Ask the Naked Scientists

Dr Chris Smith

Ask! You send in the science questions, we supply the answer...

  • 22 minutes 37 seconds
    How do you find black holes?
    Should you try to break bad habits? How do you stop a 'wandering' itch? Does climate change affect rainfall? Will you be tired if you dream of being awake? How do you get skin tags, and should you remove them? Why can some birds mimic humans, and some cannot? Why do you have nightmares during sleep apnea? Do offshore wind farms impact marine life? Who don't you look exactly like your relatives? How can you find a black hole if it doesn't emit light? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
    10 January 2025, 11:31 am
  • 23 minutes 34 seconds
    Why should you cook at different temperatures in fan ovens?
    Dr Chris takes on the final batch of questions of 2024 on CapeTalk. Why does sound cause me pain? What's the difference between white and brown vinegar? Does radioactivity harm inorganic matter? Is there a cure for anosmia (inability to smell)?What's outside our universe? Do we pass out on rollercoasters? How can we recognise our own baby's cry so well? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
    20 December 2024, 10:16 am
  • 18 minutes 14 seconds
    What colour should I paint my garage roof?
    Chris Smith answers CapeTalk listeners' questions. Including, do wind turbines affect the temperature of the ground? What is the cause of protein build up in my eye? Can we predict how much we might shrink as we age? And does microwaving food affect its nutritional content? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
    6 December 2024, 11:32 am
  • 21 minutes 23 seconds
    Why does toothpaste contain fluoride?
    Dr Chris Smith takes on listener questions on South Africa's CapeTalk. Why is there a delay between live TV and radio? Do wind turbines warm the air at ground level? Do we need to decommission the ISS? What causes genital warts? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
    29 November 2024, 11:33 am
  • 18 minutes 5 seconds
    Why is sunlight so important for the body?
    Why are we called The Naked Scientists? Why should you get sunlight in the morning? Why does bright light make you sneeze? Does luck have a pattern? Is there really such thing as bad luck? Do people who don't get sunlight have more health problems? Did our skin colour change because of agricultural reasons? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
    22 November 2024, 1:12 am
  • 18 minutes 54 seconds
    Has it been a strange year for weather?
    Dr Chris Smith answers questions from the listeners of CapeTalk. Including, why are pregnant women told to take folic acid? What causes ears to itch? Why is vomit yellow? Is there a relationship between organs of the body and areas of the skin? How effective is carbon dating? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
    15 November 2024, 11:09 am
  • 22 minutes 39 seconds
    Why do athletes spit on the ground?
    Dr Chris and Clarence take on another selection of topics from across the scientific spectrum: Who were the victims of the Mount Vesuvius eruption? How does one get rid of ringworm? What are the effects of a low heart rate? If our internal body temperature is 37 degrees, why do we feel warm when it's 35 degrees outside? What is an eating disorder? Can an element in the periodic table be changed into another? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
    8 November 2024, 10:22 am
  • 21 minutes 56 seconds
    What should you do if a lift cable snaps?
    Do animals lower their mating standards when drunk? Why do different farts make different noises? What should you do if your lift cable snaps? Were there two Earths at one point? Where do mosquitoes go during the day? Is tinnitus always a ringing sound? Is Teflon safe to use? Is there such thing as a universal frame of reference? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have all the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
    1 November 2024, 1:08 am
  • 19 minutes 3 seconds
    Do other animals see colour?
    In this episode of Ask! The Naked Scientist, Dr Chris explains how our eyesight changes as we age, what the difference is between a brown and white egg shell, and the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
    25 October 2024, 10:14 am
  • 17 minutes 29 seconds
    Are ambidextrous people more intelligent?
    Listener science questions from South Africa answered by Dr Chris this time include: Do you urinate more liquid than the alcohol you consume? Why do dark skinned people get pigmentation underneath their armpits and between their thighs? What are the latest developments in helping restore vision to blind people? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
    18 October 2024, 9:03 am
  • 18 minutes 39 seconds
    Why do we have car headlights on during the day?
    Dr Chris answers listener questions. Including, is air made up of the same proportion of stuff everywhere on Earth? What is earwax? Where is it produced and for what reason? How does time work at the North Pole? Why do strong perfumes cause sinus congestion? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
    11 October 2024, 11:07 am
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