The Naked Scientists Podcast

This week, we uncover an ideal anti-freeze for ice-cream, find out how scientists grew a new heart in a dish and hear how four simple lifestyle changes could make you live fourteen years longer. Also, we find out about the technology of the future, the tropical Paris of the past and the crystal secret behind the silvery sheen on fish scales. Plus, we asked for your questions and the floodgates opened! Why isn't your urine affected by coloured drinks and what does it mean if it's frothy? What happens when a lake is struck by lightning, and do you weigh less at the equator? Meanwhile, in... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Hooked on the Naked Scientists? This week we're looking into the science of addiction, finding out how smoking alters the teenage brain, why a mixture of brain chemistry and psychological habits make drugs hard to kick, and how addiction re-wires the brain in a similar way to school. Also, how a good night's sleep could stave off diabetes, why traffic pollutes your IQ and why your next prescription could be a placebo! Plus we bring you the first in our series of Rising Stars, young researchers reporting from the coalface of science, and in Kitchen Science we show you how to levitate a squid! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Happy New Year! We celebrate the arrival of 2008 with a second special edition of our new podcast, Ask The Naked Scientists, followed by a 25 minute round up of the top climate change stories featured on the Naked Scientists over the last 12 months. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Happy Christmas! To keep you entertained while we're off tucking into Turkey, this week and next we've got special editions of a new series of programmes we're launching in 2008 called Ask The Naked Scientists, our new live interactive science radio phone-in, with Dave Ansell, Sue Marchant and Chris Smith. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Ho Ho Ho! This week on the Naked Scientists we're celebrating the festive season in style, with a party right here in the studio. From Christmas crackers to Brussels sprouts, we'll be looking at some of the science behind Christmas. We'll be learning about snowflakes and how these sub-zero designs are created, we'll find out what your choice of Christmas card says about you, and we'll reveal the best way to cook your sprouts, ensuring your family get all the nutrition they can this Christmas. Also, in Kitchen science we'll be getting you to butter bread and throw it off your kitchen counter... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, we take on your science questions, tackling the sticky subject of how glue works, the explosive potential of underground uranium and the problems with performance enhancing-football shirts. We look into gastroenteritis and find out how just one gram of vomit could infect one million people, and if that hasn't put you off your food, how acrylamide, found in toast and other tasty foods, may cause cancer. Plus, how the future of the paperback could be plastic, and in Kitchen Science we tell you the easy way to keep mirrors mist-free - using only soap! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week we learn about Alzheimer's disease, how it changes the brain and may be caused by the virus which causes cold sores. We probe your grey matter to find out how memory works, what goes wrong to give us false memories, and the science behind earworms - the songs that we can't get out of our heads! Also, GM plants that can survive a drought, why future chewing gum may contain magnolia bark and how a mirror can kill phantom limb pain. Plus, in Kitchen Science, we fool our senses with some plastic, some paper and a carpet! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, we bring you the highlights of the Naked Scientists trip to South Africa. We explore what life is like in the poor regions of Johannesburg, and how the frightening reality of HIV and AIDS offers a silver lining in prevention research. Plus, In a journey through our evolutionary history, we come face to face with the two-and-a-half million year old Taung child, one of the most important human ancestor fossils ever found. Also, we find out why a moon like ours is rare in the universe, how opals get their colours and how mice choose a mate by smelling their wee. And in kitchen... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week on the Naked Scientists we cross hemispheres to explore galaxies far far away. Chris presents live from Johannesburg to discuss the South African Large Telescope whilst back in the studio we explore the effects of space travel on the body, the expansion of our universe and the possibilities of another planet earth. We also investigate effects on our hearing and bring you a special kitchen science that could be out of this world. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week on the Naked Scientists we seek solutions to your science questions. From finding the site of the big bang to repairing the retina, mirages on the motorway to fruit fireworks in your microwave. We also find out why staying in bed could help you keep slim, we explore the genes that let flies get drunk, and discover the source of the so-called "Oh My God! Particles", which have 100 million times more energy than in our biggest particle accelerators. Also, we catch up with the latest in robotic cars and learn about the micro-microwave being used for analysis in the field. Plus, in a... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week on the Naked Scientists, we're probing the origins of man and pursuing the spread of humans around the world. We find out how to date a hobbit, discover how an enormous flood formed the English Channel, and examine the evidence for when ancient humans first used fire. We also tune into the world's smallest nano-sized radio, talk to the two men who flew over Mt Everest on paragliders and in Kitchen Science, we show you how to re-light your fire! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week on the Award Winning Naked Scientists we find out about stem cells and cloning. We discuss the elusive 'stemness' that allows cells to specialise, and learn about cloning in the post-Dolly the sheep era. We also find out how genetics has revealed that Neanderthals were redheads, how soap affects shoals of fish and some turtles come equipped with anti-roll bars. We also pay a visit to the Manchester Science Festival for a chat with Johnny Ball, and in Kitchen Science, we "clone at home" and find out the future of the humble banana. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, we delve inside atoms to find out what matter is made of, and how smashing them together can tell us about the birth of the universe. We learn about quarks, antimatter and the 'god particle' and discover that scientists are actually trying to build a black hole in the lab! Also, nano-wires give us the world's smallest solar cells, we hear about glue from mussels that sticks to teflon and the genes that tell you when to wee. Plus Meera peers inside the Dead Sea scrolls without even having to unroll them, using x-rays called 'synchrotron light', and Ben and Dave show you how to... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, we're taking on your science questions. We find out how cockroaches and ants avoid the heat in a microwave oven, how best to protect yourself from lightning and why a light box can save you from a SAD winter. Also, a table decoration inspired, radiation-resistant spaceship design to keep astronauts healthy, how the contraceptive pill hurts A lapdancers' looks and why penguins prefer to go fishing with their pals. Plus, in Kitchen Science, Dave explains how to make a detector for the Earth's magnetic field - a home made compass! But will it work in space? And what will happen when... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, we're quenching our thirst for knowledge with the science of Beer and Brewing! We learn about how beer is made, why nitrogen is vital for the perfect pint of Guinness and why professors of brewing think they have the best job in the world. We also delve into the natural history of beer, to discuss the age old argument, what came first, the beer or the bread? We look into the future of beer, finding out how the chemistry of carbon dioxide could provide a purer pint. Also, a spicy way to specifically kill pain, saving slight with plastic corneas, and the hot, smelly sex lives of... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, we're exploring the science of Smart Materials - we discover a Super-Non-Stick coating that even honey wont stick to and flexible plastic paper with E-Ink that we-writes itself on demand. We learn how potatoes could form the basis of future plastics and a new way to think about 'bone china', as ceramics and polymers could replace your broken bones. Also, we discover where sea turtles spend their childhood, how a microRNA gene switch could put the brakes on the spread of cancer and how thousands of cases of breast cancer could be avoided without medication. Plus, in Kitchen... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, robots have taken over the Naked Scientists! Okay, not really but we are looking into the world of robotics to find robots that can clean your floor, disarm bombs and wage war on our behalf. We find out about 'Curious George', a robot that can locate objects in the real world even though it's only ever seen them online, and ask if artificial intelligence will give us free thinking machines or murderous intellects? We also find out about how robots have revolutionised the study of genetics, learn about a mini movie showing the formation of blood platelets in real time, and uncover... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week we're bringing you the very best bits from the BA Festival of Science in York. We discover a chewing gum that dissolves in the wash but still keeps your breath fresh, get some good news about cancer and find out why jogging may not be good for heart patient recovery if it's near a busy road. Also, Chris risks his health to find out about plague control in 17th Century York, and chocolate may be nicer than it is naughty, as Roger Corder explains how it could be good for your health. Out and about in the festival, Meera explores the psychology of commuter cooperation during the 2005... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, we look at the latest science news and tackle more of your questions. We uncover the source of the asteroid that finished off the dinosaurs, find out how moray eels eat like aliens, and although we know that breast is best, could nicotine in smokers' breast milk be affecting childrens' behaviour? Also, is the future of formula one eco-friendly? Meera investigates race cars running on biofuels and built from hemp and cashew nuts! We discuss award winning beards, eerie glowing fish and what makes for a long life. Plus, we find out what to expect at this year's BA Festival of... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, Chris and Co are back from their holidays! So they're tackling their bulging mailbag of your questions. We discuss how scientists have been given the green light to cross human DNA with animal cells all in the name of medicine, eavesdroppers in your garden - the plants that respond to sound, and the world's smallest thermometer - only one molecule! We also tackle questions on keeping your beer cool on the beach, massive melons and the horticultural properties of wee. We find out about how radio shows can give Pygmies a voice and how anyone can have an out of body experience now... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists