Question of the Week - From the Naked Scientists
Summary: Each week we set out to solve one of the world's weirdest, wackiest, funniest and funkiest scientific puzzles. And along with the answer there's a brand new question to think about for next time...
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- Artist: Dr Chris Smith
- Copyright: Dr Chris Smith 2007-2014
Podcasts:
Will we cause our own demise by burning the candle at both ends? Or will it be something like the giant impact that caused the dinosaurs to go extinct? What do you think?
Why do leaves turn red in the autumn? And how do they know when it is time to drop?
Listener Ahmed has been struck by lightning twice! Is he prone to attracting lightning, or just unlucky?
How many people have lived on Earth? We do some number crunching.
Windows, computer screens and phones that never get grubby? What's the chemistry making that self cleaning glass possible?
We hack our heads to find out how we can make a secure password. Plus we scrub up the issue and ask: how does self-cleaning glass work?
If you accidentally relocate a bee in your car, what happens? Would it join another colony or would that be it for the lost bee? For the answer to this insterest-sting question, we spoke to Henry Ferguson-Gow from the Zoological Society of London.
Could we get solar power from space and if so, how would we be able to transmit this energy back to Earth and use it? We spoke to John C. Mankins from Artemis Innovation Management Solutions to find out...
Humans are the only animals that cry tears of emotion as well as pain. But does each type of tear differ in its chemical composition, and can you tell why someone was crying from looking at this?
Music: a concentration aid or a complete distraction? Why do some people find it helpful and others disruptive?
This week, we tackle the burning issue of spontaneous human combustion. Reported cases of people bursting into flames nowhere near a fire. Is there any scientific explanation for this?
Which organs are vital and which are luxuries of life? We asked Elena Teh, Medical student at Cambridge University, for the gory details...
Star Trek fantasy or scientifically feasible? We find out with NASA!
We sniff out the science asking does sneeze volume and sound indicate personality type?
Can you combat brain fogginess and help with french homework by munching sweets? We find out if there is any scientific rationale for this sweet toothed strategy to deal with brain fatigue.
