worth wearing to protect against coronavirus infection? How does flu compare with coronavirus infection? Do gloves help pr...
If I've had COVID-19, am I immune?
20 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Why are people stockpiling? Why does no one remind people not to smoke? Why are some songs music to my ears but a cacophony for others? What determine...
Cancel matches to combat coronavirus?
13 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Coronavirus conundrum: how best to block to the spread of the virus. Also, we discuss insect and spider bites, why plastic is such a problem for the o...
What else do mosquitoes eat?
21 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Do blood groups affect mosquito preference for who they bite? What else do mosquitoes eat when they are not drinking blood? What is anger? How do bloo...
What's gut instinct?
14 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we answer Paul's question about the size of a diamond you could make with the carbon in a piece of coal, we discuss where butterflies in yo...
Did the new coronavirus come from pangolins?
10 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Data on the Chinese emerging coronavirus and did it come from pangolins? Why does glassware look more shiny when wet? How does the body fight off vira...
How long do viruses linger in the air?
07 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What's the latest on the coronavirus situation? Do facemasks protect against viruses? Can we use nuclear bombs to combat climate change? Are artificia...
How many megapixels is my eye?
24 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, what's the resolution of the human eye? Would nanobots be attacked by our immune systems? How small would a squash ball lump of coal be if ...
Only one of my bottles of water froze
17 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, why only one bottle of water froze while others remained liquid; do hot drinks cool you down? What's phlegm and is it safe to swallow? Is h...
Can bacteria eat plastic?
10 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, will a walk benefit my waistline; can bacteria eat plastic? Is it just humans that get prostate cancer? What limits the length of body hair...
What causes floaters in your eyes?
03 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to 2020! And in our first show out of the gate this decade, we explore the science of excessive sweating; how you can get an egg within an egg...
Where do road corrugations come from?
20 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
How might a sore throat be linked to a hear problem? Are elevated toilet cisterns better at flushing the toilet? What's your take on aliens and the pa...
Virus vs bacterium: what's worse?
13 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What's an exponential dilemma? Why do copper bangles make your wrist go green? What causes hot flushes associated with menopause? Which is worse, viru...
Is mercury in vaccines safe?
09 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Why are preservatives, including mercury compounds like thiomersal, added to vaccines? What is "invert sugar" and is it better for my teeth? How does ...
How do hard water and soft water differ?
29 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
How does water-based water-repellent paint work? Did a burger on top of my normally vegetarian diet cause my belly ache? Why has no one invented a sil...
Does Prince Andrew not sweat in nightclubs?
22 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Do flu jabs really work? What's a TB gland? Can Prince Andrew really not sweat? Why does pinching your nose halt a sneeze? How old is the Earth and ho...
Does swimming after lunch really cause cramp?
15 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This week we're exploring why swimming on a full stomach might cause a cramp, whether it's really true that joints ache more when the weather's cold, ...
Are bananas sterile inside?
08 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What are the medical risks and benefits of silver? Is what I call a smell the same experience for you? And why do some things smell appealing, but not...
Where would a bullet fired in space end up?
01 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Does holding a car remote to your head really improve its range? What would happen to a bullet fired off the International Space Station? How did a ma...
Will salt make my pasta cook quicker?
25 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Why is salt needed in an old-fashioned ice-cream maker? Are gravity and electromagnetism the same, and could we build a big enough electromagnet to re...
What actually is a shooting star?
22 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Is it ethical to grow a brain organoid in a dish? What's a shooting star? Do food preservatives build up in the body? What is cancer and why is it so ...
Can you suffocate under a duvet?
18 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Why does alcohol affect different people differently? What's the difference between white and brown sugar, and is the brown form healthier? Can you su...
How does the brain work?
10 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What will phenomics do for medicine? Is the limbic system in conflict with the brain's pre-frontal cortex? How does the brain actually work? And what ...
What does 2 degrees warming mean?
27 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What makes a brain creative? How do viruses, and the flu, evolve? When did ancient civilisations realise there were 365 days in a year? Has the LHC di...
Why won't vaseline melt in the microwave?
20 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This week: plummeting bird populations; the global climate strike; whether blood-letting benefits high blood pressure; why vaseline won't melt in the ...
Why am I addicted to eating toilet paper?
11 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Is flying a threat to glaucoma? Do blood groups affect diet? Is 5G harmful to my health? Why do cats have vertical pupils? What is candida infection a...
Do wild animals snore?
06 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Smith from the Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions. What's the link between humidity and temperature? Is cooked meat or food healthier than...
How long does a body take to decompose?
30 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
How long does a body take to decompose? Why is spinach difficult to digest? How can you find natural water sources? Can stem cells repair retinitis pi...
What is the Earth's murmur?
23 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Smith from the Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions. Why do you sometimes see a half moon at sunrise? Why do some body hairs never go grey? ...
Are magnets a good source of electricity?
16 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Smith from the Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions. Can you use magnets as a source of electricity? Does chemotherapy make you lose hair fr...
Why do birds swoop in front of cars?
04 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Smith from the Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions. Why do men go bald on the tops of their heads first? Do we really share 50% of our DNA ...
Do dogs recognise their reflections?
26 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Smith from the Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions. Do dogs recognise themselves in the mirror? Why is the sky blue? Why doesn't mitochondr...
Is the Moon a piece of planet Earth?
19 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This week, on its 50th Anniversary, Dr Chris reflects on the Apollo 11 Moon landings, explores the basis of Bell's Palsy, explains the origins of an i...
Are we really related to Neanderthals?
12 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Smith from the Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions. Why might someone with diabetes lose a limb? How can you predict a dangerous solar flar...
Can local honey cure hay fever?
05 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Smith from The Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions on Cape Talk. Do we need an appendix? How does the Sun burn when there's no oxygen in sp...
Why do humans have cannabis receptors?
03 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Why do flies exist? Could sound propel a spaceship? Why do humans have receptors for tetrahydrocannabinol in their brains? How do cars calculate their...
Do microwaves damage food?
27 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Why do achilles tendons snap, and can they be strengthened? Are gingers disappearing? Why does crying make your voice shake? Why can't we accurately p...
Why does alcohol make me dizzy?
26 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This week we discuss the Naked Scientists experiment to test a scream in space, explain why some people sneeze so loudly, ask where standard weights a...
Why do we hum?
20 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Smith from The Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions. Can contact eyes make your eyes better than perfect vision? How intense can deja-vu be?...
Why does water bubble when it boils?
19 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Join Africa Melane and Dr Chris for this week's round-up of science questions from the South African Cape, including why we can open the doors of a he...
Why do bright lights trigger sneezes?
13 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Smith from The Naked Scientists takes on YOUR questions with Eusebius McKasier from talk radio 702. Could gravity from my first-floor apartment ...