The Naked Scientists Podcast

This week, AI-based facial recognition systems go live on the front in Ukraine, ozone exposure links to teenage depression, and evidence that sleeping with the light on can adversely affect your health. Plus, as the world grapples with an energy crisis, nuclear power is going up the energy agenda. We hear about Rolls-Royce's plans for a fleet of "off the peg" small modular nuclear reactors, and the efforts to harness nuclear fusion at JET... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Ever set a new year's resolution only for it to fall by the wayside after a few weeks? It is common for us to have goals and want to make change, but when it comes to turning those plans into reality, it can feel difficult. We often default back to old routines as more common behaviours take hold. Alongside trying to find ways to help us stick to our resolutions, we are exploring how our brain decides which way to act, how behaviours transition from being goal-directed to habitual, the disorders which can arise from alterations to these systems, and how research is trying to find methods to... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Conflict around the world is no longer simply fought on the ground, in the water or in the air but also in the airwaves. As digital devices pervade our lives, so too do they become both agents of and targets for conflict. To navigate us between the bombs in the bitstreams, we speak with a young student from Ukraine, unpick cyberwarfare within society, tease apart the technicalities, investigate how this changes the rules of conflict, and ask what it means for the future... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

It's that time again, where we compile all those lovely science questions you have sent in and form a crack squad of expertise, throw them on a panel together, and shove a mic under their noses! This week, you'll meet a Nobel laureate, figure out if the word 'dark' is put in front of complex theoretical physics topics to make them more attractive, and come face to face with our greatest bodily enigma: your armpit! Plus, with it being women in history month, we'll put your memory to the test to see how well you really know your great ladies of science... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Alongside analysing AI faces & how a heart beats, we will be putting microscopy under the microscope; from the first glimpses of life up close, to stepping inside the lens and experiencing microscopic specimens in virtual reality. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Amidst the aftermath of COVID-19 waiting lists continue to grow for those in need of an organ transplant, whilst simultaneously in an American surgery a man recieves the heart of a pig. Animal donors may be the answer to our shortage of available organs, but the procedure isn't quite ready to become common place. Take a trip down memory lane and embark on the jounrey of transplantation, where it began, where we are right now and what the future might look like in the next decade. Plus, catch up on chimps applying insects to their wounds, the current uses of facial recognition and how tech can... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, it is time to put your questions to a panel of excellent experts in one of our Q&A shows! We are going to be investigating what supermassive black holes do, strategies for coping with anxiousness and just how dog became man's best friend. Plus, we have a science quiz based on new beginnings and another mystery sound up our sleeve - see if you can guess what it is... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

It has been almost 2 years since the COVID19 pandemic - one of the most significant outbreaks in living history - was declared. But where did the SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes severe respiratory disease come from? Spillover from the wild? Leaked from a lab? We explore what we know about the lineage of this virus and the evidence gathered so far... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Taste is wonderful! Think of all those occasions where you and loved ones or firends are brought together by food! You may not realise, but our sense of smell, our 'fifth sense', is intertwined with taste; they are essential to our happiness and wellbeing. We're taking a deep dive into how your smell and taste work. We'll be hearing from someone who suffers from a condition called phantosmia, how we can normalise smell training and maybe we'll get a spoonful of scientific cooking work-arounds designed to help those suffering from smell and taste disorders. Also, in the news this week: an... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

2022 has been heralded as the golden era of robotics. In this episode of The Naked Scientists you'll see how futuristic machines are already employed throughout industry to make our lives better. This isn't a tech review of Alexa, but instead a glimpse at pinpoint-accurate surgical arms completing tricky operations on human patients and tiny robots that allow food to swallow itself into your stomach. Gulp. In the news this week, the worst case of Avian Flu recorded in Europe, a Sea Dragon unearthed in Rutland UK and fish that no longer need their L plates to get on the road... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

We are looking into the science behind the headlines in the first week of 2022 - including a medical update on omicron and how this variant impacts disease severity, a review of some of the top games and gadgets to look out for in the year ahead, a celebration marking 100 years since the first use of insulin to manage diabetes, and a behind the scenes preview of the new Sir David Attenborough documentary, 'The Green Planet'. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

We're looking back on the year that's just been, and what a year 2021 was. Once again, Covid-19 dominated the headlines, alongside the climate crisis and extreme weather events. But fear not! Sally Le Page shares only the good news stories that we've covered here on the Naked Scientists, such as solving perennial train delays caused by leaves on the line, and even how we cracked the ultimate mystery: how wombats make their poos cube shaped... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Ever wondered what it's like behind the scenes at The Naked Scientists? Well, here's your chance! Grab yourself a nice warm mug of cocoa nestle down by the decorated tree and prepare for some festive, but of course, infromative fun. We'll be finding out how to make the perfect snowball, how drunk Santa is come the end of Christmas Eve and whether an artificial tree is better for the environment than its pine counterpart... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

We've seen them in movies, but how close are we to having nanorobots in reality? And what will we do with them? We'll be unpicking the tiny details of nanotechnology! Plus in the news this week: as Omicron cases continue to rise, what can we learn about it from South Africa? Researchers figure out why quitting smoking often leads to weight gain. And why we're bad judges of when we're over the drink-drive limit Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

It is time for a festive Q&A! In this episode, we are going to be answering your questions such as, does another planet Earth exist? Can robots be as creative as humans? And why do deep sea creatures glow? Our panel of scientific superstars taking on your queries this month are science song-writer Raven Baxter, deep-ocean diver Diva Amon, exoplanet explorer Hannah Wakeford and intelligence investigator Beth Singler. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Surely a day doesn't go by without you using plastic. It's a marvel of material science. But hidden behind its convenience, plastic poses serious enviornmental challenges. Is this versatile and ubiquitous material contributing to the climate problem or helping us solve it? Plus, in the news this week: as Omicron spreads across the globe, we get the low-down on how the new variant differs from those we have already seen, one researcher thinks he might have fouind our solar system's missing 9th planet and printer-ink that 'lives'! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

As we strive for a transition to a green future, we're asking "would wood be good" to help us build everything from better buildings to more insulating windows, from steak-cutting knives to nano-engineered, biodegradable glitter. Plus, in the news: as Covid cases take off again in Europe, we review the situation here in the UK; also, making strawberry smells with mushrooms; and breakthrough textiles that cool you down when the sun shines on them. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

It's Q&A time! In this episode we'll be answering questions from you, our listeners, such as how close are we to developing a vaccine against the common cold, what's it like to live on Mars and what are the weirdest animals in Antarctica? That's right this week is dedicated to you. We're answering all your questions with the help of supernova scientist Sarafina Nance, marine mastermind Huw Griffiths, viral virtuoso John Tregoning and genetic genius Nessa Carey... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week we have the inside track on the COP-26 climate conference in Glasgow; why bird song at dawn sounds dramatically different to 20 years ago; and scientists uncover the secret to a successful blind date. And, as COP26 marches on, we reflect on how the climate crisis is destined to affect us all. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

We're wandering into the weird world of spiders! We'll be looking at spiders that can fly using little silk parachutes and the grisly and gruesome mating habits of black widow spiders. Plus in the news, as UK cases surge, should Covid precautions move to Plan B; how does raw sewage affect our waterways; and is your mobile phone damaging your finger? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

It's that time again for another Q&A show, a chance for you to have your say! This week we delve behind the headlines as well, trying to figure out what social media platforms are doing to protect their users and discovering why Bitcoin, after 12 years, is now considered a threat to the global financial market. All that and more with Gareth Mitchell, Chris Riley, Eleanor Drinkwater and Andrew Steele. If you have a question, why not give us a whirl. Let us help you scratch that scientific itch... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

As some continue to speculate that COVID came from a lab, we're looking at the scientific research being done on dangerous diseases, whether this work is safe and how it's regulated. Plus in the news: are Covid vaccines messing with menstruation; how subsea cables are affecting crabs; and scientists add plant cells to brains to supply them with oxygen. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, we're journeying into the world of the smallest objects known to humanity: the tiny particles that make up us and the entire universe around us. Plus, in the news, getting the world vaccinated against COVID-19 - half the global population have been jabbed so far, but the many countries in the Global South lag far behind; the Nobel prizes are announced; and, have scientists finally solved the biggest problem of them all: leaves on the line delaying trains... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

As the UK struggles with a lack of fuel in petrol stations and fresh food shortages in the supermarket, we ask: what else are we at risk of running out of? Plus, in the news, why we might be destined to succumb to the 'worst cold ever' this winter; signs that air pollution causes millions of premature births each year, and scientists peer into the past and read previously-hidden parts of Marie Antoinette's love letters... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this week's programme, it's Q&A time! Coming up, we'll find out: what can we learn from invisible measurements in space, how scientists discover potential new medicines made by plants and why green energy might be more costly to the consumer... Yep, we're answering science questions you've been sending in! We've assembled the very best experts to help get to the bottom of it all: climate researcher Ella Gilbert, climate economist Gernot Wagner, enthnobotanist Cassandra Quave, and public astronomer Matthew Bothwell... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week we're looking into a topic that almost never gets mentioned at school but affects almost all of us, one way or another. It's the menopause. And we'll hear why it happens and when it happens, and what we can do to lessen the effects when it does. Plus in the news, COVID vaccines for kids: is the side effect everyone's worried about worth worrying about, farmers toilet train cows, and China clamps down on kids playing computer games. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In recognition of World Sepsis Day on the 13th, we're unpicking the science of this dangerous syndrome - from the infections that cause it, to the genes that make us more susceptible, and how artificial intelligence can help us to crack it... Plus, in the news, sending hydrogen to houses through the gas network to cut our carbon footprint. How a high fat diet could be disrupting your sleep; and the Ig Nobel prizes are announced. We'll hear who's won what... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, we are boosting our knowledge on what "immunity" against COVID-19 really means and what our strategy heading into winter should be. We'll also hear about a new generation of coronavirus vaccines to better protect us in future. Plus, in the news, signs that living through the pandemic is having a serious impact on early childhood development, leaded petrol disappears from the last service stations, and the new wooden floor that generates electricity when you walk on it... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week we're taking a deep dive into the world of carbon sequestration and how we can use nature to help us solve climate change. We'll be wading through peat bogs, getting serious about seaweed, and digging into the details of dirt... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

It's Q and A time! Can animals really sense impending dangers like storms and earthquakes? What is the universe expanding into? And how can we prevent the insect apocalypse? We've assembled a panel of experts to answer your science questions: physicist Jess Wade, infectious disease historian Kyle Harper, animal expert Jo Wimpenny, and insect lover Dave Goulson... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, long COVID: we're 18 months into the pandemic and there are thousands of people with long-term health consequences of having caught the infection. We're asking the experts to find out who is most at risk, what could be causing this to happen, and what research needs to be done in trying to treat it. Plus, in the news, an even gloomier outlook on climate change as the latest IPCC report confirms we need to drastically reduce emissions; also a new carnivorous plant discovery - the first for 20 years - and we're asking why COVID vaccine uptake is lagging among the under 30s in the... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, we'll be delving into the world of environmental DNA: what did researchers find when they went looking for the Loch Ness monster? Plus, in the news, with an autumn "booster" on the cards, we look at how much antibody you need to be protected against Covid 19, and how sea level change can affect volcanic eruptions... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

From collecting cobalt to installing infrastructure, what's the latest on how we're getting ready for the electric vehicle revolution? Plus, in the news, with numbers of COVID cases falling across the UK despite the country opening up we're asking, why? Also, the bottom line on how ventilation can help us keep the pandemic at bay; and how farmers can benefit by giving bees a dose of caffeine... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why are billionaires racing for space? What is the UK's Covid-19 strategy since freedom day? And how will Covid-19 affect the Olympics? This week it's QnA time, and with us to explore where weightlessness begins, whether animals other than mammals suckle their young, if recent findings of methane mean life on Mars, and why the UK isn't vaccinating kids against Covid, are Richard Hollingham, Linda Bauld, Eleanor Drinkwater and Dan Gordon. Plus, an Olympic-themed quiz to boot! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

It's the Royal Society's annual Summer Science Exhibition, but with a digital difference. We go behind the scenes to hear whether bees have favourite flowers, and discover smelly science of your armpit microbiome...Plus, in the news, the data on masks is mixed; might it be that most people aren't using them properly? Also, are "ice berg basements" why Brian May's home flooded in London? And an app that can spot anaemia from a selfie... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Are you feeling it? We're taking a hallucinatory trip into the world of psychedelic drugs. These substances are going through a medical renaissance - we'll learn how they work and how they might help to treat even the most serious psychiatric disorders. Plus, why an eye of fire appeared in the ocean off the coast of Mexico; astronomers pin down the birth of the first ever stars; and how some COVID tests can be tricked with orange juice! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week we're exploring Lyme disease, looking at the science behind the ticks that carry it, the bacteria that cause it, how we treat it, and why the condition is on the rise in the UK. Plus, in the news, can we mix and match COVID vaccines? We've got the results of the latest trial. Also, a new family of beetles discovered fossilised in dinosaur poo, and a pacemaker that dissolves when you're done with it... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

It's Q and A time! Does counting calories really work? Could the universe ever implode? And what makes duct tape so sticky? We've assembled a panel of powerful people to answer your science questions: brain and bodyweight expert Giles Yeo, astrophysicist Katie Mack, chemist Kate Biberdorf, and microbiome geneticist Rob Finn... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, fetch your swimmers, or maybe not, because we're diving into the secret lives of sharks, including hearing how some of them live for hundreds of years. Plus, in the news, antibody treatments for Covid-19, plastic made from peas, and crayfish on antidepressants... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

We're looking at the world of vaccine hesitancy: why are some folks unsure about getting a COVID vaccine, and how we can help? Plus, in the news, home, or away - should we be able to get away for a holiday abroad this year? Also, 'sea snot' paralyses the Turkish coastline; and how just seeing another ill bird at a distance boosts a canary's immune system. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Fetch your sunglasses because we're looking into the science of sunlight: from the past to the future, what has the sun meant to humanity? Plus, in the news: a global update on COVID, toxic mercury in glaciers, and a new glue that sets underwater. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

We're diving into the science behind the latest headlines - including the oxygen shortages occurring in the wake of COVID outbreaks; the nuclear waste deep inside the wrecked Chernobyl reactor threatening to reignite; and we're meeting the man who found the Titanic, to talk about his new mission. Plus, a dive into science fiction with author Max Brooks, author of World War Z and the new novel Devolution... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week we're tuning in to the science of birdsong, including parents who talk to their eggs to warn them of high temperatures, and how traffic noise means young birds are taking longer to learn their songs. Plus, in the news, scientists grow beating hearts in a laboratory culture dish; why the plastic you recycle isn't going where you think it is; and why a long working week might be the death of you. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, we're discussing ADHD: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It can lead to difficulty concentrating and focusing on tasks, and many adults don't actually realise they have it. So what is it, and what can we do to help people who have it? Plus, news of the Indian variant of Covid-19, new discoveries from the 40 year old Voyager 1 probe, and bats made from bamboo - but is that cricket? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week we get our teeth into the science of fermented foods: are they a tasty health myth, or are the claimed medical benefits rooted in reality? From DIY sauerkraut and artisan cheeses, to the impact of fermented foods on the microbiome and how meat substitutes like Quorn are made in fermenters, it's a scientific feast. Plus, the latest Covid-19 news including government plans to vaccinate children over 12, why quantum physics just got "weirder", and an artificial intelligence that can predict when mums will go into labour... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

It's a look at the science behind the headlines! Including the latest on COVID-19; a successful vaccine for malaria; the abuses of forensic science to send down the wrong people, and is 'net zero' fact - or climate change fantasy? Also, talking about the new book he's got coming out, best-selling author of 'The Martian' Andy Weir... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

As the UK announces the world's most ambitious target for cutting carbon and enshrines it in law, we're looking at how to improve the green credentials of one of the country's largest carbon contributors: the homes we live in. Plus, as India sees covid cases hit more than 300,000 a day, is the emergence of a variant there - and its detection here - cause for concern? And, the coffee species lost for 70 years and now rediscovered... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How is it that you can listen to signals on your radio? We delve into the science of radio. From how one is made, to listening out for alien broadcasts. Plus in the news, we look at the potential for the third wave of Covid, how the vaccine fairs in pregnant people, and some muons behaving badly? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, with the northern hemisphere firmly in Spring and new growth bursting out all around us, we're talking about the science of seeds. Plus, in the news: the latest on the Astrazeneca COVID vaccine and blood clots, why UK plans to Covid test the population twice a week are flawed, and why beating their chests can save gorillas from fighting. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Meet the digital phenomenon that's worth in the trillions of dollars, that uses more power than the nation of Sweden, but that very few people - including those involved - even understand. Cryptocurrencies are notoriously complicated, the best way to understand how they work is to understand where they came from. In this programme: the history, the technology, the economics, and the psychology. Plus, latest news from the crypto-world: NFTs and multi-million art sales, 'stablecoins' and financial misconduct, and finally - will the whole thing come crashing down? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists