Ask The Naked Scientists SA

Has it been a strange year for weather?

Dr Chris Smith answers questions from the listeners of CapeTalk. Including, why are pregnant women told to take folic acid? What causes ears to itch? Why is vomit yellow? Is there a relationship between organs of the body and areas of the skin? How effective is carbon dating? Like this…

15 Nov 19 min

Why do athletes spit on the ground?

Dr Chris and Clarence take on another selection of topics from across the scientific spectrum: Who were the victims of the Mount Vesuvius eruption? How does one get rid of ringworm? What are the effects of a low heart rate? If our internal body temperature is 37 degrees, why do…

8 Nov 24 min

What should you do if a lift cable snaps?

Do animals lower their mating standards when drunk? Why do different farts make different noises? What should you do if your lift cable snaps? Were there two Earths at one point? Where do mosquitoes go during the day? Is tinnitus always a ringing sound? Is Teflon safe to use? Is…

31 Oct 21 min

Do other animals see colour?

In this episode of Ask! The Naked Scientist, Dr Chris explains how our eyesight changes as we age, what the difference is between a brown and white egg shell, and the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

25 Oct 19 min

Are ambidextrous people more intelligent?

Listener science questions from South Africa answered by Dr Chris this time include: Do you urinate more liquid than the alcohol you consume? Why do dark skinned people get pigmentation underneath their armpits and between their thighs? What are the latest developments in helping restore vision to blind people? Like…

18 Oct 17 min

Why do we have car headlights on during the day?

Dr Chris answers listener questions. Including, is air made up of the same proportion of stuff everywhere on Earth? What is earwax? Where is it produced and for what reason? How does time work at the North Pole? Why do strong perfumes cause sinus congestion? Like this podcast? Please help…

11 Oct 19 min

What is the best way to get rid of hiccups?

Can you bring someone back from the dead? Can a special diet help flexibility in older people? What is the best way to get rid of hiccups? Are hovercrafts safe? Why is yawning contagious? Does hot water sound different to cold water? Are there tardigrades on the ISS? Dr Chris…

3 Oct 20 min

Why do fairground rides get worse as we age?

In a break from the usual format, the producers of The Naked Scientists take over from Clarence Ford to ask Dr Chris Smith some of your burning scientific questions. How does intuition work? Can you transplant a pancreas? Could we mine our second Moon? Why do lights flicker in our…

26 Sep 30 min

Should you wash every day?

Should you wash every day? Does washing your clothes damage them? Should you have a washcloth just for your face? Why does moving air make the temperature go down? Dr Chris Smith and Relebojile Mabotja have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

19 Sep 15 min

Are more male babies born after a war?

Why do some people struggle to read? Are more male babies born after a war? Are some people allergic to hot skin? Why do some men's breasts swell up? Why do we use different frequencies for different broadcasts? Why do traffic lights go red when you're in a hurry? Dr…

12 Sep 17 min

Can someone's heart keeping beating after death?

Why do some people grind their teeth? Can someone's heart keeping beating when they're dead? How does the brain interpret words? How do we know how long something has been dead for? Dr Chris Smith and Relebojile Mabotja have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting…

5 Sep 15 min

How do bones heal themselves?

How much do wildfires contribute to carbon release? How do bones heal themselves? Why do weeds seem to grow faster than other plants? Why do some animals float, but others sink? Why do ducks like spinach? How did we evolve different blood types? Why do some people's temperature go down…

29 Aug 18 min

What should we know about monkeypox?

What is monkeypox, and how can we tackle it? Why can't you walk through walls if atoms are mostly empty space? If X-Rays are harmful, why are microwaves and infrared not harmful? What are the benefits of the Large Hadrin Collider? Does taking Vitamin C harm your immune response? Dr…

23 Aug 22 min

Will we ever run out of helium?

Will we ever run out of helium? Will any planets in the solar system get knocked out of orbit? What causes ovulation pain? Is it wise to pop a zit? Why are two astronauts stuck in space? Have we re-invented lost inventions? Dr Chris Smith and Sara-Jayne Makwala King have…

16 Aug 17 min

How many cigarettes does it take to get hooked?

This week, Dr Chris and Relebongile find out how dietary salt affects the body, how loneliness and loss of a loved one can cause ill-health, what a blind person "sees" in their mind's eye, how broken fingers heal, how many cigarettes does it take to get hooked, and why does…

11 Aug 16 min

Why do athletes perform better on the day?

Questions for Dr Chris Smith on this week's Ask! include: What are the health benefits of exercise? How do you explain deja vu? Can you be in two places at once? What factors influence the weather? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

1 Aug 14 min

Do teabags carry microplastics?

Dr Chris answers a wide range of listener science questions. What is entropy and how does it reconcile with equilibrium? What happens when they put dogs to sleep? Why can I read words when the vowels are removed? How do hair implants work? How does a bird find worms? Can…

25 Jul 20 min

Why can't other apes grow long head hair?

Why does your washing sometimes smell bad? What is the difference between forecast temperature and 'real feel'? Why can't other apes grow long head hair? What is the difference between a sprinter and a marathon runner? Why do Greenland sharks live so long? Can parrots see themselves in the mirror?…

19 Jul 21 min

Are we overprotective of our children?

Dr Chris answers listener submitted questions including: would it be possible to slingshot continuously around the Earth and Mars? When does our consciousness 'switch on?' How worried should we be if we're outside during a thunderstorm? Is 0 positive or negative? What maintains our body temperature? Like this podcast? Please…

12 Jul 21 min

Why can we only recycle some types of plastic?

Do women suffer from flatulence, and what affects your level of flatulence? Does hitting someone on the head actually knock them out? Is being a psychopath down to nature or nurture? Why does the weather stay warm when the seasons shift? Why can we only recycle some types of plastic?…

5 Jul 19 min