5 Live Science Podcast

From a 46,000 year old ice bird, to life aboard a space shuttle, some of the more curious stories from 2020 from the Naked Scientists.

Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team reflect on some of the sensational science we’ve reported on this year. From cakes on the barbie, to cow co-moo-nication.

Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team investigate how much of a threat the new strain of coronavirus is, what would happen if you actually took George’s Marvellous Medicine from Roald Dahl’s book and music legend Rick Wakeman helps answer the question "can computers give Beethoven a run for his money?This podcast was recorded before the Prime Minister’s announcement about new coronavirus restrictions on the 19th December.

The Naked Scientist team look at the latest coronavirus vaccine, why scientists invented vaccines you can inhale, what we’ve learnt from four decades of research into AIDS and why Covid-19 has a vaccine but not HIV.

How Britain became the first country to approve a coronavirus vaccine, a breakthrough in artificial vision - beaming images directly into the brain! And how science and technology came together to save the life of formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean

This week, the Naked Scientists celebrate a month of movement science with a movement-themed Q&A show.

This week on 5 Live Science - a second Covid vaccine approaches the finishing line, but who are the also-rans? We look at who’s most likely to get the vaccine first and whether we’ve got that pecking order right. And a longer look at the science of people moving.

We have the latest on the potential coronavirus vaccine, the UK scientists trying to extract oxygen from the moon, and we continue our series looking at movement - this week it’s how our planet moves, from its journey through space to how the atmosphere brews up storms.

Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team look at the latest science news, including mass coronavirus testing in Liverpool, NASA re-establish contact with Voyager 2, what is the point of laughter and is it the best medicine? Plus a special look at the movement of animals, and how to protect species from extinction and bio-diversity on Earth.

Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team with science news stories and analysis. Recorded before the new lockdown in England was announced - the team examine the impact of lockdowns, against the argument for using less restrictive measures to manage coronavirus. Also a look at signs that coronavirus immunity is only short-lived, why a dose of vitamin D might be helpful this winter, and why the Moon is wetter than we first thought.