Ask the Naked Scientists

Why might chilli cause an upset stomach? How does a boomerang work? What's the difference between 50Hz and 60Hz of energy? Why does Saturn have a hexagon? Are stars moving away from us? How do we know how large underground oil deposits are? Why aren't cameras as good as out eyes? Do mosquitoes prefer certain people? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why kind of gas is in a gas giant planet? Can you do anything about sleepwalking? What causes stutters and speech impediments? Does blowing out birthday candles spread germs onto the cake? Why don't we feel the wind from moving through space? What are shooting stars? Why don't we have strangers with identical DNA? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the first Ask! of 2024, Dr Chris Smith tackles questions on UV rays, Fahrenheit vs Celsius, whether the Three Gorges Dam could be slowing down the Earth's rotation, what drives dictators to do bad things, whether neutrinos pose a threat to humans, and what happens to our bodies after we die? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Are some wildfires beneficial? What is the worst case scenario for climate change? What causes lactose intolerance? Does sunscreen cause a vitamin D defiency? Why do blind people still move their eyes around when thinking? Why do we scratch itches? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, a Christmas surprise in Dr Chris's tree that he'd rather not have brought home; should I drink water from aircon machines or even vehicle exhausts, will coffee make me live longer, is the flag planted during the Moon landing still there, what's the scientific basis of itching, which planets don't have a moon, and what makes mosquitoes prefer me to other people? Dr Chris and Talk Radio 702's Relebogile Mabotja take on your science questions... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

What is the science of a midlife crisis? Can you store stainless steel in the fridge? Where do flies go in the winter? Could you make food directly from soil? Do the sun and the moon change positions in the winter? Why does the mouth generate saliva? How do worms get into your body? Dr Chris Smith and Relebogile Mabotja have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Dr Chris and Clarence Ford take on listener questions. This time they include, is intelligence more nature or nurture? Is time travel possible? Could time travellers be walking among us? Are Tibetan monks really capable of levitating? Why do I feel down during the holidays? What are the differences between lab grown and mined diamonds? What are weeds and why do they always grow where they shouldn't? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Should we ban AI from the military sphere? Does eating too much meat cause gout? What determines the shape of clouds? Are recycled tyres a safe material for roads? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Does COVID damage your brain? Why do moths have 'dust' on their wings? Where did the oldest plants come from? Is it better to sleep on your side or your back? Who is the top dog in a pack when humans aren't around? What is your pineal gland for? Why would stomach ulcers cause headaches? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Does alcohol burn off during cooking, why people put their principles in front of their own life and freedom, what causes ageing and can gene editing be used to reverse it, and is curiosity genetic across species? And does Dr Chris believe in God? Relebogile Mabotja and Dr Chris Smith have the answers to the questions you're asking! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists