Naked Scientists

In the news, an old drug heralds a new treatment for the gut parasite Cryptosporidium; the bionic-knee that anticipates where amputees want to go to make movements much more natural; and why we're spotting more Near-Earth Objects, and whether one may hit us. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Jon wants to know, how do the cells in the human body, in all their variety, differ at the genetic level? James Tytko took his query on... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Do animals feel fear the same way that we do? Do diet supplements boost your immune systems? Can using phones and headphones change the shape of your body? Why don't birds get electrocuted on pylons? Is the northern hemisphere more 'innovative' than the south? Dr Chris Smith and Relebogile Mabotja have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, how is science helping to shape the future of warfare? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news podcast, what's causing the uptick in malaria cases in Africa? Also, scientists show statistically that the sex of a baby at birth is not random, and South Korea joins the throng in the race for settling on the Moon. Then, we hear how computer scientists are programming ethical AI to explain its decision making, and, sticking with AI, what are some of the environmentally friendly projects seeking to offset machine learning's vast energy consumption? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Geoff has written in asking whether AI will offset its vast energy appetite by facilitating environmentally conscious initiatives. James Tytko took on the challenge of finding out, with help from researchers at the University of Cambridge... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Dr Chris takes on more listener questions. Including: is Chinese medicine separate from Western medicine? Why do we sometimes cry in response to feelings of sadness and joy? Why do I have a blotch in my vision after looking directly at a light source? Why do kids cry when they get injured, but adults less so? What happens if I scratch a mosquito bite? What is the relationship between science and religion. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

There are more than sixteen thousand care homes across the UK, housing around half a million people. Staggering numbers. They are meant to be places of safety, support, and quiet, relaxed companionship for the people who live and work in them. But when COVID-19 arrived, they became one of the pandemic's deadliest frontlines. In a bid to see what might be possible, the Vivaldi Study - a nationwide effort to gather data from inside care homes - was launched. Can better data improve the lives of people in care homes? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

The questions keep coming for Dr Chris. This week they include: have scientists got their hands on the oldest ice ever studied? Does putting the air conditioning on too high or low make you ill? What factors contribute to chronic mental illness? How do you reduce puffiness under the eyes? Can cold weather make healed operation sites sore again? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Laurie writes in, wanting to know whether the nuclear reactions which power Mars rovers means small nuclear reactors could power our towns and cities. Diving into this atomic adventure, James Tytko sought help from research associate at the energy policy group at Cambridge University, Simon Taylor... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists