CrowdScience Podcast
We take your questions about life, Earth and the universe to researchers hunting for answers at the frontiers of knowledge.
Episodes to download
![]()
Do multiple choice questions make us biased?
Last Friday
CrowdScience listener Griffith asks why a multiple choice quiz answer is rarely ‘a’.
![]()
Why do I tan more in the US?
Fri 30 Jan 2026
Namrata tans more in Boston than in India, and she wants to know why
![]()
Do fish know what they look like?
Fri 23 Jan 2026
Are there self-aware shoals of fish drifting through our oceans?
![]()
Why do I find silence unbearable?
Fri 16 Jan 2026
Silence is either blood-curdling or blissful – but is it a sign of danger?
![]()
How do cicadas know what season it is?
Fri 9 Jan 2026
How do these enigmatic insects know that the time is right to emerge into the light?
![]()
Did I inherit my laugh?
Fri 2 Jan 2026
Can a laugh be passed down between generations? Caroline Steel has a giggle finding out.
![]()
![]()
![]()
Can you play the guitar underwater?
Fri 12 Dec 2025
We explore underwater acoustics in search of a new music sensation
![]()
Can we turn deserts green?
Fri 5 Dec 2025
How desalination, fog capture and towing icebergs could bring water to the driest places
![]()
How big is a rainbow?
Fri 28 Nov 2025
Are all rainbows the same size or are some larger than others?
![]()
Why do we cry?
Fri 21 Nov 2025
Only humans cry emotional tears, whether it’s tears of sadness or tears of joy. But why?
![]()
Do tsunamis affect marine life?
Fri 14 Nov 2025
Tsunamis cause huge destruction on land, but what’s it like for life under the waves?
![]()
![]()
Why do people love horror films?
Thu 30 Oct 2025
The scary science and terrifying truths behind people's love of horror films
![]()
Should we help maggots and caterpillars?
Fri 24 Oct 2025
How do we learn to love the unsung insects that do so much good in gardens and farms
![]()
Can we record our senses?
Fri 17 Oct 2025
Can we record what it's like to taste, smell, or touch something?
![]()
![]()
Why are some animals black and white?
Fri 3 Oct 2025
Why are zebras so stripy? Why do penguins wear tuxedos?
![]()
Answers to even more questions
Fri 26 Sep 2025
Questions inspired by previous episodes of CrowdScience
![]()
Do birds understand us?
Fri 19 Sep 2025
Listener David can mimic bird calls, but he wants to know if his chirps have any meaning
![]()
![]()
Will drinking milk help me live longer?
Fri 5 Sep 2025
Is drinking milk good for us, or an unnecessary habit?
![]()
How long will traces of our civilisation last?
Fri 29 Aug 2025
If intelligent life visits Earth millions of years from now, will they find traces of us?
![]()
How does camouflage work?
Fri 22 Aug 2025
Where does military camouflage come from? And can you hide your body’s heat signature?
![]()
How long does light last?
Fri 15 Aug 2025
Trying to catch a glimpse of the oldest stuff in the universe
![]()
![]()
How are teeth made?
Fri 1 Aug 2025
What are teeth made of and why can’t we have unlimited replacements, like sharks?
![]()
Trailer: 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle
Mon 28 Jul 2025
The epic space story of a sci-fi dream that changed spaceflight forever
![]()
Could technology improve our brains?
Fri 25 Jul 2025
Can technology restore memories or cure the symptoms of neurodegenerative conditions?
