Ask the Naked Scientists

Could your weight affect how well your flu vaccine works? Is too much sparkling water bad for you? Why does head hair lose colour as you age, but other body hair doesn't? Why do spaceships have to travel so fast in the Earth's atmosphere? Is there a link between some vaccinations and autism? Why has there been a rise in fake news? And itching - what causes it and why does it sometimes seem to wander round your body? Plus, implanting magnets in the eye to help with nystagmus - so-called dancing eyes. Chris Smith answers your questions with Eusebius McKaiser on South Africa's Talk Radio 702... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How do horses have such strong muscles if they never eat any proteins? When dogs wag their tails is this voluntary or involuntary? Does it save electricity to heat your water all day, or turn it off and on again? Why do we speak in different accents? Why did viruses arise? Why do our noses run? Plus, new insights into TB. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

What causes IBS and what can we do about it? Are there some foods you shouldn't eat if your gallbladder's been removed? Could a white couple give birth to a black child? In what simple ways can we save water? What's gluten intolerance? Plus, the condition CIDP - chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy - what is it and how can it be treated? Chris Smith speaks to Eusebius McKaiser. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How would you have sex in zero-gravity? Are eggs viable in space? What is nuclear fall-out? What is cold fusion? How long can astronauts be in space without side-effects? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How do you power a spacecraft to Saturn? Can gravity affect the telomeres inside our cells? What can be done to help people with macular degeneration? How did simple, unicellular life get more complex? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Is there a cure for flu? Can your genetic engineering make you smart? How far are we from designer genes? Can we cure HIV? Do our voices change as we get older? Plus, bioengineered bones! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

How do birds wake up at the same time each day? How does quantum computing work? Why do we feel hot even when the room is cooler than body temperature? Who will be the first on Mars? What's the best cure for a hangover? Plus, an anti-aging tablet. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why do we mishear lyrics? What causes deja vu? Where have all the bees gone? Do mermaids exist? Does God exist? What causes deja vu? Plus, synthetic genomes! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why do I get a stitch when I run? Is there such thing as baby brain? Is exercise good for you? Do the lines on your hand mean anything? How does altitude affect athletes? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Why are tooth aches more likely at night? Can chemo affect iron levels in your body? Why is there oil beneath the earth? What caused the big bang? Can we create rain artificially? Plus, seven new exoplanets. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists