Naked Scientists

How might technology influence or manipulate the weather? Can aircraft affect the weather? Are we getting better at detecting cancer before it becomes problematic? How does perfect pitch work? And why does our hearing change with age? Does weight have any impact on tides? If medication can reduce HIV to an undetectable level, why is there still no cure? Dr Chris Smith and Saskia Falken have the answers. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Coming up: El Niño weather phenomenon will be 'exceptional' and last months, say forecasters. What should we know about it? We also hear from the team behind a successful at-home bladder cancer test, learn about the science behind the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope, and meet a Harvard researcher who has created an app to help visually impaired people get around. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Coming up: how chemistry is transforming 21st-century healthcare. Jeremy Nicholson from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology talks about phenomics. Gemma Sharp shares how the world's largest menstrual fluid biobank was created. David Nutt from Imperial College explains drug mechanisms, and Nobel Prize winner David Baker discusses the role of AI in treating diseases. Leilani Arrow-Smith, a chemistry student at the University of Cambridge, produced this episode. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why might the shingles vaccine help prevent heart attacks? Does an eclipse affect how we sleep? Why do farts seem to stick around longer in the shower? How does toothpaste fight acidity? Can you train your brain to notice different frequencies? How does the Moon affect the tides? And why is it so much harder to stand on one foot with your eyes closed? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have the answers. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Coming up, groundbreaking research suggests the shingles vaccine can greatly reduce the risk of heart attacks. What's the science behind it? Also ahead: the New Space Race between the US and China goes up a gear as Beijing unexpectedly delays the launch of its Chang'e 7 mission. Plus, the frozen 'poo pills' that scientists hope can help keep allergies at bay. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Today, we are exploring the lives of insects, and some of the incredible abilities they've evolved to enable them to thrive. Coming up, the fly larvae that can withstand huge pressures in some of the world's deepest lakes; the butterfly caterpillar that pretends it's an ant to blag free board, lodgings and even ant grubs to eat inside ant nests, and the remarkable visual systems of wasps that enables them to home-in unerringly on picnics. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Have you ever wondered why eyebrows grow so slowly, or when you should brush your teeth in the morning? Can you tell the difference in sound between hot and cold water being poured? What causes those cold shivers down your spine? Is a spirit presence real? What controls how fast we move? Why do people mix oil with butter when cooking? And what's the best way to get vitamin D? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have the answers. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Coming up, health agencies grapple with a Salmonella outbreak across Europe. What's behind it? Also, astronomers spot the fastest-moving star in the Milky Way, hurtling around the supermassive black hole at the heart of the galaxy; regulators in the United States have followed Europe's lead by approving an influenza vaccine that relies on mRNA technology; and we explore the remnants of Neapolitan wine on a 2,000-year-old shipwreck off the coast of Italy. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

We have partnered with UK Research and Innovation to study wounds and their impact on healthcare. What challenges do wounds create, and how can we treat them? This episode features Mat Hardman at the Wound Innovation Institute; Ketan Dhatariya at the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists; and Holly Wilkinson at the University of Hull. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

What is the science behind love? What scares a honey badger? Are there mammals that feel no fear? How do car pistons move so smoothly even at high speeds? Should humans eat meat? Why do people with bone marrow cancer often show no symptoms? Chris Smith and Relebogile Mabotja answer the questions. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists