<p>Darren Croft studies one of the ocean’s most charismatic and spectacular animals – the killer whale. Orca are probably best known for their predatory behaviour: ganging up to catch hapless seals or attack other whales. But for the last fifteen years, Darren Croft’s focus has been on a gentler aspect of killer whale existence: their family and reproductive ... Show More
Nov 3
The Life Scientific: Dame Pratibha Gai
Chemical reactions are the backbone of modern society: the energy we use, the medicines we take, our housing materials, even the foods we eat, are created by reacting different substances together. If we zoom in, it’s the atoms within these substances that rearrange themselves to ... Show More
26m 28s
Nov 2024
Why can't my dog live as long as me?
As we enter our teenage years, many of us feel like life is just getting started. But for dogs, celebrating a ‘teen’ birthday is a sign of old age, entering a phase when things start slowing down. Listener Susan was besotted with her beloved corgi Copper John and wants to know wh ... Show More
28m 44s
Sep 2023
Embryo Model, Sweat, Whale Vocal Fry. September 8, 2023, Part 1
<h2>Scientists Develop Human Embryo Model Without Sperm Or Eggs</h2><p>This week, research published in the journal <i>Nature</i> detailed a model of a <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/human-embryo-without-sperm-or-egg/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campai ... Show More
47m 7s
Jun 2025
Tim Coulson on how predators shape ecosystems and evolution
As a young man, traveling in Africa, Tim Coulson - now Professor of Zoology at the University of Oxford - became seriously ill with malaria and was told a second bout would probably kill him. Aged only 20, this brush with his own mortality led him to promise himself he would writ ... Show More
28m 36s
Aug 15
Why Do People Still Hunt Whales? (Update)
<p>For years, whale oil was used as lighting fuel, industrial lubricant, and the main ingredient in (yum!) margarine. Whale meat was also on a few menus. But today, demand for whale products is at a historic low. And yet some countries still have a whaling industry. We find out w ... Show More
37m 32s
Oct 2022
Flirting Cats, Walking Sharks, Preventing Cerebral Palsy
We discuss a new app that can translate a cat’s meow into human languages, how the Epaulette shark is teaching us about climate change, and a potential treatment that might prevent cerebral palsy.Flirting Cats “Did My Cat Just Hit On Me? An Adventure in Pet Translation” by Emily ... Show More
14m 27s
Feb 2024
Whale songs, fake fossils and "Forever Chemicals"
Dr Chris Smith and the Naked Scientist team present the latest science news, analysis and breakthroughs, In this week's episode...scientists unveil prehistoric cases of Down’s syndrome, but how did they find them? How whales really produce whale songs and the famous fake fossil t ... Show More
52m 41s