BBC 5 live Science

5 live Science

5 live's science podcast, featuring Dr Karl, plus Dr Chris and Naked Scientists Chris Smith and Kat Arney with the hottest science news stories and analysis.
English United Kingdom Science
225 Episodes
1 – 20

Memory, mosquitos and mowing the lawn

Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In today’s programme: What attracts mosquitoes to some people but not others? Grow not mow: why one Cambridge college has broken hundreds of years of tradition, and decided not to mow their lawn. And…
28 May 53 min

Your questions answered

Chris Smith and the panel are answering the questions you've been sending in over the past few weeks. New episodes released weekly. If you're in the UK, for more BBC podcasts listen on BBC Sounds: bbc.in/3UjecF5
21 May 53 min

Singing fish and building better batteries

Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In today’s programme: A breakthrough in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, and the fish that communicate by singing. Plus we’re looking at improvements that are being made when building batteries, and asking: is the…
14 May 52 min

Sport and concussion injuries

Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In today’s programme: What should we make of claims that China is building super weapons to hack and hijack US satellites? We also hear from the couple who have discovered one of the world's…
7 May 55 min

Obesity

Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In this week's episode: we speak to the team that think they’re close to cracking the male contraceptive pill. And the WHO announce their big vaccine catch-up: to protect the millions of children worldwide…
28 Apr 52 min

Black Holes and the Dark Side of the Moon

Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In today’s programme: Scientists test out a new universal flu vaccine that fights all flus and last for several years. And why Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon might hold the melodic key…
23 Apr 54 min

What is Pain?

Chris Berrow presents 5 Live Science this week, looking at the future of solar power, why some people are sensitive to magnetic fields, and the scientists studying bird poo! Plus, what exactly is pain, and what happens when you can’t control the amount of pain you're in?
16 Apr 54 min

Is There Anybody Out There?

Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In today’s programme: Nearly 2000 tech experts and scientists are calling for a halt to AI research: we talk to one of them. And “simply inexcusable”: the words of the World Health Organisation as…
9 Apr 55 min

Dinosaur faces, laughing gas, and repairing broken gadgets

Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In today’s programme: Why we might need to re-draw dinosaur faces: it turns out T Rex had lips - how did we miss that? Also, as the UK government moves to make laughing gas…
2 Apr 45 min

The High Seas Treaty

Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In today’s programme: how scientists are making measuring animal welfare a top priority on farms, and why superglue might be the key to superior plastic recycling. Plus we dive into the high seas treaty:…
26 Mar 52 min

Recharging In Nature

Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. This week: How doctors in the US have “cured” a woman with HIV. Does Venus have volcanoes? Re-examining 30 year old probe footage has got scientists wondering. Plus we look at the value of…
19 Mar 52 min

Q&A: Ask Us Anything

Dr Chris Smith is joined by a space scientist, a geologist, a psychologist and a linguist to answer some of the science questions you've been sending to the 5 Live Science team. To ask a question for a future edition, email 5livescience@bbc.co.uk
12 Mar 51 min

What can the Earth tell us about itself?

Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In today’s programme we look at how taking a daily brisk walk could take 25% off your mortality rate. The northern - and southern - lights and why they’ve been so pronounced of late?…
5 Mar 55 min

Male Pill, Invisible Shrimp, & Fusion Power in Future?

Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. This week: the likelihood of commercial fusion power by 2040, male contraceptive pills, how shrimp use a trick of the light to disappear, and when our European ancestors first armed themselves with bows and…
26 Feb 53 min

Quakes, bad indoor air, and will we be eating bacteria in future?

Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. Why Turkey can expect aftershocks for up to a year, as we examine the science behind this week's massive earthquake. Plus encrypted letters from Mary Queen of Scots decoded, efforts to drive up indoor…
12 Feb 52 min

Transplanted brains, sugar taxes and satellites

Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. This week: Human brain tissue transplants wire themselves into rat brains, signs sugar taxes cut obesity, and the science of satellites, including the company planning to forge new metals in orbit.
5 Feb 53 min

Can a chatbot be a good broadcaster?

Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In today’s programme: is paying people to switch off their electricity the right strategy? We hear about bacteria that can eat ocean plastic. And find out more about the spiders that can grow back…
29 Jan 53 min

History of Booze

Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. In this week's programme: How hair follicles might hold the key to reversing scars, but not just in skin: in hearts and other organs too; scientists crack how to grow new brain cells in…
22 Jan 50 min

All aboard 'Boaty McBoatface'

Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs. This week we discover a breakthrough in treating type 2 diabetes, and find out why the Virgin Orbital launch failed earlier this week Plus, we look at microplastics and the oceans at large as…
15 Jan 51 min
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