Question of the Week, from the Naked Scientists
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...
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 4 minutes
- Episodes
- 629
- Years Active
- 2008 - 2025
Why do chillies stay on your hands?
Nancy asked: "Why does chilli stay on your fingers for so long after cooking with them, even after you wash your hands multiple times it can still hurt if you touch your eyes?" So what's the answer t…
00:03:32 |
Mon 12 Apr 2021
How did varying chromosome numbers evolve?
Listener Mattie asked "If humans have too many or too few chromosomes it can cause them to be infertile. So how did different creatures get different numbers of them? For example, humans have 46 chro…
00:03:39 |
Mon 29 Mar 2021
Do animals get bored eating the same food?
Listener Douglas asked us: "do animals get bored eating the same thing all the time? Like sheep - do they get bored of one type of grass?" Katie Haylor bored deep into the question, with help from ne…
00:03:30 |
Mon 22 Mar 2021
Why aren't all batteries rechargeable?
Listener Michael got in touch to ask "Why can't batteries, such as AA or AAA size, be recharged? What's the difference between regular batteries and rechargeables, especially lithium ones? Is this a …
00:03:54 |
Wed 17 Mar 2021
How can you make normal TV look 3D?
Pavel got in touch to ask "Take sunglasses and remove one lens. Watch a normal television film with one eye darkened by a sunglass lens, and the other free. The film will appear in 3D. Can someone ex…
00:03:38 |
Mon 01 Mar 2021
What are the impacts of an aristocrat's diet?
James got in touch to ask us: "What were the health impacts of the vastly different diets and lifestyles of aristocrats and peasants? Would wealthy Roman patricians be much smarter than plebeians bas…
00:03:30 |
Mon 22 Feb 2021
How would a foetus develop in zero gravity?
Listener David asked: "Would a foetus develop differently in zero gravity conditions?" Adam Murphy found an answer with the help of reproductive biologist Adam Watkins, from the University of Notting…
00:03:38 |
Mon 15 Feb 2021
When will we run out of music?
"Assuming there are a finite number of musical notes - chords, notes, octaves - at what point, how many years, would we use all combinations of musical themes such that no more music could be created…
00:04:00 |
Mon 08 Feb 2021
Why do some people shiver when they pee?
Listener Eleanora asked: "I want to know why my dad shivers when he pees." Phil Sansom managed to find the answer to this 'Question of the Wee'.... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the…
00:03:54 |
Mon 01 Feb 2021
If Earth were heavier, would rockets work?
"Is it true that if the mass of the Earth were greater, it would render our chemical rockets incapable of reaching orbit?" Listener Steven launched this question at us, and so Martin Khechara went to…
00:03:35 |
Mon 25 Jan 2021
Can you get DNA from crematorium ashes?
Paul got in touch to ask: "I was wondering if it was possible to get DNA out of crematorium ashes. Could you get any information about the person such as weight or height, from their ashes?" Katie Ha…
00:02:45 |
Mon 18 Jan 2021
Is sourdough bread a healthy option?
Mervyn got in touch to ask "Is sourdough bread a healthy option?" Eva Higginbotham put the question to dietician Rebecca McManamon... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scienti…
00:03:31 |
Mon 21 Dec 2020
Why are sperm made below body temperature?
Jordan got in touch to ask ""Why do females produce eggs inside the body, at body temperature, but males have to produce sperm outside the body, at a lower temperature?" Eva Higginbotham put the ques…
00:03:33 |
Mon 14 Dec 2020
Compost or landfill: which emits more CO2?
Listener Robert asks: "does household composting release fewer greenhouse gases compared to a landfill?" Phil Sansom dug him up an answer, with help from environmental engineer Sintana Vergara... Lik…
00:03:57 |
Wed 09 Dec 2020
Could loud music deafen my dog?
Robyn got in touch to ask: "I often wonder when I listen to music in the car when my dog is with me: since they hear higher frequencies than humans, do they also perceive for example loud music loude…
00:03:15 |
Mon 23 Nov 2020
How many people could share my surname?
Beata asked "If three hundred years ago there was one person with a certain surname, how many people could have their surname today?" Eva Higginbotham got mathematician James Grime to crunch the numb…
00:03:48 |
Mon 16 Nov 2020
What time should I water my plants?
Kevin asks: "Does watering my veggie garden in the morning mean that water uptake will coincide with the intake of sunlight, and give my vegetables the best chance? Or is it just as good to water in …
00:03:54 |
Mon 09 Nov 2020
How do bats roost upside down?
Satish asks: "how does a bat sleep the whole day hanging from a tree? Won't being upside down affect blood circulation?" Phil Sansom went to find the answer, with help from Western University's Brock…
00:03:49 |
Mon 02 Nov 2020
Which water is better: hard or soft?
Hard... or soft? That's the watery wrangle on which listener Jo asked us to weigh in. She said: "my question is about drinking water. We drink gallons of the stuff in a lifetime, but which is better …
00:03:40 |
Tue 20 Oct 2020
Do insects have a stress response?
Charlie sent in this question "Humans have adrenaline for our fight or flight situation, do bugs have this too?" Eva Higginbotham put the question to insect-lover and expert, Eleanor Drinkwater from …
00:03:39 |
Mon 05 Oct 2020
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