Question of the Week
Each week we set out to solve one of the world's weirdest, wackiest, funniest and funkiest scientific puzzles. And along with the answer there's a brand new question to think about for next time...
Can a weak immune system worsen sunburn?
Listener Robin asks: "I heard on the podcast, that the reason why we get a sunburn, is that the body is trying to fix cells that are damaged by UV radiation. So if one person is sunburned longer than another, does that mean their immune system is worse?" To find…
Will the poles switching cause problems?
Listener Ray asked us: " The Earth has apparently reversed its polarity fairly regularly, and is perhaps overdue for the next instance. Is anything known about how this will happen, and the effects? How will it affect our reliance on technology?" We put Ray's question to Richard Harrison, Head of…
Why don't women's bodies reject sperm?
Jure asked us "Why doesn't a woman's body reject sperm as a foreign object?" Phil Sansom sought out the answer, by speaking to doctor and sexual health consultant Graham McKinnon... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
QotW - Why does my phone coverage vary?
Listener Derek got in touch with this question - "I can sit at my work desk, with my phone by my side, and the signal strength display goes from saying "no service" to 4 bars out of 5, within a couple of minutes, for no obvious reason. It varies like…
What is the best way to heat my home?
Tim says: "The experts at the Energy Saving Trust and British Gas say it's cheaper to heat your home only when you need it. But my heating control panel says that it uses less energy to keep a background temperature when the room is unoccupied, than it does to allow…
QotW - Do hairs grow out grey, or turn grey?
Elizabeth got in touch to ask: "do hairs grow out grey, or do hairs that have colour eventually turn grey?" We asked hair expert Desmond Tobin, director of the Charles Institute of Dermatology, University College Dublin... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Why isn't sea level rise the same worldwide?
Listener Geoff asks, "How is it that there are rising sea levels impacting some island nations such as the Maldives and Kiribati, yet 1000 kilometres in any direction there is no discernible sea level change at all?". To answer this question, Nadeem Gabbani spoke to Dr. Rob Larter of the…
Do mosquitoes prefer certain blood types?
Vinny asked us: "I have read mosquitos have a preference for blood type and prefer people with Type O blood over those with Type B, or prefer Type B over Type A. Is this true, and how do they know the difference between types?" To seek out an answer to…
Why does my watery windscreen turn to ice?
Mike got in touch to say: "When the outside temperature is hovering around the freezing mark, the condensation or dew on my automobile windshield is in a liquid state. But if I wipe the windshield, the liquid water changes to ice. Why is that?" To help, Adam Murphy spoke to…
Could you eat a dinosaur?
Dan got in touch to ask whether most animals are edible, including dinosaurs! Mariana tucked into this question.... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Will SpaceX's satellites clog up the sky?
Listener Pete asks, "SpaceX has launched the first 60 of what is to be a mesh of some 12,000 satellites. Two questions: how will this completed mesh impact 1) ground based optical and microwave astronomical observations, and 2) the ability of future space missions, manned and otherwise, to navigate through…
When should you refrigerate cooked chicken?
Julie wrote in with this question for us: "I have received such conflicting advice from TV food cooks. Some say that cooked chicken should be allowed to cool down to room temperature before refrigeration whilst others say to put the hot cooked chicken into the refrigerator immediately. Which is right?"…
Can fingernails stop rhino poaching?
John asked, "I'd like to know if enough people in the world donated their finger and toe nail clippings, could enough keratin be produced to satisfy the demand and thus stop the poaching of wild animals in Africa?" Mariana Marasoiu spoke with Jon Taylor from Save the Rhino International and…
Why does pasta water boil over?
This week's question is a curious cooking query from Anthony. "When pasta or rice is added to boiling water, there is a sudden surge of the boiling water to the point that the pot boils over with bubbles. Why is this?" Phil Sansom got in touch with Phillip Broadwith, business…
Why is wildlife around Chernobyl thriving? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week - 19.08.19
This week, a question from Bill. My question is about Chernobyl and why it is that wildlife seems to be thriving there and yet we understand that humans still can't survive there. Why is this? Phil Sansom spoke to someone who's actually been there - Victoria Gill, a science correspondent…
Will climate change affect monsoons? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week - 19.08.04
How does climate change affect monsoons?
Can you tell if it's sunrise or sunset? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week - 19.07.29
This week, Manik from Canberra asked if it's possible to tell whether it's sunrise or sunset from looking at a photo or a painting. Ankita Anirban spoke to painter James Gurney and physicist William Livingston to shed light on the situation…
Can a husky's fur keep it cool in summer? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week - 19.07.14
This week we are answering a question from Alex: "Are huskies (or dogs in general) able to insulate themselves from the cold of winter and from the heat of a hot summer's day as well?" Matthew Hall asks Christof Schwiening from Cambridge University's Department of Physiology…
Can a transfusion change your blood type? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week - 19.07.08
This week we are answering a question sent in by Mark: is it possible to have so many blood transfusions that your blood type changes? Emma Hildyard asks Cedric Ghevaert, from the Department of Haemotology at the University of Cambridge…
Do candles really clear nasty smells? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week - 19.05.20
Patrick sent us this question: "My wife wants me to light a candle after doing my number two, to get rid of the smell. Does this actually do anything?" Phil Sansom has been sniffing out an answer, with the help of Kit Chapman from Chemistry World.