Ask The Naked Scientists SA

Can phantom limb pain be treated?

Can overhead electrical cables interfere with radio signals? Are diesel and petrol made differently? What is a vasectomy? Can phantom limb pain be treated? Are memories passed on through your genes? How much water does it take to boil an egg? Can surgery fix collapsed vertebrae? Is a woman genetically…

1 Nov 2018 23 min

Why do we need sleep?

Why do we need sleep? How do tides work? Could aliens already be here that we simply can't detect? Plus, how being bird-brained isn't such a bad thing.

25 Oct 2018 18 min

Can humans slow down time?

How do scientists calculate the mass and velocity of planets? Why does time slow down during accidents? Is table salt bad for us? Why do cockroaches end up on their backs when they die? Will other primates become human? Plus, a lumpy Earth!

11 Oct 2018 22 min

How did life begin on earth?

Is our galaxy moving around? How did life begin? Why do my feet only sometimes sweat? How do you explain the big bang? Why do people think the moon landing was faked? Where does foam on the sea come from? Plus, the Nobel prizes!

4 Oct 2018 22 min

Do paternity tests work on identical twin fathers?

Do serious hurricanes only occur in the Northern hemisphere? Is the Y chromosome a mutated X chromosome? Does a blood transfusion change your DNA? Plus, the gene drive on the most dangerous animal in the world; the mosquito.

27 Sep 2018 17 min

How can smoking marijuana affect your health?

How do we know the earth is round? Why do some people make noises during sex? Why do crabs move sideways? Why are some parts of the sea violent with lots of waves, whereas others aren't? How can smoking marijuana affect your health? How can some female bees reproduce without…

20 Sep 2018 20 min

How dangerous are shisha pipes?

Does Mars have layers like Earth? Is shisha dangerous? Why does cold water make my toothache worse, but cold beer doesn't? Does cleaning vegetables with baking powder work? Do any two humans have the same fingerprint? Why do I sleep talk?

13 Sep 2018 21 min

What makes strange quarks strange?

What is so strange about a strange quark? Why do I sweat when I'm eating food? Why don't things weigh more on Everest? Why does my speedometer in my car and app show different things? How does a heat shield work? How does alcohol affect people of different sizes? Plus…

6 Sep 2018 19 min

Can atoms die?

Can atoms die? How does fasting influence diabetics? If you burn polystyrene is it dangerous? Is it possible to grow trees on Mars? How important is fat for baby brains? How long before the planet is overpopulated? Do butterflies taste with their feet?

30 Aug 2018 24 min

Why do galaxies spin?

Do galaxies turn clockwise or anticlockwise? What's the difference between dark matter and dark energy? Why do older people have quivering voices? Why is our planet called Earth? How do bionic eyes work?

23 Aug 2018 23 min

Why do women live longer than men?

Why do women live longer than men? How do birds fly in a group? Why do loose stones hit my windshield? Why are some cremated ashes white and others grey? What's the point of a sneeze? Plus, engineering better batteries.

16 Aug 2018 24 min

Are Phobias Hereditary?

Are phobias hereditary? Does hair grow after death? Do we really share 5% of DNA with Neanderthals? Why do some people have such good memories? Why is the sea salty? Could we lock away all the carbon dioxide?

9 Aug 2018 20 min

How are stars born?

Why are some stars second generation? Why is yawning contagious? Why is the moon moving away from us? What causes lag on live broadcasts? Why can't you put metal in a microwave? How do stars form? Plus, organ transplants.

2 Aug 2018 22 min

Why does cannabis cause the munchies?

Can we harness the power of the ocean for electricity? Why are some people lucky? Can I stop my plant from fruiting? Why do my eyes go red when I smoke a joint? Are cigarettes or joints worse for you? Plus, water on Mars.

26 Jul 2018 19 min

Can we harness the power of lightning?

How much water do we lose in a day? What's the best way to drink a scotch? Can we harness the power of lightning? Can things move faster than the speed of light? Are things that burn totally destroyed? Could a cable run from earth to space to generate energy?…

19 Jul 2018 19 min

Why Isn't Everyone Ambidextrous?

What is a near-death experience? How do you stop mosquitoes getting into water tanks? Why isn't everyone ambidextrous? What is Schrodinger's Cat? Why does elephant urine take so long to dry out on roads? How do we measure the distance to far away stars? Plus, finding a far flung source…

12 Jul 2018 19 min

Are GMOs harming my health?

How do seedless grapes reproduce? What causes serial womanisers? What's the fastest way to cool down a fire? Why does brewing tea for longer taste better? Why do gazelles all look the same? Can GMOs be harming my health? Plus, saving the Northern White Rhino.

5 Jul 2018 25 min

Why do we have body odour?

Why do we have body odour? Can weeds be useful? Could marine animals learn not to eat plastic in the ocean? How does your body warm up when you're swimming in cold water? Why does my dog twitch to a particular sound? If an aeroplane followed the path of a…

28 Jun 2018 21 min

Why doesn't my snoring wake me up?

Why is there always room for dessert? Why doesn't my own snoring wake me up? What actually happens when we die? Why does my helium balloon get more squishy? Can humans really live for 200 years? What is vascular dementia?

21 Jun 2018 19 min

How does my brain store information?

Why can I hold off a bathroom stop when I'm driving? How does my brain store information? Why don't birds sitting on power lines get electrocuted? Why do bubbles in a bath disappear when the water gets cold? Why are rainbows such perfect arches? What causes an itchy backside in…

7 Jun 2018 22 min