logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2023
37m 54s

What does flying do to my body?

Bbc World Service
About this episode
Compared to the entirety of human existence, our history of flying in aeroplanes is very short indeed. So what does this fast form of travel do to bodies that have evolved for land-based living? That's what listener Sofia wants to know after working as a flight attendant for over a decade. What effect does working at 35,000 feet have on one's health? How di ... Show More
Up next
Yesterday
Where did Earth’s water come from?
Here's a conundrum that has captivated scientists: when Earth formed 4.5 billion years ago, our planet was essentially a ball of molten rock. Any water that might have been present during the planet's formation would surely have boiled away immediately. Yet today, water covers ab ... Show More
31m 13s
Jul 4
Can we harness solar energy from other stars?
Listener Dickson Mukisa from Uganda has been gazing up at the stars. But he’s not making wishes. He wants to know whether we can harness their energy, in the same way we do with our OWN star – the sun. After all, they may seem small and twinkly to us, but each one is a gigantic f ... Show More
26m 28s
Jun 27
Why are twins special?
No one really cares that CrowdScience listener Sam has a younger brother, but they do care about his sister. In fact, they’re fascinated by her. That’s because Sam and his sister are fraternal twins. He’s been wondering all his life why he’s treated differently. Could it be cultu ... Show More
26m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2024
Is turbulence injuring more and more flyers?
After a number of incidents around the world so far this year that have left dozens of flyers needing hospital treatment, we look at how a rise in air turbulence because of global warming is leading to more and more injuries to passengers.Professor Paul Williams from the Universi ... Show More
26m 28s
Oct 2022
Odd Quirks of the Human Brain & A Peek Behind the Scenes of Air Travel
You have likely never ordered a milkshake from room service at a hotel because milkshakes are most likely not on the room service menu. Still, if a hotel has a kitchen there is a good chance they have ice cream milk and a blender which is what you need to make a milkshake. So why ... Show More
48m 43s
Nov 2023
Flying Cars & Pilotless Planes with NASA Engineer, Wendy Okolo, PhD.
How would flying on Mars be different? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Matt Kirshen explore aeronautics, aerodynamics, airplanes and more with NASA aerospace engineer and author Wendy Okolo, PhD. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here:  ht ... Show More
47m 3s
May 2020
Can The Aviation Industry Afford To Keep You Safe?
The aviation industry is wrestling with ways to control the coronavirus and get people back to flying. Airports have seen a 90 percent drop in passengers since mid-March. But as states ease lockdown restrictions, more people are expected to fly. Airports today are starting to mak ... Show More
13m 51s
Mar 2023
Ep 115 Altitude Sickness: Balloons though?
In our episode on the bends, you joined us as we explored how low we can go. Now we’re back with a similar invitation: come along to learn how high we can fly (and what happens to our bodies when we get up there). In this very special episode, we examine the short-term effects an ... Show More
2h 1m
Jun 2022
What's up with airline food?
Aeroplane food doesn’t have the greatest reputation. Though it might be easy to blame an airline for serving lacklustre meals, the problem is more complex. Ruth Alexander discovers how the physics of flying wreaks havoc on our senses, the extraordinary lengths airlines have gone ... Show More
27m 56s
Jun 2022
Body scan reveals HIV's hideouts
Researchers have developed a medical imaging technique which reveals where in the body HIV lies hidden, even when people have their infection well controlled by antiviral drugs. The team at the University of California, San Francisco hope this will lead to better treatments and e ... Show More
1 h
Mar 2023
Do you know about airplanes? ✈️
Did you know? In this episode we are going to learn about airplanes. We will answer some questions that have been sent in by our listeners and we are also going to look at the four principles that allow an airplane to fly which are lift, thrust, drag, and weight. We look at the d ... Show More
24m 30s