Fitter fat cells, and Earth spins slightly faster

Ho Ho Ho! This week on the Naked Scientists we're celebrating the festive season in style, with a party right here in the studio. From Christmas crackers to Brussels sprouts, we'll be looking at some of the science behind Christmas. We'll be learning about snowflakes and how these sub-zero designs are created, we'll find out what your choice of Christmas card says about you, and we'll reveal the best way to cook your sprouts, ensuring your family get all the nutrition they can this Christmas. Also, in Kitchen science we'll be getting you to butter bread and throw it off your kitchen counter... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

16 Dec 200757min

This week, we take on your science questions, tackling the sticky subject of how glue works, the explosive potential of underground uranium and the problems with performance enhancing-football shirts. We look into gastroenteritis and find out how just one gram of vomit could infect one million people, and if that hasn't put you off your food, how acrylamide, found in toast and other tasty foods, may cause cancer. Plus, how the future of the paperback could be plastic, and in Kitchen Science we tell you the easy way to keep mirrors mist-free - using only soap! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

9 Dec 200757min

This week we learn about Alzheimer's disease, how it changes the brain and may be caused by the virus which causes cold sores. We probe your grey matter to find out how memory works, what goes wrong to give us false memories, and the science behind earworms - the songs that we can't get out of our heads! Also, GM plants that can survive a drought, why future chewing gum may contain magnolia bark and how a mirror can kill phantom limb pain. Plus, in Kitchen Science, we fool our senses with some plastic, some paper and a carpet! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

2 Dec 20071h 1min

This week, we bring you the highlights of the Naked Scientists trip to South Africa. We explore what life is like in the poor regions of Johannesburg, and how the frightening reality of HIV and AIDS offers a silver lining in prevention research. Plus, In a journey through our evolutionary history, we come face to face with the two-and-a-half million year old Taung child, one of the most important human ancestor fossils ever found. Also, we find out why a moon like ours is rare in the universe, how opals get their colours and how mice choose a mate by smelling their wee. And in kitchen... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

25 Nov 200758min

This week on the Naked Scientists we cross hemispheres to explore galaxies far far away. Chris presents live from Johannesburg to discuss the South African Large Telescope whilst back in the studio we explore the effects of space travel on the body, the expansion of our universe and the possibilities of another planet earth. We also investigate effects on our hearing and bring you a special kitchen science that could be out of this world. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

18 Nov 200757min

This week on the Naked Scientists we seek solutions to your science questions. From finding the site of the big bang to repairing the retina, mirages on the motorway to fruit fireworks in your microwave. We also find out why staying in bed could help you keep slim, we explore the genes that let flies get drunk, and discover the source of the so-called "Oh My God! Particles", which have 100 million times more energy than in our biggest particle accelerators. Also, we catch up with the latest in robotic cars and learn about the micro-microwave being used for analysis in the field. Plus, in a... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

11 Nov 200758min

This week on the Naked Scientists, we're probing the origins of man and pursuing the spread of humans around the world. We find out how to date a hobbit, discover how an enormous flood formed the English Channel, and examine the evidence for when ancient humans first used fire. We also tune into the world's smallest nano-sized radio, talk to the two men who flew over Mt Everest on paragliders and in Kitchen Science, we show you how to re-light your fire! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

4 Nov 200757min

This week on the Award Winning Naked Scientists we find out about stem cells and cloning. We discuss the elusive 'stemness' that allows cells to specialise, and learn about cloning in the post-Dolly the sheep era. We also find out how genetics has revealed that Neanderthals were redheads, how soap affects shoals of fish and some turtles come equipped with anti-roll bars. We also pay a visit to the Manchester Science Festival for a chat with Johnny Ball, and in Kitchen Science, we "clone at home" and find out the future of the humble banana. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

28 Okt 200758min