The Naked Scientists Podcast

This week, we are exploring the oil and gas industry, literally from the ground up: what's the geology of oil formation, how does a petrochemist go from crude to highly refined, can the UK solve its energy price problem by actually using the oil on its own doorstep, and what lies downstream of oil as we transition to alternatives? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, we find out how space travel is likely to affect the bodies of the Artemis II astronauts. Plus, how conflict and other adverse events during childhood influence young lives, what is the link between chronic pain, stress and the brain, and how male octopuses use a specialised arm to find mates... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Time waits for no one, but what exactly is it? Is it just a human construct, or something far deeper, flowing through our minds and bodies? In this episode, we examine the very fabric of time: how we created it, how we perceive it, the hidden rhythms of our body clocks, and what the future might hold as science and technology bend the boundaries of time... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Artemis II begins its mission to take humans farther into space than ever before, scientists in London unveil the first lab-grown oesophagus, the dangers of physical inactivity and why we urgently need to tackle it, and brain cells on a chip learn to play video games like humans... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Across our planet, natural archives preserve the biological footprints of species long gone, from woolly mammoths at the macro scale, through plants and seeds, to dormant bacteria and viruses at the micro end of the spectrum. And one environment that safeguards some of this material in the best condition of all is the cold - in other words, in ice. So, this week, we're going to look at what is sitting in nature's deep freeze... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week: social media's role in user harm and the plausibility of app addiction, a sunken Soviet sub revealing how nuclear materials behave deep underwater, a hidden "magnetic shadow" on the Moon that could improve space travel safety, and the science behind the famous "waggle dance" performed by honeybees.... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Coming up, we explore the race back to the Moon. Why are we going? How will we get there? Can we live and work on its surface? And what can we grow when we get there? We explore the science, the engineering, and the possibilities of humanity's next giant leap... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Coming up, we explore an outbreak of meningitis in the English county of Kent. Will a targeted vaccination campaign bring it under control? Plus, a fast diagnostic swab test that may help diagnose schizophrenia, how thousands of old tumour samples could aid our understanding of rising bowel cancer rates in people under 50, and a new study that suggests ultrasound could help save European hedgehogs from road traffic... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

For Endometriosis Awareness Month, we explore a condition which affects 10% of women around the world. Cells that form the lining of the uterus crop up in other parts of the pelvis, and elsewhere in the body. It prevents many patients from being able to carry out everyday tasks, and can also cause infertility. In this episode, we explore the condition, hear the experiences of those living with endometriosis, discuss the science behind it, and find out about the treatments of tomorrow... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Coming up, we assess the environmental and health impact of conflict in the Middle East. Plus, the gene variants that affect how heavily someone smokes, a medication called ruxolitinib that could help the vitiligo community, and a fascinating new study on interbreeding between Neanderthals and humans... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, we're exploring polio: a highly infectious viral disease that can attack the nervous system and cause paralysis, mainly in young children. Polio has been pushed to the brink of elimination thanks to global vaccination efforts - but it still persists. In this episode, we'll look at what polio is, how vaccines have helped control it, where the virus still exists today, and whether it can finally be eradicated... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Coming up, we explore how CAR-T cell therapy is revolutionising personalised cancer treatment. Plus, how NASA's DART mission tested Earth's asteroid defence, what we are learning about the benefits of breastfeeding for mother and baby health, and we delve into the physics behind squeaky shoes... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Our Titans of Science series continues with Mike Wooldridge, Ashall Professor of Foundations of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Oxford. He has conducted extensive work in the field of agentic AI, systems comprising multiple interacting AIs. In this episode, he tells Chris Smith what drew him to computers and AI in the first place, the pioneering work of Geoff Hinton, why ChatGPT isn't made to speak the truth, and what's in store for us as AI continues to develop... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Today, how the brain harnesses immune cells to clear burned out fats during sleep: does this protect from Alzheimer's disease? Also, the nutrient-rich guano of seabirds that shaped society in ancient Peru, fast footage reveals how kangaroos hop faster at no extra energy cost, and how horses whinny! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Our Titan of Science this week is leading light in the field of malaria, Jane Carlton. The first to sequence the genome of malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax, she also helped sequence the deadlier Plasmodium falciparum. Jane tells Chris Smith the ins and outs of malaria, her journey to become Director of the Malaria Research Institute at Johns Hopkins, and how stealing her brother's genetics textbook when she was just 8 years old led her to where she is today... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, we look into the science behind Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny's death, caused by dart frog poison, and why Russia resorted to such an exotic means of dispatch at all. Also, how cat cancer genomics can provide new insights into human malignancies, and - more with a whimper than a bang - how a dying star skipped the supernova and became an instant black hole. Plus, Barack Obama's stance on aliens sends conspiracy theorists into a frenzy... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, in partnership with British Heart Foundation, we explore heart failure. Leading experts from the UK's largest independent funder of cardiovascular research tell us about the condition, the symptoms to look out for, what happens when a heart fails, how heart failure has traditionally been managed, and whether it is possible to regenerate a damaged heart... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, we discuss a new antibody-based nasal spray that protects against the flu: how does it work? Plus, the tiny self-replicating molecule that may give clues to the origins of life on Earth, whether we should regulate "mirror life" research, and how bacteria protect oak trees from drought and other stresses... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Coming up, we explore the tremendous impact mosquitoes have had throughout their evolution. In this episode, we break down what mosquitoes are, how they track down a meal, the diseases they carry, and the strategies that scientists are currently deploying to control them... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, we examine a herpes zoster vaccination that can reduce or delay dementia diagnosis. How does it work? Plus, the BBC's Zoe Kleinman explains a social media site for AI chatbots, the discovery of microplastics in remote parts of the Pacific Ocean, and why the Artemis II launch has been delayed once more... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Today, we take a closer look at motor neurone disease (MND), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting the motor neurones that control voluntary muscle movement. This programme explores the clinical features of MND, what it is like to live with the condition, how it is diagnosed, and the current approaches to treatment and management... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Coming up, a world-first gene cancer database is launched. How might it help us gain a better understanding of how disease develops? Plus, the link between vitamin D deficiency and respiratory infections, Austria's back-scratching cow, and SpaceX carries out its latest launch of Starlink satellites... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Titans of Science is back with John Zarnecki, a towering figure in the UK's space community. He has played a crucial role in designing instruments for groundbreaking space missions, and has also helped shape Europe's planetary science programme. In this episode, John shares compelling stories from his career with Chris Smith - including the significance of the Cassini-Huygens mission to Titan, the value of the Hubble Space Telescope, and his early work on rockets in Australia... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, a blood finger-prick test has been developed to detect Alzheimer's disease before symptoms arise. But how accurate is it? Plus, tracking space debris reentry from their sonic booms with earthquake-detecting seismometers, what happens in our noses when we are infected by the common cold, and the plants that use heat to get pollinated by beetles... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, we're looking at a major study that is following the development of children born in the UK in 2026. It's called Generation New Era, and in this episode we hear from the team leading the research: how they plan to run it, what earlier cohort studies have revealed, and what they hope to discover this time around. The study has been funded by public investment from UKRI, and their Economic and Social Research Council... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, China's attempts to build a new "mega-embassy" in London, but are there security risks? Plus, the UK plans to build a record number of offshore wind farms for cleaner energy, the impact of TV screens and tablets on speech development in toddlers, and NASA's first-ever medical evacuation from the International Space Station... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, we've partnered with Frontiers as they aim to push science to the top of the agenda at the World Economic Forum in Davos. It comes as the publisher's Frontiers Science House prepares to welcome some of the most influential voices in fields like healthcare, sustainability, and energy to their gathering in Switzerland. In this programme, we hear from them, and find out why it's time for leading policy-makers to fully engage with the best that science has to offer... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, the UK begins the rollout of the chickenpox vaccine to younger children. But why is it only being offered now? Plus, the high-level technological plan to capture Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro, what the latest research says about the health of vegan and vegetarian diets in the young, and the risks posed by "space junk" that falls back to Earth... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this episode, we hear from not one, but two Titans of Science, together. And that's because Ed Wild and Sarah Tabrizi are neuroscientists, neurologists and long-time collaborators both based at University College London. They've devoted much of their careers to understanding Huntington's Disease. Chris Smith went to visit them in London... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this episode, we're revisiting some of the most magical moments and scientific milestones of 2025 - including the incredible legacy of Dame Jane Goodall, the brain-wave reading bionic-knee, why labradors are so greedy, and the beer that doesn't give you a hangover... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, defence analyst, Michael Clarke, explains the significance of the MI6 agency's scientific shift. Will it help counter Russia's technological threat? Plus, the University of Glasgow's Naveed Sattar tells us why weight loss medicine could be a silver bullet for global obesity, Ellie Diamant at Bard College on beaky birds during COVID, and the Institute of Astronomy's Matt Bothwell on NASA's new space telescope... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Today, in partnership with UK Research and Innovation, we are asking whether it will snow on the 25th of December. It's frequently called a white Christmas and - at this time of year - weather forecasters and the bookies are busy weighing up the odds. So we've set out to explore how weather predictions are made, what constitutes snow, the role of technology in making forecasts, and whether parts of the UK will witness a white Christmas for 2025... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

On this week's news podcast, Emory University's Boghuma Titanji on the discovery of a new strain of monkeypox in the UK, and efforts to curb the virus with a breakthrough vaccine. Plus, the drone damage to the shield preventing radiation leaking from the Chernobyl nuclear site, evidence from southern England that Neanderthals deliberately made fire 400,000 years ago, and we ask how we can overcome the so-called winter blues... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Titans of Science is all about showcasing science superstars making huge breakthroughs and giant leaps foward in their scientific realms. In this episode, we turn the telescope around around to consider the extremely strange effects that kick in when physics shrinks down to the atomic scale. We are, of course, taking a tour through the world of quantum mechanics, and our guide is the physicist, writer and broadcaster Paul Davies. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Coming up, we explore the UK's plans to rollout facial recognition technology. Is it a bold move to catch violent criminals, or scientific and ethical overreach? Also, why volcanic eruptions may have aided the spread of the second wave of the Black Death in Europe, what caused damage to Russia's space launchpad in Kazakhstan, and whether bacteria can help us build habitats on Mars. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

The Naked Scientists welcome the return of a new series of Titans of Science, where the world's scientific, medical, and technological pioneers tell us about the significance of their work. Today's episode features Georgina Long, the director of the Melanoma Institute Australia, who has used groundbreaking techniques to overcome the disease. Melanoma is a type of cancer that is particularly common in Georgina's homeland, and she has been telling Chris Smith how her work has made her one of Australia's most recognisable scientists... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

On this week's news podcast, the former UK prime minister, David Cameron, calls for prostate cancer screening following his diagnosis. But does it really help to know you have the disease? Also, we find out about the DNA composition of the carbon-rich asteroid Bennu, the underlying cause of Santorini's recent earthquakes, and scientists discover where domestic cats came from... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Today, synthetic bacteriophages, a breakthrough vaccine for TB, and how unpicking the pathways used to make antibiotics are helping scientists to combat rising rates of antimicrobial resistance around the world... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news, why the UK appears to be betting big on small modular nuclear reactors. Also, Iran seeds the skies in bid to end its worst drought in decades. And moss grows fat on a rolling stone - but a new study claims it can survive in space. We'll explore the significance. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Today, we're analysing the COP30 conference in Brazil, asking whether the will to tackle climate change is drying up. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news show, flu season starts early in the Northern hemisphere due to pesky new strains, so will vaccines be effective? Also, the baby 'swim cap' which promises less invasive brain monitoring, and the European Space Agency's GPS powered satellites which are surveying the water cycle. Then, we find out the best way to shout at seagulls to stop them stealing our snacks... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we go nuclear, and explore the science and politics of weapons of mass destruction... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Among British people vapers now outnumber smokers for the first time. From Big Bang to Big Crunch - the new theory showing the expansion of the Universe might be slowing down. And, evidence that our early ancestors, three million years ago, may have excelled at DIY!Linda - So these are the annual population survey statistics from the Office for National Statistics that look at smoking, it was the main focus, so smoking in the UK but also vaping behaviour. And we see that for the first time the proportion of people aged 16 and older who vape is higher... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we go behind the scenes at the National Physical Laboratory as it celebrates 125 years at the forefront of science... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: How the latest science helped the Caribbean prepare for Hurricane Melissa. Also ahead, the alcohol-free beers providing a 'buzz' without the hangover. And, why a German warehouse is simulating a European Moon landing... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Today, in association with Proteomics International, we're hearing about a new era in medicine where we can tell people not what diseases they've got, but what ones they will have in ten years' time, giving them a chance to turn things around... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news podcast, a new retinal implant - just two millimetres wide - that is helping restore sight to blind people; a 'pristine' star that gives us a glimpse of the workings of the early Universe; and we'll be finding out how wild rooks can master human commands. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

As the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew celebrate the 25th Birthday of the Millenium Seed Bank in Sussex, James Tytko ventures into its giant underground vaults to learn why they are a crucial part of global plant conservation... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Whether talc-based products - like baby powder - can cause ovarian cancer. Also ahead, the "Sword Dragon of Dorset" found on England's Jurassic Coast. Plus, we'll be finding out about the 'double comet' visible in the night sky... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, why we lose our hearing and what we can do about it... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Is elite level sport linked with Motor Neurone Disease? We examine the evidence as another top player announces his diagnosis. Also, cages that can sieve out molecules, the immune system peacekeepers; and the quantum realm: we look at this year's Nobel Prizes for science. And, how did birds react to the Great American Eclipse last year? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

You've probably heard of Omicron, but what about Nimbus and Stratus? These are the latest COVID strains spreading around the world, and for most people they'll amount to a heavy cold at worst, lasting just a few days. Or will they? Are these coronaviruses doing more to our immune systems than meets the eye? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: US scientists have turned skin cells into human embryos for the very first time. We unpack the significance. Also ahead, the legacy of the primatologist and conservationist, Jane Goodall, who has died at the age of 91. Plus, we hear from a chemist who believes he has cracked the mystery of ghostly lights we call will-o'-the-wisps... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Today, we're picking up a brush, and probing the science of paint. Where does chemistry stop, and the art take over? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

On today's show:, scientists successfully treat Huntington's disease for the first time, slowing the disease by at least 75%: we hear how they've done it. Also, the High Seas Treaty takes a step closer to protecting the world's oceans. And the Earth-sized planet not that far away that might have conditions suitable for life. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Lung cancer is one of the world's biggest killers. Today, we explore why, and how medical research into this disease is seeing the development of better diagnostic tools, cancer treatments and even a vaccine to prevent tumours from taking hold in the first place... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news podcast, the US and the UK have forged a long-term nuclear alliance - but what will it really deliver? We also examine a new study on whether smoking cannabis makes it harder to get pregnant. And we'll be hearing from a forensic scientist who is using detective work to rid our oceans of plastic. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

To celebrate 10 years since they were first detected, we're examining gravitational waves. What are they? And how do we find them? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, the strongest hint yet of life on Mars. Should we get excited? Or is it another red herring? Also ahead: The first new UK-wide study of babies in 25 years. We'll find out why it matters. Plus, an ancient lizard-like fossil is discovered on the coast of Devon. We'll uncover the significance... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

What does it take to build a society in space? Today on the Naked Scientists, we explore efforts to make microgravity amenable to humans; including how to harvest energy, make fresh food, and even birth the next generation of space explorers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: A new test to detect Alzheimer's disease long before symptoms first appear. Also, the study showing Earth can sequester only a tenth of the carbon we thought it could. And, how drones, traps and sniffer dogs are protecting the UK's timber industry from beetle attack... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, from bogus scientific papers and misleading made-up "facts", to potentially curtailing our critical thinking, we look at the effect that mass adoption of AI might be having on the way we think, the decisions we make and the information we learn and act on... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Today on the Naked Scientists: a pig lung is transplanted into a man in China, but what was the outcome? Also, scientists have a theory for the origins of Dark Energy - and it makes sense that a black hole might be the source! And, why the dawn chorus is starting earlier and finishing later these days: what's getting into wildlife? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we look at the science of hair, why we suffer hair loss, treatments that can slow hair loss, whether wigs are any good, and what happens during a hair transplant? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, Apple locked horns with the UK government who were demanding a security back door through the company's encryption. What was the outcome? Also, scientists discover the secret to the tastiest chocolate - it's all down to microbes. And, archaeologists uncover the earliest evidence yet of our ancestors using stone tools... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, why we need to pay closer attention to antimicrobial resistance in some of the world's poorest nations... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: the scientists who think they can decode the thoughts we hear in our heads. Also ahead: do ultra-processed foods make it much harder to lose weight? Plus, we hear from the PhD student who is aiding the search for life on Mars... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

James Tytko explores the science behind 'three-parent' embryos: the incredible medical procedure that prevents children from inheriting incurable mitochondrial diseases. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news, why a dose of bacteria might be the solution to combating kidney stones. What tooth enamel tells us about the lives and diets of dinosaurs. And what the world's most abundant insects can teach robots... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we are on the hunt for dinosaurs as we explore how cutting edge tech, chisels, and canoes go hand in hand when changing the way we view our prehistoric past... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news, an old drug heralds a new treatment for the gut parasite Cryptosporidium; the bionic-knee that anticipates where amputees want to go to make movements much more natural; and why we're spotting more Near-Earth Objects, and whether one may hit us. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, how is science helping to shape the future of warfare? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news podcast, what's causing the uptick in malaria cases in Africa? Also, scientists show statistically that the sex of a baby at birth is not random, and South Korea joins the throng in the race for settling on the Moon. Then, we hear how computer scientists are programming ethical AI to explain its decision making, and, sticking with AI, what are some of the environmentally friendly projects seeking to offset machine learning's vast energy consumption? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

There are more than sixteen thousand care homes across the UK, housing around half a million people. Staggering numbers. They are meant to be places of safety, support, and quiet, relaxed companionship for the people who live and work in them. But when COVID-19 arrived, they became one of the pandemic's deadliest frontlines. In a bid to see what might be possible, the Vivaldi Study - a nationwide effort to gather data from inside care homes - was launched. Can better data improve the lives of people in care homes? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Scientists get their hands on the oldest ice on Earth, and we've been to see it, but what's it going to reveal? Also, measles is on the up, again; we find out why. And, is humour genetic? We talk to the scientist who has studied hundreds of pairs of twins to find out! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we look at 25 years of the Human Genome Project. What is it? And what has it achieved? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, the cells that vanish when we slim down: are these the link between obesity and health problems like diabetes? Also, the bacteria that might be able to shield us from the "forever chemicals" we're all eating. Plus, why will 3 days over the next month be a millisecond shorter than they should be? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we pay a visit to Cambridge University Botanic Garden to ask 'can genetics help grow a better garden?' Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news, counting the calories: The UK government want shops to help us put 100 fewer calories in our baskets to beat obesity. So will it work? Also, archaeologists uncover the world's oldest fat factory - it turns out that Neanderthals were processing bones for their grease 125,000 years ago, but why? And on Mars the Curiosity rover captures close-up images of spiderweb-like patterns on the planet surface, but what made them? Listeners are also wondering whether green initiatives really do help to save the planet... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This episode was produced and presented by Dr Marushka Soobben, a scientist from South Africa who's been taking part in an internship here at the Naked Scientists. And this week, a journey into the world of proteins. What are they? why do they matter? And why did predicting their shapes win a recent Nobel prize? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, weight loss jabs being prescribed by GPs in England, but do we know enough about the side effects? Also, a new simple test to replace endoscopies for patients with Barrett's oesophagus. And we hear from one of the engineers at the Vera Rubin Observatory, which is shedding new light on the cosmos... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we speak to the Cambridge scientists who have made it their mission to understand climate change in one of the world's most inhospitable regions... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: HPV vaccination rates are waning. We examine the importance of the jab. Also ahead: why Africa is key to understanding the evolution of early humans. Plus, the reasons alcohol-free booze might actually not be all that good for us... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the final installment of this season of Titans of Science, Chris Smith speaks with Sharon Peacock, one of the UK's leading voices in infectious disease research. She is best known for her work on whole genome sequencing of pathogens such as MRSA and SARS CoV-2, and studies of antimicrobial resistance... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Cambridge University have informed us that, for cost cutting reasons, they intend to make Dr Chris Smith redundant. Naturally, this jeopardises the Naked Scientists programme, which is produced under his role. He will also lose his medical job. We regard this as a terrible decision and we intend to protest. Please listen to this short podcast to hear how you can help. Together we hope we can turn around this terrible decision... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: the UK commits to building a new nuclear power station. But is it worth the hefty price tag? Also, how robots are revolutionising surgery. We'll ask what they can and can't do. And, how NASA's top scientists track rogue near-Earth objects with remarkable precision... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

The mental health of the young is reaching breaking point, globally. A recent analysis by a panel of leading researchers, young people, and policy experts, has warned that, without targeted action, by 2030, 42 million years of healthy life could be lost to mental illness or suicide; that's two million more than ten years ago. So today we're asking, why are so many young people suddenly afflicted by a decline in their mental health and wellbeing, and what are the solutions? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: African leaders hold emergency talks about deadly outbreaks of cholera on the continent. But why is this happening, and what can be done to curb the threat? The James Webb Space Telescope breaks another cosmic record spotting the oldest galaxy ever seen, dating from just 280 million years after the Big Bang. We explore the hidden workings of our natural history museums: what did they decide not to display, and why? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Today's programme is all about prostate cancer; exploring what the disease is, who gets it, and how it can be treated. We'll explore the game-changing test from a Cambridge based firm, and question whether sometimes the best approach is to leave the cancer alone... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: The UK announces a 1 billion pound budget for a cyber army: but what will these keyboard warriors be doing? Also, a vaccine for norovirus that is just one pill. And, physicists at CERN turn lead into gold, albeit briefly! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, Titans of Science continues with Autism research pioneer, Simon Baron-Cohen... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: The new drug that cures mosquitoes of malaria. Intrigued? You'll see why scientists have done this, in just a minute. Also, the Microsoft AI system set to revolutionise weather forecasting, so you can plan that barbecue with impunity in future! And, 150 years of the metre, kilo and second: how science finally agreed on a definition for some of our most important units... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This episode of The Naked Scientists was brought to you in partnership with the health foundation Wellcome.In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we return to the world of fungi and why this is one of the most serious health threats you haven't heard of... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: New DNA evidence helps free a British man after 38 years in prison. Also, Cambridge scientists push up breast cancer survival rates and cut side effects with a new treatment regimen. And, why the near and the far side of the Moon are world's apart in appearance: it's all down to temperature differences inside, scientists say... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Sarah Parcak was born in Bangor, Maine on the 23rd of November 1978. She attended Bangor High School before reading Egyptology and Archaeology at Yale University. She then studied here in Cambridge under the supervision of the world-renowned Egyptologist Barry Kemp. After that, she was a teacher at Swansea University and then also at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.She pioneered the use of tech to advance archaeology, including the use of detailed satellite images, which has earned her the nickname "The Space Archaeologist". Sarah's discovered literally thousands of forgotten... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: A landmark report that outlines the generational impact of climate change; also, the man bitten by snakes and even injected with venom hundreds of times has provided the key to a powerful new antivenom; and a breakthrough in oven technology that's helping to cook up a revolution in industrial baking... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This episode of The Naked Scientists was brought to you in partnership with the health foundation Wellcome. This week, the first in a two-part series on the hidden world of fungi. What we do - and don't - know about them, and how the fungal landscape is set to shift as our climate changes. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Will - and could - India switch off the water supply to Pakistan amid mounting tensions over Kashmir? Also, how a transmissible canine cancer from 8000 years ago is shedding fresh light on tumour biology - and how cancers can steal foreign genes, today. And, testing out a virtual reality tool designed to help us confront our fears of speaking in public... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Today's Titan is former chair of the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, and a key figure in the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine which rolled out during the Covid pandemic. Andrew Pollard tells Chris Smith how vaccines work, how public health bodies decide what to protect us against, and how current technology will shape the future of immunisation... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: World Malaria Day, and why overseas aid cuts in the US are threatening to cause a crisis; the carnivorous caterpillar dubbed the "bone collector" that steals from spiders; and the biotechnologist attempting to feed astronauts better in space... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, Titans of Science continues with planetary scientist charged with analysing rock samples brought in from outer space, Sara Russell... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Evidence of a carbon cycle on Mars has been unearthed by the Curiosity rover. What does it mean for the red planet's past habitability? Also, the cannabis-based painkiller as powerful as an opioid, but without the side effects. And, could fashion sense and a primitive sunscreen have been the deciding 'factor 50' which allowed us humans to outlast the Neanderthals... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Titans of Science series is back for another run. And to kick us off, marine biologist Richard Thompson, who first brought to the world's attention 20 years ago the problem that is micro - and now nano - plastic pollution... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the News podcast: the first baby is born in the UK to a woman with a transplanted uterus, and we speak to the surgeons responsible. Also, the best evidence yet the shingles vaccine can help reduce the risk of developing dementia; a drug that could make human blood deadly to mosquitoes. Then, we travel back in time 8,500 years to hear about the sea voyage of hunter gatherers to the Mediterranean island of Malta... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, what's behind a sharp rise in measles cases? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In today's news podcast, a study shows a reduced effectiveness of vaccinations in babies who have antibiotics treatments early in life. Also, the world's smallest, light-powered pacemaker, and we learn the secrets of the broadclub cuttlefish's crab-catching colour display. Then, we follow the journey of miso paste up to the ISS and back to Earth again, and hear what it tastes like! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Take a deep breath. Yes, literally. And ask yourself: what's in the air I just inhaled? It's almost certain, with our modern lives and built, busy environments, that it contains a range of harmful particles. Whether it stems from city traffic or wildfires, air pollution has many sources, it affects all of us, and it has the potential to become much worse. So today, we're examining what constitutes a bad air day, the biggest producers of pollution, how we monitor the problem, and what can be done to improve matters. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: the first transplant of a gene-modified pig liver into a human; also, the James Webb Space Telescope sees one of the first galaxies ever to exist, and it's very strange indeed; and scientists explain why we can't recall our early years... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, Antimicrobial Resistance, or AMR, is going under our microscope. What is it, how does it happen, what's the scale of the threat, and how can we fight back? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Stranded Nasa astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams come down to Earth with a splash and some awesome drone footage; also, Cambridge scientists are mapping where to find the world's rarest minerals; and the massively under-appreciated role that whales play transporting nutrients thousands of miles...using their urine. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, what threat do microplastics pose to our health, and the health of the planet? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

On this edition of the Naked Scientists Podcast, what are the potential environmental impacts of the ship crash in the North Sea? Also, we find out what's being done to reduce the risk from engineered pandemics, and reveal what's going on inside the best electric vehicle batteries on the market. Then, it's off to Lincolnshire to profile the bruise-resistant, quicker-cooking potatoes of the future... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we take a closer look at CRISPR gene editing. What is it? And what are the ethics involved in rewriting the human genome? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news pod, scientists in Israel discover a new part of the immune system. We'll find out why it matters. Also, the Blue Ghost mission that just landed on the Moon and could change the way we conduct Lunar exploration. And greedy labradors: we find out why dogs (and their owners) are prone to putting on weight. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, we're examining NEOs - near-Earth objects - asking whether any of them might be on a collision course with our biggest cities... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Continuous Glucose Monitors are increasingly popular. But are they feeding us dietary misinformation? Also ahead: the "sexome": scientists describe the genital microbiome, and how it might help with forensic investigations. And, we go to Wales to find out how artificial intelligence is helping dairy farmers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

We're taking you through the looking glass to explore 'mirror life': could we be about to flip biology on its head? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: A new screening test for prostate cancer that can, the inventors claim, accurately catch 96% of cases, and early. Also, why you might want to eschew artificial sweeteners: a new study suggests they can accelerate arterial disease. And, scientists show that turtles can sense magnetic fields to find their way around... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we're looking into multiple sclerosis, following the progression of the condition from relapses to neurodegeneration, asking, can we halt the disease in its tracks? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: A particle with a record-breaking energy is discovered: but where did it come from? Also, damaged hearts healed using stem cell "patches" of tissue: human clinical trials are about to kick off. And, the project using quantum mechanics to revolutionise the London Underground... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we'll find out how Putin and his cadre in the Kremlin play a neverending game of technological cat and mouse... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this week's Naked Scientists Podcast: Uncovering the secret behind the mantis shrimp's giant punch. Also, developing a new strain of rice that produces a fraction of the methane, and shaking virus particles to hear their song. Plus, we profile NASA's new chief, Jared Isaacman... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week on The Naked Scientists, we've teamed up with Cambridge University Press and specifically the team behind Research Directions, their suite of new, open access journals that are all about publishing research in a novel and exciting way.Science is, of course, all about asking questions and developing experiments to test hypotheses. But only rarely does a topic have a single facet. Instead, one key question invariably leads to many others; and the answers to these can, as the Research Directions team put it, "assemble into chains of collaborative work".They're asking really important... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Samples back from space reveal tantalising insights into where the life-linked chemicals that kick-started biology on Earth could have come from. Also, the impact of China's DeepSeek AI model on society, finance, and the global tech market. And why imported olive trees turn out to be the perfect cover for stowaway snakes and insects... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

It's our final Titans of Science offering of this series, with world-leading cancer expert Charlie Swanton. We'll hear how the latest developments in our understanding of cancer's mechanisms are shaping treatments and preventative measures... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

On the Naked Scientists News show: a new UK trial seeks to infect healthy people with malaria in a bid to get to grips with the dormant stage of the infection. Then, we hear how T cells could be the key to ensuring more organ transplant successes, and should we all be taking fewer flights? Also, some curious observations regarding chimpanzees and their communal toilet routines... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this special episode of The Naked Scientists, join Chris Smith on a journey from farm to whisky tumbler, as he witnesses the intricate processes behind producing high quality Scotch. Richard Broadbent leads a tour of Bairds Malt's site in Witham, explaining how British barley is prepared for its transformation into the delicious spirit, before Alistair McDonald of the Clydeside Distillery in Glasgow walks us through the five hundred year old craft of distilling malt whisky... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: It's 5 years since COVID began and the WHO hosted their first press conference. But how much have we learned and are we prepared for the next pandemic? Also, a report from the UK House of Lords points to a rapidly closing window of opportunity to capitalise on "engineering biology" - but what is that? And, is there a hidden planet lurking out past Pluto? A new telescope will soon enable astronomers to find out... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Titans of Science continues with the microbiologist who discovered how an extraordinary relationship between two methane-eating seafloor species has shaped the world we know today. To explain that and much more is the ocean aficionado Antje Boetius... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news podcast this week, the first human death from bird flu in the US has made virologists vigilant about its potential threat. Also, we learn about the potentially billions of tonnes of sequestered hydrogen on Earth that could be used for clean energy, and hear of the promising results in animals for new drugs for treatment resistant prostate cancer. Then, the unintended cognitive consequences of lead mining in the Roman empire, and question of the week takes us back to a time when all the continents were clumped together... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Titans of Science continues, where we talk to some of the major movers and shakers leading the way in their respective fields. This time we're hearing from Cambridge neuroscientist, and expert on obsessive compulsive disorder - OCD - Trevor Robbins... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, a look ahead to 2025. We ask experts in the field of health, AI, astronomy, marine science, and archaeology what we should look forward to over the next 12 months... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of Titans of Science, Chris Smith chats with co-founder of Annals of Improbable Research, and the master of ceremonies for the Ig Nobel prize, Marc Abrahams... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we ask leading experts in the fields of health, AI, space, marine biology, and archaeology about the moments that defined 2024... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we look back at another brilliant year of science and select some of our favourite stories to come out of it... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Our Titans of Science season continues with the man who used AI to create an unprecedented number of custom proteins: Nobel Prize winning biochemist David Baker... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news pod, Chris van Tulleken tells us what he's got planned for this years Royal Institution Christmas Lectures. Then we hear about the innovation to harness energy from radioactive carbon-14 atoms, and learn more about when humans and Neanderthals got to know each other. Then, we look skyward, where astronomers have described a series of mysterious near-Earth objects similar to the famous Oumuamua... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Titans of Science returns with Jocelyn Bell Burnell who discovered radio pulsars as a postgraduate student at Cambridge. Her work not only revolutionised the field of astrophysics, but inspired one of the most famous pieces of music artwork too... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the News pod, Google DeepMind's weather forecasting AI model outperforms traditional tools. Also, new data from volcanoes on Venus dampen theories it was once a watery world, and is this double action weight loss drug the successor to Ozempic and Mounjaro? Then, we hear the proof that crustaceans can feel pain, and will seek drugs to relieve it... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Obsessive compulsive disorder - OCD - is a mental health condition where intrusive, unwanted thoughts can become all consuming. Some people report anxieties over something terrible happening to them or someone they love for example, and, in some cases, in a bid to alleviate these fears, they may carry out compulsive actions repetitively to the point they become extremely disruptive to their lives.Due to pervasive misconceptions around this serious psychiatric condition, a lot of people suffer with their symptoms for a long time before getting help. It's also complicated to unpick the... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news, a potentially game-changing new injection to ease the suffering caused by asthma attacks shows success. Also, who should fix the gas leak on the International Space Station? Then, fossilised footsteps fuel speculation over interactions between early human ancestors, and we find out what the presence of amber in Antarctica reveals about the history of this now desloate land... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, how much of a part do innovations in nuclear energy production, like SMRs and microreactors, have to play in our nuclear future? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this animal-themed edition of the news: What prompted scientists to put vampire bats on a treadmill? Also ahead: why medicinal leeches are returning to the UK's waterways. Plus, the spiders that know what kind of food will satisfy their dietary needs. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

On today's programme, we are going to examine attempts to end HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by the end of the decade.The AIDS pandemic is unarguably the worst health threat to confront the population in the modern era. We believe close to 100 million people have died of the disease so far since it first emerged in the early 1900s.It's proved a very tough nut to crack; when I first went to medical school in 1993, a patient with advanced AIDS and just weeks away from dying came to speak to us.That rarely happens in first world countries these days thanks to breakthrough scientific... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

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