41

Technology / How do you get a new discovery verified?

« on: 19/12/2016 05:23:04 »

Paul asked the Naked Scientists:
   
I was wondering if you could give me some advice on what to do about a new discovery. If you need to have a new and unknown discovery verified by experts in science, how do you go about acheiving this? I am at a loss on how it is done could you help or even look at this new discovery for me please? Who are the right people i have to contact?
What do you think?

42

Physiology & Medicine / How does the cocaine vaccine work?

« on: 18/12/2016 23:23:01 »

SALLY SWANEPOEL asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Please can you tell me if the Cocaine Vaccine  developed proved successful and would I be able to find out more about  and/or be able to obtain the vaccine in Cape Town South Africa.
 
 Thanking you in anticipation,
 Sally Swanepoel

What do you think?

43

General Science / How long does a civilised culture take to evolve?

« on: 18/12/2016 17:53:02 »

Duncan Sargent asked the Naked Scientists:
   
There has been a lot of talk recently on various science podcasts / documentaries about the search for life elsewhere in the universe.

Now I understand the limits of how far we can see and that we have only been looking for a short time and as such our own broadcasts have only gone out so far and that all this is limited by the speed of light etc.

However it occurred to me that not all cultures develop at the same rate and even if a culture elsewhere  became established it may become arrested and stuck for several thousand years at a level of technology allowing others in relatively nearby star systems to overtake it. I mean look at how long we spent in the stone age!

So it also occurred to me that whilst we have not in a universal or even galactic sense been around that long it is possible that older cultures may have either never evolved or become stuck at a certain level.

Somewhere, some culture on some planet in some system has to be the most advanced. Those "in the know" tell us that others have had thousands if not millions of years to get so far ahead of us that we would be insignificant to them. Well maybe, but then again maybe not, who is to say how long it takes for a civilised culture to come about?

So is it at all possible that the reason we have not made contact or had contact from another culture on a nearby star system is that we are in fact ourselves the most advanced culture there is?

So is it possible? We so often look up at the stars and wonder if we are alone, are we being watched? We are told that we are likely so insignificant to advanced cultures that they may not think it worth bothering with us. So is it just possible that in fact we are the advanced culture?

What do you think?
What do you think?

44

Chemistry / How is Methcathinone made?

« on: 18/12/2016 12:23:01 »

mike priest  asked the Naked Scientists:
   
I am Michael I have recently been interested in finding more about methcathinone and how it is made. Can any one help? I am genuinely interested.

I would love some help.

thx Mike.  

keep up good work =] x
What do you think?

45

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / How do infnity pools work?

« on: 18/12/2016 09:23:01 »

Michael Perry  asked the Naked Scientists:
   
I was wondering how those infinity pools work which look like they go on forever and how come you don't fall off them??
 
Thanks,
 
Michael Perry, Northwich
What do you think?

46

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / How does the term 'blast radius' differ for bombs and volcanoes?

« on: 18/12/2016 07:53:01 »

Paul Green asked the Naked Scientists:
   
What are the similarities and differences of the term "blast radius" for nuclear explosions and volcanic eruptions?  I am particularly interested in the effects of the volcano on the island of Thera(now Santorini) in the Aegean and how it affected the island of Crete ~ 1500 BC
What do you think?

47

That CAN'T be true! / Do honey and cinnamon help you lose weight?

« on: 18/12/2016 06:23:03 »

Sbu asked the Naked Scientists:
   
I read an article that a mixture of honey and cinnamon will help you loose weight, how is that?
What does cinnamon do? What does honey do?
 
Regards
Sbu
What do you think?

48

Physiology & Medicine / What is the basis of a pontine ischemic infarct?

« on: 18/12/2016 04:23:02 »

Martn Kilgore asked the Naked Scientists:
   I had a left pontine ischemic infarct last month. Over the past month I have progressed from a total left hemiplegia to some movement. Hopefully I will continue to improve.

My question is what is the physiological basis for this? I under stand that the upper motor neurons in  my motor tract have been interrupted.

I have heard of "brain plasticity" but I thought that this was all happening in the cortex. How can it be happening down in the pons?

My physician is kindly, but he is a plain vanilla GP. he just shrugs and says he doesn't know. Can the naked scientists shed more light on this phenomenon?
What do you think?

49

The Environment / With climate change, will the atmosphere expand?

« on: 18/12/2016 01:53:02 »

Nathan Haas asked the Naked Scientists:
   
I've heard that global warming is expected to cause expansion of the oceans, but I haven't heard if there is expected to be a significant expansion of the atmosphere as well.  Should the warming be localized at the surface without much impact to the upper atmosphere and overall volume, or can we expect significant expansion and possibly an increased loss of the upper atmosphere to space?  Could a loss of atmosphere produce a noticeable evaporative cooling effect, or would the earth warm up even faster from increased solar radiation?

Thanks for all you do and keep up the good work

Nathan,
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

p.s. My local government tells me that global warming doesn't exist, so obviously we won't be affected here, but I'm still curious about what people who live in the real world will experience
What do you think?

50

Physiology & Medicine / Does alternate hot and cold water exposure have beneficial effects after exercise?

« on: 17/12/2016 22:23:02 »

Tom Kearney asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Just listened to Kat talking about ice baths after exercise. How about alternating hot and cold water when showering? I have heard that it promotes blood circulation.

Thanks,

Tom Kearney.
What do you think?

51

Physiology & Medicine / Why does defaecation or urination bring tears to your eyes?

« on: 17/12/2016 13:53:01 »

Jie Dong"  asked the Naked Scientists:
   
What's the link between tear duct activation when one defaecates and/or urinates?

Thank you,

Jie "Katie" Dong
What do you think?

52

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Is there proof of evolution happening in humans?

« on: 17/12/2016 09:23:01 »

James Dunckley asked the Naked Scientists:
   
As we know now that Darwin's theory is more than just a theory, is there an proof of change in humans in recorded history?

Many thanks.
James
What do you think?

53

That CAN'T be true! / What is the proof that the world is round?

« on: 17/12/2016 06:23:02 »

Greigan Cunningham Douglas asked the Naked Scientists:
   
My half brother watched a video on 200 facts on how the earth is flat and it's impossible to argue with him even if you give him facts but what proof is there that the earth is round and what makes it a fact that the earth is round?

What do you think?

54

Physiology & Medicine / Does music benefit the brain like exercise does?

« on: 17/12/2016 02:23:02 »

Kate Radford asked the Naked Scientists:
   
There's a lot of research supporting the idea that exercise will improve your memory and potentially increase the amount of stuff you're able to learn in a period of time. I'm not a terribly active person, but I do sing in four choirs (I know, I have no life; it's awesome). As a biochemistry student, I could use all the help I can get, so, I'm wondering: does making music have similar benefits to the brain as exercise? (I understand that there will be confounding variables, such as the fact that singing is a controlled physical activity.)

Thanks!
Kate
What do you think?

55

Radio Show & Podcast Feedback / DiscussDissecting a Cheetah

« on: 16/12/2016 15:03:56 »

What’s your usual Thursday night out? The cinema maybe, or a gig? Well how about a live cheetah dissection at the Royal Veterinary College in London? Don’t worry if that’s not quite your cup of tea because we sent Connie Orbach along for you...


Listen to this Show

or  

If you want to discuss this show, or ask a question, this is the place to do it.

56

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Why do snails leave slime?

« on: 16/12/2016 06:53:02 »

Benjamin Asiedu asked the Naked Scientists:
   
I observed a snail moving around my compound and realised that the trail it left behind were in broken lines that glistened in the sunlight (see photos attached). I also observed these broken trails in a couple of other snails.

I'd like to know what could be causing this because I thought that a snail's trail would be one continuous line of slim.

Please here are my thoughts:

1) Could it be that the snail is able to modify the consistency of its slim which possibly results in slims that have different evaporation temperatures? So perhaps as the snail moves it alternates the consistency of its path (i.e. heavier and lighter blocks of slim). So when the slim is set, the lighter sections of the trial evaporate quicker than the heavier portions thereby leaving behind the broken trail; or

2) Could it simply be that snails don't actually leave behind a continuous trail?

Thanks for the time, and look forward to your response.

Regards
Ben
What do you think?

57

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Is there a material which can be placed between two magnets to stop them being attracted to one another?

« on: 15/12/2016 21:53:01 »

riccardo asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Is there a material which can be placed between two magnets to stop them being attracted to one another?
What do you think?

58

Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / How do we interpret red shift as evidence of accelerating expansion of the universe?

« on: 15/12/2016 19:53:01 »

steve williams asked the Naked Scientists:
   
It's accepted that the Universe expanded from a single point during the big bang, into the ever expanding Universe we observe today; that the further away a Galaxy is the further back in time we are observing it due to the vast distance light has to travel to reach our eye. Edwin Hubble also suggested that Galaxies are moving away from us faster over distance as space expands, due to measurable red-shift.

However, if a Galaxy several billion light-years away (observed as it was several billion years ago) has a greater red-shift than a Galaxy one billion light-years away (observed as it was only a billion years ago); why do we conclude that the expansion of the Universe is speeding up over time?

Why do we not conclude that as red-shift has decreased in the closer Galaxy, that the expansion of the Universe isn't slowing down over time?

Many thanks

What do you think?

59

Physiology & Medicine / I have Angioedema. What can I do?

« on: 15/12/2016 15:53:01 »

Perpetua Majola asked the Naked Scientists:
   
I am wondering if I can be helped. I have Angioedema and I suffer almost everyday. somedays I swell or get difficulty in breathing whilst others I get a pounding headache or tummy ache. But I have chronic fatigue and pain especially backpain and hip pain.

What do you think?

60

General Science / Can you explain the Mandela effect, and how it applies to practical science?

« on: 15/12/2016 11:53:01 »

Steve Brown asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Can you explain the Mandela effect, and how it applies to practical science?
What do you think?