The Naked Scientists Podcast

This episode of The Naked Scientists: what's at stake at this year's UN climate summit in Azerbaijan? Also, the 80 million-year-old fossil revealing how birds came by their big brains; and why the UK's oldest satellite has wandered off over the Americas... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, could weight loss jabs help shrink the size of the global obesity crisis... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

New NICE guidance urges HRT as a first-line treatment for menopause symptoms, the enormous black hole that doesn't obey our existing laws of physics, and what DNA analysis is revealing about the people who inhabited Pompeii... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Initially, the upside to children having access to a supercomputer in their pockets seemed obvious: immediate access to the reams of educational information on the internet, seamless communications with their friends, a source of constant entertainment. But as mental ill health amongst our youngsters continues to rise, many are pointing to smartphones, and particularly the social media platforms on them, as mainly to blame.Today, we'll hear what the screen age is doing to our stone age brains, how adolescents and adults differ in their social media activity, and discuss what the evidence says... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: The UK detects its first case of the new Mpox variant, but some are saying what took us so long; also the discovery of a lost city beneath the jungle canopy in Mexico; and the robots helping Cambridge scientists understand the evolution of fish... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

The US election between Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and Republican nominee Donald Trump is going down to the wire. Indeed, this has been described by many as the closest presidential election ever seen. Inevitably, with tensions so high on either side, the cry of electoral interference is a common one. But just how is today's technology being used to sway voter opinion, and by how much? That's what we seek to uncover on this week's programme... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Sir Chris Hoy goes public with his terminal prostate cancer diagnosis; the World Health Organization has declared Egypt malaria-free; also, it's time to change the clocks in some countries. But what impact does it have on our perception of time? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, as NASA's Europa Clipper mission successfully blasts off towards Jupiter's moon, we look at how it leads the search for life in our solar system... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: The new form of insulin that switches itself off before blood sugar falls too low; also, scientists suss out the origins of most of the meteors that fall to Earth; and why the longest lived patch of snow in the Scottish Highlands finally looks set to melt away... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, what science has to say about whether a vegan diet is a healthy diet... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news pod, how electrically conductive stitches can speed up wound healing. Scientists find the DNA of human victims embedded in the teeth of two African lions shot in the 1800's. And the Nobel Prizes explained: who's won what, and what for? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Today, we're going in depth on traumatic brain injuries. James Tytko speaks with Dawn Astle, daughter of former England striker Jeff Astle, about the finding that his death was linked to head trauma sustained during his playing career. Also, Prof Peter Hutchinson gives an overview of head injuries, and Adel Helmy talks about changing the rules of some sports to reduce risk. Then, Alexis Joannides describes one of many new technological innovations to support medical staff dealing with TBIs, before Prof David Menon describes the path towards better drug treatments and diagnostic tools. If you... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Diabetes fixed with stem cells: scientists reprogramme a patient's fat cells to produce insulin; also why some security specialists are worried Chinese-made electric cars could pose a threat; and our interview with world-famous stargazer and physicist Brian Cox... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Four and a half years ago many countries told their inhabitants they had to stay at home for weeks at a time to control the coronavirus pandemic. Many countries had never resorted to any such measure - which deprived citizens of their civil liberties to such an extent - in recorded history. And while it was successful at slowing the spread of the disease, at least initially, as the world has emerged from the pandemic, it's become obvious that there's a less than positive legacy of these lockdowns. So what have we learned, and what can we do, if anything, to prevent history repeating itself? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Signs that fruity vapes paralyse the immune system in your lungs; the world's oldest cheese: but why was the nearly 4000 year old dairy product smeared all over an ancient Chinese mummy? And, why it might be a giant leap to suggest that we're getting an extra moon, at least for a while! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Recently, doctors announced some extremely encouraging news about a jab for people with advanced forms of several types of malignancy, including melanoma, lung cancer and other solid organ tumours. The vaccine is called mRNA-4359 and has been developed by the pharmaceutical company Moderna, of Covid vaccine fame. The trials have been conducted here in the UK, and we'll hear from the man running the study. Also, the success of the HPV vaccine in preventing cervical cancer, and how a Lynch syndrome vaccine could prevent a variety of malginancies... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: what do we know about the pagers and walkie-talkies used to attack Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon? Also the landmark study on the impact of pregnancy on the human brain. And how scientists in Israel have grown a one thousand-year-old seed that might fill in a missing link in the Bible... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, how engineers are using novel concepts and ideas to attempt to tackle the climate crisis... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: How COVID-19 lockdowns affected the brain development of teenagers; how best to dispose of dangerous nuclear waste; and why the UK's puffin population is thriving despite a rise in avian flu. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we take a fresh look at the appendix. Despite its historical reputation of being a useless part of the body, have new studies shone a light on the pivotal functions that the appendix may have? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Scientists uncover a way to help amputees toughen up their skin to make prostheses more comfortable; Covid mRNA jab pharmaceutical company Moderna turn their attention to vaccines for mpox; and the Astronomer Royal, Martin Rees, on whether ET is really out there... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, teaching an old mine new tricks: how old mines are being repurposed in the name of science... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: How the UK looks set to take the world's toughest line on smoking; the new study showing that last year's Canadian wildfires pumped more CO2 into the atmosphere than most countries worldwide; and why are those astronauts still stranded on the International Space Station? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this episode of The Naked Scientists, we are looking at the outbreak of monkeypox - mPox - in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and fears that it could spread internationally... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: the regulator says the Alzheimer's drug lecanemab is safe, but NICE say we can't afford it; also, the UK MOD launches its first Earth-imaging satellite. We talk to the makers; and the BBC's Frank Gardner on why the UK's butterflies need our help... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Human pursuit of body perfection and ideal aesthetics means that we're increasingly resorting to cosmetic interventions to achieve the look we're after. But evidence is mounting that some of these cosmetic and hygiene enhancements might come with a hidden health cost: many have never been subject to rigorous appraisals of the chemicals they contain, meaning that as more people embrace them, some concerning trends are beginning to emerge... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news, we speak to the WHO about the rise in cases of the new variant of Mpox. Also, the final piece of Stonehenge is traced back to its origin, and Nasa's InSight lander finds evidence of liquid water on Mars. Plus, how horses almost deceived scientists into believing they were less sharp than goldfish... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This episode of Titans of Science features body clock guru Russell Foster, who talks all about our body's circadian rhythm, and how paying attention to it is crucial for a healthier and happier life... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news podcast, could Chinese scientists have found the mechanism that gives ketamine its antidepressant effect? Also, how a Cambridge researcher has laid the foundations for eliminating a form of blindness in English Shepherd dogs, and how bees find their way about with remarkable efficiency. Plus, the big questions in the search for extraterrestrials... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of Titans of Science, the man who co-discovered the accelerating expansion of the Universe and gave us dark energy; the Nobel laureate Brian Schmidt... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: A meeting of minds: scientists show that when two people talk, their brains really do sync up. Also, bird flu is now spreading among cattle via their milk. What are the implications? And, a new scientific twist for better, more efficient fog harvesting to keep arid areas watered... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the first half of the last Century, scientists realised that there must be more to space than meets the eye: without some invisible force hanging on to them, clusters of stars rotating around galaxies ought to be being flung out into space like children letting go on a playground roundabout. That force, they knew, must be gravity, but its origin - where it was coming from - no one knew.A popular theory at the time was that millions of small stars we couldn't see were lending their mass to the equation, but by carefully logging what was out there in our own Milky Way Galaxy, Gerry Gilmore... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

On the Naked Scientists news podcast, 'muscles on chips' provide microgravity researchers new opportunities to study ageing. Also in the show, the machine learning models overhauling weather forecasting, and scientists unpick how the placebo effect reduces pain by discovering the brain network responsible. Then, we speak to a doctor on how to protect yourself from skin cancer in the summer, and we find out what it is we can smell when it rains and where you are most likely to smell it. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

To mark the start of the Olympics, we're hosting our own science themed opening ceremony, centred on sporting extremes. We'll learn about potentially dangerously high temperatures at this year's Games and how athletes are reckoning with them. Then, we'll find out whether (really) cold therapy is the key to recovery, and what the mindset of a successful athlete should be. Then, it's the turn of a sport nutritionist to provide some tips on how to keep your body in with a chance of crossing the line in first place. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Self-test kits to help doctors bear down on cervical cancer; the 'jelly' batteries that could be used in wearable tech devices; and why seagulls keep trying to steal your chips, and how to stop them: science has the solution! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Today's Titans interview is with the key figure in one of science's modern triumphs. Susan Solomon and her team were the first to theorise and prove what was causing the hole in the ozone layer above the Antarctic, and why it was growing: chlorofluorocarbon pollutants humans were emitting. What followed is a testament to what can be achieved in the face of significant challenges with international collaboration. What lessons does it hold for how we tackle climate change? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

On the Naked Scientists news pod: data released from the UK's Covid tracing app provides intriguing insights on how the virus spread. Then, we hear whether extreme weather is the new normal, and we profile Patrick Vallance, the UK's new science minister. Also, what does having AI assistance do to our creative writing skills? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of Titans of Science, we hear from some of the biggest names in the business. Today, it's the turn of the British Formula One engineer Dan Fallows. He's currently technical director at Aston Martin and I went to meet him at their base in Silverstone to find out what makes a F1 car do what it does... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, Body scans give us new insights into long COVID; scientists discover the switch that triggers a mosquito's blood lust; and we'll take you on a whistle-stop tour of Royal Society's summer science exhibition... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: How clever are birds really? Titans of Science continues, as we sit down with Cambridge University psychologist, and expert in animal comparative cognition, Nicky Clayton. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this episode of The Naked Scientists: Edward Stone, the man who led the Voyager probe missions, which are still working half a century on, has died at the age of 88. We reflect on his legacy. Also, scientists discover what they think is the first Neanderthal with Down's Syndrome, clearly cared for by his community. And what should be in your first aid kit if you're heading to a major music festival? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This episode of The Naked Scientists marks the return of a brand news series of Titans of Science, where some of the movers and shakers of the scientific and technological world help us to unpick a big problem. Kicking us off is the AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton, with a fascinating insight into artificial intelligence, how it actually works and what we need to be wary of... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This episode of The Naked Scientists: How scientists are getting to grips with the UK's E. coli outbreak. Lettuce leaves look like the source, but how? Also, how atomic bomb tests have helped us build a better picture of how much carbon plants can lock away - and the news is both good and bad. And, how scientists near Norwich are sniffing the air... for DNA. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week on The Naked Scientists, we're taking a look at trees. We look at how they communicate, the diseases they are fighting, and how beneficial to the climate planting trees really is... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, Could lab-grown 'mini-guts' help us crack Crohn's disease? Also, is the Universe organised like a bagel? I talk to one cosmologist trying to figure it out. And we hear from the engineers who have recreated a 115-year-old cricketing contraption that bowled out an Australian legend back in the day! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This time, we're looking at gambling addiction and the associated harms. We hear from Bianca, a recovering gambling addict, about the deceit which characterised her experiences with betting, and why this is shared by many like here. Then, with Barbara Sahakian from the University of Cambridge, we learn about the biological and environmental factors which may lead to problem gambling, and hear from the perspective of the industry with Dan Waugh of Regulus. Finally, what treatments are out there for gambling addiction? Emma Ryan from the UK's first Primary Care Gambling Service tells us. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news this week, after the death of rugby legend Rob Burrow, we explore the mechanisms of motor neurone disease with John Ealing from the Manchester MND Care Centre. Also, we hear from Alexander Forse at the University of Cambridge who has helped to develop a carbon sponge which can suck CO2 out of the atmosphere, and Inga Kamp from the university of Groningen explains why a new finding from the JWST could reveal the secrets of how Earth-like planets form. Plus, the intriguing story of a non-drinker who couldn't stop getting drunk... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week on The Naked Scientists, we are looking at attempts to map the dark universe. As the new space telescope Euclid seeks to unlock the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy, we ask why their secrets have eluded us for so long... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This episode of The Naked Scientists: The genetically engineered mosquitoes released to fight malaria in Africa; how fake news skews public opinion, and who is behind it; and, finding out what it's like to own an extra thumb! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This episode of The Naked Scientists, as infected blood victims are finally promised compensation following the UK government's cover up of the scandal, we trace the story back to the very beginning, and hear from some of the victims who now have justice... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: How science can help cut the carbon footprint of concrete; designer antibodies to introduce cancers to immune assassins; and the caterpillars that sense static charge on wasp wings to beat a hasty retreat... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

We're coming back to the topic of generative artificial intelligence, asking how this potentially gamechanging technology is going to be integrated into our society. We'll hear an explanation of neural networks from Geoff Hinton, one of the founding fathers of AI, and some of the most promising avenues for maximising the strengths of machine learning systems with tech journalist David McClelland. After a brief update on the debate around AI sentience from the foothills of the Himalayas from Nicky Clayton, we explore why chatbots might be about to stop advancing as rapidly as before, and how... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news pod, geneticist Henrik Salje tells us about the relative ineffectiveness of the measles vaccine for infants born via c-section. Also, the incredible memory-making abilities of Eurasian jays with Nicky Clayton, and Ramsey Faragher relates how quantum-based navigation can overcome the vulnerabilities of GPS. Then, Ulf Buntgen explains how tree rings have revealed that the summer of 2023 was the hottest in 2000 years in the northern hemisphere, and Toby Wiseman explains the marvel of our working theory of everything. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Linguistics - the scientific study of language - is our topic for today. Chris Smith learns about the potential origins of human language with David Crystal, and how we assimilate vocal sounds into sentence structures with the University of Cambridge's Mirjana Boziv. Then, a fascinating finding about the way apes layer their communication is described by Adriano Lameira, before Cambridge's Regina Karousou Fokas gives Chris a lesson in Greek... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news pod, the nanotechnology enabling the production of a new vaccine to immunise against future coronaviruses. Then, how we can use psychedelic treatments without giving patients an unwanted trip, and how it was discovered that squirrels and humans were both living with leprosy in medieval England. Plus, what does the latest exoplanet discovery tell us about how far the closest habitable planet might be? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Today, we turn our attention to cancer. With several high profile cases in recent weeks, we look at the broader picture across the UK as of late. Then, the mechanisms by which cancer takes hold of its host, before we explore recent innovations helping to combat cancer: AI screening programmes and precision medicine show particular promise... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This episode of The Naked Scientists: AstraZeneca acknowledges its Covid vaccine is linked to a rare blood clotting side effect; also, whether scientists are getting closer to cracking nuclear fusion; and how adding bacteria to plastic could be the key to making the stuff break itself down! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This episode of The Naked Scientists: as mankind seeks to colonise the Moon, Mars and beyond, we'll examine the impact of cosmic voyages on body and mind, and what we can do to keep spacefarers healthy and happy... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This episode of The Naked Scientists: Scientists give mice a rat's sense of smell; we find out why some of China's biggest cities are sinking; and, 14 years after disaster struck in the Gulf of Mexico, might laser-treated cork be able to help us to clean up oil spills... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week on The Naked Scientists, we're going to take a closer look at attention deficit hyperactivity disorder - which is usually referred to by its acronym: ADHD. Globally, it's estimated that around 5% of children and adolescents are affected by ADHD. But those numbers vary from country to country and diagnoses are on the rise.... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: MPs vote in favour of stricter smoking and vaping controls; but do we actually need this and will it work? Also, the remains of what's thought to be the largest reptile to have roamed our "Severn" seas are uncovered on the beach in Somerset. And a tribute to the BA pilot who saved his air passengers from a volcanic ash cloud, but why are volcanoes so disastrous for jet engines? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, a special tribute to the revered British scientist, Peter Higgs, who died on the 8th of April, aged 94. His friend, Lyn Evans, tells us about the 40-year search for the eponymous Higgs boson: the God particle that provides some of the answers to life, the Universe and everything... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week on The Naked Scientists: Scientists invent artificial platelets to help clot blood; why it might be time to reappraise the peace-loving nature of bonobos; and why the Moon may have turned itself inside out in the past... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, fresh off the back of the World Meteorological Organizations scathing report of the state of global climate 2023, we're taking a look at how the increasing trend of torrid weather extremes are affecting our relationship with food production. How do we reconcile our demand for food if the expansion of farmland will only exacerbate climate change's effects? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the Naked Scientists News this week, stem cell treatment using cells from the bellies of those with spinal cord injuries restores movement and sensation in phase 1 clinical trials. Also, Cambridge scientists build an 'atlas' of breast cells to better understand how cancer develops, and new analysis into dinosaur fossils reveals when they began to develop rapid growth rates... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Today we're investigating dangerous new drugs which have found their way onto the streets of the UK. Nitazenes are lab made opioids with similar effects for the user as heroin. Their relative strength, however, means it is much more difficult to take them safely and much more likely to result in a fatal overdose. With drug deaths in this country already at a record high, and devestation being wrought by similar substances in the US, we look at a range of solutions for preventing as much harm as possible... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week on The Naked Scientists: Check your watches: how climate change is making the Earth turn more slowly; we'll also hear from the Cambridge scientists investigating whether vaccines can combat bovine TB; and would you be prepared to shell out millions for a luxury trip to space? One company is optimistically planning an orbiting space hotel for the years ahead. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Thanks to Sannia Farrukh and the ICGEB for their support in making this show!It's thought that by the end of the decade, 78 million people around the world will have Alzheimer's disease. It's debilitating and progressive. It robs people of their personality, their independence, and their quality of life. And caring for people with the condition, which often goes on over many years, is extremely costly, both financially and emotionally. The biggest risk factor is age; and as the proportion of the population living into their 80s, when as many as a fifth of individuals can develop the condition,... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week on The Naked Scientists: The spike in whooping cough cases occurring across Europe; what's behind it? Also, how scientists are set to look for life on an icy moon of Jupiter. And, the new artificially intelligent gadget to make roads safer for cyclists. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week on The Naked Scientists, we're getting ticked off about the uptick in ticks, as we look at what they are, the problems they cause, and what we can do to tick them off our worry list. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news pod, 4 years on from the outset of the COVID pandemic, what questions still need answering in the bid to avoid a similar emergency? Plus, why we need to start taking space security more seriously, how car brakes could be more polluting than exhaust fumes, and Paul Alexander - who lived inside an iron lung for 70 years - dies at the age of 78. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

4 years since the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic officially, we take a look at the latest research guiding scientists towards the root causes of the debilitating symptoms some people suffer for many years after their initial infection with SARS-CoV-2... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news pod, the greedy gene fuelling hungry labradors, AI assists prostate cancer prognosis, the galaxy which died 13 billion years ago, how birds are struggling to adapt to changing seasons, and fish that send each other electrical signals to help them see farther... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week on The Naked Scientists, cyber crimes in cyber times. Off the back of cyber attacks on the British Library and our own Cambridge University, we'll be taking a look at the world of cyber attacks, from the state level down to the individual. How does it happen, and who is responsible, and how can we protect against them? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this episode of The Naked Scientists: As the UK rejoins the EU Horizon research programme, we hear from the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on what she sees as the benefits from this "new deal". Also, scientists discover a way to get lithium batteries charging faster, and performing better in the cold. And how, and why, did we humans lose our tails back in history?Michelle - Horizon isn't a EU exclusive scheme. What Horizon is, is it's the world's largest research collaboration program. So for the UK to reassociate is a big deal, not just for the scientific... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Today's topic is sure to gain a lot of traction with our listeners, and that's because we're talking about the state of our roads. Potholes are so maddening, they can send the most mild mannered among us into full blown road rage, cracking windscreens and wrecking wheels. And the problem seems to be getting worse...Luckily researchers at Cambridge University are coming to the roaduser's rescue: with digital facsimiles of the road network to help spot problem areas sooner, new materials that make road repairs last longer, and even an autonomous robot that can track down and fix up potholes... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news pod, a study into the DNA of ancient humans has found what are potentially the oldest examples of genetic diseases like Down syndrome. Also, new insights into whale song, a potential new treatment for blood clots, and lifting the lid on a phony fossil... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week on The Naked Scientists: they're everywhere, from the bottom of the ocean to inside your bodies. We look at the pervasive topic of microplastics, and so called 'forever chemicals.' What do we know so far, and should we be concerned? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news pod, as an outbreak of Dengue fever rips through Brazil, we ask, should we be worried in Europe? Also, scientists describe the microbes responsible for the decomposition of animal flesh, and a miraculous underwater archaelogical find sheds light on ancient hunting practices. Plus, could teasing behaviours in great apes be the origins of our own sense of humour? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

On this episode of The Naked Scientists, we'll examine the evolution of the role of medicine in conflict, with contributions from a retired general, a war wound pioneer and a trauma expert. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Why cancer waiting lists have lengthened, and the importance of catching the disease early; how pollution is blinding insects to plants they might otherwise want to pollinate: and how do blueberries come by their colour? It's not as simple as it sounds: squash one and you'll see they're not blue inside! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Dame Esther Rantzen reignited the debate on assisted dying in the UK after she shared the news she had joined the physician assisted dying clinic Dignitas in Switzerland. The services offered by Dignitas are illegal here in the UK, but recently some countries have been relaxing their laws in this area. The argument goes, modern medicine has given many of us the gift of much longer lives, so should it also give us the option of a more dignified death? In this episode of the Naked Scientists, James Tytko speaks with those with a personal stake in this debate, medical professionals, and a legal... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news pod this week, Elon Musk's Neuralink chip is successfully implanted into a human brain, but what's the potential of computer brain interfaces? Also on the programme, an Imperial scientist reveals the reason for insects' attraction to street lights, and we hear about one of the health benefits of fasting. Plus, join us on a sneak preview of a Cambridge museum exhibit all about the evolution of the spine... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, we are in Dover, south-east England, to meet the people trying to bring sustainable solutions to one of the world's most important sectors: shipping. In this episode, we look at the shipping industry as a case study to see just how much has to be taken into consideration on so many levels, in order to work towards a carbon neutral future. What are the enormous challenges currently being faced, and what goes into building the ship of the future? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this episode of The Naked Scientists: what the structure of your retina reveals about your risk of developing a range of diseases; have we finally cracked how the first biological cells appeared 4 billion years ago; and how pond skater insects survive potentially lethal run-ins with large raindrops. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Julie Williams has dedicated much of her career to uncovering the genetic signposts for the most common cause of dementia: Alzheimer's disease. Chris Smith caught up with her to hear about influences she had growing up, how a revolution in genetics means we could be on the verge of key breakthroughs in fighting neurodegenerative conditions, and speaks about her time as Chief Scientific Advisor for Wales... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week on the Naked Scientists, did the Black Death cause a change in our genes? Also, we'll be finding out whether smaller wine glasses could be key to reducing alcohol consumption in the population, and how scientists are plugging the potholes in our roads with science. Plus, a crucial piece of the puzzle in understanding long Covid... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Titans of Science returns with another out-of-this-world guest: astronomer, astrophysicist and science populariser, Lord Martin Rees. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

On this week's edition of The Naked Scientists: Why dose of old drugs might be a new way to beat depression; with many countries gearing up for general elections, why AI-generated deepfakes have got politicians worried; And we look back at the life of the pioneering British transplant surgeon, Professor Sir Roy Calne.. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week in The Naked Scientists, Titans of Science is back, and today we hear from the University of Cambridge's new vice-chancellor, Deborah Prentice. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, What can be done to reverse a dramatic rise in measles cases around the world? We'll also be exploring Japan's susceptibility to incredibly powerful earthquakes. Plus, what may have prompted early humans to adapt the way they communicated... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Happy new year from The Naked Scientists! In this week's show, we're going to look ahead to what 2024 has in store - scientifically speaking - in a number of key areas in the months ahead. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week's show is one of retrospection. We're taking a look back at the year that was 2023, and reliving some of the outstanding scientific stories that came out of it. Everything from AI in medicine to asteroid samples. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This episode, Naked Gaming has commandeered the programme, as Chris Berrow and Leigh Milner take us through a Christmas full of games! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this festive magazine show, join Chris Smith as he samples the BMJ's Christmas offerings, enjoys a glass or two of sparkling wine (in the name of science, of course), and previews the pliosaur discovery set to make waves on TV over the Christmas period... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

For this edition of Titans of Science, Chris Smith sits down with Mark Slack, a doctor revolutionising the use of robots in medicine. They discuss his early years in apartheid South Africa, how he established himself as a surgical innovator in the UK, and what the future holds for the use of technology in the operating theatre... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news this week, scientists identify the protein responsible for pregnancy sickness, what was settled on in the COP consensus, how honeyguides listen out for local language, and the special chemical which could hold the key to preserving a Rembrandt masterpiece. Plus, how many nukes would it take to destroy Jupiter? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This episode marks the return of Titans of Science: full of in depth interviews with some of science's greats. To start us off, the astronaut and rockstar, Chris Hadfield. The conversation covers his upbringing in rural Canada, his time as an elite test pilot in the US military - the inspiration for his latest thriller novel 'The Defector' - and his multiple missions into space, culminating in a stint as commander of the International Space Station. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, What did we learn from Boris Johnson's appearance at the COVID inquiry? Then, we'll hear from the team that's developing a new drug in the fight against the United States' fentanyl crisis. And, We'll hear about the discovery and fate of an ancient woodland. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists