Ask the Naked Scientists

Dr Chris answers listener questions including: what is the Higgs boson? How should I change my lifestyle to prevent diabetes? Why can you pass on yawns? Why does nerve pain/sciatica get worse when we're tired? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Cambridge University have informed us that, for cost cutting reasons, they intend to make Dr Chris Smith redundant. Naturally, this jeopardises the Naked Scientists programme, which is produced under his role. He will also lose his medical job. We regard this as a terrible decision and we intend to protest. Please listen to this short podcast to hear how you can help. Together we hope we can turn around this terrible decision... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Chris Smith answers listener science questions. They include, is it worth getting the flu vaccine? Is COVID still around? Is it possible to manufacture a car that runs on air? Why does the hair on our head keep growing, but not on our arms and legs? Is it good to finish a shower with a cold burst? Why are marathon runners thin? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Dr Chris with more answers to listener science questions: why was the discovery of the Higgs boson worthy of a Nobel Prize? Are birth rates falling around the world? How do we prevent HPV? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Dr Chris answers listener questions including, how effective is the flu shot? Is there anything doctors don't want their patients to know? Do our eyes stay the same size through our lives? Could working in a dusty cement environment lead to health problems? When someone has dementia, how long will they live? Will doctors prescribe remedies purely to induce a placebo effect? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Dr Chris answers questions on CapeTalk, including: how often should we wash our clothes? Is there a relationship between the Earth's gravity and magnetic field? Are the magnetic poles moving? Is there a distinction between North and South? Why don't adult teeth grow back like children's teeth? Can we reconcile science and spirituality? Why does my sister's car attract insects? What is the quickest way to lose weight in a short period of time? Is it true that our eyeballs stay the same size throughout our life? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why is February only 28 days long? Is there a link between red meat, testosterone, and male violence? Is there a 'best' LLM? Can macular degeneration cause you to go blind? What do we know about the big bang? What determines the speed of your internet? Does an autoimmune system attack random parts of the body? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Ask! The Naked Scientist covers questions including, are we humans the universe's consciousness? Is the presence of dimethyl sulphide on an exoplanet a sure sign of life? Have scientists been able to establish where the Garden of Eden is? If I decide not to breastfeed, what happens to the milk I produce? Can I benefit from the nutrients? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this week's Ask!, Dr Chris explains what we know about deja vu (have we had this one before?) Also, what might have been behind the major power outages in Spain, and what exactly was the Carrington Event? What causes the differences between summer and winter here on Earth? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Are there signs of life on another planet? Could a shingles vaccine prevent dementia? Do artificial sweeteners increase our appetite? How is obesity measured? Could there ever be a dementia vaccine? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In Ask! the Naked Scientist, Dr Chris answers medical enquiries such as: why a pacemaker may cause some discomfort. Why might you get a migraine if you oversleep? And, is pain in the abdomen a sign of kidney failure? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this week's Ask the Naked Scientist, Chris Smith tells us if we are seeing an increase in cancer numbers. Also, what are the underlying causes of colon cancer, and what treatments are available? Does alcohol aid sleep or disrupt it? Are seed oils unhealthy? Are mosquitos more likely to come for you when you wear a certain deodorant? Is paraffin carcinogenic? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this episode of Ask the Naked Scientist: does miso ferment differently in space? How can I improve my memory? Could receiving hepatitis A, tetanus, and typhoid vaccinations, in combination, cause chronic fatigue? Why does food go bad, and are food packet instructions accurate? What is brain plasticity, and how do we train it? What is mindfulness? Is my diabetes causing a strange smell in my urine? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why do we have different blood groups? What drives the libido? Do you get drunk faster on an aeroplane? How long does an artificial heart valve last? Does food taste different on an aeroplane? Should you take multivitamins? Is there an actual physical end to space? Are there any benefits to copper or brass bangles? Do older people sleep less than younger people? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this episode of Ask! Dr Chris answers questions including: what are the minerals in mineral water? Is it safe to drink water from plastic bottles? Is glass safe to drink from? How do people perform sword swallowing? What are biodegradable plastics made of? What is metformin, and is it effective? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

On Ask! the Naked Scientist, Can you keep sparkling water fizzy for longer? Are magnesium tablets good for us? Why do we crave certain foods? How do breathalysers work? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Is everywhere at the centre of the universe? How long do sweeteners stay in the digestive system, and what are the best alternatives? Can one black hole swallow another? Does Vitamin C help you fight flu? Why is science so hard to reproduce? Which animal only lives for one day? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Dr Chris answers science questions from listeners to TalkRadio 702, including; How does one improve short term memory, especially following a brain injury? Can retinal microchip implants cure blindess? What are the health impacts of artificial sweeteners? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Dr Chris answers the usual spectrum of science questions from listeners to CapeTalk, including; are sweeteners bad for our cardiovascular health? If a mother has hypoglycemia while pregnant, what happens to the baby? Why did I have cravings during my wife's pregnancy? How does science track dangerous asteroids headed for Earth? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Do atoms carry memory of information? What happens when dopamine circuits are interrupted? Why might you hiccup when you shave? Why do both kidneys fail when they're separate? Could a falling bullet injure you? Is it important to be de-wormed? Dr Chris Smith and Relebogile Mabotja have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this episode of Ask! Dr Chris tells us what causes humiditiy in the air. Why are carbonated drinks bad for your teeth? Does the Naked Scientist know more than AI? Why does hair on our heads grow faster than on other parts of our bodies? Does Earth's magnetic field affect satellite transmissions? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Dr Chris answers more listener questions, including: How do sunflowers follow the sun? How does the body determine when you're passing wind or something more solid? Why are mosquitos attracted to some people more than others? Why are some people more intelligent than others? Why are humans the only species with advanced intelligence? How intelligent is an octopus? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How can you use sticks to calculate the circumference of the Earth? Can exfoliators remove your fingerprints? How do plants know which way is up? What dictates the pattern of a cat's stripes? What are hiccups? Can mosquitoes see you? Dr Chris Smith and Dan Corder have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why do ants drown themselves? Could we power cars with electrolytes? What causes ulcers? Do metal wrist rings actually reduce pain? Should you take probiotics on an ongoing basis? What are duodenal ulcers? Can brain tumours cause diabetes? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Should you try to break bad habits? How do you stop a 'wandering' itch? Does climate change affect rainfall? Will you be tired if you dream of being awake? How do you get skin tags, and should you remove them? Why can some birds mimic humans, and some cannot? Why do you have nightmares during sleep apnea? Do offshore wind farms impact marine life? Who don't you look exactly like your relatives? How can you find a black hole if it doesn't emit light? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Dr Chris takes on the final batch of questions of 2024 on CapeTalk. Why does sound cause me pain? What's the difference between white and brown vinegar? Does radioactivity harm inorganic matter? Is there a cure for anosmia (inability to smell)?What's outside our universe? Do we pass out on rollercoasters? How can we recognise our own baby's cry so well? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Chris Smith answers CapeTalk listeners' questions. Including, do wind turbines affect the temperature of the ground? What is the cause of protein build up in my eye? Can we predict how much we might shrink as we age? And does microwaving food affect its nutritional content? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Dr Chris Smith takes on listener questions on South Africa's CapeTalk. Why is there a delay between live TV and radio? Do wind turbines warm the air at ground level? Do we need to decommission the ISS? What causes genital warts? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why are we called The Naked Scientists? Why should you get sunlight in the morning? Why does bright light make you sneeze? Does luck have a pattern? Is there really such thing as bad luck? Do people who don't get sunlight have more health problems? Did our skin colour change because of agricultural reasons? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Dr Chris Smith answers questions from the listeners of CapeTalk. Including, why are pregnant women told to take folic acid? What causes ears to itch? Why is vomit yellow? Is there a relationship between organs of the body and areas of the skin? How effective is carbon dating? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Dr Chris and Clarence take on another selection of topics from across the scientific spectrum: Who were the victims of the Mount Vesuvius eruption? How does one get rid of ringworm? What are the effects of a low heart rate? If our internal body temperature is 37 degrees, why do we feel warm when it's 35 degrees outside? What is an eating disorder? Can an element in the periodic table be changed into another? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Do animals lower their mating standards when drunk? Why do different farts make different noises? What should you do if your lift cable snaps? Were there two Earths at one point? Where do mosquitoes go during the day? Is tinnitus always a ringing sound? Is Teflon safe to use? Is there such thing as a universal frame of reference? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this episode of Ask! The Naked Scientist, Dr Chris explains how our eyesight changes as we age, what the difference is between a brown and white egg shell, and the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Listener science questions from South Africa answered by Dr Chris this time include: Do you urinate more liquid than the alcohol you consume? Why do dark skinned people get pigmentation underneath their armpits and between their thighs? What are the latest developments in helping restore vision to blind people? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Dr Chris answers listener questions. Including, is air made up of the same proportion of stuff everywhere on Earth? What is earwax? Where is it produced and for what reason? How does time work at the North Pole? Why do strong perfumes cause sinus congestion? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Can you bring someone back from the dead? Can a special diet help flexibility in older people? What is the best way to get rid of hiccups? Are hovercrafts safe? Why is yawning contagious? Does hot water sound different to cold water? Are there tardigrades on the ISS? Dr Chris Smith and Zain Johnson have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In a break from the usual format, the producers of The Naked Scientists take over from Clarence Ford to ask Dr Chris Smith some of your burning scientific questions. How does intuition work? Can you transplant a pancreas? Could we mine our second Moon? Why do lights flicker in our peripheral vision? Can one testicle still let you reproduce? Why do we dislike fairground rides as we age? Do we know what causes tinnitus? All will be revealed... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Should you wash every day? Does washing your clothes damage them? Should you have a washcloth just for your face? Why does moving air make the temperature go down? Dr Chris Smith and Relebojile Mabotja have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why do some people struggle to read? Are more male babies born after a war? Are some people allergic to hot skin? Why do some men's breasts swell up? Why do we use different frequencies for different broadcasts? Why do traffic lights go red when you're in a hurry? Dr Chris Smith and Relebogile Mabotja have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why do some people grind their teeth? Can someone's heart keeping beating when they're dead? How does the brain interpret words? How do we know how long something has been dead for? Dr Chris Smith and Relebojile Mabotja have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How much do wildfires contribute to carbon release? How do bones heal themselves? Why do weeds seem to grow faster than other plants? Why do some animals float, but others sink? Why do ducks like spinach? How did we evolve different blood types? Why do some people's temperature go down when they're feeling ill? How many of our metals come from space? Why do snails come out in the rain? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

What is monkeypox, and how can we tackle it? Why can't you walk through walls if atoms are mostly empty space? If X-Rays are harmful, why are microwaves and infrared not harmful? What are the benefits of the Large Hadrin Collider? Does taking Vitamin C harm your immune response? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Will we ever run out of helium? Will any planets in the solar system get knocked out of orbit? What causes ovulation pain? Is it wise to pop a zit? Why are two astronauts stuck in space? Have we re-invented lost inventions? Dr Chris Smith and Sara-Jayne Makwala King have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, Dr Chris and Relebongile find out how dietary salt affects the body, how loneliness and loss of a loved one can cause ill-health, what a blind person "sees" in their mind's eye, how broken fingers heal, how many cigarettes does it take to get hooked, and why does alcohol withdrawal cause shaking and tremors... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Questions for Dr Chris Smith on this week's Ask! include: What are the health benefits of exercise? How do you explain deja vu? Can you be in two places at once? What factors influence the weather? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists