CrowdScience

BBC World Service

We take your questions about life, Earth and the universe to researchers hunting for answers at the frontiers of knowledge.

Subscribe Listen in podnod RSS feed Show website

504 episodes
Updated Friday

Episodes504

Newest first

Jul 23, 2021 · 35 min
Am I a psychopath?
A CrowdScience listener wants to know if she is a psychopath.
Jul 16, 2021 · 31 min
Why do my cables keep getting tangled?
Can science explain why cables and headphones become tangled up and knotted?
Jul 9, 2021 · 29 min
Why is standing more tiring than walking?
We tackle questions about walking, standing, sitting and running
Jul 2, 2021 · 36 min
Why do I feel hungry?
A buffet of food & flavour questions from listeners reaching from stomachs to outer space
Jun 25, 2021 · 26 min
What happened to my sense of smell?
What happens when our sense of smell is disrupted or disappears all together?
Jun 18, 2021 · 36 min
Does my equator look big in this?
Is the Earth getting heavier or lighter?
Jun 11, 2021 · 37 min
Why do I have such a sweet tooth?
How our genes help determine how much sugar we should eat
Jun 4, 2021 · 40 min
What is the point of menstruation?
Why did humans evolve to have periods and do we have to have them each month?
May 28, 2021 · 27 min
Is my neighbour’s noise harming my health?
Noise can be a source of annoyance – but could it even be damaging to our health?
May 21, 2021 · 36 min
How old are the elements?
Can you pick a random atom on earth & tell how old it is, or what its cosmic history is?
May 14, 2021 · 27 min
Could we turn poisonous plants into edible crops?
Detoxifying plants may reveal untapped food ready for the picking
May 7, 2021 · 35 min
Why is learning stuff harder as you get older?
Why as children we effortlessly absorb new skills but as adults we don’t
Apr 30, 2021 · 34 min
Why are seeds such different sizes?
Why are seeds the size they are? Does their size affect how big the plant grows?
Apr 23, 2021 · 37 min
What can we learn from wastewater?
Sewage testing could help stop the spread of disease
Apr 16, 2021 · 36 min
Why does grief leave me feeling this way?
Grief can be crippling. Why have we evolved to be so affected by loss?
Apr 9, 2021 · 37 min
Why do we gossip?
Are we hardwired to seek out salacious stories and can we harness gossip for good?
Apr 2, 2021 · 39 min
If a tree falls in a forest does it make a sound?
If a tree falls in a forest, and there’s no-one there to hear it, does it make a sound?
Mar 26, 2021 · 30 min
Do animals use medicine?
Find out how animals cure their illnesses
Mar 19, 2021 · 39 min
Can space exploration be environmentally friendly?
Are the space junk and carbon footprint issues of extra-terrestrial endeavours solvable?
Mar 12, 2021 · 39 min
How does my mind talk to my body?
The nerve connecting mind and body