Question of the Week, from the Naked Scientists

Dr Chris Smith
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  • EVERY TWO WEEKS
Question of the Week, from the Naked Scientists

Each week we set out to solve one of the world's weirdest, wackiest, funniest and funkiest scientific puzzles. And along with the answer there's a brand new question to think about for next time...

  1. Are multi cancer screening tests worth the money?

    4 DAYS AGO

    Are multi cancer screening tests worth the money?

    Van writes in with, 'A friend is encouraging me to take a cancer screening test that screens for many different cancers. A review of one test says: "While overall it picks up 90% of stage 4 cancers, it only detects an average of 17% of stage 1 cancers. Yet it is being touted as a test that can detect cancer early." Are these tests worthwhile?' James Tytko took on the question with the help of Professor Rebecca Fitzgerald, Founding Director of the Early Detection Institute at the University of Cambridge... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

    5 min
  2. Could man have thrived if dinosaurs still roamed?

    1 NOV

    Could man have thrived if dinosaurs still roamed?

    If dinosaurs hadn't been wiped out by a mass extinction event, would there have been room for humans to grow into the successful species we are today? That's what Colin wants to know, and James Tytko has promised to find the answer. He spoke with Dr Charlotte Kenchington from the University of Cambridge's Department of Earth Sciences... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

    5 min
  3. What is the spread of chemical isotopes on other planets?

    25 OCT

    What is the spread of chemical isotopes on other planets?

    Pamela wants to know whether the distribution of chemical isotopes is the same on other planets as it is on Earth. Take carbon, for example, 99% of which is carbon-12 on Earth while 1% is carbon-13? To find the answer, James Tytko asked Xander Byrne from the University of Cambridge's Institute of Astronomy... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

    6 min
  4. Do spiders have to learn how to make their webs?

    18 OCT

    Do spiders have to learn how to make their webs?

    David wants to know whether the intricate and varied spiders' webs seen in nature are a product of arachnid instinct, or something that is cultivated across their life. To get to the truth, James Tytko sought out spider expert Professor Sara Goodacre from the University of Nottingham... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

    6 min
  5. When I scratch part of my body, why do I tingle elsewhere?

    11 OCT

    When I scratch part of my body, why do I tingle elsewhere?

    Jim writes in to say, 'Sometimes when I pinch near my knee, I will feel a tingling or tickling sensation behind one of my shoulder blades. What's up with that?' James Tytko found him an answer, with help from neuroscientist Dr Mark Hoon from the NIH... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

    5 min
  6. Do snails get dizzy?

    4 OCT

    Do snails get dizzy?

    Oscar asks whether the snail stuck on the inside of his car wheel while he went for a drive would have felt the effects afterwards. Jon Ablett from the Natural History Museum helped James Tytko with the answer... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

    4 min
  7. Can dead animals poison the food chain?

    27 SEPT

    Can dead animals poison the food chain?

    Akori wants to know whether it is safe to eat vegetables and herbs grown where animals have been buried in the past. James Tytko sought the help of Professor Malcolm Bennett at the University of Nottingham's School of Veterinary Medicine and Science... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

    4 min
  8. Do wind farms have an effect on the weather?

    20 SEPT

    Do wind farms have an effect on the weather?

    Thanks to Jim Dale for the answer! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

    5 min
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Each week we set out to solve one of the world's weirdest, wackiest, funniest and funkiest scientific puzzles. And along with the answer there's a brand new question to think about for next time...

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