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Science & Medicine

Ask the Naked Scientists

Dr Chris Smith

How many organs could you donate and remain alive? How many planet Earths could fit inside the Sun? How high is a giraffe's blood pressure? Why is the sea blue? To find out, Ask The Naked Sc...

Episodes

20 of 812 episodes

Why the nose knows: how important is smell?

Introducing "Smellyvision": this week, we talk about new tech that transmits smells alongside sounds and pictures, and ask whether smell is...

00:22:32Oct 30, 2026

Is static electricity down to positive or negative charges?

Why has everyone got a cold at the moment? How does an elemental diet treat inflammatory bowel disease? How does chlorine clean up drinking...

00:20:47Oct 23, 2026

Is AI damaging our ability to think for ourselves?

How do dogs decode human speech? Can they actually understand one another, and do they bark with an accent? Also, do all animals pair for li...

00:20:00Oct 16, 2026

Why do we get floaters in our eyes?

Who scooped Nobel Prizes at this year's ceremony in Stockholm? How concerned should we be about AI's impact on society? Why do men have larg...

00:22:10Oct 9, 2026

Do giraffes have the same number of neck bones as humans?

Dr Chris Smith and Relebogile Mabotja explore why it's hard to reach a human in customer service. How did humans migrate from Africa, and ca...

00:17:12Oct 2, 2026

Can curly hair straighten with age?

Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford discuss the world's hottest creature, why antimatter matters, whether weight-loss pills can cause blindness...

00:20:58Sep 25, 2026

Where did water come from, and why doesn't it go off?

Can sensors help keep our roads in good shape? If the Earth is round, why aren't the people at the bottom standing upside down? How efficien...

00:16:58Sep 18, 2026

Is AI at risk of going rogue?

Should we take AI warnings seriously? Do fingernails and hair grow more quickly after they are cut? How does caffeine trick the brain into m...

00:21:20Sep 11, 2026

Can technology influence the weather?

How might technology influence or manipulate the weather? Can aircraft affect the weather? Are we getting better at detecting cancer before...

00:21:14Sep 4, 2026

How does the Moon affect the tides?

Why might the shingles vaccine help prevent heart attacks? Does an eclipse affect how we sleep? Why do farts seem to stick around longer in...

00:22:07Aug 28, 2026

Why do eyebrows grow so slowly?

Have you ever wondered why eyebrows grow so slowly, or when you should brush your teeth in the morning? Can you tell the difference in sound...

00:18:51Aug 21, 2026

What is love?

What is the science behind love? What scares a honey badger? Are there mammals that feel no fear? How do car pistons move so smoothly even a...

00:17:34Aug 14, 2026

What is the life of an electric vehicle battery?

How good are electric vehicle batteries? Why are EV fires so dangerous? What is acute flaccid myelitis? Why do people feel anxiety in differ...

00:21:37Aug 7, 2026

What's the science behind itching and scratching?

Are there technologies to remove smoke taint in wine affected by recent wildfires? What's the science behind itching? Can a tortoise survive...

00:22:30Jul 31, 2026

Why a helium balloon flies backwards when you hit the brakes

How can algae microbots deliver drugs for bladder cancer? Why does a helium balloon fly backwards when you hit the brakes in a car? Does the...

00:25:29Jul 24, 2026

Why do wombats have cube-shaped poo?

Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford return to answer your questions. Why do wombats produce cube-shaped droppings? Does sleeping position affec...

00:22:29Jul 17, 2026

What happens before we have a thought?

What is the impact of being a child in a home where a sibling has a chronic medical condition? What happens before we have a thought? How ba...

00:13:51Jul 10, 2026

Is it safe to eat dropped food?

Do our digital lives leave us cognitively exhausted? Should we see a doctor when we are overly tired? How bad are processed foods for us? Is...

00:14:23Jul 3, 2026

Why did the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool turn green?

Why is Europe experiencing a heatwave? What happens if a being from a different dimension enters our dimension? Why are wombats able to prod...

00:22:57Jun 26, 2026

How do cats sustain a purr-fect purr?

Why does our hair stand up when we are scared? Does the animal kingdom experience colour differently? How do cats purr without running out o...

00:23:01Jun 19, 2026