logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2020
37m 44s

Do animals exercise?

Bbc World Service
About this episode

At Christmas, is there a better gift than knowledge? CrowdScience has cooked up its own version of 'secret Santa', with members of the team setting one another the challenge of answering surprising questions from all over the world.

Are humans the only animals to exercise? Can you get colder than absolute zero? Why are sounds louder at night? When it comes to food dropped on the floor, is there such thing as the "three second rule"? And, does honey really have healing properties?

Producers and presenters from the CrowdScience team speak to all manner of experts, from zoologists through to material scientists, to find the answers.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producer: Caroline Steel

Up next
Jan 30
Why do I tan more in the US?
CrowdScience listener Namrata and presenter Chhavi Sachdev have something in common. They both get more tanned in the summer in the United States than back home in India. Namrata wants to know why she came back from her run in Boston with such a deep tan and doesn’t have the same ... Show More
26m 28s
Jan 23
Do fish know what they look like?
There’s something fishy going on in the Czech Republic, where CrowdScience listener Ian lives. He keeps tropical fish, and he’s noticed that when he adds new ones to his tank, they swim with others of the same breed. He wants to know how they recognise each other. Do they know wh ... Show More
26m 28s
Jan 16
Why do I find silence unbearable?
Is silence blood-curdling or blissful? CrowdScience listener Ziqi finds it intolerable and thinks that there’s a good reason for it – silence is so rare in nature that it could be a signal for danger. Presenter Marnie Chesterton is on a mission to test Ziqi’s theory, starting wit ... Show More
26m 27s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2011
Have you heard about the bird?
How do birds hear if they have a hole through their heads? Where does matter come from? Just some of the questions put to Dr Karl this week for the Up All Night science phone in. 
49m 42s
Jun 2023
Rewilding, Allergy Season, Sharing Science Rejections. June 2, 2023, Part 1
<p>Could Restoring Animal Populations Store More Carbon?</p> <p>Did you know that land and ocean ecosystems absorb about half of the carbon dioxide we emit each year? But what if the earth had the capacity to absorb even more? With the help of some furry, scaly, and leathery crit ... Show More
47m 3s
Jan 2024
The Science of the South Pole
We’re on board the RSS Sir David Attenborough for the vessel’s first big science season in the Antarctic, since it launched in 2020. It’s crewed by scientists involved in Project Biopole, a 5-year mission attempting to better understand carbon cycle at the poles. Nadine Johnston, ... Show More
28m 12s
Dec 2024
Hollywood lied to us: Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
<p>Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer is a Christmas classic... but how much do we really know about reindeer? </p><p>In the last instalment of "Hollywood lied to us" for 2024, Ann Jones fact-checks the festive fairytale for biological accuracy.</p><p>What would it take for a reindee ... Show More
25m 2s
Nov 12
How Science Can Hack Flavor
Will eating mint cancel out the feeling of spice in your mouth? How do you manipulate aroma compounds to mimic the taste of lemon? When it comes to the science of flavor, there is no shortage of questions to ask. On this episode, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by renowned flavor ... Show More
30m 20s
Dec 2024
Health, Astronomy, And Climate Experts On 2024’s Coolest Science
<p>It’s been an exciting and hectic year in science discovery and innovation. We’ve reported on stories from across many fields of science—from city climate plans and panda conservation to AI energy consumption and the spread of bird flu.</p><p>Earlier this month, Ira sat down in ... Show More
48m 47s
Aug 2024
Summer picks: what can our dogs teach us about obesity?
Labradors are known for being greedy dogs, and now scientists have come up with a theory about the genetic factors that may be behind their behaviour. In this episode from April 2024, the Guardian’s science correspondent and flat-coated retriever owner Nicola Davis visits the Uni ... Show More
20m 44s
Jan 2025
What Scientists Have Learned From 125 Years Of Bird Counts
<p>This winter marks the 125th year of <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/125-years-audubon-christmas-bird-count/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count,</a> in which bird nerds across the Western Hemisp ... Show More
18m 22s
May 2024
Do we need a new model of cosmology?
Earlier this week, some of the world's leading astrophysicists came together at The Royal Society to question the very nature of our Universe. Does the Lambda Cold Dark Matter model, which explains the evolution of the cosmos and the Big Bang, need a rethink? Dr Chris North, an a ... Show More
31m 39s
Nov 2010
Why do Men's Bits Shrink in the Cold?
How heavy is the Earth? How do snakes digest huge meals? Should I fear falling bullets? We take on these questions and more in this Naked Scientists Question and Answer show! We'll discuss the ideal hair for head lice, the mechanics of using a straw and why men's bits shrink in t ... Show More
1 h