Naked Scientists Africa

This week we're looking into the causes of obesity and weight gain to find out how hormones play a role and also if the diet of a pregnant mother could affect the future health of her child. We also hear how the much hated Water Hyacinth weed is being removed in East Africa as well as find out about the Ugandan governments plans to remove Urban forests. Plus, in Question of the Week, we reveal the mystery of petrified wood.

In this Festive edition, the best combinations of food and drink to avoid indigestion over the Christmas period, safer ways to grill meat and we reveal if lightweight, carbon fibre bikes really are the fastest option. We also look back over 2010 to to remember some of the years key scientific developments, including the domestication of fruit trees across of Africa and the increase of western diseases due to urbanisation. Plus we find out what makes someone photogenic, in Question of the...

This week we hear the problems farmers face when storing cowpeas, one of Africas most nutritious and traded grains. We hear the challenges brought by pests and how scientists are developing new ways to store and keep the grain for longer. Plus, how bees see the world, how pilots could learn from falcons and we investigate if our blood is magnetic, in Question of the week!

Rural electrification is a big problem in Africa, with much of the continent "off grid". This week, we meet the bright sparks developing energy kiosks, who charge and maintain batteries for use in rural areas. In the news, why young people are more likely to fall victim to the flu, how a dose of worms controlled a man's inflammatory bowel disease and why the discovery of arsenic-loving bacteria is forcing us to rethink the chemistry of life. Plus, in Question of the Week, Diana gets to the...

In recognition of world AIDS day, which took place on the 1st December, we find out about recent developments in understanding and treating HIV, the agent which causes AIDS. We discover new insight into how the virus damages our immune system as well as discussing the difficulties of developing an HIV vaccine. In the news we explore the link between jet lag and forgetfulness and a new way to identify someone's age from their blood. In Question of the Week, Diana finds out what happens as the...

This week, we look into the problem of sewage and sanitation in Tanzania and reveal a new design of bicycle that could improve the cleanliness and efficiency of pit toilets in the slums of Dar es Salaam. We also hear how lasers can cut complications in cataract surgery, why some people are allergic to wine,hear the highlights from the world's biggest neuroscience meeting including the discovery of how the eye talks to the brain, and we hear how scientists have solved a long-standing mystery...

This week we map the link between Sickle Cell disease and Malaria to reveal why this disorder is so prevalent in the African population. We also investigate the science behind cancer to find a new way of making tumours vulnerable to attack and in the news we hear how a burst of electricity to the brain boosts mathematical ability, a new trick to block the brain damage done during a stroke and how bacteria protect themselves from viral attack. Plus, we're boiling with bees, in question of the...

This week, we continue our insight into Malaria to discover a new drug that could replace current drug quinine, to become the standard treatment to treat the disease. We also hear how happiness can be found here and now, why children tire so quickly when walking and how Earth became oxygenated 400,000 years earlier than we thought. Plus, we discover how many bees it takes to boil a human, in Question of the week!

This week, we investigate the role agriculture can play in improving the African economy with the launch of a new report looking into how Europe and Africa can partner in securing global food security, how African networks and leaders are developing initiatives to boost agricultural productivity and just how big an impact this boost can have. We also find out about a new super-waterproof fabric, discover how our brain decides what we should pay attenention to, get a new insight into how...

This week, we investigate the workings of the HIV virus to find out just how the virus hijacks our immune systemas well as discover a new form of tea bag that filters and sterilises water, to make it potable. Also, how the taste of bitterness could treat asthma, a revelation of vegetables in the diet of our stone-age ancestors, and gene therapy for depression!

This week, we investigate the aftermath of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa to find out how the sciences and the arts have been affected by this global tournament. We hear about the Wozela initiative to find new uses and functions for the infamous vuvuzela and find out how the film industry has also jumped onto the football bandwagon to give the world a further insight into health and life in Africa. Also, in the news, a new vaccine that could protect us from resistant forms of the...

This week we hear how scientists at the CSIR in South Africa are helping model and develop more accurate aeroplanes to make air travel more efficient, and how radio telescopes within the country have been modified for more precision. We also hear how not all fat cells are created as equals, a new form of implantable glucose sensor, how lillies use odour to trick pollinating fruit flies, and an insight into why women glow, yet men perspire! Plus, we stare up at the moon, in Question of the...

This week we discover a plant indigenous to South Africa that is being used to create stress-relieving drugs worldwide and how more of these native plants could be made use of in the future. We also find out about superior solar cells, how our brains choose which hand we should use and discover a new way to catch drug traffickers in the act! Plus, we investigate if it's possible for a ball to roll uphill, in Question of the Week!

This week, we hear about a clinical trial in Kenya that could offer hope for a vaccination against Tuberculosis. We also discover how the Malaria parasite spread into humans, how nerve repair has provided insight into the spread of cancer and get a new insight into how we perceive pain. Plus, we find out if it's safe to eat the core of a fruit, in question of the week!

This week, we investigate the falling population numbers of the Giant Sable in Angola and find out how conservationists are trying to fight their extinction. We also hear how light pollution is affecting bird breeding habits, find a vital clue in the workings of anti-depressants and reveal a new insight into the moon's craters. Plus, we find out if olive oil really is healthier, in Question of the week!

This week, we investigate why non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease, are on the rise in South Africa and what can be done to ease the problem. We also find out about self-cleaning solar cells, a new method of treating cancer and how if we act now, we may be able to prevent some of the concerns about climate change. Plus, we sniff out the smell of rain, in quesion of the Week!

This week we explore the impact of climate change in Africa and what residents as well as scientists and governments can do to ease the problem. We also find out about a new anti-malarial drug that could prove useful in the fight against resistance. Plus, we investigate how the square kilometre array could help us see further into the universe than ever before!

This week we explore the potential of genome-wide association studies in Africa to see how this can provide information on susceptibility to diseases such as Tuberculosis but also provide insight into the human population as a whole. We also dig deep into the field of archaeology to find out what the ancient Romans had on their daily menus as well as discover what ancient faeces can tell about a population. Plus, we reveal how mosquitoes sniff out their human targets!

We find out how an extract from crab shells could make low cost, antibacterial bandages in this week's programme, as well as explore our oceans. We'll investigate the impact of oil spills on shorelines and wetlands, and find out how climate change is altering Antarctica. Plus, in Question of the Week, Diana O'Carroll finds out why we struggle to remember our dreams...

This week, we discover the rift in Ethiopia that's expanding and spliiting Africa apart. We'll find out what the future holds and the opportunities for Ethiopians to use it to their advantage. Plus, we meet our oldest walking ancestor, explore some of the latest satellite technology and, in Question of the Week, we find out why copper compounds are so colourful!