Episodes

  • How do you find black holes?

    How do you find black holes?
    Jan 10 2025
    Should you try to break bad habits? How do you stop a 'wandering' itch? Does climate change affect rainfall? Will you be tired if you dream of being awake? How do you get skin tags, and should you remove them? Why can some birds mimic humans, and some cannot? Why do you have nightmares during sleep apnea? Do offshore wind farms impact marine life? Who don't you look exactly like your relatives? How can you find a black hole if it doesn't emit light? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
    Show more Show less
    23 mins
  • Why should you cook at different temperatures in fan ovens?

    Why should you cook at different temperatures in fan ovens?
    Dec 20 2024
    Dr Chris takes on the final batch of questions of 2024 on CapeTalk. Why does sound cause me pain? What's the difference between white and brown vinegar? Does radioactivity harm inorganic matter? Is there a cure for anosmia (inability to smell)?What's outside our universe? Do we pass out on rollercoasters? How can we recognise our own baby's cry so well? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
    Show more Show less
    24 mins
  • What colour should I paint my garage roof?

    What colour should I paint my garage roof?
    Dec 6 2024
    Chris Smith answers CapeTalk listeners' questions. Including, do wind turbines affect the temperature of the ground? What is the cause of protein build up in my eye? Can we predict how much we might shrink as we age? And does microwaving food affect its nutritional content? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
    Show more Show less
    18 mins
  • Why does toothpaste contain fluoride?

    Why does toothpaste contain fluoride?
    Nov 29 2024
    Dr Chris Smith takes on listener questions on South Africa's CapeTalk. Why is there a delay between live TV and radio? Do wind turbines warm the air at ground level? Do we need to decommission the ISS? What causes genital warts? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
    Show more Show less
    21 mins
  • Why is sunlight so important for the body?

    Why is sunlight so important for the body?
    Nov 22 2024
    Why are we called The Naked Scientists? Why should you get sunlight in the morning? Why does bright light make you sneeze? Does luck have a pattern? Is there really such thing as bad luck? Do people who don't get sunlight have more health problems? Did our skin colour change because of agricultural reasons? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
    Show more Show less
    18 mins
  • Has it been a strange year for weather?

    Has it been a strange year for weather?
    Nov 15 2024
    Dr Chris Smith answers questions from the listeners of CapeTalk. Including, why are pregnant women told to take folic acid? What causes ears to itch? Why is vomit yellow? Is there a relationship between organs of the body and areas of the skin? How effective is carbon dating? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
    Show more Show less
    19 mins
  • Why do athletes spit on the ground?

    Why do athletes spit on the ground?
    Nov 8 2024
    Dr Chris and Clarence take on another selection of topics from across the scientific spectrum: Who were the victims of the Mount Vesuvius eruption? How does one get rid of ringworm? What are the effects of a low heart rate? If our internal body temperature is 37 degrees, why do we feel warm when it's 35 degrees outside? What is an eating disorder? Can an element in the periodic table be changed into another? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
    Show more Show less
    23 mins
  • What should you do if a lift cable snaps?

    What should you do if a lift cable snaps?
    Nov 1 2024
    Do animals lower their mating standards when drunk? Why do different farts make different noises? What should you do if your lift cable snaps? Were there two Earths at one point? Where do mosquitoes go during the day? Is tinnitus always a ringing sound? Is Teflon safe to use? Is there such thing as a universal frame of reference? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
    Show more Show less
    22 mins