Could a ray of sunshine hold the key to preventing MS, diabetes and even bowel cancer? Vitamin D - made naturally in skin exposed to strong sunlight - appears to reduce the risk of developing these, and a rash of other diseases. We examine the evidence to find out why as well as hearing how seaweed looks set to ignite a biofuel boom in the future, why a good night's sleep might make traumatic memories worse and how scientists have made multicellular life in the lab in just 60 days...

This month, we step inside to explore what, and who, it takes to run the synchrotron. We meet the people that keep the electrons accelerating to produce light beams 100 billion times brighter than the Sun, every day! We explore the health and safety needed when working with high levels of radiation, the equipment used to ensure every inch of the machine runs smoothly and the industries using Diamond to produce our everyday products. Plus, we hear how the facility is run from the top down as well as bring you the latest news and events from Diamond!

Want to know how to generate a cloud in a lemonade bottle? How about build a toaster-powered hot air balloon, or work out the speed of light using margarine and a microwave?

In this book, penned by the Naked Scientists, you’ll find these and over 40 more incredible experiments to try at home. You’ll never have a dull rainy day again!

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15th Dec 2011 - Find out answers to those questions you have always been wondering about.

Why do sprouts make you fart?

Every Christmas, one vegetable divides opinion – Brussels sprouts. Some of us love them, some of us hate them, but eating them can have some embarrassing consequences. In this Naked science Scrapbook, we find out why sprouts cause flatulence and what makes sprout-induced gas such an offensive addition to the Christmas table...

• How does autofocus work?
• How does DNA fingerprinting work?
• More...

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Can a mid-infra red view reveal the universe’s secrets? In this month's Naked Astronomy, we meet MIRI, the Mid Infra Red Instrument set to launch on the James Webb Space Telescope. It should give us a glimpse of the very first galaxies and examine the clouds of hydrogen gas spread throughout the universe. We’ll also find out how distorted galaxies can shed light on the distribution of dark matter, discover El Gordo - a newly discovered galaxy cluster.