- The Naked Scientists Naked Science Radio Show PODCAST - Stripping Down Science

The hunt for Bigfoot, how a beer or two can boost attractiveness and the brain basis of imagination go under the lens this week when Ben and Diana also meet the chemist-turned-rapper behind the contraceptive pill and the "Superheroes of Science" a concept album where science mixes with music. Plus, in an Olympic Kitchen Science, Ben and Dave tune in to a baseball bat's sweet spot...

Diana and Ben take the bridge this week for a journey around the world and out into space, with a selection of the best science from the Naked Scientists worldwide travels. We find out how planets form from stardust in just tens on millions of years, and how to use winks, wobbles and blips to find planets around distant stars. We find out why the James Webb Space telescope must be very cool to pick up the hot infra-red radiation of deep space, and how the ExoMars rover could take us to previously unseen parts of Mars. Then we come back down to Earth with a bump (or should that be burp?) to discover the astronomical effort it takes to feed the population of the Olympic Village. Plus, in Kitchen Science, Dave tries in his own unique way to get a bottle rocket into orbit!

Science on the River - A Punt Down the Cam. The river Cam runs through Cambridge, past the colleges that have been home to influential scientists for hundreds of years. This week, we drift down the river, picking up key scientists as we go. We discover how petals attract pollinators, how carbon sequestration could call a halt to climate change and how ketamine could help us find the root of schizophrenic delusions. Also, we explore how evolved enzymes could make chemical reactions billions of times faster, and learn of the ultimate fate of the universe with Astronomer Royal, Professor Martin Rees. Plus, in Kitchen Science we see how sunlight can start a fire and mirrors can cause explosions!

It's an Extravaganza of Questions and Answers on the Naked Scientists this week as we take on your questions, including whether dogs can sniff out a seizure, what is Fire made of, and how do glow in the dark object work? Also, we hear what an artificial tongue can tell us about speech production and the way to build superior voice recognition software, we rev up a system that can harness the waste heat in car exhaust to boost efficiency, find out how to flavour breast milk and hear why dolphins sing lullabies. Plus, in Kitchen Science, Ben and Dave go for a drive with a helium filled balloon to uncover the basis of intertia!

Drug Discovery

We're going for gold on this week's Olympian Naked Scientists, by discovering the sporty science of performance enhancement. We find out how drugs can help boost an athlete's performance, and how the testing labs are hot on their heels! We also explore how altitude training and hi-tech trainers can power athletes past their personal bests. Plus, a stem cell cure for muscular dystrophy, flies with flu and how a rubber Anaconda could generate energy from waves. And in Kitchen Science, we find out how to get the biggest bounce from two balls!

Give yourself the time to listen to this week's Naked Scientists Show, where we find out about the Body Clock! We discover the constant chemical cascade that keeps your clock in check, and how not seeing the sun leads to S.A.D. We probe the plant clock to explore how trees tell the time, and why even plants can suffer from jetlag. Plus, why Stradivarius' violins sound so good, why fun size snacks may be making you fat and how cuttlefish sneak a peak at their future food. Also, in Kitchen Science, Ben and Dave get water from flames!

It's 150 years since Darwin's theory of Evolution was presented to the Linnean Society, and so we've Naturally Selected the Science of Evolution! We find out why scientists have revisited a textbook example of natural selection in action, find out why horny sheep are gambling on good weather and how bacteria in the lab can evolve into a new species! We find out why tragedy almost kept Darwin's ideas from ever being seen, by looking at the archives of his own letters. Plus, why crocodiles chat from inside their eggs, a new way to send messages underwater and why Martian soil would be good for growing cabbages! And in kitchen science we find out which surface is best for keeping ice cool.

Mirrors, Magnets and Meteorites make an appearance in this week's Naked Scientists Question and Answer Show. We find out how the immune system could be convinced to fight skin cancer, how future MRI scans could be in colour, and why easy-clean computer keyboards could help keep MRSA out of hospitals. We answer your questions about inhaling helium, wind turbines, bacteria and the molecular basis of mirrors. Plus, in Kitchen Science Dave sets us the Balloon Kebab Challenge!

Get Red Hot and Dirty with the Naked Scientists as we explore the science of volcanoes. We discover how the heat from hot rocks can be used to work out what gases are emerging, how likely a volcano is to erupt and weather it will go with a bang or a whimper. We also hear how hot runny rock can shatter under pressure to trigger an earthquake, and dip into the cooler, dirtier world of mud Volcanoes, like Lusi, which is currently pouring millions of gallons of mud onto the island of Java. Plus, we find out how a small date plant made history by being the oldest seed ever to germinate, why the paper of the future could be as tough as iron, and, in Kitchen Science, Ben and Dave provoke an eruption of their own!

Ancient Greece is on the naked scientists' menu this week as we travel back in time to 1200 BC to discover how modern science and a 3000 year old poem have solved an ancient riddle. A team of classicists, geologists and archaeologists claim to have found the island of Ithaca, home of the legendary Greek hero Odysseus. Digging further into the past we also hear how geophysics can help archaeologists to see what lies buried underground but without having to lift a trowel. We also learn how dormant brain stem cells can be brought back to life, why it's not just size that is important when it comes to brains, and the mind-controlling parasite that turns its host first into an egg-incubator and then into a bodyguard. Plus, in Kitchen Science, savouring the Greek flavour, Ben and Dave recreate the science of the original Naked Scientist, Archimedes, and find out whether a heap of gold coins are the real thing...

Footballs in space, mind-controlled machines and long-lasting bubbles join your questions on this week's Naked Scientists Question and Answer show. We discover the feminine side of prostate cancer and the robot that can walk up walls, and also hear how a computer has designed the next generation of mosquito repellents. Plus, we revisit the Phoenix mission on Mars, and also find out how surfing the internet can contribute more carbon to climate change than surfing the skies in an aeroplane! Plus, in Kitchen Science, Dave demonstrates a psychedelic effect with some milk.

Hours before NASA's phoenix mission was due to land on Mars, the Naked Scientists took our own tour of the Martian landscape. We discuss how looking in valleys could tell us what shaped the Martian surface, and how probing Martian mud could reveal signs of life past and present. Also, we find out how scientists have watched the explosive death of a star, and how an asteroid collision millions of miles away could have seen the birth of the meteorite that killed off the dinosaurs. Plus, in Kitchen Science, we show you how to make weightless water!

Come with us on a tour of your body to discover how the bacteria that live on and in you play an important role! Bad breath bacteria, good gut bugs and the ones that escape through the other end all make an appearance, as we find out how bacteria are essential to your health and how probiotics could prevent or even treat asthma and allergies. Plus, we find out how clot busting drugs could treat brain haemorrhages, why pilot whales are the cheetahs of the sea and how a robot could give you a full head of hair. Plus, in a smelly kitchen science we ask if coughs and sneezes can spread diseases, then what about flatulence?

Using nature's own tricks, we find out how to avoid mosquito bites, grow more crops and keep the weeds away in this week's Naked Scientists. We find out why mosquitoes prefer some people to others, and how to use pheromones to turn an insect's sex-drive against it! Also, why dentists could use plasma to cut down on drilling, why breast is best for bigger brains and why Popeye was right, spinach really does make you stronger. Plus, in Kitchen Science, we brave a box of biting mozzies to see if insect repellent really does repel!

Black holes, bright birds and ice evaporating in the freezer all come under scrutiny in this week's Naked Science Question and Answer Show. We also find out why space is so cold, what happens when a neutron star collapses and where houseflies buzz off to in winter. Plus, we discover a robot who keeps kids company in hospital, and catch up with the the latest tech news about Twitter. Also, we hear How bats are louder than a rock concert, how a quantum trick could let birds see magnetism and we peer into the biggest eye in the animal kingdom - belonging to the Colossal Squid. Plus, in Kitchen Science, we get close to some hot rubber!

Stunning sapphires, dazzling diamonds and red rubies abound in this week's sparkling edition of the Naked Scientists in which we find out how gemstones are formed, what makes them so beautiful and why they're so rare. We also reveal the tricks used by experts to flush out fake stones, and discover how synthetic diamonds can make better lasers, more powerful electronics, sweeter tweeters and cutting-edge scalpels. Plus, why a mongoose could be your best friend in a minefield, how a good breakfast leads to more male births and, in Kitchen Science, how to grow some beautiful crystals at home!

Sustainable Solar power in Sydney, home-generated electricity and green-housing developments go under the microscope this week as we explore the science of sustainable living. Meanwhile Dave goes for gold in water recycling by purifying and drinking water from urine, and we also find out how vitamin supplements can kill, discover an atom-thin transistor and hear how testosterone provoke boom and bust on the stock market. So join us as we become eco-estate agents and go through the keyholes of the Green Houses of Tomorrow!

Solar Flares and the Sun's influence on our climate are the burning issues of this week's show. We discover an explosion on the Sun so large that it cut global communications all over the world and rendered compasses useless. Also, we'll be looking at the link between the sun and climate change and finding out how clouds could predict earthquakes. Plus, in this week's news, we discover why some balls are really hard to catch we talk about the seahorses returning to the Thames. And in Kitchen Science, Dave shows us how to light a bulb without wires - using only a balloon! All this and more on The (naked) Science of the Sun...

Can cold water cause weight loss, is my mother-in-law turning into a reptile and why doesn't a mobile phone interfere with itself are all answered in this week's Naked Science Question and Answer Extravaganza. We also find out about a new way to keep track of your favourite online bands and musicians, and hear how the whole world harmonises - turning news into music in just three hours! Plus, in Kitchen Science, Dave pulverises an egg to explain the basis of air pressure, and for Question of the Week Diana finds out whether alcohol can rehydrate a lost traveller in the desert.

This week we visit the Historic city of Edinburgh to put Scottish science under the microscope! We discover the incredible magnetic bacteria and find out how their bio-nano-magnets could help treat cancer. We find out how satellite images can help predict outbreaks of cholera, and talk about the twist in the tale of TB - drug resistant Tuberculosis has now been found in the UK, so what is this disease and how can we hope to treat it? Also, how scientists have used cloned stem cells to treat Parkinson's disease in mice, how a whiff of anaesthetic could sooth traumatic memories and why bonobo apes play it safe while chimps like to gamble. Plus, in Kitchen Science we find out how yeast makes fluffy bread and fizzy beer!

This week, we catch up with the action from this year's Cambridge Science Festival. We find out what you could learn from a plasticine brain and how your next holiday could be literally out-of-this-world! We explore the science of Dr who's Sonic Screwdrivers, Spiderman and Skateboarders and find out how long the festival takes to prepare. Plus, how meteorite strikes benefit life on Earth, get a step closer to a cure for one of the most common forms of blindness and find out why chimps on TV could be harming their cousins in the wild. All this, and in Kitchen Science we show you how to make a Vacuum machine powered bazooka!

On this week's Naked Scientists, we tackle your questions. We find out what creates a 'Moonbow', how much water there was on Earth over one million years ago and what happens to milk in the freezer. Also, how butterflies could remember what caterpillars learn, why electric cars may stress stretched water supplies and how the 'smell' of a coral reef attracts fish from miles around. Plus, we speak to Marc Abrahams, creator of the Ig Nobel awards for science that makes you laugh, then makes you think! And in Kitchen Science we try to strike a balance between two balloons!

This week we're exploring the science of sound and music. We sound out the human voice, hear why we all talk differently, and probe the origins of accents and the means by which impersonators mimic their victims. Also, we discover how a tune can act like cocaine in your brain and why, in some cultures, music can replace a lawyer! Also, we hear what's going on in the brains of Jazz musicians as they improvise, see how hungry sharks are similar to shoppers and find out why a big brown bat needs magnetic bat-nav. Plus, in kitchen science we discover the musical secrets of plastic bottles!

This week the Naked Scientists go virtual! We'll be hearing how a new computer system can accurately gauge your age from a mugshot, we come face to face with the painting fool, a computer that can read - and then paint - your emotions, and We find out what's still lurking on your hard disc, even after you think your wiped it. We also unveil Second Naked Scientists - our home in Second Life - and get stuck into a new molecular glue designed to replaces surgical stitches and staples. Plus, in Kitchen Science, Ben and Dave embark on a far from fruitless mission to charge an MP3 player with an orange...

On this weeks Pan-Continental Naked Scientists we bring you the latest science news from the AAAS conference in Boston. We hear about why cholesterol-lowering drugs are good for us but bad for bacteria, see the map that shows mankind's effect on the oceans and discover the surprisingly complex science of sand castles. Also in this week's show, we look into the future for organ transplants - how bone marrow grafts could make rejection a thing of the past, keeping organs alive outside the body and how we can grow a beating heart in the lab! Plus, in Kitchen Science, we find out how to prove that blood circulates around the body!

This week on the Naked Scientists we discover novel drugs in carnivorous plants, genes pointing to prostate cancer and a way to capture waste wattage whilst walking. We hear about the future of 3D TV, the bio fuel carbon debt and how Pirate Bay could be about to walk the plank! Also, we take on your questions, such as why do electric lights stay on in a flood, how do animals evolve camouflage and why does a fresh cut throb? Plus, we have a shocking question of the week about the workings of electric eels, and in Kitchen Science we find out how to tell which drink is diet!

Get Wet and Wild with the Naked Scientists! We don our wellies and wade into the science of wetlands, discovering the species you might see and why wetlands are vital for wildlife on land and at sea. We'll also find out how wetlands protect us from floods, and what can be done to conserve them in the face of climate change. Also in this week's show, how Humans are fatally infecting Chimps with the common cold, the culture of a chameleon's colours and onions that can't make you cry! Plus, in Kitchen Science we hear the radio signal from a remote control, and find out how you can answer your mobile phone before it even starts ringing!

Get Wet and Wild with the Naked Scientists! We don our wellies and wade into the science of wetlands, discovering the species you might see and why wetlands are vital for wildlife on land and at sea. We'll also find out how wetlands protect us from floods, and what can be done to conserve them in the face of climate change. Also in this weeks show, how Humans are fatally infecting Chimps with the common cold, the culture of a chameleon's colours and onions that can't make you cry! Plus, in Kitchen Science we hear the radio signal from a remote control, and find out how you can answer your mobile phone before it even starts ringing!

In this week's not-to-be-sniffed-at infectious episode of the naked scientists, we find out the facts of flu, including how the virus hijacks your cells, how new strains of the virus emerge to trigger epidemics and pandemics, and how scientists can combat the threat with vaccines. Also under the microscope is a new technique to identify viruses within just 2 hours, providing patients with a fast track to the right treatment! Also, how bone marrow transplants can overcome organ rejection, how to stop a terrorist with a mobile phone, and the new material 30 times blacker than our current blackest black! Plus, in kitchen science, we'll be pouring cold water on claims of centrifugal force...