Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill Newstalk

Ever gone back to work after a bank holiday wishing every week had a three day weekend? Well, if you're thinking of suggesting it to your boss, Luke has all the supporting evidence you need to convince them that it could actually make you more productive at work.

While the worst of the recent pandemic seems to be passed us humans, birds are now facing their own deadly virus. But, could the avian flu that has been infecting flocks across the world jump from birds to humans? Luke explains how viruses cross from one species to another and looks at the likelihood of another pandemic.

Despite being one of the most studied autoimmune diseases, the root cause of lupus is still unknown and although treatments are advancing, patients with the disease still deal with significant symptoms. Luke explains what's happening within their body to cause these symptoms and how his own lab's exciting scientific discovery might help to find a cure.

We all do it without even thinking, but how much control do you have over your breathing and are there benefits to taking deeper, slower breaths? Luke looks at the calming effects of carbon dioxide, and explains the physical changes that happen inside your body when you sigh.

How would you stave off hypothermia out in the wild? There are lots of ways to keep warm in the great outdoors including digging trenches, warming up rocks for your own version of central heating and building shelters from snow or tree branches. Luke goes through all the options to see which might be best...

Could moon dust be the answer to the climate crisis? Recent studies have proposed that adding lunar dust to the atmosphere could reduce intensity of the sun and the impacts it has on the Earth's temperature. Luke explains the thinking behind this seemingly wacky idea.