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Curious Cases podcast

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Curious Cases

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  BBC Radio 4  

Hannah Fry and Dara Ó Briain tackle listeners' conundrums with the power of science!

Hannah Fry and Dara Ó Briain tackle listeners' conundrums with the power of science!

 

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Progress

Duration

Release Date

#148

11. Freeze Me When I Die

When you die, would you want to be frozen so that one day you might be brought back to life? Listener Elspeth wants to know if that’s even possible. So Hannah and Dara embark on a quest to explore the chiling science of ‘cryobiology’: preserving living things at really low temperatures. It turns out there are already thousands of people alive who were once suspended in antifreeze and stored in liquid nitrogen - when they were just a small clump of cells! There’s even a frog which can turn into a ‘frogsicle’ for months on end. But re-animating full size humans is a challenge no one has solved…yet. Will some miraculous nanotechnology of a distant future solve the problem? Contributors: Professor João Pedro de Magalhães: University of Birmingham Hayley Campbell: Author and broadcaster Professor Joyce Harper: UCL Dr Hanane Hadj-Moussa: The Babraham Institute, Cambridge Garrett Smyth: Cryonics UK Producer: Ilan Goodman Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem A BBC Studios Audio Production ... Read more

6 hrs Ago

28 MINS

28:21

6 hrs Ago

#147

10. Night Walkers

Wake up! It’s time for a dreamy new episode of Curious Cases all about the science of sleepwalking. Listener Abigail has done some strange things in her sleep, from taking all the pictures off the wall, to searching for Turkish language courses. And she wants to know: WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? It turns out Abigail is not alone. Hannah and Dara hear weird and wonderful stories of extreme sleepwalkers - from the lady who went on midnight motorbike excursions, to the artist who does all his best work while asleep. They delve into the neuroscience to find out how you can remain in deep sleep while walking, talking or even peeing in your mum's shopping basket. They learn about some cutting edge research where the participants were sleep deprived and then half-woken with scary sounds, and they zero in on the key triggers, from a boozy night out to a squeaky bed. Contributors Professor Russell Foster: University of Oxford. Professor Guy Leschziner: King’s College London and Guys’ and St Thomas’ hospital Lee Hadwin: the sleep artist Professor Francesca Siclari: The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience Producer: Ilan Goodman Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem A BBC Studios Audio Production ... Read more

14 Dec 2024

28 MINS

28:39

14 Dec 2024

#146

9. A lemon-powered spaceship

Fruit-powered batteries are the ultimate school science experiment, but they’re normally used to power a pocket calculator. This week’s listener wants to know if they could do more, and sends the team on a quest to discover whether they could used to send a rocket into space? Professor Saiful Islam is the Guinness World Record holder for the highest voltage from a fruit-based battery, but disappoints the team when he reveals they produce very little power. He used 3,000 of them and only managed a measly 2 Watts. Given that spaceships are famously difficult to get off the ground, it seems a lemon battery might just fail the acid test. Author Randall Munroe is undeterred and suggests alternative ways to get energy from citrus, including burying them to make oil. Then the team discuss the pros and cons of switching to a lemon-based diet. For battery expert Paul Shearing, all this raises a serious question, about how we will power the planes of the future. He suggests solar power could play a part in short-haul flights and discusses some of the exciting battery materials being tested today. Contributors: Randall Munroe, author Professor Paul Shearing, Oxford University Professor Saiful Islam, Oxford University Producer: Marijke Peters Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem A BBC Studios Audio Production ... Read more

07 Dec 2024

29 MINS

29:56

07 Dec 2024

#145

8. Be More Athlete

Are you more of a rhino or a kitten? More like a tortoise or a hare? Listener Ivy wants to know what makes a good athlete and so Hannah and Dara tackle the science of sport. Our curious duo get to grips with the rigours of training tailored for endurance events vs those based on more explosive bursts of activity. They consider the contribution of genetics, fast vs slow twitch muscle fibres, the unique advantage of Michael Phelps's body proportions and whether butterfly really is the most ridiculous stroke in swimming. And after a rigorous scientific analysis, Dara turns out to be ideally suited for…netball. Much to his surprise. Contributors Dr Polly McGuigan: University of Bath Dr Mitch Lomax: University of Portsmouth Professor Alun Williams: Manchester Metropolitan University Dr Josephine Perry: Sports psychologist Producer: Ilan Goodman Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem A BBC Studios Audio Production ... Read more

30 Nov 2024

29 MINS

29:56

30 Nov 2024

#144

7. Invincible Moss Piglets

Listener Vivienne has heard that tardigrades - aka moss piglets - have special powers of survival. Radiation? Drought? Extreme cold? NO PROBLEM. Does that mean they could survive an apocalypse? And could they even help us master space travel!? Hannah and Dara learn how to find these little moss piggies in roof gutters and garden corners. And they're amazed by their capacity to dry out and hunker down for decades before springing back to life. But calamity strikes when it turns out that fine glass tubing - in the form of pipettes - is their natural predator. And worse is to come: our curious duo learn that there may be some tardigrades stuck on the moon, and one researcher has even fired them out of a gun. All in the name of science. But they have survived at least 5 mass extinctions so far. So their chances of surviving the next one are pretty good. As long as pipettes aren't involved. Contributors Dr James Frederick Fleming: Natural History Museum of Norway and the University of Oslo Dr Nadja Møbjerg: University of Copenhagen Dr Thomas Boothby: University of Wyoming Producer: Ilan Goodman Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem A BBC Studios Audio Production ... Read more

23 Nov 2024

28 MINS

28:47

23 Nov 2024

#143

6. The Shock Factor

If there’s one type of discharge you really want to avoid, it’s lightning, but what happens when it hits you? We hear from lightning survivor Kerry Evans, and discover that the best place to shelter – if you ever find yourself in a similarly charged storm – is in a car, or low to the ground. And why this is never a good time to take a selfie. Dr Dan Mitchard from Cardiff University’s excitingly-named Lightning Lab explains why there's no lightning at the poles, and the presenters lament that polar bears and penguins are missing out. We all know about the gods of lightning, but the mysticism doesn't stop there. Above cloud level there are many other types of unusually-named phenomena, reaching to the edge of space, including sprites, trolls and even pixies. And Professor Karen Aplin reveals that lightning has even been discovered on other planets, in a science story that could affect our plans to colonise Mars. Contributors: Dr Daniel Mitchard, Lightning Laboratory, Cardiff University Professor Karen Aplin, University of Bristol Producer: Marijke Peters Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem A BBC Studios Audio Production ... Read more

16 Nov 2024

28 MINS

28:35

16 Nov 2024

#142

5. The Taste of Words

11 year old Esther visualises days of the week in a kind of 3D structure. It’s something called ‘synaesthesia’ and she wants to know why it happens - and why other people don’t experience things the way she does. Hannah Fry and Dara Ó Briain explore the vibrant and varied ways different people experience the world, from the man who tastes individual words - including all the stops of the tube - to the composer who sees music in shapes and colours. And along the way, they figure out why Mozart is white wine while Beethoven is red. Contributors: Professor Julia Simner: Professor of Psychology,University of Sussex Professor Jamie Ward: Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Sussex James Wannerton, President of UK Synaesthesia Association CoriAnder: electronic music producer Producer: Ilan Goodman Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem A BBC Studios Audio Production ... Read more

09 Nov 2024

29 MINS

29:55

09 Nov 2024

#141

4. In the Groove

It’s sometimes said that timing is everything and this week the pair investigate the mystery of rhythm, discovering why some of us might be better at staying in tempo. From the daily cycle of dawn and dusk to sea tides and circadian clocks, rhythm governs many aspects of our lives, and cognitive psychologist Dr Maria Witek says it makes sense we also place great importance on its presence in music. She specialises in ‘groove’, or the feeling of pleasure associated with moving to a beat – and it’s not just something the dancers among us enjoy; groove has even been used to treat patients with Parkinson’s Disease. Neuroscientist Professor Nina Kraus has studied drummers’ brains and found their neurons fire with more precision. She explains that teaching kids rhythm can improve their language and social skills. But no need to take her word for it, because Skunk Anansie’s drummer Mark Richardson is in the studio to put Hannah to the test. Can she handle a high hat at the same time as a snare? Contributors: Dr Maria Witek, University of Birmingham Professor Nina Kraus, Northwestern University Mark Richardson, drummer with Skunk Anansie Producer: Marijke Peters Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem A BBC Studios Audio Production ... Read more

02 Nov 2024

30 MINS

30:44

02 Nov 2024

#140

3. Mirror, Mirror

9 year old listener Koby sends Hannah and Dara on a mission to find the shiniest thing in the world. And so they enter a world of mirrors… The journey takes them into the subatomic goings on of shiny metal surfaces, where electrons waggle and dance and send light waves back at *just* the right angle. Our curious duo play with an astonishingly reflective plastic film that can be found hidden in devices we all use. And they probe the mysterious power of refraction, harnessed to make the $2 million mirrors which reflect the lasers at the huge LIGO experiment. And everyone ponders the surprisingly reflective properties of a pint in space. Contributors: Dr Felix Flicker: University of Bristol, author of The Magick of Matter Professor Stuart Reid: University of Strathclyde Quinn Sanford: optical engineer from 3M GariLynn Billingsley: Optical Sciences Group Leader at LIGO Producer: Ilan Goodman Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem A BBC Studios Audio Production ... Read more

26 Oct 2024

30 MINS

30:28

26 Oct 2024

#139

2. The 5 Second Rule

Would you eat food that fell on the floor? That’s the question Hannah and Dara are getting their teeth into this week as they put the so-called ‘5 second rule’ through its paces. For some people it’s 3 seconds, and for others its 10 – especially if it involves a dropped ice cream and a screaming child. But microbiologist Don Schaffner says there’s no safe amount of time to leave food on the floor if you’re planning to eat it. And while you might think buttered toast would pick up the biggest number of bugs, it may surprise you to hear that wet foods like watermelon are actually the worst when it comes to attracting harmful bacteria. If all this is putting you off your dinner, the bad news is that the rest of your kitchen is also a microbiological minefield. Research shows nearly 70% of us keep our fridges are the wrong temperature, which sparks a lively discussion about whether it’s ever safe to reheat rice. For home hygiene guru Sally Bloomfield it’s all a question of being a bit more clever about the kind of germs we expose ourselves to and weighing up risks. Contributors: Dr Don Schaffner: Rutgers University Dr Ellen Evans: Cardiff Metropolitan University Professor Sally Bloomfield: International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene Producer: Marijke Peters Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem A BBC Studios Audio Production ... Read more

19 Oct 2024

28 MINS

28:48

19 Oct 2024

#138

1. Space Bubbles

While chatting at the back of class, best mates Abi and Sofia got curious about bubbles. How do you make really giant ones? Could you even get one around the entire planet? Hannah and Dara set out to investigate. They hear from a renowned 'bubbleologist', and learn how NASA helped him blow his way to a world record. They coax a physicist to reveal the secrets of his peer-reviewed bubble-juice formula, and investigate how bubbles work in space and in the ocean. Our curious duo also discover an audacious project aiming to build a Brazil-sized raft of bubbles... in space! Contributors: Dr Helen Czerski, UCL Dr Justin Burton, Emory University Dr Awesome, Bubbleologist Professor Carlo Ratti, MIT Producer: Ilan Goodman Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem A BBC Studios Audio Production ... Read more

12 Oct 2024

28 MINS

28:25

12 Oct 2024

#137

Introducing a brand new series of Curious Cases!

Curious Cases is returning! Superstar mathematician and broadcaster Hannah Fry teams up with legendary comedian and fellow science nerd Dara Ó Briain for an all-new series of the show which takes your quirkiest questions and solves them with the power of SCIENCE. In this short preview ep, our dynamic duo tease some of the upcoming episodes in which they enlist the world’s top experts to tackle the most profound and puzzling questions to have ever trickled through your curious minds: Could you power a spaceship with a lemon? Can you actually die of boredom? Why do some people *taste* words? Why does Hannah have absolutely no sense of rhythm? And could we stop climate change with massive space bubbles!? Producers: Marijke Peters and Ilan Goodman Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem A BBC Studios Audio Production ... Read more

04 Oct 2024

02 MINS

02:18

04 Oct 2024

#136

The Impossible Number

There is a bizarre number in maths referred to simply as ‘i’. It appears to break the rules of arithmetic - but turns out to be utterly essential for applications across engineering and physics. We’re talking about the square root of -1. WHICH MAKES NO SENSE. Professor Fry waxes lyrical about the beauty and power of this so-called ‘imaginary’ number to a sceptical Dr Rutherford. Dr Michael Brooks tells the surprising story of the duelling Italian mathematicians who gave birth to this strange idea, and shares how Silicon Valley turned it into cold hard cash. It's all about oscillations, Professor Jeff O’Connell demonstrates. And finally, Dr Eleanor Knox reveals that imaginary numbers are indispensable for the most fundamental physics of all: quantum mechanics. Imaginary, impossible…but essential! Contributors: Professor Jeff O’Connell, Ohlone College California, Dr Michael Brooks, Author of 'The Maths That Made Us', and Dr Eleanor Knox, Philosopher of Physics at KCL and a Senior Visiting Fellow at the University of Pittsburgh. Producer: Ilan Goodman ... Read more

14 Feb 2023

41 MINS

41:48

14 Feb 2023

#135

The Mind Numbing Medicine

This episode will render you oblivious, conked out and blissfully unaware. It’s about anaesthetics: those potent potions that send you into a deep, deathly sleep. Listener Alicia wants to know how they work, so our sleuths call on the expertise of consultant anaesthetist Dr Fiona Donald. Fiona shares her experience from the clinical frontline, and explains what we do and don’t know about how these chemicals work their mind-numbing magic. We hear about ground-breaking research led by Professor Irene Tracey, which reveals how a pattern of slow brain waves can be used to determine the optimum dosage of these dangerous drugs. And finally, Drs Rutherford and Fry wonder: what does all this tell us about normal consciousness? Professor Anil Seth shares how we can use brain tech to measure different levels of conscious awareness – from sleepy to psychedelic. Presenters: Hannah Fry and Adam Rutherford Producer: Ilan Goodman ... Read more

07 Feb 2023

43 MINS

43:44

07 Feb 2023

#134

The Resurrection Quest

‘Can we bring back extinct species?’ wonders listener Mikko Campbell. Well, Professor Fry is pretty excited by the prospect of woolly mammoths roaming the Siberian tundra once more. And everyone is impressed with the science that might make it happen. But Dr Rutherford comes out STRONGLY against the whole thing. Can our expert guests win him over? Dr Helen Pilcher shares the tale of Celia the lonely mountain goat, and makes the case for cloning to help protect species at risk of extinction. Professor Beth Shapiro sets out how biotech company ‘Colossal’ plans to engineer Asian elephants’ DNA to make a new group of mammoth-like creatures. And we hear how genetic technologies are being used in conservation efforts around the world. BUT WHAT ABOUT T-REXES? Not gonna happen. Sorry. Contributors: Dr Helen Pilcher, author of ‘Bring Back the King: The New Science of De-Extinction’, Professor Beth Shapiro from the University of California Santa Cruz, Dr Ben Novak of Revive and Restore and Tullis Matson from Nature’s SAFE. Presenters: Hannah Fry and Adam Rutherford Producer: Ilan Goodman ... Read more

31 Jan 2023

38 MINS

38:30

31 Jan 2023

#133

The Puzzle of the Pyramids

The Great Pyramids of Giza are awesome feats of engineering and precision. So who built them - and how? Was it a mysteriously super-advanced civilization now oddly extinct? Was it even aliens? Nah, course not! Rutherford and Fry investigate how these inspiring monuments were really constructed, and learn about the complex civilisation and efficient bureaucracy that made them possible. Professor Sarah Parcak busts the myth that they were built by slaves. In fact, she reveals, it was gangs of well-paid blokes fuelled by the ancient Egyptian equivalent of burgers and beer. And Dr Chris Naunton explains how it was not some mysterious tech, but incredible organisation and teamwork which made it possible to transport massive stone blocks over long distances several thousand years before trucks arrived. Dr Heba Abd El Gawad points out how racism led to bizarre assumptions in the history of archaeology, and how those assumptions linger in contemporary conspiracy theories which refuse to accept that Egyptians could have built the pyramids themselves! Presenters: Hannah Fry and Adam Rutherford Contributors: Professor Sarah Parcak, University of Alabama, Dr Chris Naunton, Egyptologist and broadcaster, Dr Heba Abd El Gawad, University College London Producers: Ilan Goodman & Emily Bird ... Read more

24 Jan 2023

36 MINS

36:09

24 Jan 2023

#132

The Magnetic Mystery

Magnets are inside loads of everyday electronic kit - speakers, motors, phones and more - but listener Lucas is mystified: what, he wonders, is a magnetic field? Our sleuths set out to investigate the mysterious power of magnets, with the help of wizard / physicist Dr Felix Flicker - author of the The Magick of Matter - and materials scientist Dr Anna Ploszajski. They cover the secrets of lodestones - naturally occurring magnetic rocks - and how to levitate crystals, frogs and maybe even people. Matthew Swallow, the Chair of the UK Magnetics Society, explains why magnets make the best brakes for rollercoasters, and Dr Ploszajski explains how magnetically-induced eddy currents are used to sort through our recycling. Finally, Dr Flicker persuades Adam and Hannah that to really understand magnetic fields you have to leave classical physics behind, and go quantum... So our sleuths take a leap into the strange subatomic realm. Contributors: Dr Felix Flicker, Lecturer in Physics at Cardiff University and author of ‘The Magick of Matter’, Dr Anna Ploszajski, materials scientist and author of ‘Handmade’, Matthew Swallow, Chair of the UK Magnetics Society Presented by Hannah Fry and Adam Rutherford Producer: Ilan Goodman ... Read more

17 Jan 2023

43 MINS

43:37

17 Jan 2023

#131

The Case of the Blind Mind's Eye

Close your eyes and think of a giraffe. Can you see it? I mean, *really* see it - in rich, vivid detail? If not - you aren’t alone! We’ve had scores of messages from listeners who report having a ‘blind mind’s eye’. They don’t see mental images at all and they want to know why. Jude from Perth wants to know what makes her brain different, and Diane from Scotland wonders whether it affectes her ability to remember family holidays. Our sleuths learn that this is a condition recently termed ‘aphantasia’. They meet the chap who came up with the name, Professor Adam Zeman, a neurologist from the University of Exeter, and quiz him on the brain mechanisms behind this mystery. Professor Julia Simner - a psychologist who, herself, doesn’t see mental images - shares the surprising research into how aphants differ slightly from others in a range of cognitive skills. We also hear about the world class artists and animators who can’t visualise - but can create beautiful, imaginary worlds. Philosophy professor Fiona Macpherson from the University of Glasgow, deepens the mystery: perhaps this largely hidden phenomenon is behind some of the most profound disagreements in the history of psychology. Our mental experiences are all very different - maybe that’s why thinkers have come up with such different theories about how our minds work. Search for the “VVIQ” or Vividness of Visual Imagery questionnaire to take the test yourself. Look for “The Perception Census” to take part in this massive online study of perceptual variation. And look up the 'Aphtantasia Network' if you're curious to find out more. Presenters: Hannah Fry and Adam Rutherford Contributors: Professor Adam Zeman, Professor Julia Simner, Professor Fiona Macpherson Producer: Ilan Goodman ... Read more

10 Jan 2023

43 MINS

43:06

10 Jan 2023

#130

Silly Studies: The Pre-Series Teaser

The new series kicks off very soon! As a little aperitif, Hannah and Adam review some surprising studies published in scientific journals. Warning: contains fruity language and grisly medical scenarios… ... Read more

05 Jan 2023

12 MINS

12:08

05 Jan 2023

#129

The Puzzle of the Plasma Doughnut

What do you get if you smash two hydrogen nuclei together? Helium and lots of energy. That’s no joke – it's nuclear fusion! Nuclear fusion is the power source of the sun and the stars. Physicists and engineers here on earth are trying to build reactors than can harness fusion power to provide limitless clean energy. But it’s tricky... Rutherford and Fry are joined by Dr Melanie Windridge, plasma physicist and CEO of Fusion Energy Insights, who explains why the fourth state of matter – plasma – helps get fusion going, and why a Russian doughnut was a key breakthrough on the path to fusion power. Dr Sharon Ann Holgate, author of Nuclear Fusion: The Race to Build a Mini Sun on Earth, helps our sleuths distinguish the more familiar nuclear fission (famous for powerful bombs) from the cleaner and much less radioactive nuclear fusion. And plasma physicist (another one!) Dr Arthur Turrell describes the astonishing amount of investment and innovation going on to try and get fusion power working at a commercial scale. Contributors: Dr Melanie Windridge, Dr Sharon Ann Holgate, Dr Arthur Turrell Producer: Ilan Goodman ... Read more

20 Sep 2022

39 MINS

39:00

20 Sep 2022

#128

The Riddle of Red-Eyes and Runny-Noses

Sneezes, wheezes, runny noses and red eyes - this episode is all about allergies. An allergic reaction is when your immune system reacts to something harmless – like peanuts or pollen – as if it was a parasitic invader. It’s a case of biological mistaken identity. Professor Judith Holloway from the University of Southampton guides our sleuths through the complex immune pathways that make allergies happen and tells the scary story of when she went into anaphylactic shock from a rogue chocolate bar. Professor Adam Fox, a paediatric allergist at Evelina Children’s Hospital, helps the Drs distinguish intolerances or sensitivities – substantial swelling from a bee sting, for example - from genuine allergies. Hannah’s orange juice ‘allergy’ is exposed as a probable fraud! Hannah and Adam explore why allergies are on the increase, and Professor Rick Maizels from the University of Glasgow shares his surprising research using parasitic worms to develop anti-allergy drugs! Producer: Ilan Goodman Contributors: Professor Judith Holloway, Professor Adam Fox, Professor Rick Maizels ... Read more

13 Sep 2022

36 MINS

36:31

13 Sep 2022

#127

The Problem of Infinite Pi(e)

Hungry for pi? Chow down on this! Pi is the ratio between a circle’s diameter and its circumference. Sounds dull – but pi turns out to have astonishing properties and crop up in places you would never expect. For a start, it goes on forever and never repeats, meaning it probably contains your name, date of birth, and the complete works of Shakespeare written in its digits. Maths comedian Matt Parker stuns Adam with his ‘pie-endulum’ experiment, in which a chicken and mushroom pie is dangled 2.45m to form a pendulum which takes *exactly* 3.14 seconds per swing. Mathematician Dr Vicky Neale explains how we can be sure that the number pi continues forever and never repeats - despite the fact we can never write down all its digits to check! She also makes the case that aliens would probably measure angles using pi because it’s a fundamental constant of the universe. NASA mission director Dr Marc Rayman drops in to explain how pi is used to navigate spacecraft around the solar system. And philosopher of physics Dr Eleanor Knox serves up some philoso-pi, revealing why some thinkers have found pi’s ubiquity so deeply mysterious. Hannah grins with delight for most of show. It’s all maths! Producer: Ilan Goodman Contributors: Matt Parker, Dr Vicky Neale, Dr Marc Rayman, Dr Eleanor Knox ... Read more

06 Sep 2022

35 MINS

35:56

06 Sep 2022

#126

The Suspicious Smell

Why are some smells so nasty and others so pleasant? Rutherford and Fry inhale the science of scent in this stinker of an episode. Our sleuths kick off with a guided tour of the airborne molecules and chemical receptors that power the sense of smell. Armed with a stack of pungent mini-flasks, Professor Matthew Cobb from the University of Manchester shows Hannah and Adam just how sensitive olfaction can be, and how our experience of some odours depends on our individual genetic make-up. Dr Ann-Sophie Barwich from Indiana University reveals how most everyday smells are complex combinations of hundreds of odorants, and how the poo-scented molecule of indole turns up in some extremely surprising places. With the help of a flavoured jellybean and some nose clips, Hannah experiences how smell is crucial to flavour, adding complexity and detail to the crude dimensions of taste. Speaking of food, listener Brychan Davies is curious about garlic and asparagus: why do they make us whiff? Professor Barry Smith from the Centre for the Study of the Senses reveals it's down to sulphur-containing compounds, and tells the story of how a cunning scientist managed to figure out the puzzle of asparagus-scented urine. Finally, another listener Lorena Busto Hurtado wants to know whether a person’s natural odour influences how much we like them. Barry Smith says yes - we may sniff each other out a bit like dogs - and cognitive neuroscientist Dr Rachel Herz points to evidence that bodily bouquet can even influence sexual attraction! Producer: Ilan Goodman Contributors: Professor Matthew Cobb, Professor Barry Smith, Dr Ann-Sophie Barwich, Dr Rachel Herz ... Read more

30 Aug 2022

38 MINS

38:47

30 Aug 2022

#125

The Wild and Windy Tale

How do winds start and why do they stop? asks Georgina from the Isle of Wight. What's more, listener Chris Elshaw is suprised we get strong winds at all: why doesn't air just move smoothly between areas of high and low pressure? Why do we get sudden gusts and violent storms? To tackle this breezy mystery, our curious duo don their anoraks and get windy with some weather experts. Dr Simon Clark, a science Youtuber and author of Firmament, convinces Adam that air flow is really about the physics of fluids, which can all be captured by some nifty maths. The idea of pressure turns out to be key, so Hannah makes her own barometer out of a jar, a balloon and some chopsticks, and explains why a bag of crisps will expand as you walk up a mountain. Professor Liz Bentley, Chief Executive of the Royal Meteorological Scoiety, reveals how the dynamics of a simple sea breeze – where air over land is heated more than air over water – illustrates the basic forces driving wind of all kinds. Then everyone gets involved to help Adam understand the tricky Coriolis effect and why the rotation of the Earth makes winds bend and storms spin. And Professor John Turner from the British Antarctic Survey explains why the distinctive features of the coldest continent make its coastline the windiest place on earth. Producer: Ilan Goodman Contributors: Dr Simon Clark, Professor Liz Bentley, Professor John Turner ... Read more

23 Aug 2022

38 MINS

38:55

23 Aug 2022

#124

The Case of The Missing Gorilla

DO WE HAVE YOUR ATTENTION? Good! But how does that work!? Our intrepid science sleuths explore why some things immediately catch your eye - or ear - while others slip by totally unnoticed. Even, on occasion, basketball bouncing gorillas. Professor Polly Dalton, a psychologist who leads The Attention Lab at Royal Holloway University, shares her surprising research into ‘inattentional blindness’ - when you get so absorbed in a task you can miss striking and unusual things going on right in front of you. Dr Gemma Briggs from the Open University reveals how this can have dangerous everyday consequences: you are four times more likely to have a crash if you talk on the phone while driving - even handsfree. Drs Rutherford and Fry also hear from stroke survivor Thomas Canning, who developed the tendency to ignore everything on the left side of space, despite his vision being totally intact. And Dr Tom Manly, from the University of Cambridge’s Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, helps our sleuths unpack the neuroscience of this fascinating condition. Producer: Ilan Goodman Contributors: Professor Polly Dalton, Dr Gemma Briggs, Dr Tom Manly ... Read more

16 Aug 2022

37 MINS

37:14

16 Aug 2022

#123

Silly Studies: The Pre-Series Tease

We asked you to send us the boldest, barmiest bits of published research you could find and, dear Curios, you didn't disappoint! It’s time for some silly science. ... Read more

09 Aug 2022

10 MINS

10:05

09 Aug 2022

#122

The Colour Conundrum

The world is full of colour! But, wonders listener Maya Crocombe, ‘how do we see colour and why are some people colour blind?’ Dr Rutherford and Professor Fry set out to understand how special light-sensitive cells in our eyes start the process of colour perception, why people sometimes have very different experiences of colour and whether, in the end, colour is really just ‘in our heads’. Dr Gabriele Jordan from Newcastle University explains why lots of men struggle to discriminate between certain colours and why there were lots of complaints from colour-blind viewers when Wales played Ireland at rugby. Professor Anya Hurlbert, also from Newcastle University, tackles the most divisive of internet images: The Dress! Did you see it as blue-black or yellow-gold? Anya explains why people see it so differently, and why our ability to compensate for available light is so useful. Finally, Dr Mazviita Chirimuuta, a philosopher at the University of Edinburgh, gives us her take on what all this means: are colours real, or just in our minds? If you want to see some of the images and activities referenced in the episode read on... To take the colour perception test which Hannah and Adam do in the epsiode, search for the 'Farnsworth Munsell Hue test' - you can do it online for free. To see the Dunstanborough Castle illusion as described in the episode, check out the Gallery section on the Curious Cases BBC website. To learn more about colour blindness, and for support and resources go to colourblindawareness.org Producer: Ilan Goodman First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2022. ... Read more

24 Mar 2022

35 MINS

35:56

24 Mar 2022

#121

The Turn of the Tide

Mathematician Hannah Fry and geneticist Adam Rutherford investigate your everyday science queries. They get stuck into two questions about tides. Lynn Godson wants to know why isn’t high tide at the same time at all points around the coast? Whilst Tim Mosedale asks, could we ever harness tidal power commercially? Did you think tides are caused by the pull of the Moon? And that they come in and out twice a day? Well, yes, that’s true but it turns out there’s so much more to it than that, especially here in the UK, which has the second largest tidal range in the world at the Seven Estuary near Bristol, coming in at an average of 15 metres (50ft in old money). But why should high and low tide times be so different even in places that are relatively close to each other? The answer partly lies in something called bathymetry (which has more to do with baths than you might think – well basins at any rate). As for harnessing sea power, there are some ambitious projects currently in development and predictions that wave and tidal could make up as much as 15 percent of the UK’s energy needs in future. But how realistic is this and how do you ensure that your power generators can survive the rigours of the ocean – storms, saltwater and all those pesky barnacles? To help answer these queries, Hannah and Adam are joined by Physicist and Oceanographer, Helen Czerski and Professor Deborah Greaves OBE, who heads up the COAST lab at the University of Plymouth which studies marine renewable energy technologies. Producers: Rami Tzabar and Jen Whyntie First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2022. ... Read more

17 Mar 2022

34 MINS

34:29

17 Mar 2022