This week, we look into new ways of putting a tiger in your tank! We find out how pond life could help make eco-friendly biodiesel and how new types of batteries can power electric cars for further than ever before without running out of juice. Plus, how Margaret Thatcher's face can tell us how monkeys recognize each other, what sharks have in common with serial killers and why dolphins are a bit like jet fighters. And in Kitchen Science, we see how batteries work in Arctic conditions.

Listen Now:

This week we dig into into the science of farming and food production. We find out how transgenic plants can help us dispense with the need for chemical pesticides and how giant greenhouses at the shoreline can be home to super-efficient farms of their own. We explore the problems faced by our sweet honey bee and in Kitchen Science we do some plant modification of our own - no transgenics knowledge needed, just food colouring...

Listen Now:

On this Naked Scientists Question and Answer show, we discover how storms create slow earthquakes and how a local star, betelgeuse, could explode very soon. We also hear of an accurate way to date pottery and explore the physics of helicopter seeds. Plus, why hurricanes rotate in opposite directions either side of the equator, the ultimate fate of stars and how to boil your fishtank without harming the fish. All this and in Kitchen Science we snap some spaghetti to seek the physics of pasta!

Listen Now:

This week, we seek the science of Architecture. We find out how rapid prototyping technology could help us print out entire houses, and how natural light and ventilation could cut our energy bills. Plus, giggling gorillas tell us how laughter evolved and birds that learn from their neighbours. In Kitchen Science, Dave challenges you to build the best bridge, using only a single sheet of A4 paper!

Listen Now:

How does nature inspire technology and engineering? We find out how bamboo may make effective wind turbines, and how the material that makes up locust tendons could soon be in your shoes and electronics!

Listen Now:

Science gets under your skin on this week's Naked Scientists, where we find out how human skin colour evolved to make the best of our sunlight. We explain why albino people have no skin pigment at all and how to heal wounds without leaving scars. Also, the nano-scale media storage that will last a billion years, the toxic bite of the komodo dragon and the biological link between cancer and depression. Plus, we shine a light on jaundice phototherapy, with the help of a urinating glass baby!

Listen Now:

We're open to your questions on the Naked Scientists this week, finding out how photosynthesis works underwater, exploring the sex lives of barnacles and discussing if rockets punch holes in the ozone layer. Plus, a viral cause of hypertension, how bees stick to petals like velcro, and a new, super-dense deuterium - 130,000 times denser than water! We hear about the new generation of eBook readers, and in Kitchen Science Dave vacuums his bathroom scales to weigh the air!

Listen Now:

This week, we're diving into the science of clean water, finding out why rivers and ponds are essential for wildlife, and how alien invaders are colonising our waterways. Plus, how a diet of glycerol makes yeast live longer, how microbes in mosquitoes can block malaria and how planting trees could reduce your electricity bills. We hear about the European Space Agency's Planck and Herschel missions to study the formation of galaxies and the fate of the universe, and in Kitchen Science, we explore the carbonated chemistry of fizzy water!

Listen Now:

On this week's Naked Scientists, we explore the engineering and materials science that will give rise to the future of transport! We find out how jet engine parts grown as a single crystal of superalloy will make flights more efficient, and how clever computer control make it easier for trucks to turn. Plus, pain-free injections for the needle-phobic, Boogie with birds and the synthesised sound of Swine Flu proteins. In Kitchen Science, Ben and Dave look back over 7000 years to seek the science of the wheel...

Listen Now:

In this week's atmospheric Naked Scientists, we're putting the air that we breathe under the microscope. We find out how air quality is monitored, how new technology could help you plan the least polluted walk to work and why seaweed might be responsible for making it rain! Also, we find out why dolphins spit for their dinner, how every cloud may have a lead lining and how the pesky mosquito's inspired a portable artificial pancreas. Plus, we get the low-down on the latest pandemic candidate - swine flu.

Listen Now:

This week, we find out how a giant parachute could help avoid satellite collisions, why the schizophrenic brain can't see a popular optical illusion and discover that all octopodes (or octopuses?) are poisonous! Plus, we take on your science questions, discussing cycling on the moon, electric fences and couples getting tazered together. In Kitchen Science, we make a sprinkler from a spinning straw!

Listen Now:

This special Naked Scientists comes to you from the MTN Sciencentre in Cape Town, South Africa, with some of the highlights of SciFest Africa. Meera goes on safari to find out how the Born Free Foundation re-home mistreated lions while Chris tracks the Black Rhino to discover how to conserve this critically endangered species. We find out how the Naked Scientists live science show, Crisp Packet Fireworks, wowed and inspired the festival's visitors. Plus, the story of the Coelacanth, tackling TB and Ben and Dave have an explosive Kitchen Science!

Listen Now:

This week we hark back to the days before NHS patient records and find out how illnesses in ancient Rome, Victorian London and 17th century Italy were treated. We also explore how the modern history of medicine is being recorded as it happens and how methods used to track DNA mutations can be used to the trace the evolution of ancient manuscripts.

Listen Now:

This week, we'll strip computer science down to it's components and find out what we should expect to see in the next 5 years. We find out about the thinking behind artificial intelligence, what the future holds for Second Life and how neuroscience can help us build truly intelligent computers. Plus, get your sunglasses out early this year for Kitchen Science where we make an LCD monitor vanish.

Listen Now:

Get festive with the Naked Scientists at the Cambridge Science Festival! We sniff out the sizzling science of our food, explore the workings of a mobile phone and hear the songs of the Cavendish Society for the first time since the 1930s. Plus, insights into the neurological basis of dyslexia, toxic airborne copper dust and paint that heals its own scratches. Dr Ben Goldacre joins us to explain why abuse of statistics could make you a suspected terrorist or falsely suggest you have HIV. In Kitchen Science, Dave plugs a pickled gherkin into the national grid!

Listen Now:

We get to the point of cutting edge Naked Science this week, answering your science questions and exploring the science of sword swallowing. We find out how the Amazon rainforest could become a carbon criminal, learn how to predict the extent of an avalanche, and celebrate the passing of DD45 - an object that floated past the Earth within the orbit of the Moon. Plus, we find out if you can catch foot odour, if a bath full of vodka would get you drunk, and the delights of Liver A L'Orange! Meera Senthilingam takes a 'thinking walk' with Sir David Attenborough to learn about Charles Darwin, and Dave seems to defy physics by making bubbles that sink!

Listen Now:

This week we're seeking the science of laughter and music. We're speaking to comedian Robin Ince about how geneticists and astronomers can inspire stand up comedy, listening to the music of the world's first online science music festival, and genetically profiling comedienne Kathryn Ryan. We also get the giggles to find out what happens in your brain to make laughter so addictive. Plus, we'll follow the footprints of human evolution, find out how Jupiter and Saturn acted as celestial bulldozers, and discover how a cheeky octopus left an aquarium knee deep in water!

Listen Now:

On this week's stellar Naked Scientists we're staring out into space. We find out how technology developed to see inside your body can give a whole new dimension to pictures of deep space, we celebrate the launch of the International Year of Astronomy and discover a new type of dwarf galaxy formed from ancient primordial gas clouds. Also in the mix, overcoming peanut allergies, fat dinosaurs and disguised meningitis bacteria. Plus, we answer Sir David Attenborough's Question of the Week and Ben and Dave build a telescope!

Listen Now:

Happy Valentines Day! We may not be sending you a card, flowers or chocolates, but we love all our listeners. This week's show is all about the science of love and bonding, we'll be exploring the molecules that mediate monogamy, finding out how women subconsciously advertise their fertility, and looking at the evolutionary basis for falling in love. Plus, in Kitchen Science, Ben and Dave make invisible ink for sending secret love letters...

Listen Now:

On this weeks snow-bound Naked Scientists, we're taking on your science questions! We discover the caterpillar that tricks it's ant hosts into treating it like royalty, find out why fish get lost in acidic seas and why the gravitational pull of tonnes of ice may lead to greater sea level rise than predicted. Plus, we find out what happens to salt after it's spread on roads to avoid ice, what processes make the sea salty and how scientists weight the moon. In Kitchen Science, it's 'on your marks' for a microwave race - will water boil before ice melts?

Listen Now:

This week, we're studying the science of the seriously small - nanotechnology. We'll find out how tiny, flexible electronics could be implanted under the skin to restore lost sensation, and how tiny protein covered silicon "diving boards" can show us how superbugs evade antibiotics. Also, how sheets of carbon just one atom thick can be used to read the entire human genome in just a couple of hours, and how nanotech "motherships" can deliver exactly the right amount of drug, directly to where it's needed. Plus, the plant genome that could solve the food crisis, how our fingerprints help us to feel fine textures, and how a new way to make LEDs could slash our household bills. And, as if that wasn't enough, in Kitchen Science Dave will be looking for silver in soot!

Listen Now:

We get Smart on this week's Naked Scientists with the science of self-healing, self-sensing and self-cleaning materials. We hear how carbon fibre polymers could lead to self-healing spacecraft, why a titanium coating keeps windows clean and kills superbugs, and how helicopters can warn you when they're damaged. Also, how gut bugs tell the story of our ancestors' migration into Australia and beyond, how RNA housekeeping allows humans to function with fewer genes than a banana, and how molecular metal cages safely store hydrogen, or sieve out carbon dioxide. Plus, we mix borax and glue to make bouncy, stretchy goo!

Listen Now:

Is obesity in your genes? This week we find out how hormones, genetics and even your mother's diet contribute to your chances of becoming obese and succumbing to obesity-related diseases. We also take a look into the surgical way to lose weight fast - liposuction, figure out how the lengths of your fingers predicts your financial prowess and uncover a new source of antibiotics from the sea. Plus, is there life on Mars? We talk with the NASA scientist who recently discovered methane on the red planet to find out what this might mean, and in a fruity edition of Kitchen Science we explore the wobbly chemistry of jelly!

Listen Now:

Happy New Year! For our first show of 2009, we take on your science questions. We find out how earthworms can get airborne, why people get cramp and why Dr Chris' hypnic jerk frightens people on the bus. We also listen to the flirtatious duet between two mosquitoes, find out how rocks are arranged on Mars, and how stem cells bring sight back to blind mice. Plus, we find out how to make indoor snow and explain why all of these snowflakes are identical, and in kitchen science Dave explains the science of sneezing on your computer screen!

Listen Now:

There's no Naked Scientists show this week, so why not try "Ask the Naked Scientists" - our weekly phone in show with Sue Marchant. This week, we answer qustions like why do we have Adam's Apples? Do other primates have them? When we find new species are they due to evolution? Why do we get sleep in our eyes? Plus, we reveal the healthiest type of olive oil, investigate spinal surgeries and look into the rare condition of Morgellons Disease.

Listen Now:

There's no Naked Scientists Show this week, but we're proud to introduce a new series of podcasts, starring our own Diana O'Carroll: Naked Archaeology This episode features the tale of TB's earliest victims, the science of archaeology underwater and the first shamanic burial all go under the trowel in this month's Naked Archaeology. We also uncover where all the dirt comes from that buries the past, and in this month's Backyard Archaeology Irving Finkel takes us on a tour of the Babylon exhibition at the British Museum.

Listen Now:

Here is a taster of our new science experiment video podcast called Science from the Sporran. This features exciting kitchen science experiments for you to do at home performed by Dr Otherford and his inimitable hair. To find out more search for science sporran on itumes or go to www.nakedscientists.com/sporran Here's a taster of our new science experiment video podcast, called Science from the Sporran, that features Kitchen Science experiments performed by Dr Ernest Otherford and his inimitable hair. To find more you can search for Science Sporran on iTunes or go to www.NakedScientists.com/Sporran

Listen Now:

We look back on the greatest science news of the year, discuss our top science facts and take on your festive questions in this festive edition of the Naked Scientists. We find out how scientists can recreate a picture as you're looking at it, just by reading your thoughts, why shape-memory metal could make bridges earthquake-proof and how a simple process could make the cheapest, nastiest wine palatable. Plus, we look into the science of champagne to find out if the bubbles really do go straight to your head and in Kitchen Science, we build a vortex cannon from a plastic bottle, then use it to snuff out candles from across the room!

Listen Now:

New and Emerging diseases go under the microscope in this week's Naked Scientists, as we discover how new diseases arise, cross species barriers and spread throughout the population. We hear about the origins of HIV, the conditions that create hotspots for new pathogens and a fatal new virus found in Africa. Also, we find out why some people are genetically pre-disposed to AIDS, how the giardia bug changes coats to trick the immune system and why captive elephants live shorter lives than in the wild. Plus, in Kitchen Science, Ben takes the Tabasco Temperature Test to see how mints and chilli affect the temperature on your tongue!

Listen Now:

The science of sight submits to the scrutiny of the Naked Scientists this week as we look at lens replacement surgery, the genetics of degenerative eye diseases such as macular degeneration, and find out whether gene therapy and stem cells can repair the damaged retina. Ben undergoes a laser-vision correction test to discover how corneal re-shaping can be used to correct poor vision, and Meera meets a man to uncover the basis of blinking and the composition of tears. Plus, how we hear how seashells have inspired tough new ceramics, uncover a signal that links food to body fat, and hear how a fraction of a dose of vaccine may be enough to prevent an epidemic. In Kitchen Science, Ben and Dave wonder what happens to the rainbow-effect on a CD when you hold it under a street-light...

Listen Now:

The Naked Scientists hit Hollywood for a special show all the way from California. We meet the cream of Californian scientists from the University of California at LA and at San Diego to find out why designing ocean-going robots is like giving birth; what some dust-covered 50-year old experiments can reveal about the origins of life, and why your friends and even their friends, can affect your weight. We discover the work of the Population Institute, who use radio soap-operas to inspire better family planning. Plus, we find out why plants get jetlag, how nanotechnology can help foil terrorist attacks and we visit the Naked Cafe to discuss the Big Bang over coffee. In Kitchen Science, Ben and Carlos Camara generate x-rays from sticky tape!

Listen Now:

This week we hear how lasers might replace X-rays as a way to see inside the body, we delve into the genetic code of the extinct woolly mammoth and hear about a government competition to exploit the power of the web to help people to find public toilets and post boxes. We also tackle your science questions including finding out why mosquiotoes don't transmit diseases like dirty needles, how animals cut their umbilical cords, whether it's better to drink red wine or grape juice and why cold tea tastes strange! Plus, Dave creates a ghostly one-way window effect in Kitchen science.

Listen Now:

We dig into the world of archaeology this week to uncover what DNA is revealing about how humans domesticated plants and livestock. We also delve into the story of stonehenge and hear how scientists are using new isotope techniques to find out how it was built and what when on there. We also trace the history of the civilisation that carved the Nazca lines in South America and then disappeared without trace, but why? Plus, we hear about a new way to combat allergies with a course of injections, how music could improve your health, and how fish elect their leaders. And in kitchen science we show you how to make you own desktop seige weapon!

Listen Now:

This week's Pathological programme brings you a glimpse into the world of the pathologist. We attend a real autopsy to discover how a pathologist uncovers a cause of death, and hear how Cambridge scientists have found a new way to stop Multiple Sclerosis (M.S.) in it's tracks. We also find out how a common rock can lock away carbon, why forest fungi give out less greenhouse gases when they're warm, and shed some light on the workings of world's smallest solar panels. Plus, in place of Kitchen Science, Ben tries to stop a virtual outbreak of the plague!

Listen Now:

It's been cold in the UK this week! So what better way to spend your time than to stay in the warm and find the answers to all of your nagging science questions... So if you've ever wondered how fireworks have so many pretty colours, why a hedgehog will choose to go to sleep in a bonfire pile, or any science, nature, medicine or technology question - ask us now!

Listen Now:

Disco Psychology - the science of drinking and dancing feature in this week's Naked Scientists. We find out what your dance moves say about your genes and why drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes makes faces seem more attractive. Also, we discover what happens in the minds of people suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD. Plus, researchers make brain washing a reality, roll out a stream of x-rays from a reel of sticky tape, and reveal why the smell of rotten eggs may be good for your blood pressure! In Kitchen Science, we re-train Ben's brain see the world from a different angle!

Listen Now:

Nuclear fusion is the power source inside the Sun - so can we copy the physics of the stars to generate energy here on Earth? This week, we find out how nuclear fusion works, and how to mimic a star on Earth...

Listen Now:

New techniques to test for Down's Syndrome and oesophageal cancer feature in this week's Naked Scientists, along with the nanotechnology that may let you climb walls like spider man! We also take on your science questions and find out if it's possible to shoot a satellite, what keeps the Earth's core so hot, and how you can pass through fire unharmed! Plus, in a back-to-basics Kitchen Science - Dave makes drops of milk bounce out of his tea!

Listen Now:

We catch up with the latest on cancer this week including an update from the National Cancer Research Institute conference in Birmingham. We hear how computers are helping doctors to read mammograms, how researchers are re-programming the immune system to attack tumours, and we get the low down on the new vaccine against cervical cancer. We also discover how blood cells can be used as a Trojan horse to sneak-in chemicals to boost the power of body scans, what a fossil form of HIV can tell us about the origin of AIDS, and how beetles create their own antibiotics. Plus, in kitchen science, Ben and Dave use the power of steam to crush cans!

Listen Now:

This week, how to live longer and look younger with the science of ageing! We discover how repairing damage to DNA could prevent the diseases associated with old age, and find out how to keep your skin looking younger for longer. Also, doing just four things could add fourteen years to your life - so find out what they are, right here! Plus, how gene therapy could cure one from of blindness, how to get more distance from a tank of diesel and counting insects - how bees can count up to four, but not five. Also, in Kitchen Science, we explore the stretchy science of rubber bands!

Listen Now:

Superbugs and hospital acquired infections go under the microscope on this weeks Naked Scientists. We find out why Clostridium difficile has become such a problem, how to keep bacteria away from surfaces and see if there's a vaccine for MRSA on the horizon. Plus, we discover where fat cells hide out, why fungi fire spores at amazing speeds and how plant sugars can make perfect petrol. And in Kitchen Science, Ben and Dave launch a liver-powered rocket!

Listen Now:

There's a bulging mailbag of science questions for the Naked Scientists this week, as we find out why we stop smelling smells, whether we can use viruses to kill cancer and why crisp and sweet packets make so much noise? Also, how unmanned spy-planes can speed up medical diagnoses in rural countries, how Internet anti-spam technology is helping to interpret ancient manuscripts, and the first water bears in orbit - how tardigrades survived a trip into space, without a suit! Plus, in Kitchen Science, Dave shows you how to impale a potato using only a drinking straw!

Listen Now:

The biggest science experiment in the world - The Large Hadron Collider at CERN, will start on September 10th. So this week we peer inside a proton and discover how the LHC works to help scientists in the search for antimatter and the elusive 'Higgs boson'. Plus, we unlock the genetic key to a happy marriage, explore what giant clams can reveal about our ancestors and hear why bats silence themselves to avoid traffic jams. Plus, in Kitchen Science, Ben and Dave get dizzy with the science of spinning!

Listen Now:

Before Chris and Co get back for the start of the new series, Ben and Diana dive deep into the science of the sea. We find out why cold water corals can act as a climate calendar, how fish feminised by human female hormones have a surprising effect on the ecosystem and discover the marine micro-organisms that keep the climate in check. Also, why the humble garden pond can guard against global warming, and how penguins can be identified by their feathery fingerprint. Plus, in Kitchen Science, Ben and Dave have a unique tea party to find out if the saying 'as useless as a chocolate teapot' really holds (hot) water!

Listen Now:

The hunt for Bigfoot, how a beer or two can boost attractiveness and the brain basis of imagination go under the lens this week when Ben and Diana also meet the chemist-turned-rapper behind the contraceptive pill and the "Superheroes of Science" a concept album where science mixes with music. Plus, in an Olympic Kitchen Science, Ben and Dave tune in to a baseball bat's sweet spot...

Listen Now:

Diana and Ben take the bridge this week for a journey around the world and out into space, with a selection of the best science from the Naked Scientists worldwide travels. We find out how planets form from stardust in just tens on millions of years, and how to use winks, wobbles and blips to find planets around distant stars. We find out why the James Webb Space telescope must be very cool to pick up the hot infra-red radiation of deep space, and how the ExoMars rover could take us to previously unseen parts of Mars. Then we come back down to Earth with a bump (or should that be burp?) to discover the astronomical effort it takes to feed the population of the Olympic Village. Plus, in Kitchen Science, Dave tries in his own unique way to get a bottle rocket into orbit!

Listen Now:

Science on the River - A Punt Down the Cam. The river Cam runs through Cambridge, past the colleges that have been home to influential scientists for hundreds of years. This week, we drift down the river, picking up key scientists as we go. We discover how petals attract pollinators, how carbon sequestration could call a halt to climate change and how ketamine could help us find the root of schizophrenic delusions. Also, we explore how evolved enzymes could make chemical reactions billions of times faster, and learn of the ultimate fate of the universe with Astronomer Royal, Professor Martin Rees. Plus, in Kitchen Science we see how sunlight can start a fire and mirrors can cause explosions!

Listen Now:

It's an Extravaganza of Questions and Answers on the Naked Scientists this week as we take on your questions, including whether dogs can sniff out a seizure, what is fire made of, and how do glow in the dark objects work? Also, we hear what an artificial tongue can tell us about speech production and the way to build superior voice recognition software, we rev up a system that can harness the waste heat in car exhaust to boost efficiency, find out how to flavour breast milk and hear why dolphins sing lullabies. Plus, in Kitchen Science, Ben and Dave go for a drive with a helium filled balloon to uncover the basis of inertia!

Listen Now:

Drug Discovery: On this week's Naked Scientists, drug development goes under the microscope as we explore two new ways to find the treatments of tomorrow. We find out why size is important when it comes to chemicals that can kill superbugs, and how soil bacteria hold the chemical clues to the next generation of antibiotics. Plus, how sheets of carbon can be used to reveal single atoms of hydrogen beneath the microscope, how scientists have homed in on the part of the brain linked to obsessive compulsive disorder, and why electronically tagging jellyfish can tell us a sea turtle's secrets. Plus, in Kitchen Science, we make strange and unexpected shapes with bubbles!

Listen Now:

We're going for gold on this week's Olympian Naked Scientists, by discovering the sporty science of performance enhancement. We find out how drugs can help boost an athlete's performance, and how the testing labs are hot on their heels! We also explore how altitude training and hi-tech trainers can power athletes past their personal bests. Plus, a stem cell cure for muscular dystrophy, flies with flu and how a rubber Anaconda could generate energy from waves. And in Kitchen Science, we find out how to get the biggest bounce from two balls!

Listen Now:

Give yourself the time to listen to this week's Naked Scientists Show, where we find out about the Body Clock! We discover the constant chemical cascade that keeps your clock in check, and how not seeing the sun leads to S.A.D. We probe the plant clock to explore how trees tell the time, and why even plants can suffer from jetlag. Plus, why Stradivarius' violins sound so good, why fun size snacks may be making you fat and how cuttlefish sneak a peak at their future food. Also, in Kitchen Science, Ben and Dave get water from flames!

Listen Now:

It's 150 years since Darwin's theory of Evolution was presented to the Linnean Society, and so we've Naturally Selected the Science of Evolution! We find out why scientists have revisited a textbook example of natural selection in action, find out why horny sheep are gambling on good weather and how bacteria in the lab can evolve into a new species! We find out why tragedy almost kept Darwin's ideas from ever being seen, by looking at the archives of his own letters. Plus, why crocodiles chat from inside their eggs, a new way to send messages underwater and why Martian soil would be good for growing cabbages! And in kitchen science we find out which surface is best for keeping ice cool.

Listen Now:

Mirrors, Magnets and Meteorites make an appearance in this week's Naked Scientists Question and Answer Show. We find out how the immune system could be convinced to fight skin cancer, how future MRI scans could be in colour, and why easy-clean computer keyboards could help keep MRSA out of hospitals. We answer your questions about inhaling helium, wind turbines, bacteria and the molecular basis of mirrors. Plus, in Kitchen Science Dave sets us the Balloon Kebab Challenge!

Listen Now:

Get Red Hot and Dirty with the Naked Scientists as we explore the science of volcanoes. We discover how the heat from hot rocks can be used to work out what gases are emerging, how likely a volcano is to erupt and whether it will go with a bang or a whimper. We also hear how hot runny rock can shatter under pressure to trigger an earthquake, and dip into the cooler, dirtier world of mud Volcanoes, like Lusi, which is currently pouring millions of gallons of mud onto the island of Java. Plus, we find out how a small date plant made history by being the oldest seed ever to germinate, why the paper of the future could be as tough as iron, and, in Kitchen Science, Ben and Dave provoke an eruption of their own!

Listen Now:

Ancient Greece is on the naked scientists' menu this week as we travel back in time to 1200 BC to discover how modern science and a 3000 year old poem have solved an ancient riddle. A team of classicists, geologists and archaeologists claim to have found the island of Ithaca, home of the legendary Greek hero Odysseus. Digging further into the past we also hear how geophysics can help archaeologists to see what lies buried underground but without having to lift a trowel. We also learn how dormant brain stem cells can be brought back to life, why it's not just size that is important when it comes to brains, and the mind-controlling parasite that turns its host first into an egg-incubator and then into a bodyguard. Plus, in Kitchen Science, savouring the Greek flavour, Ben and Dave recreate the science of the original Naked Scientist, Archimedes, and find out whether a heap of gold coins are the real thing...

Listen Now:

Footballs in space, mind-controlled machines and long-lasting bubbles join your questions on this week's Naked Scientists Question and Answer show. We discover the feminine side of prostate cancer and the robot that can walk up walls, and also hear how a computer has designed the next generation of mosquito repellents. Plus, we revisit the Phoenix mission on Mars, and also find out how surfing the internet can contribute more carbon to climate change than surfing the skies in an aeroplane! Plus, in Kitchen Science, Dave demonstrates a psychedelic effect with some milk.

Listen Now:

Hours before NASA's phoenix mission was due to land on Mars, the Naked Scientists took our own tour of the Martian landscape. We discuss how looking in valleys could tell us what shaped the Martian surface, and how probing Martian mud could reveal signs of life past and present. Also, we find out how scientists have watched the explosive death of a star, and how an asteroid collision millions of miles away could have seen the birth of the meteorite that killed off the dinosaurs. Plus, in Kitchen Science, we show you how to make weightless water!

Listen Now:

Come with us on a tour of your body to discover how the bacteria that live on and in you play an important role! Bad breath bacteria, good gut bugs and the ones that escape through the other end all make an appearance, as we find out how bacteria are essential to your health and how probiotics could prevent or even treat asthma and allergies. Plus, we find out how clot busting drugs could treat brain haemorrhages, why pilot whales are the cheetahs of the sea and how a robot could give you a full head of hair. Plus, in a smelly kitchen science we ask if coughs and sneezes can spread diseases, then what about flatulence?

Listen Now:

Using nature's own tricks, we find out how to avoid mosquito bites, grow more crops and keep the weeds away in this week's Naked Scientists. We find out why mosquitoes prefer some people to others, and how to use pheromones to turn an insect's sex-drive against it! Also, why dentists could use plasma to cut down on drilling, why breast is best for bigger brains and why Popeye was right, spinach really does make you stronger. Plus, in Kitchen Science, we brave a box of biting mozzies to see if insect repellent really does repel!

Listen Now:

Black holes, bright birds and ice evaporating in the freezer all come under scrutiny in this week's Naked Science Question and Answer Show. We also find out why space is so cold, what happens when a neutron star collapses and where houseflies buzz off to in winter. Plus, we discover a robot who keeps kids company in hospital, and catch up with the the latest tech news about Twitter. Also, we hear how bats are louder than a rock concert, how a quantum trick could let birds see magnetism and we peer into the biggest eye in the animal kingdom - belonging to the Colossal Squid. Plus, in Kitchen Science, we get close to some hot rubber!

Listen Now:

Stunning sapphires, dazzling diamonds and red rubies abound in this week's sparkling edition of the Naked Scientists in which we find out how gemstones are formed, what makes them so beautiful and why they're so rare. We also reveal the tricks used by experts to flush out fake stones, and discover how synthetic diamonds can make better lasers, more powerful electronics, sweeter tweeters and cutting-edge scalpels. Plus, why a mongoose could be your best friend in a minefield, how a good breakfast leads to more male births and, in Kitchen Science, how to grow some beautiful crystals at home!

Listen Now:

Sustainable Solar power in Sydney, home-generated electricity and green-housing developments go under the microscope this week as we explore the science of sustainable living. Meanwhile Dave goes for gold in water recycling by purifying and drinking water from urine, and we also find out how vitamin supplements can kill, discover an atom-thin transistor and hear how testosterone provoke boom and bust on the stock market. So join us as we become eco-estate agents and go through the keyholes of the Green Houses of Tomorrow!

Listen Now:

Solar Flares and the Sun's influence on our climate are the burning issues of this week's show. We discover an explosion on the Sun so large that it cut global communications all over the world and rendered compasses useless. Also, we'll be looking at the link between the sun and climate change and finding out how clouds could predict earthquakes. Plus, in this week's news, we discover why some balls are really hard to catch we talk about the seahorses returning to the Thames. And in Kitchen Science, Dave shows us how to light a bulb without wires - using only a balloon! All this and more on The (naked) Science of the Sun...

Listen Now:

Can cold water cause weight loss, is my mother-in-law turning into a reptile and why doesn't a mobile phone interfere with itself are all answered in this week's Naked Science Question and Answer Extravaganza. We also find out about a new way to keep track of your favourite online bands and musicians, and hear how the whole world harmonises - turning news into music in just three hours! Plus, in Kitchen Science, Dave pulverises an egg to explain the basis of air pressure, and for Question of the Week Diana finds out whether alcohol can rehydrate a lost traveller in the desert.

Listen Now:

This week we visit the Historic city of Edinburgh to put Scottish science under the microscope! We discover the incredible magnetic bacteria and find out how their bio-nano-magnets could help treat cancer. We find out how satellite images can help predict outbreaks of cholera, and talk about the twist in the tale of TB - drug resistant Tuberculosis has now been found in the UK, so what is this disease and how can we hope to treat it? Also, how scientists have used cloned stem cells to treat Parkinson's disease in mice, how a whiff of anaesthetic could sooth traumatic memories and why bonobo apes play it safe while chimps like to gamble. Plus, in Kitchen Science we find out how yeast makes fluffy bread and fizzy beer!

Listen Now:

This week, we catch up with the action from this year's Cambridge Science Festival. We find out what you could learn from a plasticine brain and how your next holiday could be literally out-of-this-world! We explore the science of Dr who's Sonic Screwdrivers, Spiderman and Skateboarders and find out how long the festival takes to prepare. Plus, how meteorite strikes benefit life on Earth, get a step closer to a cure for one of the most common forms of blindness and find out why chimps on TV could be harming their cousins in the wild. All this, and in Kitchen Science we show you how to make a Vacuum machine powered bazooka!

Listen Now:

On this week's Naked Scientists, we tackle your questions. We find out what creates a 'Moonbow', how much water there was on Earth over one million years ago and what happens to milk in the freezer. Also, how butterflies could remember what caterpillars learn, why electric cars may stress stretched water supplies and how the 'smell' of a coral reef attracts fish from miles around. Plus, we speak to Marc Abrahams, creator of the Ig Nobel awards for science that makes you laugh, then makes you think! And in Kitchen Science we try to strike a balance between two balloons!

Listen Now:

This week we're exploring the science of sound and music. We sound out the human voice, hear why we all talk differently, and probe the origins of accents and the means by which impersonators mimic their victims. Also, we discover how a tune can act like cocaine in your brain and why, in some cultures, music can replace a lawyer! Also, we hear what's going on in the brains of Jazz musicians as they improvise, see how hungry sharks are similar to shoppers and find out why a big brown bat needs magnetic bat-nav. Plus, in kitchen science we discover the musical secrets of plastic bottles!

Listen Now:

This week the Naked Scientists go virtual! We'll be hearing how a new computer system can accurately gauge your age from a mugshot, we come face to face with the painting fool, a computer that can read - and then paint - your emotions, and we find out what's still lurking on your hard disc, even after you think you've wiped it. We also unveil Second Naked Scientists - our home in Second Life - and get stuck into a new molecular glue designed to replaces surgical stitches and staples. Plus, in Kitchen Science, Ben and Dave embark on a far from fruitless mission to charge an MP3 player with an orange...

Listen Now:

On this weeks Pan-Continental Naked Scientists we bring you the latest science news from the AAAS conference in Boston. We hear about why cholesterol-lowering drugs are good for us but bad for bacteria, see the map that shows mankind's effect on the oceans and discover the surprisingly complex science of sand castles. Also in this week's show, we look into the future for organ transplants - how bone marrow grafts could make rejection a thing of the past, keeping organs alive outside the body and how we can grow a beating heart in the lab! Plus, in Kitchen Science, we find out how to prove that blood circulates around the body!

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now:

Listen Now: