Ask The Naked Scientists SA

What happens when you swallow gum?

What happens when you swallow gum? Can we use animal blood for donation? Is there intelligent life out there? Can you eat glass safely? Would you decompose in space? Is there a link between blood groups and illnesses? Plus, your virus infection history.

5 Jun 2015 23 min

Does truth serum work?

If it's only female mosquitoes that drink our blood, what do male mosquitoes feed on? How do we know how old human remains are? What is truth serum and how does it affect the brain? Should we keep onions in the fridge? And why do people have accents? Plus, the…

29 May 2015 23 min

Why don't babies laugh when they are born?

What would happen if I ate glass? Can you stop epileptic fits by removing a section of the brain? When we lose weight, where does the fat go? If we remove our thonsils, will this stop us snoring? Why don't babies come out the womb laughing, as opposed to crying?…

22 May 2015 19 min

Can you stop a yawn with a finger?

The Naked Scientist answered listeners' weird and wonderful questions including: why babies tummies look swollen; why we vomit if others vomit; and how effective are sleeping tablets.

8 May 2015 22 min

Why can't my cat catch my cold?

Why do we develop allergies? Which tectonic plates caused the Nepalese earthquake? Could we use a car to generate electricity? Why can't my cat catch my cold? Plus, the effects of radiation in space on astronauts' brains…

1 May 2015 20 min

Why can't I whistle as I get older?

Where are mosquitoes during the winter? Does light therapy work? Can you get 20:20 vision back? Why can't I whistle as I get older? Why do I cough every time I eat popcorn? Plus, a new treatment for MS…

24 Apr 2015 18 min

How does seedless fruit reproduce?

Will we ever be able to record dreams? Why did our brains grow over time? How much water do you need to boil an egg? How does seedless fruit reproduce? Can a damaged chromosome be repaired? Can we synthesise water? Does whiskey make soft drinks better for you? Plus, how…

17 Apr 2015 21 min

Can you use sound to control dreams?

Do photons have mass? Can you control someones dreams? Can you get your kidney back after donating it to someone? What determines the colour of the sea? Plus, how the moon was formed…

10 Apr 2015 22 min

Live and Naked at 702

Chris Smith and Victoria Gill appear at 702 in the flesh to answer questions from the audience and to conduct some illuminating experiments…

1 Apr 2015 45 min

Live and Naked at 702

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1 Apr 2015 45 min

Why do we get goosebumps?

What causes goosebumps? How close does lightning need to be to hurt you? Where is Voyager? What causes yawning? How do we perform automatic behaviour?

27 Mar 2015 20 min

What causes thunder and lightning?

What causes thunder and lightning? Are some people resistant to HIV? Are vitamin supplements good for children? What does crystal meth do to your brain? Why do phones only give you nine minutes to snooze? Can you compress light?

20 Mar 2015 23 min

What is the sun made of?

How do satellites stay in orbit? Why do my fingernails grow at different speeds on each hand? What is the sun made of? Where did the liquid in my cans go? Why do some children turn mute after trauma? Plus, why people smell their fingers after shaking hands…

13 Mar 2015 22 min

Can candles give you cancer?

Is it safe to feed livestock to meat? What happens to the rubber that wears off from car tyres? Does water go down the drain in different directions? Can you rewind the radio? Why is the ocean salty? Can candles give you cancer? Plus, the ancient Homo jaw bone…

6 Mar 2015 22 min

Why do I get a stitch when I exercise?

Why do I get a stitch when I exercise? What determines our body temperature? How quickly do fruit and vegetables lose nutrients after they are picked? Why do ropes get tangled up in knots? Can you get stuck together during sex? Plus, news of an edible gene therapy to control…

27 Feb 2015 18 min

Why does stress give me knots in my stomach?

Why does stress give me knots in my stomach? Why don't I gain weight when I eat? How does sun cream work? Why does wheat give me gas? If we were to compress air to the pressure of water could we then swim in air? Do any planets stay still?…

20 Feb 2015 23 min

Can animals predict the weather?

Can we manufacture water? Should women eat uncastrated meat? Can animals predict the weather? Is there a loss of vitamin content in tinned food? If you're in an aeroplane traveling at the speed of light, could you walk to the front of the plane? What causes chronic flatulence? Plus, counting…

6 Feb 2015 18 min

Why do we get brain freeze?

Why do we get brain freeze? What happens to your arm when it goes to sleep? Why do clouds form? Do we really only use 10% of our brain? If we evolved from apes how come there are still monkeys? Plus, how to "unboil" an egg.

30 Jan 2015 21 min

How do phantom limbs work?

How do phantom limbs work? Can power stations affect local weather? Plus, how to avoid jet lag and the snails that have weaponised insulin.

23 Jan 2015 23 min

Is there such a thing as a 'baby brain'?

Should I let my child run up and down stairs? Is crocodile bile deadly? Why don't animals in the wild bleed to death during child birth? Will there come a time where we stop breaking any new sport records? Is there such a thing as a "baby brain"?

16 Jan 2015 22 min