Ask The Naked Scientists SA

Why are dreams so realistic? When should you move your babies onto solids? Can people predict their own deaths? Am I allergic to exercise? Plus, the world's smallest knot.

12 Jan 2017 24 min

Why can't I eat fruit? How well do polar bears smell, and how do we know? How does marijuana affect your brain? How does pepper spray work?

1 Dec 2016 23 min

How did speech evolve, why do you need bacteria and fish food for aquaponic systems, do growth factors in anti-ageing creams really work, what treatments are there for allergies and how do UV lights vaporise fat in commercial kitchens? Plus, delving into the secrets of sleeping sickness.

24 Nov 2016 22 min

Could the universe be more than a coincidence, what's causing a burning skin sensation, does milk cause breast cancer, are statins effective for high cholesterol, what impact would a nuclear war have and what risk does Donald Trump pose to climate change? Plus, the science behind the supermoon.

17 Nov 2016 23 min

Is the Earth flat, do microwaves kill nutrients, why do eggs have whites and yolks, what advancements are there in the treatment of tinnitus and what happens if you fire a gun on the Moon's surface? And also a new vaccine which controls HIV in monkeys.

10 Nov 2016 20 min

Why do other people's fart smell worse than your own, why do storms turn swimming pools green, how do we stop HIV spreading, what's the difference between antibiotics and probiotics, why does it feel like you're moving slowly when you're inside an aeroplane and why does the smell of shower…

3 Nov 2016 20 min

How can I find out about my biological age, how can you stop a panic attack, how can you treat Polymyalgia Rheumatica, are detoxing products just a marketing gag, can learned behaviours be passed on genetically, what would cause my brain to forget which way around to put on my…

28 Oct 2016 22 min

Are there increases in miscarriage rates, why are rats used in experiments, could we use developments in cartilage growth to treat scaphoid wrist fractures, is it safe to do strenuous exercise as you get older, where do children get their intelligence and what causes your stomach to flip when you…

20 Oct 2016 18 min

Why does the BCG vaccine cause swelling, where does moisturiser go when you put it on your face, what are the side effects of sickle-cell anaemia medication and is it true that we only use a small proportion of our brain? Plus, a gene editing technique that could provide a…

13 Oct 2016 17 min

Is autophagy linked to autoimmune diseases, what could cause unilateral spinal dysfunction, what is adrenal fatigue and how do we see distant stars? Plus, the low down on the Nobel prizes in medicine, physics and chemistry.

6 Oct 2016 18 min

How do we get bright images of planets, why do distant lights appear to blink, how does radiation escape black holes, what could cause a loss of smell and why does our stomach grumble when it's hungry? Plus, news of the Rosetta Mission's final hours.

29 Sep 2016 19 min

Could planet Earth be a living creature, how do they name medicines, what's the difference between a heart attack and a cardiomyopathy, how do HIV protective drugs work and how were the Egyptian pyramids built? Plus, news of a new gene that could screen for heart disease.

22 Sep 2016 20 min

Why are men hairier than women, how can a cockroach survive a microwave, why is our poo brown when we eat colourful food, why is the reflection on a spoon upside down, why do we close our eyes when we sneeze, do we produce saliva at night, can you make…

15 Sep 2016 20 min

How do birds sit on electric wires without getting hurt, why does hot weather cause nose bleeds, how do probiotics treat vaginal thrush, is there a cure for retinitis pigmentosa, are the any solutions to the problems caused by human activity and what can you do to lessen your asthma?…

1 Sep 2016 25 min

If the ice caps are made of freshwater, how did they form from a salt water ocean? How do baby lobsters eat jellyfish without getting stung? Why doesn't vodka freeze? Does putting a spoon into the neck of a champagne bottle stop it from going flat? What causes your eye…

25 Aug 2016 24 min

Why do we catch colds on holiday? If a fly takes off inside a car, why doesn't it get flung to the back? What are the latest treatments for macular degeneration? Is kidney infection linked to depression? Why am I choking on my saliva? Why do wheels sometimes appear to…

19 Aug 2016 19 min

Why did the Olympic swimming pool turn green? Is it normal to get hiccoughs after eating spicy food? How accurate is carbon dating, and are there different types? Why do flying ants appear after the rain?...And what is the sun, really?

11 Aug 2016 19 min

Why do I feel an electric current if I touch the wall when I'm lying on my electric blanket, is it possible to absorb vitamin D through glass, what happens to microbeads from cosmetics, how does a tornado form, with the advancement of artificial intelligence how do we know that…

28 Jul 2016 19 min

Why do dogs have wet noses, when a fly hits a train does the train slow down, why do our ears keep growing as we age, why don't animals die when they eat other animals which are poisonous, can Metformin be used to slow ageing and can stem cells be…

21 Jul 2016 20 min

How does wireless charging work, why do people have different coloured eyes, is drinking water from plastic bottles bad for your health, is there any truth in palm reading, what's the reason for different hair types and is the artificial sweetner aspartame really bad for you?

14 Jul 2016 20 min