Naked Science Articles

What IQ Tests Can't Tell You

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

I.Q. scores have been rising steadily, by about 3 points per decade, ever since they were first administered. This is the Flynn Effect and it means that if we take the average teenager of today with an I.Q. of 100 and project the trend back to the 1900s, the average I.Q. was somewhere between 50 and 70 which usually marks a mental disability! Surely this cannot be correct...?

What Fossils Can Tell Us About Climate Change

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Do microscopic fossils hold the key to understanding climate change? Scientists studying tiny marine shellfish called ostracodes have found that they harbour in their shells is a geologic snapshot of the water conditions in which they grew, including chemical pointers to past climates...

Synthetic Biology: Making Life from Scratch

Sun, 09 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Scientists have brought the world one step closer to the creation of the first artificial organism with the recent announcement of the creation of an artificial genome for the bacterium mycoplasma genitalium. The breakthrough is a major landmark in history, the switch "from reading the genetic code to writing it" but this new synthetic biology could be dangerous: is the world ready for this new technology and will it ever be?

Science in the Lap of Luxury

Sat, 01 Mar 2008 13:48:49 +0000

The feasibility of a female oestrus amongst humans had been dismissed by the masses. But now a study of tipping amongst lap-dancers has confirmed that oestrus appears to be alive and kicking...

The Biggest Solar Storm in History

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000

When the clipper ship Southern Cross sailed into a living hell off Chile during the night of 2 September 1859, little did the sailors know that they were witnessing the aftermath of a gigantic solar explosion that had engulfed the Earth. Today, astronomers are still unpicking the consequences of this tremendous event.

A Whole New World

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Scientists recently spotted a planet being born. It's just formed and is still enshrouded within the disk of dust that formed it. So like a baby in the birth canal, the newborn, placenta and amniotic fluid of planetary formation are all still there for scientists to see. In terms of age, this was a teenage pregnancy, but what it can tell us about the planetary birth process makes this particular cosmic conception very exciting...

What do Snot and Wasabi have in Common?

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Just as winter follows summer, the chances are you'll catch a cold this winter - but what is the sticky stuff that pours from your nose and clogs up your sinuses? Becky Poole unwraps the handkerchief to find out...

Climate Change: Real Warmth or Cold Memories?

Sat, 19 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000

What's the evidence that the world's becoming a warmer place, or are claims of climate change quite literally just hot air? Atmospheric scientist Alex Thompson puts the greenhouse effect under the spotlight...

The Science of Linguistics

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000

So what exactly is linguistics? Is it all about tape recorders, tongue twisters and dropped "aitches"? Or is it all adventure, exploration and the search for undiscovered languages among rainforest tribes? Well, it's both, and in this article Andrew Caines tells us more...

The Science of Parasites

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000

We tend to think of parasites as evolutionary cheats, surreptitiously taking advantage of their hosts' hard work while they sit back and enjoy an easy life. But a closer look reveals that it's not all sun and sangria...

The Science of Snowflakes

Sat, 22 Dec 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Snowflakes form when water vapour condenses directly into ice crystals, and for many years writers have used their delicate beauty as a metaphor for fragility and uniqueness. But now scientists are studying these same qualities to understand one of the most important molecules on Earth - water.

The Louisiana Wetlands: An Introduction

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Equivalent in land area to 14 Isle of Mans, or Rhode Island State twice over, the Louisiana Wetlands are one of the most important acquatic ecological sites in the world. But now they're disappearing, fast - an area the size of a tennis court slips into the sea every thirteen seconds. But what is this wilderness and what can be done to save it...?

International Polar Year 2007-9

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 00:00:00 +0000

International Polar Years commenced in 1882-3, as the inspiration of Austrian explorer and naval officer Lieutenant Karl Weyprecht. They act as a means of bringing together scientists from around the world in a concentrated effort to further studies of the Arctic and Antarctic regions. The third such 'year' runs from 2007-9, but what are its aims this time?

The Oracle at Delphi - Not Just Hot Air

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 00:00:00 +0000

The Pythia, the prophetess at the Oracle of Delphi, was said to be able to communicate with Apollo by going into a trance. But science has shown that these trances weren't down to divine intervention - instead they were the result of inhaling noxious gases from nearby geological fault lines...

How Does a Brain Cell Work

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 00:00:00 +0000

They are found in well-organised groups; they communicate constantly through long ranging connections; there are 100,000,000,000 of them, surrounded by at least 10 times that many supporters, and they are all inside your head - they're brain cells, but how do they work?

Vile-din? Certainly Not!

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Ask anyone who made the world's best violins and they'll inevitably answer "Stradivari". But science is undermining the reputation of this great instrument maker whom, it seems, owes his success as much to an attempt at pest control as his craftmanship...

Protein Origami: Pop-up Books & Nature's Polymers

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 00:00:00 +0000

What do pop-up books and some of the most fundamental molecules of life have in common? Charlotte Rusby enters a world 100 million times smaller than the bookshelf to find out...

The Immune System and Pregnancy

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Usually, when the immune system meets something foreign, the offending intruder is swiftly attacked and neutralised. Thankfully things are different during pregnancy. But how does a baby developing in the uterus slip under its mother's immunological radar...

How Climate Change is Choking Marine Ecosystems

Fri, 03 Aug 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Climate change has been blamed with altering the environment - from animal migrations to sea level. Now it's also affecting nutrient cycling. Excess nitrogen discharged into estuaries used to be removed by a bacterial process in the sediments. But recent research shows a dramatic change...

Why Don't Woodpeckers Get Brain Damage?

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 11:41:54 +0100

Beating your head against a hard surface can be a sign of frustration, yet for a woodpecker it's a fact of life. So why don't nature's headbangers develop brain damage or a permanent migraine?

Biomimetics: Borrowing from Biology

Sat, 14 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Why re-invent the wheel when Nature has already come up with the best solution? Becky Poole explores the field of biomimetics - quite literally how engineers are borrowing from biology...

Bio-plastics: Turning Wheat And Potatoes into Plastics

Sat, 07 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Mention plastics and most people think of polythenes, perspex and other oil-based nasties that never break down. But now there's a new breed of plastics; they're biodegradable and based on potatoes and other starchy crops...

The Science of HIV & AIDS in the UK

Sat, 30 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0100

There are five million new cases of HIV internationally every year, and the virus is second only to tobacco as the leading cause of death worldwide. But what is HIV, how does it cause disease, what is AIDS, how do anti-AIDS drugs work, and what does HIV mean for Britain?

A Crossword a Day keeps the Doctor at Bay:

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 22:29:53 +0100

Dementia-prone mice have shown researchers than an old mouse can learn new tricks, given the right environment...

What is Quicksand?

Sun, 03 Jun 2007 22:10:40 +0100

There was a time when almost every action movie seemed to involve the hero or villain becoming swamped in quicksand, sinking away until only their hat remains on the surface. But contrary to what Hollywood would have you believe, although it's almost impossible to escape from quicksand, it's even more difficult to drown...

How do Thunderstorms Work?

Sun, 03 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0100

What is a thunderstorm, how is lightning generated by clouds, how much energy is there in a lightning bolt, and could it be harnessed to power a town?

How The Lymphatic System Works

Thu, 24 May 2007 00:00:00 +0100

The lymphatic system is your body's drainage system. It collects the excess fluid that surrounds cells and returns it to the bloodstream, picks up fats from the intestines and primes the immune system about pathogens...

Antibacterial Phage Therapy

Tue, 22 May 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Bacteriophages were big business before penicillin and other antimicrobials appeared on the scene. But now, with increasing bacterial resistance and the rise of the "superbug", phages are once more centre-stage in the war on microbes...

Lost your bottle?

Fri, 20 Apr 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Whether you love or loath the white stuff, it is unavoidable on your TV and in your paper. What is milk, is it good for us, and what type should we drink?

A Blue Future For Global Warming

Fri, 13 Apr 2007 09:29:48 +0100

By now we're familiar with apocalyptic visions of a scorched and flooded world ravished by global warming. But this gloomy prognosis is now set to take a nosedive beneath the ocean waves.

The Cassini-Huygens Mission to Titan, Saturn's Largest Moon

Wed, 21 Mar 2007 18:53:31 +0000

Imagine we had discovered another world, slightly smaller than our own, with rain clouds, rivers and lakes on gently hilly continents. Sounding a bit bland and Earth like? Okay then lets add some twists...

Nitrogen - The Bad Guy of Global Warming

Wed, 21 Mar 2007 00:00:00 +0000

As the world focuses on carbon dioxide, are more dangerous agents of global warming creeping up unnoticed? Lucy Sandbach investigates the dark world of nitrogen and how this common element is causing havoc with the environment.

A History of Superconductivity

Thu, 05 Oct 2006 13:02:26 +0100

How were superconductors discovered, what are they, how do they work, what can they do for us, and what's new in the field of superconductivity.

Superconductors

Thu, 05 Oct 2006 12:33:53 +0100

Superconductors are amazing materials whose resistance drops to zero when cooled. Chris looks at how they can be used to detect Pulsars, receive mobile messages, and make trains levitate.

The Rubik's Cube Unravelled...or is that unpieced ?

Wed, 21 Jun 2006 16:09:50 +0100

The Rubik's Cube is all about symmetry... How do you solve the rubiks cube - what is the maths behind the rubiks cube ? Rob Stanforth has the answer.

The Art of The Barbecue

Wed, 24 May 2006 16:09:51 +0100

Although the summer appears to have ended, I thought I would deal with something that provides a perfect opportunity to marry good food and wine: the barbecue.

The Science of Well-being

Wed, 17 May 2006 16:09:51 +0100

How much do we know about what makes people thrive and societies flourish? We know remarkably little about the positive aspects of living. Felicia Huppert takes us on a tour of her new book.

The Tectonics of the Sumatran earthquakes

Wed, 10 May 2006 16:09:51 +0100

The world has heard much about the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004 and the vast loss of life associated with this, but what were the tectonic events that lead to it?

Seeing Red

Wed, 03 May 2006 16:09:51 +0100

One day someone will write a book that explains consciousness. The book will put forward a theory that fills the gap between conscious experience and brain activity, but we aren't there yet.

Creationism vs. Science

Wed, 26 Apr 2006 16:09:51 +0100

The battle between Science and Religion has left us with a choice: faith in God or belief in a rational scientific approach. But how did it come to this and what happened to trying to settle our differences?

Cyanide Poisoning

Wed, 19 Apr 2006 16:09:51 +0100

Scheele was the first to isolate Hydrogen cyanide in 1782 then went on to show its toxic effects by accidentally becoming its victim. Alexandra looks at why cyanide is poisonous, causes of cyanide poisoning, and how to reverse its effects.

Genes for Bigger Brains

Wed, 12 Apr 2006 16:09:51 +0100

Humans have exceptionally large and complex brains. Ruth has a look at two genes, that seem to have played a role in our cerebral evolution.

Hitchhikers guide to Science

Wed, 05 Apr 2006 16:09:51 +0100

Genes make you what you are. All living things have them (humans have about 25,000) and they're like blueprints. Dr Helen Pickersgill looks at the science, use and abuse of Genetically modified (GM) foods.

Climate Change Begins at Home

Wed, 29 Mar 2006 16:09:51 +0100

When more news comes in of rising greenhouse emissions in Europe or more political backsliding over the Kyoto Protocol, our building full of climate change scientists can be a bitter place to be.

Stress and the Scientist

Tue, 28 Mar 2006 00:00:00 +0100

This article illustrates the kind of scientist you might encounter in a lab. Understanding how your colleagues think and behave is useful. There is also a strong possibility you may recognise yourself too, so beware!

What is Living in my Mouth?

Wed, 22 Mar 2006 15:09:51 +0000

The last time you opened wide, did you ever imagine that you were opening the door to what is essentially home to thousands of bacteria? Christa Favot introduces you to what's really living in your mouth, including plaque bacteria and biofilms.

Are we Getting Smarter?

Wed, 15 Mar 2006 15:09:51 +0000

For the last 75 years the average IQ test score has been increasing in every industrialised country in the world. Are we really more intelligent than our grandparents?

Jack Parsons and The Curious Tale of Rocketry in the 1930s

Wed, 08 Mar 2006 15:09:51 +0000

The fantastical, tragic and largely unknown story of John Parsons is one of the most intriguing tales to be found in the annals of modern science. Founder of the Jet propulsion Lab, and obsessed with magic. George Pendle investigates.

Sleep Paralysis

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 15:09:51 +0000

Sleep paralysis researcher Julia Santomauro explores the phenomenon of sleep paralysis including what is sleep paralysis, what causes sleep paralysis, how common is it, and are there any treatments for sleep paralysis ?

Perfidiously Pervious Particles

Wed, 22 Feb 2006 15:09:52 +0000

Things usually are not what they seem, and sometimes the fundamentals become discomfortingly alien... Frank Witte discusses particle physics including what is matter, is matter a particle, or a wave ?