Ask the Naked Scientists

What can a person do about restless leg syndrome? Why does data expire? Why do our tummies rumble? Why are some people ticklish? Why do people grind their teeth? How do pills know where to go? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Could your weight affect how well your flu vaccine works? Is too much sparkling water bad for you? Why does head hair lose colour as you age, but other body hair doesn't? Why do spaceships have to travel so fast in the Earth's atmosphere? Is there a link between some vaccinations and autism? Why has there been a rise in fake news? And itching - what causes it and why does it sometimes seem to wander round your body? Plus, implanting magnets in the eye to help with nystagmus - so-called dancing eyes. Chris Smith answers your questions with Eusebius McKaiser on South Africa's Talk Radio 702... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How do horses have such strong muscles if they never eat any proteins? When dogs wag their tails is this voluntary or involuntary? Does it save electricity to heat your water all day, or turn it off and on again? Why do we speak in different accents? Why did viruses arise? Why do our noses run? Plus, new insights into TB. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

What causes IBS and what can we do about it? Are there some foods you shouldn't eat if your gallbladder's been removed? Could a white couple give birth to a black child? In what simple ways can we save water? What's gluten intolerance? Plus, the condition CIDP - chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy - what is it and how can it be treated? Chris Smith speaks to Eusebius McKaiser. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How would you have sex in zero-gravity? Are eggs viable in space? What is nuclear fall-out? What is cold fusion? How long can astronauts be in space without side-effects? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How do you power a spacecraft to Saturn? Can gravity affect the telomeres inside our cells? What can be done to help people with macular degeneration? How did simple, unicellular life get more complex? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Is there a cure for flu? Can your genetic engineering make you smart? How far are we from designer genes? Can we cure HIV? Do our voices change as we get older? Plus, bioengineered bones! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How do birds wake up at the same time each day? How does quantum computing work? Why do we feel hot even when the room is cooler than body temperature? Who will be the first on Mars? What's the best cure for a hangover? Plus, an anti-aging tablet. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why do we mishear lyrics? What causes deja vu? Where have all the bees gone? Do mermaids exist? Does God exist? What causes deja vu? Plus, synthetic genomes! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why do I get a stitch when I run? Is there such thing as baby brain? Is exercise good for you? Do the lines on your hand mean anything? How does altitude affect athletes? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why are tooth aches more likely at night? Can chemo affect iron levels in your body? Why is there oil beneath the earth? What caused the big bang? Can we create rain artificially? Plus, seven new exoplanets. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why do chilies burn my fingers? How dangerous are cell towers to your health? Who names cyclones? Do white and black people have different body temperatures? Why do hairs reach different lengths over the body? Why is gold precious? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why is it that wheels look like they're going backwards? Why does my car give me static shocks? If you move an ant will it find its way home? Can you cool something below absolute zero? Do pigeons get itchy? Why do humans get sick when they eat raw meat? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Is the earth round or flat? Can you have two snowflakes that are alike? Would medicinal marijuana help with MS and Alzheimer's? Why does your mouth heal faster than your finger? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

What are the best foods to eat before and during exams? How do you get heavy metal poisoning? Why do you develop allergies? Why would soap help clean greasy pans? Plus, a robotic heart. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why are dreams so realistic? When should you move your babies onto solids? Can people predict their own deaths? Am I allergic to exercise? Plus, the world's smallest knot. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why can't I eat fruit? How well do polar bears smell, and how do we know? How does marijuana affect your brain? How does pepper spray work? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How did speech evolve, why do you need bacteria and fish food for aquaponic systems, do growth factors in anti-ageing creams really work, what treatments are there for allergies and how do UV lights vaporise fat in commercial kitchens? Plus, delving into the secrets of sleeping sickness. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Could the universe be more than a coincidence, what's causing a burning skin sensation, does milk cause breast cancer, are statins effective for high cholesterol, what impact would a nuclear war have and what risk does Donald Trump pose to climate change? Plus, the science behind the supermoon. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Is the Earth flat, do microwaves kill nutrients, why do eggs have whites and yolks, what advancements are there in the treatment of tinnitus and what happens if you fire a gun on the Moon's surface? And also a new vaccine which controls HIV in monkeys. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why do other people's fart smell worse than your own, why do storms turn swimming pools green, how do we stop HIV spreading, what's the difference between antibiotics and probiotics, why does it feel like you're moving slowly when you're inside an aeroplane and why does the smell of shower gel wear off? Plus, the people turning plants into chemical sensors. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How can I find out about my biological age, how can you stop a panic attack, how can you treat Polymyalgia Rheumatica, are detoxing products just a marketing gag, can learned behaviours be passed on genetically, what would cause my brain to forget which way around to put on my shoes, how long after boiling is water still save to drink? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Are there increases in miscarriage rates, why are rats used in experiments, could we use developments in cartilage growth to treat scaphoid wrist fractures, is it safe to do strenuous exercise as you get older, where do children get their intelligence and what causes your stomach to flip when you go on a rollercoaster? Plus, scientists using nose cells grow new knee cartilage. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why does the BCG vaccine cause swelling, where does moisturiser go when you put it on your face, what are the side effects of sickle-cell anaemia medication and is it true that we only use a small proportion of our brain? Plus, a gene editing technique that could provide a treatment to sickle-cell anaemia. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Is autophagy linked to autoimmune diseases, what could cause unilateral spinal dysfunction, what is adrenal fatigue and how do we see distant stars? Plus, the low down on the Nobel prizes in medicine, physics and chemistry. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How do we get bright images of planets, why do distant lights appear to blink, how does radiation escape black holes, what could cause a loss of smell and why does our stomach grumble when it's hungry? Plus, news of the Rosetta Mission's final hours. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Could planet Earth be a living creature, how do they name medicines, what's the difference between a heart attack and a cardiomyopathy, how do HIV protective drugs work and how were the Egyptian pyramids built? Plus, news of a new gene that could screen for heart disease. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why are men hairier than women, how can a cockroach survive a microwave, why is our poo brown when we eat colourful food, why is the reflection on a spoon upside down, why do we close our eyes when we sneeze, do we produce saliva at night, can you make yourself taller and is there a treatment for CIAP. Plus, the monkeys that have been writing Shakespeare to treat paralysis. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How do birds sit on electric wires without getting hurt, why does hot weather cause nose bleeds, how do probiotics treat vaginal thrush, is there a cure for retinitis pigmentosa, are the any solutions to the problems caused by human activity and what can you do to lessen your asthma? Plus, Australian scientists have discovered evidence of the first life on earth. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

If the ice caps are made of freshwater, how did they form from a salt water ocean? How do baby lobsters eat jellyfish without getting stung? Why doesn't vodka freeze? Does putting a spoon into the neck of a champagne bottle stop it from going flat? What causes your eye to twitch? How do we know that the Earth isn't flat? What is the role of the placenta in pregnancy? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why do we catch colds on holiday? If a fly takes off inside a car, why doesn't it get flung to the back? What are the latest treatments for macular degeneration? Is kidney infection linked to depression? Why am I choking on my saliva? Why do wheels sometimes appear to turn backwards? ... and what is it really like on Mars? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why did the Olympic swimming pool turn green? Is it normal to get hiccoughs after eating spicy food? How accurate is carbon dating, and are there different types? Why do flying ants appear after the rain?...And what is the sun, really? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why do I feel an electric current if I touch the wall when I'm lying on my electric blanket, is it possible to absorb vitamin D through glass, what happens to microbeads from cosmetics, how does a tornado form, with the advancement of artificial intelligence how do we know that radio presenters aren't just robots, can you use electricity to generate more electricity and what medication could be used to eradicate Staphylococcus aureus? Plus, how tomatoes hold the key to fend off plant parasites. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why do dogs have wet noses, when a fly hits a train does the train slow down, why do our ears keep growing as we age, why don't animals die when they eat other animals which are poisonous, can Metformin be used to slow ageing and can stem cells be used to reverse type one diabetes. Plus, a data storage solution that works at the scale of single atoms. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How does wireless charging work, why do people have different coloured eyes, is drinking water from plastic bottles bad for your health, is there any truth in palm reading, what's the reason for different hair types and is the artificial sweetner Aspartame really bad for you? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How old is the universe? What is the big bang? How did the universe begin? What happens when you power nap? What is the science behind black holes? What is the difference between a black hole and a wormhole? Plus, news on the Juno mission to Jupiter... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Can the vaccines that protect mice against the Zika raise the hope of a human vaccine? What are the symptoms for a disease known as lichen planus? What are genetically modified (GM) crops? Are GM crops bad for us? How can you make a genetically engineered plant? How can we improve the efficiency of the solar panels? Is aging an illness? Can we cure aging? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Can we come up with a new way of managing mosquito infections? Can a cure for Zika virus lie in an inflammatory cream? How does the bonding process between the parents and a newborn form? Does a baby recognize a mum's voice? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why is water's molecular composition one oxygen and two hydrogens, could strong magnets on cars stop crashes, what is the VY Canis Majoris, can salt be used to cool drinks, what is sciatica and why does standing up make some people see stars? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How does light move without force, is there a connection between migraines and an electrical storm, what causes Parkinson's Disease, how do you treat Job syndrome, why would falling asleep cause leg contractions, what's the best way to boost your immune system, how does momentum affect impact in a crash, how bad is Uveitis and would it be hypothetically possible to observe the big bang? Plus, bone marrow transplants for multiple sclerosis treatment. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Do the chemicals in our food cause cancer, how do we vomit, how does the moon affect the tides, do tonsils extend vocal range, is cancer more common in certain races, how fast does electricity travel in water and could cancer be a catalyst for evolution? Plus, could we get a universal cancer vaccine? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why do you get dark circles under your eyes, could animal blood be used for human transplants, could we dry out silica packets in the microwave, does ozone treatment work, what's the difference between a blood transfusion and a plasma transfusion, what are the new developments in cataract surgery, is there a general anaesthetic alternative in surgery and how do anti-inflammatories work. Plus, a new way of keeping time. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Is rewarming food dangerous, what does uranium look like and how do you find it, does olive oil become toxic when it's heated, how can you treat allergies, why don't aeroplane black boxes float, can laser technology be used for water purification, what causes inner ear infections, what's causing itching from exercise and should we be keeping cows near roads? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Can we 3D print teeth, how does air conditioning remove condensation from a car, how do helicopter blades carry a helicopter without breaking, why don't people wake themselves up from snoring, why do things knot themselves, how do anti-inflammatory's work and could we use a positively charged solution for fuel? Plus news from the Science on the Swan conference in Perth, Australia. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How do flu jabs really work? Should you refrain from sex before a sports competition? Why don't we sneeze when we're sleeping? Could we use stem cell therapy to cure autism? Is it better to drink beer made from natural products or fizzy drinks with sweeteners? What's crystalline folliculitis? Are all antibiotics variations of the same thing? How many blades do you need to get a clean shave? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Are waves slowed by kelp, is there a neural basis for societal differences, why is there more rain after a thunder storm, why do electric stoves keep cooking after they've been turned off, why does the sound of an aircraft change as it flies towards us, why do you shudder when you wee, what does lightning do to a tree when it hits it, how did we define a global time. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

If I was on another planet would we see stars the same way? Why do we measure rain in ml? How do we get vitamin D from sunlight? How accurate are DNA tests? What is a lipoma? How long does it take to recover from malaria? Plus, is pollution harming unborn babies? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Do antioxidants prevent cancer, how does hypnosis work, how does exercise impact cancer, do girls whistle worse than boys, how does exercise affect weight from a recovery drink and are plastic cars less safe in a lightning storm? Plus, plastic eating bacteria. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why do mosquitoes prefer me over my husband? How do they film fast moving golf balls? And if I received a kidney transplant, could I then donate my kidney to someone else when I die? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why are there warm patches in the sea, why do we get butterflies in our stomachs, does skin absorb face cream and is a magnetic field energy? Plus in the news, immunotherapy for cancer treatment. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists