Ask The Naked Scientists SA

How do you size-up a CME?

How is the scale of coronal mass ejection (CME) measured? How does evolution work? Why is sole and palm skin a lighter colour? Why causes magnetic field flips? What are blood groups and do animals have their own blood groups? Join Dr Chris for this week's crop of questions from…

12 Jan 2014 15 min

Ask the Naked Scientists is BACK!

How trees tell the time, the germ potential of hot air driers in toilets, where fruit flies come from, does menstruation synchronise, why do mad people tend to run along roads, why is smoking addictive and why should a 7-year old have underarm odour? Join Dr Chris for the first…

6 Jan 2014 27 min

Do plants have sex?

Plant and tree gender, omega-3 fatty acids and cancer and the science of sous vide cooking…

5 Jan 2014 15 min

Where Does the Solar System End?

Launched in 1977 to study the Solar system's gas giant planets, Voyager 1 is still operating. But no…

11 Nov 2013 2 min

Why scratch your head if you don't know the answer? What about the Earth made the dinosaurs so big? Why does the Universe spin? Is the Sun seem brighter in the morning than the evening? Are autistic people particularly at home with computers? Why do effervescent tablets fizz only in…

11 Nov 2013 2 min

Why pulling nose hairs makes you cry?

Why tugging on nasal hairs causes crying? What triggers static shocks? Why are computers based aroun…

13 Oct 2013 20 min

How do Nerves Carry Information?

What do nerve cells look like, how do they carry information, and how does one nerve connect and com…

3 Oct 2013 6 min

Why scratch your head if you don't know the answer? What about the Earth made the dinosaurs so big? Why does the Universe spin? Is the Sun seem brighter in the morning than the evening? Are autistic people particularly at home with computers? Why do effervescent tablets fizz only in…

3 Oct 2013 6 min

What Do Rockets Push Against in Space?

What colour were human ancestors? What does a rocket push against in space to propel itself forward?…

27 Sep 2013 18 min

Why does the Universe Spin?

Why scratch your head if you don't know the answer? What about the Earth made the dinosaurs so big? …

20 Sep 2013 22 min

What Makes My Eyelid Twitch?

How is an electron microscope tip made to measure 1 atom thick? Why do I sound different on a recording? Why does light slow down in some media? Why is soft water slimy? How do ants home in on my handbag? What makes my eyelids twitch? Plus, how scientists are…

13 Sep 2013 24 min

Do Diamonds Melt?

How do robotic surgeons work? Do diamonds melt? What is heartburn? Can fish see colours, and what should anglers wear? What is brain plasticity? What would happen if an egg were dropped into boiling oil? What causes blushing? Why does holding the antenna of an AM radio improve reception?

8 Sep 2013 21 min

How does Digital Storage Work?

Is global warming a given? Can olive leaf extracts combat parasites? Is there a fake tanning pill? Why keep gas cylinders upright? How does digital storage work? Does reducing body temperture aid infections? How does the moon cycle affect human behaviour?

28 Jul 2013 23 min

Why is space dark?

Why is space dark; do bags of coins deter flies; why don't cats go grey; is GPS or an odometer more accurate; what was the effect of the Med drying up in the past; what does an ice-pack versus a hot-pack do for an injury; how might maternal diabetes affect…

21 Jul 2013 22 min

Why are mechanical hearts hard to make?

Why are we ticklish? What happens to blood when we die? Why are mechanical hearts hard to make? What's a burb? Can a mushroom crack tarmac? Why do helium balloons fly forwards in the car when I brake? Why does microwaved milk explode when I stir it?

14 Jul 2013 24 min

Do Plants do Maths?

Do plants do maths? Has the Internet made us all more intelligent? Why did my milk freeze? Why do my hands get cold, but not my face? How did people realise Earth is round? What's red shifting? Why does squinting make it easier to see things? Why is water unreactive…

5 Jul 2013 22 min

How do solar sails work?

How much ice are glaciers losing annually? What makes eyes itch? Is yoga beneficial to health? How do solar sails work? Do we have dominant feet? Why is a rainbow the shape it is? Plus, news of why breastfeeding could help your offspring to climb the social ladder…

30 Jun 2013 21 min

Meths for Mosquito Bites?

Why does yawning produce tears? Why do noses tend to run on a cold day? Is methylated spirit good for mosquito bites? Why do computer screens sometimes produce after-images on your eyes? Can block blood vessel growth cause cancers to stall? Is cola good for bloat? Is it really colder…

22 Jun 2013 18 min

Is the weather worse at weekends?

How do continental plates move? Is the weather worse at weekends? What does your brain choose to ignore? Why do wet fingers wrinkle? Are bullets fired into the air dangerous? Are premonitions real? Why does the Sun seem larger at sunset?

7 Jun 2013 20 min

Can we Reproduce in Space?

How much radiation would an astronaut encounter on the way to Mars? What causes loss of appetite during a fever? Why does camera red eye happen? Can we reproduce in space? Is mercury in dental fillings safe? How old are the atoms in the body? What causes tides? What's the…

3 Jun 2013 21 min