Ask The Naked Scientists Podcast

How do flysprays work, and are they harmful for humans? What's "muscle memory" and where are these memories stored? Why do disinfectants "only" kill 99.9% of germs? How do I cleanse domestic rainwater tanks to kill microbes? How does freefall - as described by orbiting astronauts - work? If I let my pet cobra go, will it survive in the wild? What's the basis of sweating, and why do some people sweat more than others? Dr Chris Smith and CapeTalk's Clarence Ford have the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week,?What makes an appendix burst? Why do we blush??Do carrots really improve our eyesight? What other foods can we eat to regenerate our organs? Can lions survive on seafood? Can studying the arts impact on my health? And why do some flowers only release their scents at night, a how? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

What are hiccups and what's the medical term for the phenomenon? How far to the horizon and why does it always appear to be at eye-level? What are lectins and are they harmful? What is pulmonary fibrosis, why does it happen and can it be cured? Why do bright lights make spots on my vision, and why does the colour change when I close my eyes? And as a 65 year old in good health and with 4 Covid-19 vaccines and one mild SARS-CoV-2 infection, do I need another Covid-19 booster?? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why do we always find cockroaches on their back? How does medicine know where it hurts? Why do we dream? Why is the Earth still so hot? What came first, the chicken or the egg? Why did Chernobyl explode? How much energy does a seed need to grow? Can we work out how much energy there is in the world? Why do most of us look different? Chris Smith and Clarence Ford answer questions from the students of the International School of Cape Town... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why do I feel phantom pain? What is the sleep in my eyes constituted of? Why are things we drop into our eyes poisonous to ingest? What is fibromyalgia? What is aquamation? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

What makes the brain age? Why don't ice skaters get dizzy? Do we have two sets of DNA? Where does all of the burned fuel go? Do dogs get headaches? Why are dogs so good at pattern recognition? Does someone carrying a donor egg provide any of the child's DNA? Would watering your lawn increase the chance of rain? Dr Chris Smith and Amy MacIver have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

The dangers of mains electricity. Are computers helping or hindering our lives? What if I shine a torch while travelling at the speed of light? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why is TB so drug resistant? How do nature drugs fit the lock and key in our brains? Why are some family members less fussy eaters than others? Why do we cry when we laugh? Is a love of public speaking from nature or nurture? What's the point of going to Mars? Dr Chris smith and have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How do we get a transplanted heart to start pumping in someone's body? Is it possible to have a stomach transplant? Is Earth's crust displacement likely to have occured in the past? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Can pain medicines go off? Why is mouldy cheese ok? What is the James Webb Space Telescope looking at? How long would it take someone to adapt to living in a different climate? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How can I bulk up my muscles? Where does candle wax disappear to? Why don't pigs eat onions? Do women take on male DNA when they're pregnant? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why do we teach kids nursery rhymes? How do we know how anatomically modern humans populated the world? What is cataract surgery, how is cataract surgery performed, and is there an upper age limit? Is most human behaviour innate, or learned? Why does water boiled in a microwave sometimes explode when you add sugar or coffee? Join Dr Chris and TalkRadio 702's Relebogile Mabotja to find out... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why is earth's magnetic field changing direction? Why can I sense when someone is looking at me? How might the world come to an end? Why does time seem to be going past more quickly as I get older? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

What would a large solar flare do to Earth? Why do stars appear to flicker, or move? Can animals experience regret? How does AI work? What are probiotics? Dr Chris Smith has all the answers for the listeners on Radio 702 and 567 CapeTalk... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Do scientists know how many stars are in the galaxy? Why do some ailments only affect us at night? Should I get a petrol or diesel car? Are we drinking the same water as our ancient ancestors? What's the difference between intelligence and creativity? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Does flash photography harm baby's eyesight? What is ocular myasthenia gravis? Can having a disease give you an advantage against another disease? Why are soldiers so prone to PTSD? Why is it so difficult to predict the weather? What does it mean to be double-jointed? Are we susceptible to certain rhythms? Why is water so important? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Is carbonated water better for you than still water? Why are some dogs scared of fireworks, and being touched? Is there a cure for tinnitus? Do energy drinks actually give you energy? Why does the second cup of tea never taste as good as the first? What is electronic data? What is a melanoma? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Chris answers an eclectic crop of science questions including: why do we appear to have superhuman strength in high stress situations? Are science and religion at odds with one another? What's the cause of grid outages and blackouts? Will identical twins die of the same illness/disease? Why are manufactured goods so prone to breaking despite technological advancements? Are coal mines on the verge of becoming obsolete? Why do we hold our heads in exasperation? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

What role do cockroaches play in our ecosystem? What would happen if all of Earth's gases combined? Why is the universe expanding? What is the most flammable gas? Why does the Earth look flat from the ground? How does the brain co-ordinate the body? How were the pyramids built so long ago? What happens to our body during a heart attack? In this 'Classroom Edition' of Ask The Naked Scientists, Dr Chris Smith and are answering the questions set by pupils at John Graham Primary School... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

When is the next comet? What is past the milky way? Which animals have been sent into space? Did the moon come before the Earth? What lifts up the moon? What are all the dents in the moon? How did the moon form? How do we know how old the Earth is? Why are Neptune and Uranus blue? Why is the sun the only star we can see in the daytime? How fast do you need to go to escape a black hole? Is there other life in the universe? In this 'Classroom Edition' of Ask The Naked Scientists, Dr Chris Smith, Clarence Ford are answering the questions set by pupils at Parow East Primary School... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists