The Naked Scientists Podcast

Artemis II launch, and tackling physical inactivity

Artemis II begins its mission to take humans farther into space than ever before, scientists in London unveil the first lab-grown oesophagus, the dangers of physical inactivity and why we …

Apr 03, 2026 · 34m

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Nature frozen in time

Across our planet, natural archives preserve the biological footprints of species long gone, from woolly mammoths at the macro scale, through plants and seeds, to dormant bacteria and viruses at …

Mar 31, 2026 · 29m

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Social media addiction, and the famous honeybee dance

This week: social media's role in user harm and the plausibility of app addiction, a sunken Soviet sub revealing how nuclear materials behave deep underwater, a hidden "magnetic shadow" on …

Mar 27, 2026 · 31m

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Return to the Moon

Coming up, we explore the race back to the Moon. Why are we going? How will we get there? Can we live and work on its surface? And what can …

Mar 24, 2026 · 32m

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Meningitis in Kent, and sonic hedgehogs

Coming up, we explore an outbreak of meningitis in the English county of Kent. Will a targeted vaccination campaign bring it under control? Plus, a fast diagnostic swab test that …

Mar 20, 2026 · 31m

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Understanding endometriosis

For Endometriosis Awareness Month, we explore a condition which affects 10% of women around the world. Cells that form the lining of the uterus crop up in other parts of …

Mar 17, 2026 · 31m

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War and the environment, and Neanderthal-human interbreeding

Coming up, we assess the environmental and health impact of conflict in the Middle East. Plus, the gene variants that affect how heavily someone smokes, a medication called ruxolitinib that …

Mar 13, 2026 · 31m

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Eradicating polio

This week, we're exploring polio: a highly infectious viral disease that can attack the nervous system and cause paralysis, mainly in young children. Polio has been pushed to the brink …

Mar 10, 2026 · 31m

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Immune reprogramming for cancer, and squeaky shoe science

Coming up, we explore how CAR-T cell therapy is revolutionising personalised cancer treatment. Plus, how NASA's DART mission tested Earth's asteroid defence, what we are learning about the benefits of …

Mar 06, 2026 · 31m

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Titans of Science: Mike Wooldridge

Our Titans of Science series continues with Mike Wooldridge, Ashall Professor of Foundations of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Oxford. He has conducted extensive work in the field of …

Mar 03, 2026 · 32m

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Brain fats cleared during sleep, and bird poo powered Peru

Today, how the brain harnesses immune cells to clear burned out fats during sleep: does this protect from Alzheimer's disease? Also, the nutrient-rich guano of seabirds that shaped society in …

Feb 27, 2026 · 33m

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Titans of Science: Jane Carlton

Our Titan of Science this week is leading light in the field of malaria, Jane Carlton. The first to sequence the genome of malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax, she also helped …

Feb 24, 2026 · 30m

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Navalny's dart frog poisoning, and cat cancer genomics

This week, we look into the science behind Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny's death, caused by dart frog poison, and why Russia resorted to such an exotic means of dispatch …

Feb 20, 2026 · 29m

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Heart failure: can you mend a broken heart?

This week, in partnership with British Heart Foundation, we explore heart failure. Leading experts from the UK's largest independent funder of cardiovascular research tell us about the condition, the symptoms …

Feb 17, 2026 · 28m

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A nasal spray for flu, and is this how life began on Earth?

This week, we discuss a new antibody-based nasal spray that protects against the flu: how does it work? Plus, the tiny self-replicating molecule that may give clues to the origins …

Feb 13, 2026 · 30m

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The mosquito: the world's deadliest animal

Coming up, we explore the tremendous impact mosquitoes have had throughout their evolution. In this episode, we break down what mosquitoes are, how they track down a meal, the diseases …

Feb 10, 2026 · 29m

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Shingles vaccine delays dementia, and chatting AI bots

This week, we examine a herpes zoster vaccination that can reduce or delay dementia diagnosis. How does it work? Plus, the BBC's Zoe Kleinman explains a social media site for …

Feb 06, 2026 · 29m

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Motor neurone disease: what does the science say?

Today, we take a closer look at motor neurone disease (MND), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting the motor neurones that control voluntary muscle movement. This programme explores the clinical features …

Feb 03, 2026 · 29m

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Cracking cancer's code, and the cow that scratches its back

Coming up, a world-first gene cancer database is launched. How might it help us gain a better understanding of how disease develops? Plus, the link between vitamin D deficiency and …

Jan 30, 2026 · 34m

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Titans of Science: John Zarnecki

Titans of Science is back with John Zarnecki, a towering figure in the UK's space community. He has played a crucial role in designing instruments for groundbreaking space missions, and …

Jan 27, 2026 · 31m

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Alzheimer's fingerprick test, and space debris sonic booms

This week, a blood finger-prick test has been developed to detect Alzheimer's disease before symptoms arise. But how accurate is it? Plus, tracking space debris reentry from their sonic booms …

Jan 23, 2026 · 31m

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Generation New Era: The UK's new birth cohort study

This week, we're looking at a major study that is following the development of children born in the UK in 2026. It's called Generation New Era, and in this episode …

Jan 20, 2026 · 31m

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China's new London embassy, and screen-time retards speech

This week, China's attempts to build a new "mega-embassy" in London, but are there security risks? Plus, the UK plans to build a record number of offshore wind farms for …

Jan 18, 2026 · 28m

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