CrowdScience
Episodes
How should we measure cleverness?
26 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Presenter Marnie Chesterton and the team pit their wits against a multitude of mind-bending puzzles from an old TV gameshow - all in the name of answe...
Were humans ever semi-aquatic?
19 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What evidence is there for a semi-aquatic period in human evolutionary history? That’s the question that’s been bothering listener Dave in Thailan...
Can planting trees solve the climate crisis?
12 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our question this week comes from a father and his two young boys. They want to know whether it’s possible to plant enough trees to soak up all t...
Will electric cars help solve noise pollution?
05 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Noise pollution from vehicles in the public space has a huge impact on human health. But as the world switches to quieter electric-powered means of tr...
2023 Year End Extravaganza, Part 2
29 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Part 2 of our year-end extravaganza and the final episode of 2023! We’ve had a brilliant year hunting down the answers to your science q...
2023 Year-End Extravaganza, Part 1
22 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Part 1 of CrowdScience’s year-end extravaganza! It’s an extra-festive episode this week. For those who celebrate it, Christmas is the p...
Are seeds alive?
15 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Seeds are crucial to human existence – we eat them, we grow them and then we eat what they become. But what is a seed and how come it can sit there ...
Where does our fat go when we exercise?
08 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If, like this week’s Crowdscience listener Lili, you enjoy working out in the gym, you may have wondered where your fat disappears to when you exerc...
What is brainwashing?
01 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
*Warning* This episode includes references to suicide. When listener Ben heard about a Kenyan “starvation cult” in the news, he wondered whether t...
What’s the difference between reading and listening to books?
24 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
CrowdScience listener Michael wants to know whether the brain responds differently if we listen to books instead of reading them. Do we retain informa...
Why do we lie?
17 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Lying is something all humans do. We find it in every culture around the world. It’s in the world of work, in our relationships and online. It’s a...
What will 1.5° of warming look like?
10 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Our planet is quickly approaching 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit). Scientists say we might cross this milestone in just six ye...
How does food affect our mood?
03 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“You are what you eat” is a well-known saying. But is it really true? That’s what we explore in this week’s CrowdScience thanks to a question ...
Green Man Festival: Why are some animals so ugly?
27 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Why are some animals cute, cuddly, adorable – and some are slimy, creepy and downright weird? This edition of Crowdscience, recorded in front of a l...
Which is healthier, farmed or wild salmon?
20 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Salmon are one of the world’s most popular fish. And - in terms of the size of the industry - they’re also the world’s most valuable. They provi...
Why are spices delicious?
13 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
CrowdScience listener Kristine from Wisconsin in the USA wants to know why herbs and spices taste so good to so many of us. She’s intrigued to know ...
Can humans be part of healthy ecosystems?
06 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Humans have an outsized impact on the planet: we’ve wreaked havoc on countless ecosystems and one study estimates only 3% of land on Earth remains u...
What is consciousness?
29 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's pretty obvious to each of us that we are conscious, as we go about our days and feel the experience of just ‘being ourselves'. But how do we kn...
Can we grow a conscious brain?
22 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Philosophers have long pondered the concept of a brain in a jar, hooked up to a simulated world. Though this has largely remained a thought experiment...
Why am I scared of bridges?
15 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone has fears – but what makes a fear become a phobia? Why are some people scared of spiders (arachnophobia), buttons (koumpounophobia), or the...
Why do my children stress me out?
08 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
CrowdScience listener Leo gets stressed when his young children start screaming at the same time in the middle of the night. He wants to know why we h...
What does a sustainable life look like?
01 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us are worried about the environment, but the aim of living in a truly sustainable way is hard to pin down. Do we all need to stop buying thin...
How do butterflies and moths fly?
25 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For hundreds of millions of years insects controlled the skies. Before birds, bats and pterodactyls, insects were the only creatures that had evolved ...
What is the weight of the internet?
18 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do you think about the internet? What does the word conjuror up? Maybe a cloud? Or the flashing router in the corner of your front room? Or this m...
Are dogs good for us?
11 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dogs have been our best animal buddy for thousands of years. They’ve helped us out in countless ways from hunting alongside us to guiding us as serv...
Is the ‘sunshine cure’ a real thing?
04 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine spending six months of every year living in total shade. That’s what life is like for residents of the Norwegian town of Rjukan, set so low ...
Is the ‘sunshine cure’ a real thing?
04 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine spending six months of every year living in total shade. That’s what life is like for residents of the Norwegian town of Rjukan, set so low ...
Why does some music make us sad?
28 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
CrowdScience investigates the link between music and emotion to try and understand why certain songs can have such a profound impact on our mood.From ...
Why do we get bored?
21 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“I’m bored!” We can all relate to the uncomfortable - and at times unbearable - feeling of boredom. But what is it? Why does it happen? And coul...
Why aren't we all ambidextrous?
14 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Why are some people left-handed? Why are some people right-footed? Why do some write with their right and throw a ball with their left? What does this...
Why do we experience vertigo?
07 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
CrowdScience listener Ali wants to know why we experience vertigo. Anand Jagatia finds out that it’s not just the giddy sensation we feel when we’...
Why do I crave unhealthy foods?
30 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We all enjoy a deep-fried Mars bar with french fries from time to time, but why do we crave these unhealthy foods instead of healthy things like spina...
Human v machine
23 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Please note: This is a shorter version than the original podcast. A longer version is available here - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct3j6y.Huma...
Why can’t I see images in my head?
16 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
CrowdScience listener Eileen cannot see images in her head of her memories. She only discovered by chance that most other people can do this. She want...
Can Artificial Intelligence teach itself?
09 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the exciting new field of generative artificial intelligence - or generative AI. We’re not talking about robots or spaceships: instead th...
Is there a connection between memory and speech?
02 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
CrowdScience listener Nyankami, from Kenya, has a friend with dementia. Despite memory loss and no longer knowing his way around, his friend has no pr...
Why is the sun at the centre?
26 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It may seem like a simple question but could you explain why the earth revolves around the sun? That is what listener Josh from New York wants to know...
Can sea-swimming improve my health?
19 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Anyone who has ever enjoyed a beach holiday will know there’s something special about being by the seaside. But does sea swimming actually have tang...
Why am I so lazy?
12 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Lazy. Unmotivated. Procrastinating. If those are words you’re used to hearing from your inner critic, you are not alone. Take CrowdScience listener ...
What are Ostriches for?
05 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Meet the ostrich, one of nature’s most unusual creatures: a two-metre-tall, flightless bird that struts about the African savannah. CrowdScience lis...
What's living inside my gut?
28 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Inside our gut lives an entire ecosystem of bacteria and microbes, called the microbiome. In fact, the human body contains trillions of microorganisms...
Do we have a sense of time?
21 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
CrowdScience listener Marie, in Sweden, has always had difficulty with her sense of time. She often thinks that events that happened years ago took pl...
Is there anyone out there?
14 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What are the actual chances of finding alien life? The idea of meeting an extra-terrestrial has ignited imaginations for hundreds of years, and it has...
What does flying do to my body?
07 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Compared to the entirety of human existence, our history of flying in aeroplanes is very short indeed. So what does this fast form of travel do to bod...
How do my ears sense direction?
31 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do we hear a sound and immediately know where it’s coming from? That’s the question that CrowdScience listener Chiletso asked himself one day ...
Why do some people have panic attacks?
24 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sweating, nausea, chest pain and shortness of breath sound like the physical symptoms of a heart attack. For about 4% of the world’s population, the...
Can robots be soft?
17 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When imagining a robot, a hard-edged, boxy, humanoid figure may spring to mind. But that is about to change.CrowdScience presenter Alex Lathbridge is ...
Do climbing plants know where they’re going?
03 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
CrowdScience listener Eric, in New Zealand, has noticed his wisteria growing towards a neighbouring tree. He thinks that it actually knows where it’...
Where does our fat go when we exercise?
24 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If, like this week’s Crowdscience listener Lili, you’re an avid gymgoer, you may well have wondered where your fat disappears to when you exercise...
Are yoga claims bogus claims?
17 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Yoga benefits our health in many ways, say the yogis, but which claims are backed up by science? Can yoga actually alleviate depression, fix lower-bac...
Who’s afraid of public speaking?
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Why does the thought of giving a talk to an audience fill so many of us with sheer terror? Marnie Chesterton investigates for listener Nhial, who has ...
How bad is our noise problem?
03 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We generate a huge amount of noise, whether it’s our rumbling roads, pumping parties, or talkative tourists. And the topic of noise also generates a...
Where does the sand in a desert come from?
27 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
From Lawrence of Arabia to Star Wars via tales of intrepid adventurers traversing lonely sand-swept landscapes, deserts have always had a powerful pul...
Why do we get jealous?
20 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When falling in love or fancying someone, one emotion can dominate over the rest: jealousy. Some may try to play it cool and act aloof, but seeing - o...
What happens to insects in the winter?
13 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When CrowdScience listener Eric spotted a few gnats flying around on a milder day in mid-winter it really surprised him - Eric had assumed they just d...
How do you balance on a bicycle?
06 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
ow do we stay up when we ride a bicycle? Lots of us can do it without even thinking about it, but probably very few of us can say exactly HOW we do it...
Bullying Parrots and Glacial Cocktails
30 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Over the past 12 months, CrowdScience has travelled the world, from arctic glacierscapes to equatorial deserts, to answer listeners’ science queries...
Why are my parents so annoying?
23 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Does your mum’s singing make you cringe with embarrassment? Do your dad’s jokes make you want to scream - and not with laughter? Or maybe you are ...
What is friction?
18 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
CrowdScience listener David was playing snooker in Thailand when he started thinking how such a smooth ball was dependent on the rough green baize of ...
Could my house run out of air?
09 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If your home is drafty, filling in holes and cracks can help tackle rising energy bills, and lower your carbon footprint. But is there a limit to how ...
What gives clouds their shapes?
02 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What are the clouds like where you are? When you look upwards can you see great tufts of cotton wool, or do they stretch off into the distance, flat l...
How do we behave in crowds?
25 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As someone who dislikes crowds, listener Graham is curious about them. Crowds gather in all sorts of places, from train stations and football matches,...
Why don’t we fall out of bed when we’re asleep?
18 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Why don’t we fall out of bed when we’re asleep? That’s the question that’s been keeping CrowdScience listener Isaac in Ghana awake, so present...
Where do we go when the seas rise?
11 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
After learning how long it will take the Earth's ice sheets to melt in the previous episode, we continue our journey in Greenland. As world leaders ga...
How long before all the ice melts?
04 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We know the Earth's atmosphere is warming and it's thanks to us and our taste for fossil fuels. But how quickly is this melting the ice sheets, ice ca...
When does weather change become climate change?
28 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Record-breaking heatwaves swept across the Earth’s northern hemisphere this summer, while Australia experienced flooding and East Africa is enduring...
Why can't I change my accent?
21 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Why do some people pick up accents without even trying, while others can live in another country for decades without ever losing the sound of their mo...
How is mental health being supported in Africa?
14 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
One in every eight people live with a mental health disorder, so if that’s not you, it’s likely to be a close friend or family member. Despite the...
Why am I gay?
07 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Human sexuality comes in many forms, from exclusively heterosexual to exclusively homosexual. But seeing as homosexuality creates apparent reproductiv...
Why are fish fish-shaped?
30 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There are over 30,000 species of fish – that’s more than all the species of amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals combined. But despite the shee...
Why don’t some things burn?
23 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
CrowdScience listener Alix has a burning question - what’s actually happening inside the flames of a campfire to make it glow? And why do some mater...
Is there a language of laughter?
16 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Laugh and the world laughs with you, or so you might think. But watch any good comedian on TV by yourself and chances are you’ll laugh a lot less th...
Can animals count?
10 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Mathematics and our ability to describe the world in terms of number, shape and measurement may feel like a uniquely human ability. But is it really? ...
What happens to insects in the winter?
02 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When CrowdScience listener Eric spotted a few gnats flying around on a milder day in mid-winter it really surprised him - Eric had assumed they just d...
What is white?
19 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered why waterfalls appear white when still water is transparent? Why clouds, or snow, appear white when they too are essentially ju...
Can smells fill you up?
15 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine waking up to the smell of freshly baked bread. Doesn’t it make your mouth water? Now imagine the smell of a fish market on a warm day… sti...
Are humans naturally clean and tidy?
05 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
From dumping raw sewage into rivers to littering the streets with our trash, humans don’t have a great track record when it comes to dealing with ou...
Why is this song stuck in my head?
22 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You have probably experienced an ‘earworm’ - a catchy bit of music that plays round and round in your head and won’t go away – at least for a ...
Are viruses the key to fighting infections?
15 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We are running out of ammunition against certain infections, as bacteria increasingly evade the antibiotics we’ve relied on for nearly a century. Co...
Are artistic brains different?
08 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Artists can conjure up people, cities, landscapes and entire worlds using just a pencil or a paintbrush. But some of us struggle to draw simple stick ...
What is healthy hair?
01 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hair is an important part of our identities – straight, frizzy, long, not there at all – and our efforts to keep it styled and clean have created ...
Can we get better at accepting death?
24 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Death is inevitable, though many of us would rather not dwell on it. For those with a terminal illness, however, the end of life is clearly a more pre...
What is a quantum computer?
17 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Every year, new computers are being developed that are faster and smarter than ever before. But if you really want to take things to the next level, y...
Human v machine
10 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Humans can walk for miles, solve problems and form complex relationships using the energy provided by daily meals. That is a lot of output for a fairl...
Why do bright lights make me sneeze?
03 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s CrowdScience is dedicated to bodily fluids – and why humans spend so much time spraying them all over the place. From snot and vomit t...
Why can't I find gold in my back yard?
27 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you go outside with a spade and start digging, the chances are you won't find any gold. You might get lucky or just happen to live in a place where...
Why does ancient stuff get buried?
20 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Digging and excavating are bywords for archaeology. But why does history end up deep under our feet?This question struck CrowdScience listener Sunil i...
Does photographic memory exist?
13 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Most people are great at remembering key points from important events in their lives, while the finer details - such as the colour of the table cloth ...
How far could gene editing go?
06 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Humans now have the ability to directly change their DNA, and gene-editing tool CRISPR has led to a new era in gene-editing. CrowdScience listener ‘...
How do you balance on a bicycle?
29 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How do we stay up when we ride a bicycle? Lots of us can do it without even thinking about it, but probably very few of us can say exactly HOW we do i...
Why did the ancient Maya abandon their cities?
22 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The ancient Maya flourished in modern day Mexico and Central America for millennia. They built incredible cities and they had sophisticated knowledge ...
How should we measure cleverness?
15 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The team at CrowdScience have spent years answering all sorts of listener questions, which must make them pretty smart, right? IN this week’s episod...
How many fossils are there?
08 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The odds of becoming a fossil are vanishingly small. And yet there seem to be an awful lot of them out there. In some parts of the world you can barel...
Why do animals migrate? Part 2
01 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Many animals undertake remarkable migratory journeys; travelling thousands of miles only to return to same burrow or beach they departed from. Yet, un...
Why do animals migrate? Part 1
25 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Wherever you are in the world you are probably near an animal that has undertaken a remarkable migratory journey, be that a butterfly, bird or sea tur...
Is maths real?
18 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Faced with one cake and eight hungry people, it’s pretty obvious how maths underpins reality. But as mathematics gets further from common sense and ...
Does massage work?
11 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Massage has been used for thousands of years to soothe our aches and pains and help us relax. Today there are a wide array of styles to choose from –...
How high can insects fly?
04 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you took a fly into a really tall elevator and let it out at the top, would it still be able to fly? And what’s the absolute highest an insect co...
How did we discover fire?
25 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Controlling fire was a turning point in the development of human civilisation. But how did fire become part of the human toolkit? It's a question that...
How do you navigate in space?
18 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How good are you at finding your way from A to B? Humans throughout history have used all sorts of tools to get us to our destination – from a trust...