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
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Why do I find silence unbearable?
Fri 16 Jan 2026
Silence is either blood-curdling or blissful – but is it a sign of danger?
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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?
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Did I inherit my laugh?
Fri 2 Jan 2026
Can a laugh be passed down between generations? Caroline Steel has a giggle finding out.
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Can you play the guitar underwater?
Fri 12 Dec 2025
We explore underwater acoustics in search of a new music sensation
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Can we turn deserts green?
Fri 5 Dec 2025
How desalination, fog capture and towing icebergs could bring water to the driest places
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How big is a rainbow?
Fri 28 Nov 2025
Are all rainbows the same size or are some larger than others?
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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?
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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?
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Why do people love horror films?
Thu 30 Oct 2025
The scary science and terrifying truths behind people's love of horror films
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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
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Can we record our senses?
Fri 17 Oct 2025
Can we record what it's like to taste, smell, or touch something?
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Why are some animals black and white?
Fri 3 Oct 2025
Why are zebras so stripy? Why do penguins wear tuxedos?
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Answers to even more questions
Fri 26 Sep 2025
Questions inspired by previous episodes of CrowdScience
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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
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Will drinking milk help me live longer?
Fri 5 Sep 2025
Is drinking milk good for us, or an unnecessary habit?
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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?
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How does camouflage work?
Fri 22 Aug 2025
Where does military camouflage come from? And can you hide your body’s heat signature?
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How long does light last?
Fri 15 Aug 2025
Trying to catch a glimpse of the oldest stuff in the universe
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How are teeth made?
Fri 1 Aug 2025
What are teeth made of and why can’t we have unlimited replacements, like sharks?
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Trailer: 13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle
Mon 28 Jul 2025
The epic space story of a sci-fi dream that changed spaceflight forever
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Could technology improve our brains?
Fri 25 Jul 2025
Can technology restore memories or cure the symptoms of neurodegenerative conditions?
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What if the Earth spun backwards?
Fri 18 Jul 2025
If planet Earth spun backwards, would life still be the same?
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Where did Earth’s water come from?
Fri 11 Jul 2025
Seventy percent of our planet is covered in water, but where did it all come from?
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Can we harness solar energy from other stars?
Fri 4 Jul 2025
Can we harness the energy of the stars?
