The Naked Scientists Podcast

This week, the UK begins the rollout of the chickenpox vaccine to younger children. But why is it only being offered now? Plus, the high-level technological plan to capture Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro, what the latest research says about the health of vegan and vegetarian diets in the young, and the risks posed by "space junk" that falls back to Earth... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, the UK begins the rollout of the chickenpox vaccine to younger children. But why is it only being offered now? Plus, the high-level technological plan to capture Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro, what the latest research says about the health of vegan and vegetarian diets in the young, and the risks posed by "space junk" that falls back to Earth... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this episode, we hear from not one, but two Titans of Science, together. And that's because Ed Wild and Sarah Tabrizi are neuroscientists, neurologists and long-time collaborators both based at University College London. They've devoted much of their careers to understanding Huntington's Disease. Chris Smith went to visit them in London... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this episode, we're revisiting some of the most magical moments and scientific milestones of 2025 - including the incredible legacy of Dame Jane Goodall, the brain-wave reading bionic-knee, why labradors are so greedy, and the beer that doesn't give you a hangover... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, defence analyst, Michael Clarke, explains the significance of the MI6 agency's scientific shift. Will it help counter Russia's technological threat? Plus, the University of Glasgow's Naveed Sattar tells us why weight loss medicine could be a silver bullet for global obesity, Ellie Diamant at Bard College on beaky birds during COVID, and the Institute of Astronomy's Matt Bothwell on NASA's new space telescope... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Today, in partnership with UK Research and Innovation, we are asking whether it will snow on the 25th of December. It's frequently called a white Christmas and - at this time of year - weather forecasters and the bookies are busy weighing up the odds. So we've set out to explore how weather predictions are made, what constitutes snow, the role of technology in making forecasts, and whether parts of the UK will witness a white Christmas for 2025... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

On this week's news podcast, Emory University's Boghuma Titanji on the discovery of a new strain of monkeypox in the UK, and efforts to curb the virus with a breakthrough vaccine. Plus, the drone damage to the shield preventing radiation leaking from the Chernobyl nuclear site, evidence from southern England that Neanderthals deliberately made fire 400,000 years ago, and we ask how we can overcome the so-called winter blues... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Titans of Science is all about showcasing science superstars making huge breakthroughs and giant leaps foward in their scientific realms. In this episode, we turn the telescope around around to consider the extremely strange effects that kick in when physics shrinks down to the atomic scale. We are, of course, taking a tour through the world of quantum mechanics, and our guide is the physicist, writer and broadcaster Paul Davies. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Coming up, we explore the UK's plans to rollout facial recognition technology. Is it a bold move to catch violent criminals, or scientific and ethical overreach? Also, why volcanic eruptions may have aided the spread of the second wave of the Black Death in Europe, what caused damage to Russia's space launchpad in Kazakhstan, and whether bacteria can help us build habitats on Mars. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

The Naked Scientists welcome the return of a new series of Titans of Science, where the world's scientific, medical, and technological pioneers tell us about the significance of their work. Today's episode features Georgina Long, the director of the Melanoma Institute Australia, who has used groundbreaking techniques to overcome the disease. Melanoma is a type of cancer that is particularly common in Georgina's homeland, and she has been telling Chris Smith how her work has made her one of Australia's most recognisable scientists... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

On this week's news podcast, the former UK prime minister, David Cameron, calls for prostate cancer screening following his diagnosis. But does it really help to know you have the disease? Also, we find out about the DNA composition of the carbon-rich asteroid Bennu, the underlying cause of Santorini's recent earthquakes, and scientists discover where domestic cats came from... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Today, synthetic bacteriophages, a breakthrough vaccine for TB, and how unpicking the pathways used to make antibiotics are helping scientists to combat rising rates of antimicrobial resistance around the world... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news, why the UK appears to be betting big on small modular nuclear reactors. Also, Iran seeds the skies in bid to end its worst drought in decades. And moss grows fat on a rolling stone - but a new study claims it can survive in space. We'll explore the significance. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Today, we're analysing the COP30 conference in Brazil, asking whether the will to tackle climate change is drying up. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news show, flu season starts early in the Northern hemisphere due to pesky new strains, so will vaccines be effective? Also, the baby 'swim cap' which promises less invasive brain monitoring, and the European Space Agency's GPS powered satellites which are surveying the water cycle. Then, we find out the best way to shout at seagulls to stop them stealing our snacks... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we go nuclear, and explore the science and politics of weapons of mass destruction... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Among British people vapers now outnumber smokers for the first time. From Big Bang to Big Crunch - the new theory showing the expansion of the Universe might be slowing down. And, evidence that our early ancestors, three million years ago, may have excelled at DIY!Linda - So these are the annual population survey statistics from the Office for National Statistics that look at smoking, it was the main focus, so smoking in the UK but also vaping behaviour. And we see that for the first time the proportion of people aged 16...

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we go behind the scenes at the National Physical Laboratory as it celebrates 125 years at the forefront of science... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: How the latest science helped the Caribbean prepare for Hurricane Melissa. Also ahead, the alcohol-free beers providing a 'buzz' without the hangover. And, why a German warehouse is simulating a European Moon landing... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Today, in association with Proteomics International, we're hearing about a new era in medicine where we can tell people not what diseases they've got, but what ones they will have in ten years' time, giving them a chance to turn things around... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news podcast, a new retinal implant - just two millimetres wide - that is helping restore sight to blind people; a 'pristine' star that gives us a glimpse of the workings of the early Universe; and we'll be finding out how wild rooks can master human commands. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

As the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew celebrate the 25th Birthday of the Millenium Seed Bank in Sussex, James Tytko ventures into its giant underground vaults to learn why they are a crucial part of global plant conservation... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Whether talc-based products - like baby powder - can cause ovarian cancer. Also ahead, the "Sword Dragon of Dorset" found on England's Jurassic Coast. Plus, we'll be finding out about the 'double comet' visible in the night sky... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, why we lose our hearing and what we can do about it... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Is elite level sport linked with Motor Neurone Disease? We examine the evidence as another top player announces his diagnosis. Also, cages that can sieve out molecules, the immune system peacekeepers; and the quantum realm: we look at this year's Nobel Prizes for science. And, how did birds react to the Great American Eclipse last year? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

You've probably heard of Omicron, but what about Nimbus and Stratus? These are the latest COVID strains spreading around the world, and for most people they'll amount to a heavy cold at worst, lasting just a few days. Or will they? Are these coronaviruses doing more to our immune systems than meets the eye? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: US scientists have turned skin cells into human embryos for the very first time. We unpack the significance. Also ahead, the legacy of the primatologist and conservationist, Jane Goodall, who has died at the age of 91. Plus, we hear from a chemist who believes he has cracked the mystery of ghostly lights we call will-o'-the-wisps... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Today, we're picking up a brush, and probing the science of paint. Where does chemistry stop, and the art take over? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

On today's show:, scientists successfully treat Huntington's disease for the first time, slowing the disease by at least 75%: we hear how they've done it. Also, the High Seas Treaty takes a step closer to protecting the world's oceans. And the Earth-sized planet not that far away that might have conditions suitable for life. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Lung cancer is one of the world's biggest killers. Today, we explore why, and how medical research into this disease is seeing the development of better diagnostic tools, cancer treatments and even a vaccine to prevent tumours from taking hold in the first place... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news podcast, the US and the UK have forged a long-term nuclear alliance - but what will it really deliver? We also examine a new study on whether smoking cannabis makes it harder to get pregnant. And we'll be hearing from a forensic scientist who is using detective work to rid our oceans of plastic. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

To celebrate 10 years since they were first detected, we're examining gravitational waves. What are they? And how do we find them? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, the strongest hint yet of life on Mars. Should we get excited? Or is it another red herring? Also ahead: The first new UK-wide study of babies in 25 years. We'll find out why it matters. Plus, an ancient lizard-like fossil is discovered on the coast of Devon. We'll uncover the significance... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

What does it take to build a society in space? Today on the Naked Scientists, we explore efforts to make microgravity amenable to humans; including how to harvest energy, make fresh food, and even birth the next generation of space explorers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: A new test to detect Alzheimer's disease long before symptoms first appear. Also, the study showing Earth can sequester only a tenth of the carbon we thought it could. And, how drones, traps and sniffer dogs are protecting the UK's timber industry from beetle attack... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, from bogus scientific papers and misleading made-up "facts", to potentially curtailing our critical thinking, we look at the effect that mass adoption of AI might be having on the way we think, the decisions we make and the information we learn and act on... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Today on the Naked Scientists: a pig lung is transplanted into a man in China, but what was the outcome? Also, scientists have a theory for the origins of Dark Energy - and it makes sense that a black hole might be the source! And, why the dawn chorus is starting earlier and finishing later these days: what's getting into wildlife? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we look at the science of hair, why we suffer hair loss, treatments that can slow hair loss, whether wigs are any good, and what happens during a hair transplant? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, Apple locked horns with the UK government who were demanding a security back door through the company's encryption. What was the outcome? Also, scientists discover the secret to the tastiest chocolate - it's all down to microbes. And, archaeologists uncover the earliest evidence yet of our ancestors using stone tools... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, why we need to pay closer attention to antimicrobial resistance in some of the world's poorest nations... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: the scientists who think they can decode the thoughts we hear in our heads. Also ahead: do ultra-processed foods make it much harder to lose weight? Plus, we hear from the PhD student who is aiding the search for life on Mars... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

James Tytko explores the science behind 'three-parent' embryos: the incredible medical procedure that prevents children from inheriting incurable mitochondrial diseases. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news, why a dose of bacteria might be the solution to combating kidney stones. What tooth enamel tells us about the lives and diets of dinosaurs. And what the world's most abundant insects can teach robots... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we are on the hunt for dinosaurs as we explore how cutting edge tech, chisels, and canoes go hand in hand when changing the way we view our prehistoric past... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news, an old drug heralds a new treatment for the gut parasite Cryptosporidium; the bionic-knee that anticipates where amputees want to go to make movements much more natural; and why we're spotting more Near-Earth Objects, and whether one may hit us. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, how is science helping to shape the future of warfare? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news podcast, what's causing the uptick in malaria cases in Africa? Also, scientists show statistically that the sex of a baby at birth is not random, and South Korea joins the throng in the race for settling on the Moon. Then, we hear how computer scientists are programming ethical AI to explain its decision making, and, sticking with AI, what are some of the environmentally friendly projects seeking to offset machine learning's vast energy consumption? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

There are more than sixteen thousand care homes across the UK, housing around half a million people. Staggering numbers. They are meant to be places of safety, support, and quiet, relaxed companionship for the people who live and work in them. But when COVID-19 arrived, they became one of the pandemic's deadliest frontlines. In a bid to see what might be possible, the Vivaldi Study - a nationwide effort to gather data from inside care homes - was launched. Can better data improve the lives of people in care homes? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked...

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Scientists get their hands on the oldest ice on Earth, and we've been to see it, but what's it going to reveal? Also, measles is on the up, again; we find out why. And, is humour genetic? We talk to the scientist who has studied hundreds of pairs of twins to find out! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we look at 25 years of the Human Genome Project. What is it? And what has it achieved? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, the cells that vanish when we slim down: are these the link between obesity and health problems like diabetes? Also, the bacteria that might be able to shield us from the "forever chemicals" we're all eating. Plus, why will 3 days over the next month be a millisecond shorter than they should be? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we pay a visit to Cambridge University Botanic Garden to ask 'can genetics help grow a better garden?' Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news, counting the calories: The UK government want shops to help us put 100 fewer calories in our baskets to beat obesity. So will it work? Also, archaeologists uncover the world's oldest fat factory - it turns out that Neanderthals were processing bones for their grease 125,000 years ago, but why? And on Mars the Curiosity rover captures close-up images of spiderweb-like patterns on the planet surface, but what made them? Listeners are also wondering whether green initiatives really do help to save the planet... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This episode of was produced and presented by Dr Marushka Soobben, a scientist from South Africa who's been taking part in an internship here at the Naked Scientists. And this week, a journey into the world of proteins. What are they? why do they matter? And why did predicting their shapes win a recent Nobel prize? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, weight loss jabs being prescribed by GPs in England, but do we know enough about the side effects? Also, a new simple test to replace endoscopies for patients with Barrett's oesophagus. And we hear from one of the engineers at the Vera Rubin Observatory, which is shedding new light on the cosmos... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we speak to the Cambridge scientists who have made it their mission to understand climate change in one of the world's most inhospitable regions... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: HPV vaccination rates are waning. We examine the importance of the jab. Also ahead: why Africa is key to understanding the evolution of early humans. Plus, the reasons alcohol-free booze might actually not be all that good for us... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the final installment of this season of Titans of Science, Chris Smith speaks with Sharon Peacock, one of the UK's leading voices in infectious disease research. She is best known for her work on whole genome sequencing of pathogens such as MRSA and SARS CoV-2, and studies of antimicrobial resistance... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Cambridge University have informed us that, for cost cutting reasons, they intend to make Dr Chris Smith redundant. Naturally, this jeopardises the Naked Scientists programme, which is produced under his role. He will also lose his medical job. We regard this as a terrible decision and we intend to protest. Please listen to this short podcast to hear how you can help. Together we hope we can turn around this terrible decision... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: the UK commits to building a new nuclear power station. But is it worth the hefty price tag? Also, how robots are revolutionising surgery. We'll ask what they can and can't do. And, how NASA's top scientists track rogue near-Earth objects with remarkable precision... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

The mental health of the young is reaching breaking point, globally. A recent analysis by a panel of leading researchers, young people, and policy experts, has warned that, without targeted action, by 2030, 42 million years of healthy life could be lost to mental illness or suicide; that's two million more than ten years ago. So today we're asking, why are so many young people suddenly afflicted by a decline in their mental health and wellbeing, and what are the solutions? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: African leaders hold emergency talks about deadly outbreaks of cholera on the continent. But why is this happening, and what can be done to curb the threat? The James Webb Space Telescope breaks another cosmic record spotting the oldest galaxy ever seen, dating from just 280 million years after the Big Bang. We explore the hidden workings of our natural history museums: what did they decide not to display, and why? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Today's programme is all about prostate cancer; exploring what the disease is, who gets it, and how it can be treated. We'll explore the game-changing test from a Cambridge based firm, and question whether sometimes the best approach is to leave the cancer alone... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: The UK announces a 1 billion pound budget for a cyber army: but what will these keyboard warriors be doing? Also, a vaccine for norovirus that is just one pill. And, physicists at CERN turn lead into gold, albeit briefly! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, Titans of Science continues with Autism research pioneer, Simon Baron-Cohen... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: The new drug that cures mosquitoes of malaria. Intrigued? You'll see why scientists have done this, in just a minute. Also, the Microsoft AI system set to revolutionise weather forecasting, so you can plan that barbecue with impunity in future! And, 150 years of the metre, kilo and second: how science finally agreed on a definition for some of our most important units... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This episode of The Naked Scientists was brought to you in partnership with the health foundation Wellcome.In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we return to the world of fungi and why this is one of the most serious health threats you haven't heard of... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: New DNA evidence helps free a British man after 38 years in prison. Also, Cambridge scientists push up breast cancer survival rates and cut side effects with a new treatment regimen. And, why the near and the far side of the Moon are world's apart in appearance: it's all down to temperature differences inside, scientists say... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Sarah Parcak was born in Bangor, Maine on the 23rd of November 1978. She attended Bangor High School before reading Egyptology and Archaeology at Yale University. She then studied here in Cambridge under the supervision of the world-renowned Egyptologist Barry Kemp. After that, she was a teacher at Swansea University and then also at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.She pioneered the use of tech to advance archaeology, including the use of detailed satellite images, which has earned her the nickname "The Space Archaeologist". Sarah's discovered literally thousands of forgotten... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked...

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: A landmark report that outlines the generational impact of climate change; also, the man bitten by snakes and even injected with venom hundreds of times has provided the key to a powerful new antivenom; and a breakthrough in oven technology that's helping to cook up a revolution in industrial baking... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This episode of The Naked Scientists was brought to you in partnership with the health foundation Wellcome. This week, the first in a two-part series on the hidden world of fungi. What we do - and don't - know about them, and how the fungal landscape is set to shift as our climate changes. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Will - and could - India switch off the water supply to Pakistan amid mounting tensions over Kashmir? Also, how a transmissible canine cancer from 8000 years ago is shedding fresh light on tumour biology - and how cancers can steal foreign genes, today. And, testing out a virtual reality tool designed to help us confront our fears of speaking in public... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Today's Titan is former chair of the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, and a key figure in the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine which rolled out during the Covid pandemic. Andrew Pollard tells Chris Smith how vaccines work, how public health bodies decide what to protect us against, and how current technology will shape the future of immunisation... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: World Malaria Day, and why overseas aid cuts in the US are threatening to cause a crisis; the carnivorous caterpillar dubbed the "bone collector" that steals from spiders; and the biotechnologist attempting to feed astronauts better in space... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, Titans of Science continues with planetary scientist charged with analysing rock samples brought in from outer space, Sara Russell... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Evidence of a carbon cycle on Mars has been unearthed by the Curiosity rover. What does it mean for the red planet's past habitability? Also, the cannabis-based painkiller as powerful as an opioid, but without the side effects. And, could fashion sense and a primitive sunscreen have been the deciding 'factor 50' which allowed us humans to outlast the Neanderthals... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Titans of Science series is back for another run. And to kick us off, marine biologist Richard Thompson, who first brought to the world's attention 20 years ago the problem that is micro - and now nano - plastic pollution... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the News podcast: the first baby is born in the UK to a woman with a transplanted uterus, and we speak to the surgeons responsible. Also, the best evidence yet the shingles vaccine can help reduce the risk of developing dementia; a drug that could make human blood deadly to mosquitoes. Then, we travel back in time 8,500 years to hear about the sea voyage of hunter gatherers to the Mediterranean island of Malta... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, what's behind a sharp rise in measles cases? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In today's news podcast, a study shows a reduced effectiveness of vaccinations in babies who have antibiotics treatments early in life. Also, the world's smallest, light-powered pacemaker, and we learn the secrets of the broadclub cuttlefish's crab-catching colour display. Then, we follow the journey of miso paste up to the ISS and back to Earth again, and hear what it tastes like! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Take a deep breath. Yes, literally. And ask yourself: what's in the air I just inhaled? It's almost certain, with our modern lives and built, busy environments, that it contains a range of harmful particles. Whether it stems from city traffic or wildfires, air pollution has many sources, it affects all of us, and it has the potential to become much worse. So today, we're examining what constitutes a bad air day, the biggest producers of pollution, how we monitor the problem, and what can be done to improve matters. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked...

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: the first transplant of a gene-modified pig liver into a human; also, the James Webb Space Telescope sees one of the first galaxies ever to exist, and it's very strange indeed; and scientists explain why we can't recall our early years... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, Antimicrobial Resistance, or AMR, is going under our microscope. What is it, how does it happen, what's the scale of the threat, and how can we fight back? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Stranded Nasa astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams come down to Earth with a splash and some awesome drone footage; also, Cambridge scientists are mapping where to find the world's rarest minerals; and the massively under-appreciated role that whales play transporting nutrients thousands of miles...using their urine. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, what threat do microplastics pose to our health, and the health of the planet? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

On this edition of the Naked Scientists Podcast, what are the potential environmental impacts of the ship crash in the North Sea? Also, we find out what's being done to reduce the risk from engineered pandemics, and reveal what's going on inside the best electric vehicle batteries on the market. Then, it's off to Lincolnshire to profile the bruise-resistant, quicker-cooking potatoes of the future... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we take a closer look at CRISPR gene editing. What is it? And what are the ethics involved in rewriting the human genome? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In the news pod, scientists in Israel discover a new part of the immune system. We'll find out why it matters. Also, the Blue Ghost mission that just landed on the Moon and could change the way we conduct Lunar exploration. And greedy labradors: we find out why dogs (and their owners) are prone to putting on weight. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, we're examining NEOs - near-Earth objects - asking whether any of them might be on a collision course with our biggest cities... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Continuous Glucose Monitors are increasingly popular. But are they feeding us dietary misinformation? Also ahead: the "sexome": scientists describe the genital microbiome, and how it might help with forensic investigations. And, we go to Wales to find out how artificial intelligence is helping dairy farmers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

We're taking you through the looking glass to explore 'mirror life': could we be about to flip biology on its head? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: A new screening test for prostate cancer that can, the inventors claim, accurately catch 96% of cases, and early. Also, why you might want to eschew artificial sweeteners: a new study suggests they can accelerate arterial disease. And, scientists show that turtles can sense magnetic fields to find their way around... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we're looking into multiple sclerosis, following the progression of the condition from relapses to neurodegeneration, asking, can we halt the disease in its tracks? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: A particle with a record-breaking energy is discovered: but where did it come from? Also, damaged hearts healed using stem cell "patches" of tissue: human clinical trials are about to kick off. And, the project using quantum mechanics to revolutionise the London Underground... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this edition of The Naked Scientists, we'll find out how Putin and his cadre in the Kremlin play a neverending game of technological cat and mouse... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

In this week's Naked Scientists Podcast: Uncovering the secret behind the mantis shrimp's giant punch. Also, developing a new strain of rice that produces a fraction of the methane, and shaking virus particles to hear their song. Plus, we profile NASA's new chief, Jared Isaacman... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week on The Naked Scientists, we've teamed up with Cambridge University Press and specifically the team behind Research Directions, their suite of new, open access journals that are all about publishing research in a novel and exciting way.Science is, of course, all about asking questions and developing experiments to test hypotheses. But only rarely does a topic have a single facet. Instead, one key question invariably leads to many others; and the answers to these can, as the Research Directions team put it, "assemble into chains of collaborative work".They're asking really important... Like this podcast? Please help...

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Samples back from space reveal tantalising insights into where the life-linked chemicals that kick-started biology on Earth could have come from. Also, the impact of China's DeepSeek AI model on society, finance, and the global tech market. And why imported olive trees turn out to be the perfect cover for stowaway snakes and insects... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

It's our final Titans of Science offering of this series, with world-leading cancer expert Charlie Swanton. We'll hear how the latest developments in our understanding of cancer's mechanisms are shaping treatments and preventative measures... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

On the Naked Scientists News show: a new UK trial seeks to infect healthy people with malaria in a bid to get to grips with the dormant stage of the infection. Then, we hear how T cells could be the key to ensuring more organ transplant successes, and should we all be taking fewer flights? Also, some curious observations regarding chimpanzees and their communal toilet routines... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists