Surely a day doesn't go by without you using plastic. It's a marvel of material science. But hidden behind its convenience, plastic poses serious enviornmental challenges. Is this versatile and ubiquitous material contributing to the climate problem or helping us solve it? Plus, in the news this week: as Omicron spreads across the globe, we get the low-down on how the new variant differs from those we have already seen, one researcher thinks he might have fouind our solar system's missing 9th planet and printer-ink that 'lives'! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

As we strive for a transition to a green future, we're asking "would wood be good" to help us build everything from better buildings to more insulating windows, from steak-cutting knives to nano-engineered, biodegradable glitter. Plus, in the news: as Covid cases take off again in Europe, we review the situation here in the UK; also, making strawberry smells with mushrooms; and breakthrough textiles that cool you down when the sun shines on them. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

It's Q&A time! In this episode we'll be answering questions from you, our listeners, such as how close are we to developing a vaccine against the common cold, what's it like to live on Mars and what are the weirdest animals in Antarctica? That's right this week is dedicated to you. We're answering all your questions with the help of supernova scientist Sarafina Nance, marine mastermind Huw Griffiths, viral virtuoso John Tregoning and genetic genius Nessa Carey... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week we have the inside track on the COP-26 climate conference in Glasgow; why bird song at dawn sounds dramatically different to 20 years ago; and scientists uncover the secret to a successful blind date. And, as COP26 marches on, we reflect on how the climate crisis is destined to affect us all. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

We're wandering into the weird world of spiders! We'll be looking at spiders that can fly using little silk parachutes and the grisly and gruesome mating habits of black widow spiders. Plus in the news, as UK cases surge, should Covid precautions move to Plan B; how does raw sewage affect our waterways; and is your mobile phone damaging your finger? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

It's that time again for another Q&A show, a chance for you to have your say! This week we delve behind the headlines as well, trying to figure out what social media platforms are doing to protect their users and discovering why Bitcoin, after 12 years, is now considered a threat to the global financial market. All that and more with Gareth Mitchell, Chris Riley, Eleanor Drinkwater and Andrew Steele. If you have a question, why not give us a whirl. Let us help you scratch that scientific itch... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

As some continue to speculate that COVID came from a lab, we're looking at the scientific research being done on dangerous diseases, whether this work is safe and how it's regulated. Plus in the news: are Covid vaccines messing with menstruation; how subsea cables are affecting crabs; and scientists add plant cells to brains to supply them with oxygen. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, we're journeying into the world of the smallest objects known to humanity: the tiny particles that make up us and the entire universe around us. Plus, in the news, getting the world vaccinated against COVID-19 - half the global population have been jabbed so far, but the many countries in the Global South lag far behind; the Nobel prizes are announced; and, have scientists finally solved the biggest problem of them all: leaves on the line delaying trains... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

As the UK struggles with a lack of fuel in petrol stations and fresh food shortages in the supermarket, we ask: what else are we at risk of running out of? Plus, in the news, why we might be destined to succumb to the 'worst cold ever' this winter; signs that air pollution causes millions of premature births each year, and scientists peer into the past and read previously-hidden parts of Marie Antoinette's love letters... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this week's programme, it's Q&A time! Coming up, we'll find out: what can we learn from invisible measurements in space, how scientists discover potential new medicines made by plants and why green energy might be more costly to the consumer... Yep, we're answering science questions you've been sending in! We've assembled the very best experts to help get to the bottom of it all: climate researcher Ella Gilbert, climate economist Gernot Wagner, enthnobotanist Cassandra Quave, and public astronomer Matthew Bothwell... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists