Question of the Week
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...
Is it dangerous to sit too close to the TV? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 09.10.12
We find out why we were told as kids not to sit too close to the television. Is there any scientific basis to the warning? Plus, we ask how it is that spiders manage to build such intricate and regular webs without geometry equipment.
How do sharks make blood? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 09.10.05
We find out how sharks, proud owners of cartilaginous skeletons, make red blood cells without the aid of bone marrow. Plus, we ask whether it's safe to get up close and personal with your television set.
Why do we have fingerprints? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 09.09.21
Just what is the point to all those ridges and furrows set into our fingers, toes, palms and soles? We do some detective work on the answer. Plus, we ask how sharks make blood when they have bones made from cartilage.
What dictates the frequency of the waves? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 09.09.14
We discover what it is that makes fewer or more waves crash against the shore each minute. Is it the tides, the sun or the number of surfers? Plus, we ask, why do we have finger prints?
Do Plants have Immunity? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 09.09.07
We find out if and how plants might combat little nasties like bacteria and viruses. Plus, we ask what defines the frequency of ocean waves.
Tattoos Forever - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 09.08.03
We find out why tattoos can hang around for a lifetime. Plus, we ask if plants have an immune system.
Setting the Pace - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 09.07.27
We find out how pacemakers keep your heart in check, even if you go running after a bus. Plus, we ask how tattoos manage to stay under your skin for so long.
Snap, Crackle and Pop! - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 09.07.20
We find out what it is that makes rice-based cereals so noisy. Plus, we ask how does a pacemaker know to keep step with a human heart?
Egg Ventilation - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 09.07.13
We find out how developing bird embryos get their oxygen whilst trapped inside an egg. Plus, we ask what makes breakfast cereals go, "snap, crackle and pop?"
Night Sneezing - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 09.07.06
In this Question of the Week, we ask if we sneeze in our sleep? What stops us from 'atchoo'ing while we're snoozing? Plus, we ask how oxygen gets into a developing egg.
Scrapping a Banger - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 09.06.29
On this Question of the Week, we askif it makes environmental sense to trade in an old car for a new one, asthere's so much embodied carbon in a car. Find out how efficient your new car would need to be to render the old one ungreen! Plus, we ask…
Dirty Laundry - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 09.06.22
We clean up the science of washing powders, how they work and why stains rather than dyes are removed by them. Plus, we ask whether it is better for the environment to continue driving an old car or have a new one made.
Raining Into Space - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 09.06.15
We ask if the Earth rains outwards and loses water to space! Plus, how does laundry detergent target stains but avoid dyes?
Safest Sites for Asteroid Impact - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 09.06.08
Where would be the best place for an asteroid to strike the Earth? Would deep ocean, land or polar ice cap be the least destructive? We weigh up the options on this Question of the Week. Plus, we ask if the Earth leaks water into space.
Sunflowers Doing the Twist - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 09.06.01
We find out how sunflowers follow the sun as it moves from east to west and whether the bloomshave the same attraction to the moon. Plus, we ask where the best place would be for an asteroid to land.
Will the Dumb Out-Breed the Clever? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 09.05.25
This week, we ask if the human race is evolving to be less intelligent, as those with more education tend to delay breeding and have fewer children. Plus, we ask how sunflowers follow the Sun, and whether they re-set overnight!
Waggle Dance Evolution - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 09.05.18
How did the waggle dance - the complex dance that honeybees use to describe the whereabouts of good food - evolve in small steps? We find out in this Question of the Week. Plus, we ask where human evolution is taking us…
Jumbo Aerobatics - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 09.05.11
This week's question jet propels us into the blue skies thinkingon passenger jet manoeuvrability. Can a large airliner perform barrel rolls and loops? We also ask, how did bee dances come about?
Night Time Weight Loss - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 09.05.04
In this Question of the Week, we ask if the positions of the Sun and Moon influence your weight - Is night time your light time, what do you weigh at midday? Diana O'Carroll finds out. Plus, we ask if it's possible to do aerobatic stunts in large passenger aircraft!
Can Magnets Descale Your Pipes? - Naked Scientists Question of the Week 09.04.27
In this Question of the Week, we find out if a magnetic field can stop pipes from clogging up with limescale? Many manufacturers would like us to believe that simply clamping a magnet to your plumbing is all you need for clean, free flowing water, but is the science on…