Ask The Naked Scientists SA

Do flies have blood?

Why did dinosaurs grow so large? Do flies have blood? Can chemotherapy get into the brain? Why do scorpions glow in UV light? Did we interbreed with Neanderthals? Plus, news of how your sense of smell can indicate how long you have left to live…

3 Oct 2014 20 min

Why do some people sleepwalk?

How is sea-level defined? What makes some people sleepwalk? How are barometers calibrated? What is an acquired taste? How much of the body is water? Do we really use only 10% of our brain? Why does red wine stain your lips? Why to I talk in my sleep? What happens…

26 Sep 2014 20 min

Can you be born circumcised?

How do people catch ebola? Why do brothers and sisters look different if they have the same parents? Can we mine the moon for fuel? Why should you not re-freeze meat? What causes birth marks? What is a curve of pursuit? Can you be born circumcised? Dr Chris answers more…

19 Sep 2014 20 min

Can you be born circumcised?

How do people catch ebola? Why do brothers and sisters look different if they have the same parents? Can we mine the moon for fuel? Why should you not re-freeze meat? What causes birth marks? What is a curve of pursuit? Can you be born circumcised? Dr Chris answers more…

19 Sep 2014 22 min

Why does spaghetti break into 3 pieces?

Can we rear people in a germ-free environment? Can you be born with only one kidney? Why does spaghetti always break into 3 pieces? What exactly is temperature? When you add more water to the bath and then pull the plug - what water goes down the drain first, the…

5 Sep 2014 21 min

Why does running water make you need the loo?

Why does running water make you need the loo?

29 Aug 2014 15 min

Can you get sunburn through a glass window?

Can you get sunburnt through a glass window? What are white holes? If everything is made from atoms, and atoms are largely empty space why can't we phase through walls? Can chlorophyll help body odour? What causes ringing in your ears? Can you train a child to be ambidextrous? Plus,…

15 Aug 2014 19 min

How accurate are dinosaur reconstructions?

If you fall asleep with the radio playing what effect would this have on the brain? How do marine mammals stay hydrated? If you fall off a certain height do you die before you hit the ground? How come children spit all the time? How accurate are dinosaur reconstructions?

8 Aug 2014 21 min

Are maps always right?

What's causing the ebola outbreak in northwest Africa? Is our sun unique? Why did we make clocks tick the way they do? Does altitude affect my blood pressure? Would the passengers remain conscious aboard an aircraft hit by a missile? Where does the iron on Earth come from? Are maps…

1 Aug 2014 23 min

Why do some wines give you a worse hangover?

Should my air-conditioning be fresh or recycled air? Is the International Space Station in geostationary orbit? What causes plane vapour trails? Is it alright to drink water on an empty stomach? Why do we have blood groups? Why do we boil our food? Why do some wines give you a…

25 Jul 2014 20 min

Why do we get nightmares?

Are there extra types of water? Do plants give off carbon dioxide at night? Why does huddling together keep you warm? What is the origin of belly-button fluff? What causes nightmares? And how does the magnetic field around Earth affect us? Plus, news of how dental plaque can show us…

18 Jul 2014 19 min

Is the sea getting saltier?

How does a gastric bypass work? How do spaceships land safely back on earth? What makes humans so successful? Are new species still appearing? Is the sea getting saltier? Plus, news of biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease…

15 Jul 2014 22 min

Can blind chameleons change colour?

How do e-cigarettes work? Could a blind chameleon still change colour? Do sightless people pick up on things most of us miss? Can the hydrogen be extracted from water? How are hurricanes named? How do birds navigate? How do vaccinations against bacteria and viruses work? Join Dr Chris for the…

4 Jul 2014 22 min

What is Spontaneous Human Combustion

Can people with autism catch yawns? Why isn't the Sun cooling down? What is the theory of spontaneous human combustion? Why did Luis Suarez bite someone? Should I close the fridge door while adding milk to my tea?

27 Jun 2014 17 min

A cure for procrastination?

Does learning a musical instrument boost brain power? Are there limits to what the human body can repair? How does my brain know how to whistle in tune? Can newborns recognise their grandmothers' voices? Is there life elsewhere in the Universe? Is there any connection between autism and vaccinations? How…

20 Jun 2014 21 min

Why do we yawn?

Are mouth bugs nastier than bowel bugs? How would wiping out mosquitoes affect the food-web? What is an itch? Are anaesthetics a risk factor for blood clots? What are trans-fats and invert sugars? Can parasites manipulate our behaviour? Are there any benefits of yawning? Plus, news of the genetically-modified mosquito…

13 Jun 2014 22 min

Why do people open their mouths when they apply mascara?

Are mothballs poisonous? How do chameleons change colour? Where do seedless varieties of fruit come from? What is ash? How can we use DNA to trace ancestry? Why do people open their mouths when they apply mascara? What causes a stammer?

6 Jun 2014 22 min

What gives water its colour?

What sort of star is the Sun? Can damage done by Multiple Sclerosis be repaired? Why does an acetylene torch need oxygen? How are calories in food calculated? What gives water its colour? Is drinking distilled water bad for you? What is sleep paralysis? Can liquids be compressed? Plus, how…

2 Jun 2014 23 min

What does coffee do to my heart rate?

What does coffee do to my heart rate? Has the earth changed size since its formation? Why are hailstones round? How do you avoid getting seasick? Are energy drinks bad for you? How do antidepressants work? Plus, how smells give away gender.

2 Jun 2014 20 min

Are flies getting harder to swat?

Are flies getting harder to swat these days? Why does more food in the microwave take longer to cook? Should penicillin-allergic people avoid blue cheese? Why are clouds white? What causes baldness? Why aren't marine fish more salty?

17 May 2014 18 min