Ask the Naked Scientists

Do our voices change as we age?

11 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Is there a cure for flu? Can your genetic engineering make you smart? How far are we from designer genes? Can we cure HIV? Do our voices change as w...

What can cure a hangover?

24 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

How do birds wake up at the same time each day? How does quantum computing work? Why do we feel hot even when the room is cooler than body temperature...

What causes deja vu?

10 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Why do we mishear lyrics? What causes deja vu? Where have all the bees gone? Do mermaids exist? Does God exist? What causes deja vu? Plus, synthetic g...

Why do I get a stitch when I run?

03 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Why do I get a stitch when I run? Is there such thing as baby brain? Is exercise good for you? Do the lines on your hand mean anything? How does altit...

What caused the Big Bang?

24 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Why are tooth aches more likely at night? Can chemo affect iron levels in your body? Why is there oil beneath the earth? What caused the big bang? Can...

Are cell towers bad for you?

17 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Why do chilies burn my fingers? How dangerous are cell towers to your health? Who names cyclones? Do white and black people have different body tem...

Why do wheels sometimes seem to spin backwards?

03 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Why is it that wheels look like they're going backwards? Why does my car give me static shocks? If you move an ant will it find its way home? Can yo...

Can cannabis cure MS?

27 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Is the earth round or flat? Can you have two snowflakes that are alike? Would medicinal marijuana help with MS and Alzheimer's? Why does your mouth he...

What should I eat before an exam?

20 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

What are the best foods to eat before and during exams? How do you get heavy metal poisoning? Why do you develop allergies? Why would soap help clean ...

Can people predict their own deaths?

13 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Why are dreams so realistic? When should you move your babies onto solids? Can people predict their own deaths? Am I allergic to exercise? Plus, the w...

How does pepper spray work?

02 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Why can't I eat fruit? How well do polar bears smell, and how do we know? How does marijuana affect your brain? How does pepper spray work? Like this...

How did speech evolve?

25 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

How did speech evolve, why do you need bacteria and fish food for aquaponic systems, do growth factors in anti-ageing creams really work, what treatme...

What are the consequences of nuclear war?

18 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Could the universe be more than a coincidence, what's causing a burning skin sensation, does milk cause breast cancer, are statins effective for high ...

Do microwaves remove nutrients from food?

11 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Is the Earth flat, do microwaves kill nutrients, why do eggs have whites and yolks, what advancements are there in the treatment of tinnitus and what ...

How do you stop HIV spreading?

04 Nov 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Why do other people's fart smell worse than your own, why do storms turn swimming pools green, how do we stop HIV spreading, what's the difference bet...

What would happen if the Earth stopped spinning?

27 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

How can I find out about my biological age, how can you stop a panic attack, how can you treat Polymyalgia Rheumatica, are detoxing products just a ma...

Where do children get their intelligence?

20 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Are there increases in miscarriage rates, why are rats used in experiments, could we use developments in cartilage growth to treat scaphoid wrist frac...

Do we use all of our brain?

13 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Why does the BCG vaccine cause swelling, where does moisturiser go when you put it on your face, what are the side effects of sickle-cell anaemia medi...

How do we see distant stars?

06 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Is autophagy linked to autoimmune diseases, what could cause unilateral spinal dysfunction, what is adrenal fatigue and how do we see distant stars? P...

How does radiation escape black holes?

29 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

How do we get bright images of planets, why do distant lights appear to blink, how does radiation escape black holes, what could cause a loss of smell...

Could the Earth be a living creature?

22 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Could planet Earth be a living creature, how do they name medicines, what's the difference between a heart attack and a cardiomyopathy, how do HIV pro...

Why are men hairier than women?

15 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Why are men hairier than women, how can a cockroach survive a microwave, why is our poo brown when we eat colourful food, why is the reflection on a s...

How do birds sit on electric wires?

01 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

How do birds sit on electric wires without getting hurt, why does hot weather cause nose bleeds, how do probiotics treat vaginal thrush, is there a c...

Why doesn't vodka freeze?

25 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

If the ice caps are made of freshwater, how did they form from a salt water ocean? How do baby lobsters eat jellyfish without getting stung? Why doesn...

What's it like on Mars?

18 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Why do we catch colds on holiday? If a fly takes off inside a car, why doesn't it get flung to the back? What are the latest treatments for macular de...

Why did the Olympic swimming pool turn green?

11 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Why did the Olympic swimming pool turn green? Is it normal to get hiccoughs after eating spicy food? How accurate is carbon dating, and are there diff...

How do tornadoes form?

28 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Why do I feel an electric current if I touch the wall when I'm lying on my electric blanket, is it possible to absorb vitamin D through glass, what ha...

Why do dogs have wet noses?

21 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Why do dogs have wet noses, when a fly hits a train does the train slow down, why do our ears keep growing as we age, why don't animals die when they ...

What's the science in palm reading?

14 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

How does wireless charging work, why do people have different coloured eyes, is drinking water from plastic bottles bad for your health, is there any ...

How old is the Universe?

07 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

How old is the universe? What is the big bang? How did the universe begin? What happens when you power nap? What is the science behind black holes? Wh...

Zika vaccine effective in mice

30 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Can the vaccines that protect mice against the Zika raise the hope of a human vaccine? What are the symptoms for a disease known as lichen planus? Wha...

Why are mosquito bites so itchy?

23 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Can we come up with a new way of managing mosquito infections? Can a cure for Zika virus lie in an inflammatory cream? How does the bonding process be...

Why does standing up make you see stars?

16 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Why is water's molecular composition one oxygen and two hydrogens, could strong magnets on cars stop crashes, what is the VY Canis Majoris, can salt b...

What causes light to move?

09 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

How does light move without force, is there a connection between migraines and an electrical storm, what causes Parkinson's Disease, how do you treat ...

How do we vomit?

02 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Do the chemicals in our food cause cancer, how do we vomit, how does the moon affect the tides, do tonsils extend vocal range, is cancer more common i...

A new way of keeping time?

26 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Why do you get dark circles under your eyes, could animal blood be used for human transplants, could we dry out silica packets in the microwave, does ...

Is rewarming food dangerous?

19 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Is rewarming food dangerous, what does uranium look like and how do you find it, does olive oil become toxic when it's heated, how can you treat aller...

Can we 3D print teeth?

05 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Can we 3D print teeth, how does air conditioning remove condensation from a car, how do helicopter blades carry a helicopter without breaking, why don...

Do planes change the weather?

21 Apr 2016

Contributed by Lukas

How do flu jabs really work? Should you refrain from sex before a sports competition? Why don't we sneeze when we're sleeping? Could we use stem cell ...

Why do you shudder when you wee?

07 Apr 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Are waves slowed by kelp, is there a neural basis for societal differences, why is there more rain after a thunder storm, why do electric stoves keep ...

How do we get vitamin D from sunlight?

18 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

If I was on another planet would we see stars the same way? Why do we measure rain in ml? How do we get vitamin D from sunlight? How accurate are DNA ...

Do antioxidants prevent cancer?

11 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Do antioxidants prevent cancer, how does hypnosis work, how does exercise impact cancer, do girls whistle worse than boys, how does exercise affect we...

How do they film fast moving golf balls?

04 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Why do mosquitoes prefer me over my husband? How do they film fast moving golf balls? And if I received a kidney transplant, could I then donate my ki...

Why do we get butterflies in our stomach?

26 Feb 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Why are there warm patches in the sea, why do we get butterflies in our stomachs, does skin absorb face cream and is a magnetic field energy? Plus in ...

How big is a drop?

19 Feb 2016

Contributed by Lukas

How big is a drop, how do you measure gravitational waves, how do we get accents, why is there thunder after a heatwave and how do trees know when to ...

What are Gravitational Waves?

12 Feb 2016

Contributed by Lukas

What are gravitational waves and how were they found? What is UHT milk, why do stars look like pinpricks of light, what are shin splints, and is movin...

What Keeps the Sun Burning?

11 Dec 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Could humans evolve to one sex, what is the difference between a hydrogen and an atomic bomb, can eczema be caused by a virus, what keeps the sun burn...

How safe is an old microwave?

27 Nov 2015

Contributed by Lukas

How does loneliness affect your health, why is it less windy in the morning, is giving blood good for you, are sugar calories different to other calor...

Why does Jacob Zuma giggle in parliament?

20 Nov 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Why does Jacob Zuma giggle in parliament? Antimatter and Dark Matter; why snails like to eat cigarette filters; rusty water cisterns; why tupperware s...

Do Animals Have Blood Groups?

13 Nov 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Where does water come from, what would have happened if the dinosaurs hadn't been wiped out, does rheumatoid arthritis ever go away, do animals have b...

What is the universe made of?

30 Oct 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What is the universe made of? Can neutrinos really travel faster than the speed of light? Will robots ever take over the world? How does wind form? Wh...

What causes stuttering?

16 Oct 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What happens to the rubber that comes off tyres, what causes stuttering, how do living things produce oil, why do you develop allergies in adulthood, ...

Do people have free will?

09 Oct 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What was before the big bang? Does turning off your heating intermittently actually save energy? Can you prove or disprove free will? Why are flies at...

Where do deleted texts go?

02 Oct 2015

Contributed by Lukas

How does sugar addiction happen? Where do deleted emails go? Plus, flowing water on Mars. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Sc...

Why do wires tangle?

25 Sep 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Why do wires tangle? Is borehole water drinkable? Does sea water evaporate? Why are there no more intelligent hominids except humans? How are mountain...

Should we drink wee?

18 Sep 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What causes sleep paralysis? Is urine beneficial to drink? Can we clone from fossils? How can galactic collisions occur? What is the difference betwee...

Where did Homo naledi come from?

11 Sep 2015

Contributed by Lukas

How old are the Homo naledi remains? How do nails end up in tyres to cause punctures? How did the H. naledi people see in the dark cave where the rema...

How can a headless chicken run?

28 Aug 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Does the intensity of the sun influence water evaporation, what reasons could there be for a sudden drop in heart rate, how do fixed drug erruptions w...

What determines your blood type?

21 Aug 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Is DNA set to replace the harddrive? Chris told us about a story where DNA could be used to store digital information and preserve essential knowledge...

Can you microwave a cockroach?

14 Aug 2015

Contributed by Lukas

The Naked Scientist told us about a possible universal flu vaccine that is being researched. We then opened the lines to listeners to call in with the...

How does rice fix a waterlogged phone?

07 Aug 2015

Contributed by Lukas

How do humans generate body heat, how does rice fix a waterlogged phone, how does a thermos flask store hot water without expanding from the steam, wh...

Can you use a sonic boom as a weapon?

31 Jul 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Why do we get nosebleeds? Can you use a sonic boom as a weapon? Is it healthy to sleep under a blanket? What will happen when the sun dies? Why does s...

Are intelligent people more prone to depression?

24 Jul 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Are intelligent people more prone to depression? Will we ever exceed the speed of light? What can survive inside a human stomach? Can rhymes help you ...

Why does the placebo effect work?

17 Jul 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Why does the placebo effect work? Why do we get goosebumps? Why does scratching relieve itches? How can you fix bad breath? Why is it hard to wee if s...

Does food affect your mood?

10 Jul 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Do tall people swim faster? Why is Cholera so difficult to kill and get rid of? If there's so much cell regeneration in our bodies, why do we get old ...

How high can a fly fly?

03 Jul 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Are polarised or non-polarised sunglasses better for your eyes? How high can a fly fly? Can botox make my face more symmetrical? Why aren't we equally...

Why does the Earth hum?

19 Jun 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What is the Earth made from? Has the Voyager 1 spacecraft reached the edge of our solar sytem? Why do you lose your appetite when you feel unwell? How...

What does Botox do to your face?

12 Jun 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Does Botox harm your face? Why is the speed of aircraft limted? Does the cause of death determine the rate of decomposition of the body? Do only green...

What happens when you swallow gum?

05 Jun 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when you swallow gum? Can we use animal blood for donation? Is there intelligent life out there? Can you eat glass safely? Would you deco...

Does truth serum work?

29 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

If it's only female mosquitoes that drink our blood, what do male mosquitoes feed on? How do we know how old human remains are? What is truth serum an...

Why don't babies laugh when they are born?

22 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What would happen if I ate glass? Can you stop epileptic fits by removing a section of the brain? When we lose weight, where does the fat go? If we re...

Can you stop a yawn with a finger?

08 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

The Naked Scientist answered listeners' weird and wonderful questions including: why babies tummies look swollen; why we vomit if others vomit; and ho...

Why can't my cat catch my cold?

01 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Why do we develop allergies? Which tectonic plates caused the Nepalese earthquake? Could we use a car to generate electricity? Why can't my cat catch ...

Why can't I whistle as I get older?

24 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Where are mosquitoes during the winter? Does light therapy work? Can you get 20:20 vision back? Why can't I whistle as I get older? Why do I cough eve...

How does seedless fruit reproduce?

17 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Will we ever be able to record dreams? Why did our brains grow over time? How much water do you need to boil an egg? How does seedless fruit reproduc...

Can you use sound to control dreams?

10 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Do photons have mass? Can you control someones dreams? Can you get your kidney back after donating it to someone? What determines the colour of the se...

Live and Naked at 702

01 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Chris Smith and Victoria Gill appear at 702 in the flesh to answer questions from the audience and to conduct some illuminating experiments... Like th...

Why do we get goosebumps?

27 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What causes goosebumps? How close does lightning need to be to hurt you? Where is Voyager? What causes yawning? How do we perform automatic behaviour?...

What causes thunder and lightning?

20 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What causes thunder and lightning? Are some people resistant to HIV? Are vitamin supplements good for children? What does crystal meth do to your bra...

What is the sun made of?

13 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

How do satellites stay in orbit? Why do my fingernails grow at different speeds on each hand? What is the sun made of? Where did the liquid in my cans...

Can candles give you cancer?

06 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Is it safe to feed livestock to meat? What happens to the rubber that wears off from car tyres? Does water go down the drain in different directions? ...

Why do I get a stitch when I exercise?

27 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Why do I get a stitch when I exercise? What determines our body temperature? How quickly do fruit and vegetables lose nutrients after they are picked?...

Why does stress give me knots in my stomach?

20 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Why does stress give me knots in my stomach? Why don't I gain weight when I eat? How does sun cream work? Why does wheat give me gas? If we were to co...

Can animals predict the weather?

06 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Can we manufacture water? Should women eat uncastrated meat? Can animals predict the weather? Is there a loss of vitamin content in tinned food? If yo...

Why do we get brain freeze?

30 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Why do we get brain freeze? What happens to your arm when it goes to sleep? Why do clouds form? Do we really only use 10% of our brain? If we evolved ...

How do phantom limbs work?

23 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

How do phantom limbs work? Can power stations affect local weather? Plus, how to avoid jet lag and the snails that have weaponised insulin. Like this...

Is there such a thing as a 'baby brain'?

16 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Should I let my child run up and down stairs? Is crocodile bile deadly? Why don't animals in the wild bleed to death during child birth? Will there co...

Is there a cure for vertigo?

09 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Can we make longer lasting phone batteries? Is there a cure for vertigo? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why do pigeons bob their heads?

02 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

How do chameleons change colour? Why do pigeons bob their heads when they walk? How do railguns work? Can you freeze dry a body? What causes localised...

How do you get an old pen to work?

19 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Why does scribbling on paper get a pen to work? Why can't mules reproduce? How soon will they be able to lessen the effects of Multiple Sclerosis? Whe...

How do birds make eggs?

12 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

How do birds make eggs? Why do we cry for both happiness and sadness? Can neutrinos go faster than the speed of light? Why is it so hard to lose stom...

Why do banana peels go brown?

28 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Can you feel two pains at the same time? How can bottled water freeze instantly? Can a migrant dog understand his new neighbours? What is the pith ins...

Can comets reveal the future?

21 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

What is the latest on Ebola? Which human sense was the strongest in more primitive times? Can comets tell us about the future? How did our ancestors d...

Why aren't there any flying spiders?

14 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Is it possible to regrow brain cells? Why can't spiders fly? Can you survive with three kidneys? What causes a migraine? Plus, why lightning is striki...

What causes cataracts?

07 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Why do my fingernails grow quicker than my toenails? Why are yawns contagious? Do people with longer legs use less energy to run? What causes catarac...

Are Ebola survivors immune for life?

31 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Can a new stomach be grown in a dish? Are Ebola survivors immune from future infection? Why do injuries seem to hurt more later? Are there homosexual ...

Why do people talk to themselves?

24 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Why do people talk to themselves? Can cats cut your risk of a heart attack? Does salt help water boil quicker? Do women have an Adam's Apple? Plus, an...

Can the radio control my dreams?

10 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Why do I sneeze in bright light? Can the radio control my dreams? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Do flies have blood?

03 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Why did dinosaurs grow so large? Do flies have blood? Can chemotherapy get into the brain? Why do scorpions glow in UV light? Did we interbreed with N...

Why do some people sleepwalk?

26 Sep 2014

Contributed by Lukas

How is sea-level defined? What makes some people sleepwalk? How are barometers calibrated? What is an acquired taste? How much of the body is water? D...