Episodes

  • Why does running water make us want to use the toilet?

    Why does running water make us want to use the toilet?
    May 22 2026
    Why does running water make us want to go to the bathroom? What is IQ, and can you improve it? What is a Pica craving? Why isn't sperm damaged when it's frozen? Is there any evidence that links COVID vaccines to cancer rates? Is there a test to check whether honey is authentic or adulterated? What are hempcrete building materials? Why does it take so long to enrich uranium? What causes shingles? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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    23 mins
  • Should we pay attention to the UFO files?

    Should we pay attention to the UFO files?
    May 15 2026
    Do the newly released UFO files matter? Why do people tend to live longer in the 21st century? Why do women live longer than men on average? What impact does excess rainfall have? Why might you lose phone signal when you turn on a microwave? Should we open our windows in high winds? Is climate change causing more CO2 to be released from the sea? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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    23 mins
  • Can we travel forward and backwards in time?

    Can we travel forward and backwards in time?
    May 8 2026
    Is time a physical thing? How do trees know what season it is? What causes different-sized tides? Can cannibalism cause brain disease? Do all watches stop working at the same time? How do we identify different virus cases? How is hantavirus contracted? Can animals contract viruses by sniffing around contaminated material? And do meerkats carry hantavirus? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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    26 mins
  • How do vultures find their prey?

    How do vultures find their prey?
    May 1 2026
    Why are humans so sensitive to the smell of rain? Do statins cause dementia? What is the storage capacity of the human brain? How can I remember all the information I study? Do scientists believe in God? How do vultures find their prey? How can I stop or reverse grey hair? What does a cataract operation involve? What is diastolic blood pressure? Are MRI scans harmful to toddlers? And is Dr Chris worried that AI will replace him?! Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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    24 mins
  • Why don't melting ice cubes make my drink overflow?

    Why don't melting ice cubes make my drink overflow?
    Apr 24 2026
    How does polio cause disease? Why does ice added to a drink not make the glass overflow when the ice melts? What's the point of the appendix? Is old poison, past its expiry date, still toxic? What techniques built the pyramids? How do we treat hypotension? Why do our brains use a disproportionate amount of energy for their weight? Could a fan push a boat along if the wind dropped? And is a dry eye after a cataract operation normal? Dr Chris and Clarence Ford have the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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    22 mins
  • Do dogs dream?

    Do dogs dream?
    Apr 17 2026
    Do dogs dream? Can someone who was born blind dream? Do animals have souls? Do certain eye colours have more advantages than others in terms of sight? What is blind sight? What are growing pains? Is it unhealthy to sleep with closed windows? And what is some advice for sleepwalkers? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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    22 mins
  • What caused the craters on the Moon?

    What caused the craters on the Moon?
    Apr 10 2026
    How does the heat shield protect the Artemis II astronauts on their return to Earth? What caused the craters on the Moon? Can the materials in cooking pots cause poisoning? What is seasickness? Can space missions take place during periods of high solar activity? And what propels spacecraft? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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    23 mins
  • What colour is a mirror?

    What colour is a mirror?
    Mar 28 2026
    Why some people can't say their Rs; why is perception of time so context dependent; what's the nutritional value of long life milk; what determines how tall we are; why do some mirrors make you look a strange shape; why to take care with magnesium supplements to avoid explosive diarrhoea; how can fish swap between fresh and salt water environments; and why doesn't the stomach digest itself? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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    21 mins