Ask the Naked Scientists

Why are moths attracted to light? How do red-leaved plants photosynthesise? Why don't hayfever sufferers become tolerant to pollen? We take on these questions in this week's show as well as discover if our planet changes its weight, how our brains store information and whether the Sun has any gravity. Plus, we discuss if man will ever land on Mars! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How does vinegar 'cook' an egg? How does Google work? Are the colours we see really real? We'll get the answers to all of these, plus explore how giant tortoises made it to the Galapogos, and how wiping out the human population would alter the atmosphere! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How are crisp flavours created? What makes flies so resilient? Why do some women get facial hair with age? We take on this variety of questions in this week's show as well as find out how our universe began, if Aspergers syndrome is hereditary and how methane clathrates can help store gases. Plus we discover how scientists are creating lungs in the lab! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Is microwaved water safe? Why does a mirage form? What causes that shimmer on a hot road? We tackle all of these questions this week, as well as look at how anti-dandruff shampoo works, how ships stay upright and whether humans are the only species that cry. We also find out if your laptop would survive a dunking in de-ionised water! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How did HIV originate? Why does anaemia occur more often in Africa? Do growing pains exist? We take on these infectious questions as well as find out how limescale remover works, how rainbows form and whether all objects expand in heat. Plus, we investigate if humans can get stronger under stress and reveal how much water we should drink for a healthy body. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How do Tornadoes form? What's a daisy cutter bomb? Why do we get electric shocks when leaving our cars? We take on these questions as well as find out why Jelly freezes in the fridge, why humans can't pickup radiowaves and how far away the moon is. We also investigate when a scientific theory becomes a fact! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Does our sense of taste change with age? How are horrid and pleasant smells decided by our brains? Is it harder to urinate when you're older? We tackle these time-sensitive questions in this week's show as well as find out how de-caffeinated coffee is made, whether caffeine is bad for us and how we acquire the bacteria that live naturally inside us. Plus, we investigate whether love can rule our brains! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why can't we tickle ourselves? Is deafness down to our genes? Can diabetes cause Eczema? How does deodorant prevent body odour? We take on these questions in this week's show as well as reveal if botox can be used as a medicine, why some people don't feel pain and whether it's possible to wake up with a new accent. Plus we investigate if bacteria could be used to clean the oil spill in the gulf of Mexico! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Ask the Naked Scientists, South Africa! This week we're adding a new member to the Ask! family with a new show on South Africa's flagship station TalkRadio 702. We look at man-boobs, hair cells, relativity at work in rugby, the right way round for your headphones, the getting-cold-causes-colds myth, excito-toxicity, how the immune system works, why asparagus makes urine smell and the lifespan of a fly. Don't know the answer? Then why not Ask the Naked Scientists... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

What effects can underground nuclear explosions have on our land? How do antibacterial cleaners work? Could bacteria be used to clean up our environment from pollutants? We take on these question in this week's show as well as find out why the colour blue is so hard to see at night, why grass can survive when covered with snow, whether tanks could be made with armoured glass and how data can be saved on non-magnetic disks. Plus, we find out how scientists are developing flexible touch screens! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists