Question of the Week
Each week we set out to solve one of the world's weirdest, wackiest, funniest and funkiest scientific puzzles. And along with the answer there's a brand new question to think about for next time...
What happens when a caterpillar pupates? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.11.22
What happens insides the shell of a chrysalis? Does the caterpillar turn into a protein-y mush or does it simply grow wings? Plus, we ask what happens once the universe has finished expanding.
How many bees to boil a human? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.11.15
In this buzzing Question of the Week we find out how many bees are required to cook a human bee-ing. How much honey would they need to feast on in order to achieve this feat? Plus, we ask if a caterpillar turns to mush during pupation.
Do you experience more daylight atop a mountain? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.11.08
If you're standing on top of Mt Everest, will your day be brighter for longer? Will there be more sunlight and why? Plus, we ask how many bees it takes to boil an entire person!
Did the Icelandic volcano produce more carbon than the grounded flights would have? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.11.01
Which would have produced more carbon: the Icelandic volcano or the planes which would have flown if it hadn't erupted? Find out in this QotW. Plus, we ask if altitude can affect the hours of daylight one experiences.
Why might a person not be able to see coloured ink on a whiteboard? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.10.25
Why might a person, who apparently isn't colour-blind, not be able to see red or green on a whiteboard? What is colour-blindness anyway? We try to find the answer in this Question of the Week. Plus, we ask which is worse for the environment - a few weeks of volcanic…
Why does travelling backwards make you feel ill? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.10.18
Why is it that some people get a bit queasy when facing backwards on a train? Find out in this QotW! Plus, we ask how it's possible that someone is unable to see coloured lines on a whiteboard.
Does everyone see the same phase of the moon? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.10.11
The moon and its fickle phases are analysed in this week's question. Does someone in Australia see the same full moon at the same time as someone in the UK? Does being on the other side of the world change the view? Plus, we ask why travelling backwards makes some…
How can something appear to roll uphill? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.10.04
The quest is on to find out how something can appear to roll up a hill, rather than down. Plus, we ask if the moon appears the same to viewers on either side of the planet.
Are apple cores poisonous? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.09.27
We find out about the true nature of apple cores. They're not as innocent as they look. Plus, we ask how a ball can appear to move uphill.
Is olive oil better for you? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.09.20
We find out why we're often told that olive oil is better for you. Is there any truth to the advertising? Plus, we ask about the dangers of apple cores!
Why does it smell after it rains? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.09.13
We explore the smells created by that wet weather phenomenon, rain. What brings about the damp, earthy smell? Plus, we ask if olive oil really is good for you.
How much farting is required for lift-off? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.07.26
How much and how fast would you have to let loose your intestinal gases in order to lift yourself from the ground? We work through the physics of farting! Plus, we ask why certain smells are released after it rains.
Is there an evolutionary benefit to kissing? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.07.19
What is the point of kissing? Does it have any benefit for us or our progeny? Plus, we ask how much you'd have to fart in order to lift yourself off the ground!
Why didn't The Americas have what the Europeans had at the time of conquest? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.07.12
We ask why the New World wasn't technologically as advanced as the Old World. Is this a valid question? Plus, we ask what the benefits of kissing might be.
Why does an electric toothbrush affect my vision? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.07.05
When brushing one's dental equipment with an electric toothbrush one may notice a slight wobbling of the television images. Why does this happen? Plus, we ask why the Americas hadn't developed the same kinds of technologies as the Old World at the time of European contact.
Why is the nervous system crossed over? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.06.28
Why does one side of the brain control the other side of the body? Surely it would make more sense if the left half of the brain told the left side of the body what to do. We find out what the current thinking on this conundrum is. Plus, we…
Can dogs watch TV? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.06.21
Many a dog has been observed barking at the television - but can they see what's going on in 'One man and his Dog'? Can they see images better on LCD TVs rather than CRT? Plus, we ask why one side of our brain is wired up to control the…
What happens to light travelling at light speed? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.06.14
We work out what would happen if you shone a light whilst travelling at light speed. Would you see anything? Would an observer see anything? Plus, we ask if dogs really can watch TV.
Can genes carry our memories? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.06.07
In our quest for answers we discover how memories might be encoded in genes, though probably not the sort of memories you were expecting. Plus, we ask what would happen if you shine a light whilst travelling at light speed.
Why do some foods make our urine smell? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 10.06.01
What is it that sometimes makes micturating nasally irritating? Why does asparagus make your urine smell and why might some cereals do the same thing? Plus, we ask whether memories can be handed down through generations.