Dr Karl's Great Moments in Science Podcasts

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Why is poo brown? We eat foods of many different colours, but they always come out the other end in shades of brown and yellow. Dr Karl travels through the human body to find out why. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Ice-cream headache is a real pain Why do some people get a headache when they eat ice cream (or drink something very cold)? Dr Karl explains the painful truth. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Chopping onions doesn't need to end in tears When you cut onions, why do you cry? Dr Karl has the answer. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Crying theories bring tears to your eyes While it is commonly claimed that a good-ol' cry is good for you, there is actually little scientific evidence to back it up. Dr Karl readies his handkerchief for the truth behind the original tear-jerker. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Tears a sad fact of life There's nothing like a good sob to let your emotions out. Dr Karl's explanation of why we cry is sure to bring you tears of joy. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Antibiotics a gut-wrenching lottery If you are sick and need to take antibiotics then you roll the dice over what happens to the bacteria in your gut. Dr Karl puts the bacteria that live in your digestive system under the microscope. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Bacteria balance a gutsy battle A big part of your body mass is in a place you may not know exists. Dr Karl bites in to some juicy facts about the bacteria in your gut. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Madonna popcorn diet all puff There are many pop diets about, and some are downright dangerous to your health. Dr Karl looks at the good, the bad and the ghastly effects of living entirely on popcorn. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Perfect popcorn cracks under pressure With a shell that can withstand 90 tonnes of pressure per square metre, it takes some serious heat to crack a corn's kernel. Dr Karl probes the pathway to perfect popping. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Antibiotics beef up bacteria burger The general use of antibiotics in farmed animals may mean we pay a greater public health price. But, as Dr Karl explains, you may be surprised where the resistant bacteria become most dangerous. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Nose for nuance guarantees good taste Is smell important to how you enjoy your food? Dr Karl knows of at least five sensible reasons why when you taste what you eat you also smell it. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Obesity may be catching Recent research is revealing that some types of weight gain are caused by an infectious virus. Dr Karl sheds light on a study some may find bittersweet. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Fat-busting bacteria not a hard act to swallow How much energy you get from the food you eat may be determined by the bacteria in your stomach. Dr Karl chews on some tasty findings to reveal what decides your final body weight. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Microbes may make us fat We are only now beginning to understand the microbes living in your gut. Dr Karl examines your insides to see how these microbes can affect your weight. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Panda diet bamboozles animal experts Although having the digestion of a meat-eater, giant pandas survive almost exclusively on a vegetarian diet. Dr Karl sinks his teeth in to one bamboozling diet. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Developed digestion proves people more microbe than man Without microbes in our gut, humans would be thinner, smaller and lacking in energy. Dr Karl delves deep to discover the intricacies of human digestion. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Human poo transplant treats gut-wrenching disease As unusual as it sounds we still have no real idea of what lives in our gut. Dr Karl has a tale of a rather uncommon, and very successful, treatment for a bowel infection. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Asparagus 'science' on the nose Scientists are still struggling to know exactly what causes smelly asparagus pee. Dr Karl fishes around for the elusive answer to an annoying stink. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Asparagus smell left ancients aghast Asparagus has been part of people's diet since at least the time of the ancient Greek philosophers. But Dr Karl doesn't quite understand why they didn't seem to have smelly post-asparagus eating pee. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Asparagus smell causes real stink Ever noticed that stench in your wee after eating asparagus? Dr Karl creates a stink about the bad and good aspects of this less-than-appealing smell. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Ancient nuclear waste is a mellow yellow One of the big problems with using nuclear power is what to do with the waste. Dr Karl reveals that our planet has a history of dealing with spent uranium. (First published 1 March 2007.) Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Amityville authors' haunt a hoax Tales of demonic manifestations abound in modern culture. Dr Karl raises from the ashes a popular paranormal fabrication. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Amityville truth a shocking horror Many people enjoy being scared out of their skin at the movies. Dr Karl peeks from behind his hands to reveal the truth behind one of the most famous horror stories of all. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 'Golden age' of pirates walks the plank Despite popular perception, pirates shoving folks overboard is somewhat overstated. Buccaneering myth-buster, Dr Karl, sets out to despatch a well-sailed ship of fools. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Pirate history thrown overboard Much has been written about pirates of bygone times. So Dr Karl sorts the trash from the treasure for some myth-busting booty. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 'Hygienic' hand dryer hypothesis blows hot air Many believe that those warm-air dryers in public toilets are there to improve public health. But Dr Karl sees other motives behind their installation. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Clean hand-blower theory runs dry Washing your hands is an important part of staying healthy. But professional obsessional, Dr Karl, says it matters a lot more how you dry them. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Frog fable brought to boil Popular theories abound regarding the frog that never jumps from water slowly rising to boiling point. But these tall tales make Dr Karl hopping mad. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Frog fable brought to boil Popular theories abound regarding the frog that never jumps from water slowly rising to boiling point. But these tall tales make Dr Karl hopping mad. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Myth leaves frogs in hot water Frogs are extremely sensitive creatures, but some people still believe you can boil a frog without it noticing. Dr Karl hops on the cause against this cold-blooded practice. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Myth leaves frogs in hot water Frogs are extremely sensitive creatures, but some people still believe you can boil a frog without it noticing. Dr Karl hops on the cause against this cold-blooded practice. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Odds-on, lightning will strike twice Just why it that lightning is likely to strike in the same place more than once? Dr Karl strikes again with a flash report. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Odds-on, lightning will strike twice Just why it that lightning is likely to strike in the same place more than once? Dr Karl strikes again with a flash report. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Lightning's second strike unlucky for some Being struck by lightning is an experience best avoided. But, according to Dr Karl, standing in the same spot as a previous lightning strike may not be enough to save you. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Lightning's second strike unlucky for some Being struck by lightning is an experience best avoided. But, according to Dr Karl, standing in the same spot as a previous lightning strike may not be enough to save you. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Teething toddlers down in mouth Is there a link between teething and serious infant illness? Dr Karl wraps his laughing gear around the latest research to get to the tasty tid-bits. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Teething toddlers down in mouth Is there a link between teething and serious infant illness? Dr Karl wraps his laughing gear around the latest research to get to the tasty tid-bits. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Skipping stone secrets launch maximum spin There's more to getting a stone to skip than simply throwing a flat rock in to the water. Dr Karl comes to grips with a more scientific approach to skipping stones. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Skipping stone secrets launch maximum spin There's more to getting a stone to skip than simply throwing a flat rock in to the water. Dr Karl comes to grips with a more scientific approach to skipping stones. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Bouncing bombs sink like skipping stones There are lots of rather instructive, and destructive, uses for skipping stones. Dr Karl throws some back-spin on the back story of some famous dam-busting bombs. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Bouncing bombs sink like skipping stones There are lots of rather instructive, and destructive, uses for skipping stones. Dr Karl throws some back-spin on the back story of some famous dam-busting bombs. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Friday the 13th phobia simply bad luck In folklore, there are ample examples of misadventure happening to things associated with the number 13. Fingers crossed, Dr Karl reveals the mischief of such mayhem. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Friday the 13th phobia simply bad luck In folklore, there are ample examples of misadventure happening to things associated with the number 13. Fingers crossed, Dr Karl reveals the mischief of such mayhem. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Superstitious have Friday on their mind Friday the 13th gives some folks the jitters, believing it to be the unluckiest of days. Yet, being forever skeptical, Dr Karl thinks superstition's writing is on the wall. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Superstitious have Friday on their mind Friday the 13th gives some folks the jitters, believing it to be the unluckiest of days. Yet, being forever sceptical, Dr Karl thinks superstition's writing is on the wall. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Cow burps bump up methane Methane is a serious greenhouse gas. But which end of the cow does it come from? Dr Karl takes a look. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Cow burps bump up methane Methane is a serious greenhouse gas. But which end of the cow does it come from? Dr Karl takes a look. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Methane myth gives cattle a bum steer Are cattle and other livestock the source of much of the greenhouse gases that concern us today? Dr Karl chews it over. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Methane myth gives cattle a bum steer Are cattle and other livestock the source of much of the greenhouse gases that concern us today? Dr Karl chews it over. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Hot water hand washing a tepid tale Is hot water necessary for effective hand washing? Dr Karl gets scrubbing for some handy hints on hygiene. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Hot water hand washing a tepid tale Is hot water necessary for effective hand washing? Dr Karl gets scrubbing for some handy hints on hygiene. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Soap's tale comes out in the wash People have been using soap probably for 5000 years. Dr Karl gets down and dirty to get the facts on washing. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Soap's tale comes out in the wash People have been using soap probably for 5000 years. Dr Karl gets down and dirty to get the facts on washing. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Sleight-of-hand a trick of the eye Magicians rely on illusions that have a basis in understanding how our brains work. Dr Karl steps out of the lab and on to the stage to pull more than a rabbit out of his hat. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Sleight-of-hand a trick of the eye Magicians rely on illusions that have a basis in understanding how our brains work. Dr Karl steps out of the lab and on to the stage to pull more than a rabbit out of his hat. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Tricks of the mind a magical mystery The promise of instant psychic powers can be attractive to some. Dr Karl dons his magician's cape to let you all in on a secret. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Tricks of the mind a magical mystery The promise of instant psychic powers can be attractive to some. Dr Karl dons his magician's cape to let you all in on a secret. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Spoon shenanigans bend the truth Dr Karl loves a bit of magic. But he won't be forking out cash to watch someone bend a spoon. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Spoon shenanigans bend the truth Dr Karl loves a bit of magic. But he won't be forking out cash to watch someone bend a spoon. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Clean hands wash away moral dilemmas Being clean and feeling virtuous are closely linked. Dr Karl scrubs away at the evidence and discovers the amazing symbolism associated with washing your hands. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Clean hands wash away moral dilemmas Being clean and feeling virtuous are closely linked. Dr Karl scrubs away at the evidence and discovers the amazing symbolism associated with washing your hands. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Clean hands get germ-free There are numerous benefits that pour forth from staying clean. Dr Karl puts his hands together for the simple act of digital drenching. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Clean hands get germ-free There are numerous benefits that pour forth from staying clean. Dr Karl puts his hands together for the simple act of digital drenching. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Superficial scholarship sends 'Eskimo' myth snowballing Laying claim to knowing everything about another people's culture can be hazardous. Dr Karl lifts the lid on the modern-day snow-job done on the Eskimo peoples' culture. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Superficial scholarship sends 'Eskimo' myth snowballing Laying claim to knowing everything about another people's culture can be hazardous. Dr Karl lifts the lid on the modern-day snow-job done on the Eskimo people's culture. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Snow blind tale puts words in 'Eskimo' mouths Apparently Eskimos know all about snow, and we think we know all about what Eskimos call it. But Dr Karl reckons there are hundreds of reasons to not believe the hype. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Snow blind tale puts words in 'Eskimo' mouths Apparently Eskimos know all about snow, and we think we know all about what Eskimos call it. But Dr Karl reckons there are hundreds of reasons to not believe the hype. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Eskimo languages snowed under by myth There are many Eskimo peoples each speaking vastly different languages and dialects. So Dr Karl unpacks his snow-shovel to dig up some lesser-known facts. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Eskimo languages snowed under by myth There are many Eskimo peoples each speaking vastly different languages and dialects. So Dr Karl unpacks his snow-shovel to dig up some lesser-known facts. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Moon's rotation a passing phase Although it's always there, many people have little idea about the workings of our nearest neighbour. Resident lunar-tic, Dr Karl, has been gazing at the Moon and faces facts. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Moon's rotation a passing phase Although it's always there, many people have little idea about the workings of our nearest neighbour. Resident lunar-tic, Dr Karl, has been gazing at the Moon and faces facts. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Big bite dino one hungry beast From top to bottom, T-rex had many, ahem, revealing secrets about how and what it ate. Dr Karl snaps on the rubber gloves to examine the entrails of one fascinating dinosaur. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Big bite dino one hungry beast From top to bottom, T-rex had many, ahem, revealing secrets about how and what it ate. Dr Karl snaps on the rubber gloves to examine the entrails of one fascinating dinosaur. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | T-rex protected in name only We know that the dinosaurs came to a dreadful end. But Dr Karl thinks that there was at least one beast that ruled them all. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | T-rex protected in name only We know that the dinosaurs came to a dreadful end. But Dr Karl thinks that there was at least one beast that ruled them all. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Asteroid impact ignites earthly apocalypse Our planet was not a good place to be 65 million years ago, when the dinosaurs were made extinct. Dr Karl isn't one to get all apocalyptic, but for once he looks at what could truly be described as hell on Earth. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Asteroid impact ignites earthly apocalypse Our planet was not a good place to be 65 million years ago, when the dinosaurs were made extinct. Dr Karl isn't one to get all apocalyptic, but for once he looks at what could truly be described as hell on Earth. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Extinction event a real blast Quite a show was put on by the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs some 65 million years ago. This has inspired Dr Karl to pull out his glad rags for one of Earth's original blasts from the past. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Extinction event a real blast Quite a show was put on by the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs some 65 million years ago. This has inspired Dr Karl to pull out his glad rags for one of Earth's original blasts from the past. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Colossal crater clue to dino disaster If a super-massive asteroid struck the Earth millions of years ago, then how did it destroy all non-avian dinosaurs worldwide? Dr Karl has been digging around for answers. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Dinosaur debate on for young and old What is known about dinosaurs is increasing all the time. Dr Karl has been digging around to understand their rise and ultimate decline. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Birds are dinosaurs after all The family connection between birds and dinosaurs is amazing. So much so you could knock Dr Karl over with a feather. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Dinosaur-bird connection a thing of the past There are amazing family connections between the birds we see today and the dinosaurs of the distant past. We know this because a little birdie told Dr Karl. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Dinosaurs' success sucked from thin air You may be familiar with how dinosaurs came to a nasty end. But Dr Karl is puzzled by how they began in the first place. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Once-only button pushers get green light Dr Karl has been leaning on a lamp post wondering why, in our up-to-the-minute, fully-downloadable world, we aren't prepared to wait for anything? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Poisonous potato lacks appeal What can you do to avoid falling foul of the 'killer potato'? Dr Karl digs a little deeper to uncover the potentially lethal characteristics of the common spud. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Poisonous potato no small fry Dr Karl is all for healthy eating. But that won't stop him telling you about the potentially lethal characteristic of the common spud. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Clash of Titan's winds shape its sandy dunes The size and shape of dunes on Titan follow a strikingly similar pattern to those on Earth. Like sands through the hourglass, Dr Karl ponders the dunes on the Saturnian moon. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Extraterrestrial life a Titanic question On the moon Titan you can see some extraordinary things. Dr Karl gets suited-up for a trip to one of our galaxy's planetary wonders. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Gender 'theories' spread tattle tales It's not true that women talk more than men. So, of course, Dr Karl has more to say about that. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 'Talkative women' is gender gibberish Dr Karl talks a lot because talking about stuff is his job. Even so, he was very surprised when he heard that women have more to say than men. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Tourette's tics drive sufferers to distraction The majority of people diagnosed with Tourette syndrome never do the rude stuff. Dr Karl thinks you'd mostly never even know that someone had the condition. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 'Swearing' syndrome a sensational screamer Tourette syndrome can manifest itself in more than coarse words repeated over and over again. Dr Karl swears there's more to it than that. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Earth didn't always breathe easy It's that not hard to take things for granted, particularly the air we breathe. Yet, according to Dr Karl, the oxygen level on Earth has gone up and down, and up again. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 'Gas-saving' schemes leave little spark There are so many schemes and products on the market today that claim to improve your car's fuel efficiency that you would hope at least one would work. Alas, Dr Karl learnt his lesson a long time ago. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Fuel additives lack firepower Just like snake oil sellers, proponents of 'gas-saving' additives have next to no evidence to base their claims. So Dr Karl headed out on the highway looking for a venture. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Fuel additives' claims rev up the facts Petrol isn't cheap and how to get the best value from the pump is a concern for all motorists. Resident rev-head, Dr Karl, finds out if it is possible to improve your car's fuel economy. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Cockroach stomping a no-brainer Everyone has had to take on a kitchen-corner cockroach, and chances are you failed to flatten your quarry. Dr Karl has been down on all fours to work out the cockie's elusive ways. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Female hyenas have last laugh Not until the 1930s could modern science easily tell the difference between girl and boy hyenas. Dr Karl has been getting up close and personal with one of nature's original gender benders. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Hyena hunting habits claim lion's share Although considered the least fussy of eaters, the truth about hyenas is very different. Dr Karl has been scavenging around for morsels of evidence. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Horrible hyena a real pussycat Hyenas have one of the worst reputations in the animal world. Dr Karl thinks the myths surrounding hyenas are no laughing matter. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Cranberries just the juice for nasty infection Dr Karl looks at a simple, natural remedy for a common, uncomfortable complaint. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Painful wee issue worse for women Modern medicine has made giant leaps in treating life's little nasties. But Dr Karl says there are still some simple infections we can't get rid of. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Earth measurement given some stick Could you measure the circumference of the Earth using only a stick, a ruler and some simple maths? Dr Karl recounts an ancient tale of someone who could. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Good-natured lifestyle nurtures cancer-fighting DNA Dr Karl continues his look at epigenetics and how the latest research into DNA is helping fight cancer. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Bee gene research solves royal riddle Dr Karl continues his look at the amazing world of epigenetics and the inner workings of your DNA. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Ladder of life mysteries amaze Dr Karl looks at the amazing world of epigenetics, the things that are going on in your DNA. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | DNA spit tests need polish It seems you can buy just about anything over your mobile phone, even a DNA test! But Dr Karl warns you may be hard-pressed getting your money's worth. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Genetics maps path to pain-free future If you're in terrible pain, then the medical drugs collectively known as opiates will have been prescribed to you. But the dosage for one might not be right for another, and Dr Karl explains why. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Medicine for the masses not for everyone The world is a kinder place thanks to modern medications. But Dr Karl thinks you should know that a medicine that works well for some, won't work for all. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Choleric waters still run deep with disease With 884 million people globally not having access to clean drinking water, it comes as no surprise that cholera keeps on killing. Dr Karl explains arguably the most important medical discovery of the 20th century. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Killer cholera begins where other diseases end Dr Karl continues his examination of the causes, effects and treatments for cholera. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Cholera's prevention preferable to its cure Many people on Earth are vulnerable to dreadful diseases that we don't normally give a thought to. Dr Karl looks at the causes and effects of cholera. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Shroud stalwarts scorn science Scientific tests confirm that the image appearing on a Turin burial cloth is a fabrication. Dr Karl unwraps the mystery to resurrect a shrouded, centuries-old answer. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Evidence snubbed by famous shroud faithful Believing in the authenticity of the famous shroud of Turin is one thing but what of the science? Dr Karl scours the evidence in an attempt to see the light. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Some life left in holy relic For many Christians, the shroud of Turin is proof of the resurrection miracle. Dr Karl can't quite believe what he sees. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Hopping head lice hunch brushed aside When it comes to truth Dr Karl is one of the biggest nitpickers around. But he's left scratching around for facts about head lice. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Zero gravity gets lost in space Astronauts bounce leisurely across the moon because of low gravity, but why do they float weightlessly inside their spacecraft? Dr Karl is a space cadet from way back and knows what's going on. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Off meat arguments off balance Opinions vary about what you should or shouldn't eat, but can your well-rounded diet be unbalanced by eating meat? Dr Karl gives that theory a grilling. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Modern take on medieval method falls flat How on earth was it that people believed the world was flat? Dr Karl wonders whether they ever did. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Follicle fussiness too much like splitting hairs Almost everyone has a 'bad hair day', but what kind of hair, curly or straight, is more prone to tangles and knots? Dr Karl combs through the statistics. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Equinox egg-balancing tale cracks open Could it be true that on one special day of the year an egg can stand upright on its end without wobbling away? Dr Karl has been trying to crack the case. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Military myth puts lead in bromide's pencil You'd have noticed that keeping the lid on the libido of some adult male sporting teams has proved difficult. Dr Karl has been up the barracks to examine the use of the stuff that's rumoured to control soldiers. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Water-powered engine theories need hosing down Will we one day be able to power cars with water? Dr Karl has had a look to see if the idea floats. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Car brake technique spins out of control Dr Karl loves driving and values regular practice. And the most important skill to master is correct emergency braking. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Sports drink mantra dilutes the facts To quench your thirst, should you reach out for a sports drink or stick to what comes out of the tap? Dr Karl has been testing the water. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Foolproof fingerprints decree folly It's claimed that we each have fingerprints that are unique and unlike anyone else's. Dr Karl has been fingering the forensic records for the truth. (First published 9 March 2006.) Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Beaten egg's proof in the pudding To achieve a perfect pavlova, certain ingredients need vigorous beating. But to really reach its peak, Dr Karl thinks you should use a bit of copper. (First published 6 September 2001.) Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Minus-calory celery claims leave food for thought There's many ways to lose weight and most of them involve eating less. Dr Karl has been chewing over the question: 'is there anything you can chomp that helps shed the kilos?' (First published 19 April 2007.) Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | CERN legend stuff of angels and demons The Large Hadron Collider has sparked the imaginations of many. According to Dr Karl, some tales, like the one about mini black holes, is a case of many of us being sucked in. (First published 8 April 2008.) Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Calorie-free vodka claim sobered by facts Have you heard enough about the evils of alcohol? Dr Karl has something to say that may tip the scales for you. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Unstable table doesn't have leg to stand on We all trembled with dread when they fired up the Large Hadron Collider. But Dr Karl says that the brainy folk behind the LHC are already putting the world to rights. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Colossal creature a humungous fungus Don't be afraid, assures Dr Karl. The largest living thing on Earth has more chance of being eaten alive by you than you by it. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Colossal creature a humungous fungus Don't be afraid, assures Dr Karl. The largest living thing on Earth has more chance of being eaten alive by you than you by it. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Frog phobia unfounded Frogs can croak all night and hide in your shoes. But Dr Karl says the old story that they can give you warts is just an ugly fairytale. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Frog phobia unfounded Frogs can croak all night and hide in your shoes. But Dr Karl says the old story that they can give you warts is just an ugly fairytale. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | We are more microbe than man It is said 'you are what you eat'. But Dr Karl says that when you eat you are feeding more than your appetite. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | We are more microbe than man It is said 'you are what you eat'. But Dr Karl says that when you eat you are feeding more than your appetite. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Starlight but a twinkle in your eye On a good night, the glittering canopy of stars that adorn the heavens is a breathtaking sight. Dr Karl has been staring into space to wonder why they twinkle so. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Star light but a twinkle in your eye On a good night, the glittering canopy of stars that adorn the heavens is a breathtaking sight. Dr Karl has been staring into space to wonder why they twinkle so. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 'Toxic' plastics by-product of poisoned pen In these eco-sensible times of recycling it seems that plastic can't do a thing right. But Dr Karl is a big fan and thinks someone has been bending the truth. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 'Toxic' plastics by-product of poisoned pen In these eco-sensible times of recycling it seems that plastic can't do a thing right. But Dr Karl is a big fan and thinks someone has been bending the truth. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Wheels fall from 4WD safety myths These days, 4WD vehicles are almost exclusively lurking in car parks and outside primary schools. And now Dr Karl has heard we're teaching our kids to drive in them! But is it safe? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Wheels fall from 4WD safety myths These days, 4WD vehicles are almost exclusively lurking in car parks and outside primary schools. And now Dr Karl has heard we're teaching our kids to drive in them! But is it safe? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 'Fat-fighting' lemons have sour twist You know fruit is good for you, but does a lemon really have incredible fat-fighting potential? Dr Karl has been putting the squeeze on the facts. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 'Fat-fighting' lemons have sour twist You know fruit is good for you, but does a lemon really have incredible fat-fighting potential? Dr Karl has been putting the squeeze on the facts. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Velcro space race story tears apart Velcro is very handy stuff. Quick to stick, and fast to unfasten. But, asks Dr Karl, is it really a product of the space race? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Velcro space-race story tears apart Velcro is very handy stuff. Quick to stick, and fast to unfasten. But, asks Dr Karl, is it really a product of the Space Race? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Chameleon belief blends into background The fancy knack of changing skin colour to suit the circumstances is one of the many fascinating things about the chameleon. Dr Karl has found the reason why, and the cold-blooded conclusions may make you change colour. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Tipple's status topples over proof Alco-pops and other pre-mixed alcoholic drinks are cause for concern in the community. A century back it was the strange absinthe that led the field in the social evil stakes. But Dr Karl reckons it's the same old problem. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Redheads' 'extinction' explanation splitting hairs As if blondes and redheads don't get enough stick, now they're apparently facing extinction! But Dr Karl isn't so sure and has gone searching for the roots of the story. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Regrowth mystery reborn If you're only as old as you feel then are you as old as your body? The idea that body cells regrow every seven years should be an accurate guide, right? Wrong! Dr Karl can sense it in his bones. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Deaf cats draw a blanc Black cats have a reputation for bad omens, that's hocus-pocus and hard to prove. But white cats also present a riddle that Dr Karl found easier to solve. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Slipped disc myth sticks If you've ever experienced severe back-pain you'll know that it's no laughing matter. But, according to Dr Karl, one common complaint associated with a 'bad back' is a misnomer. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Mussel myth an open-and-shut case The habits of people choosing mealtime molluscs stick as tight as a barnacle. Dr Karl applies some muscle power of his own to wrench open the facts. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Wreckless Eric has Greenlanders seeing red The legend of Greenland's first colonies, and their demise due to ancient climate change, is widespread. But what truth is there to the tale? Dr Karl goes fishing for clues. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Myth burns like moth to a flame Many creatures have nocturnal navigation, but the bright city lights send some into a spin. Dr Karl fixes his gaze to find out why. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Prostate ignorance no wee problem The prostate gland is little understood by most men. Why this is so is a matter Dr Karl can't quite put his finger on. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Drugs get juiced-up with grapefruit We are regularly encouraged to include a decent portion of fruit in our daily diet. But Dr Karl warns those on certain medications to choose their fruit...carefully. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Royal jelly buzz un-bee-lievable On the shelf next to the snake oil, you may have spotted something that is said to do wonders for your wellbeing. But, Dr Karl thinks it's all some kind of sting. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Muddy myths sink Queen of the Nile Cleopatra is among the most identifiable people from the ancient world, but would you know her if you bumped into her in the street? Dr Karl has been reading hieroglyphics for a clearer picture. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | The bite that's worse than any bark Though a dog's bark can be worse than its bite, it's also worthwhile avoiding bites from humans. Dr Karl sinks his teeth into a painful subject. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Marriage statistics not without a hitch A 20-year-old study about marriage prospects for older women is still causing a stir today. But Dr Karl thinks there's a hitch in the statistics. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Wagging the dog Dogs can be dirty and also a lot of fun. So how can you tell it's safe to approach a dog you don't know? Dr Karl sniffs around for clues. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Is raw food more nutritious? Dr Karl loves a bit of magic. But he can't abide hocus-pocus, and he takes great delight in dispelling shifty myth-making activities. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Green glow of radiation Coming into contact with a large dose of radiation is known to be hazardous. But will it make you light up like a car dashboard at night? Dr Karl has been peering through the safety glass to see what happens. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Brown note: bad vibration mega-hurts (updated) Most of us find music stimulating. But it has been suggested that one particular type of music can be a little too stimulating. Dr Karl lowers the tone to try and get to the truth. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Microwave explosions In the world of kitchen convenience, there are many advantages to microwaves. But there are times when you must be wary of them. Dr Karl has seen the dark side. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Is raw food more nutritious? Are we harming ourselves by cooking all of the goodness out of fresh foodstuffs? Dr Karl has been stirring the pot and he's here to serve up the results. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Sweat like a pig? This little piggy went to market, and this little piggy stayed home... but neither of them worked up a sweat, according to Dr Karl. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Mayan Apocalypse, 2012 If you observe the ancient Mayan calendar, then your time's running out. Dr Karl has been rummaging through ancient Mayan scribblings that are said to indicate an apocalyptic end by 2012. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Crash collider destroys universe Dr Karl looks at the Large Hadron Collider and at the chances of us all being sucked into a black hole of our own making. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2007-09-27 Warm up the car by idling I've had a lot of fun teaching the Junior Members of my Family how to drive the Family Chariot. But along the way, I realised that something I had done for a long time was actually wrong. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2007-09-20 Gladiator Myths For most people, the word "gladiator" brings to mind either Russell Crowe as Maximus, or Kirk Douglas as Spartacus. So most of us believe that gladiators were prisoners-of-war or criminals, who were on the road continuously fighting in wild free-for-all melees. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2007-09-13 Black Death The Black Death of the Middle Ages was a truly devastating pandemic – a pandemic being the Military-Industrial Full Blown Version of an epidemic. In the mid-1300s, the Black Death killed at least one third of the European population, so it was truly horrible. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2007-09-06 Great Wall of China From Space - Part 2 It's claimed that you can see the Great Wall of China from the Moon. That's one big claim, but let's take this apart brick by brick. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2007-08-30 Great Wall of China From Space - Part 1 There's a story that was around long before the Internet. It claims that you can easily see the Great Wall of China from the Moon. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2007-08-23 Mobile Phone Cooks Egg It started about a year ago, but really took off over the last few months. My email inbox began filling up with the latest shock-horror story about the dangers of mobile phones. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2007-08-16 Ice Age Myth Weather is the stuff that happens in the atmosphere over a short period of time. It includes changes in how much energy the Sun throws at us, the humidity, the temperature, the wind, the air pressure and the precipitation (rain, snow or hail, how often and how powerful). Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2007-08-09 Can Diamond Cut It Back in 1947, a copywriter came up with the slogan, "Diamonds are forever". In the Year 2000, this slogan was judged by the trade journal, Advertising Age, to be the best slogan of the 20th Century. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2007-08-02 Leprosy I was rereading a favourite article, "A Short History of Leprosy in Postage Stamps", when I suddenly wondered what the average person thought leprosy was. I asked a random passer-by (okay, my daughter) and she said something along the lines of 'their hands and legs fall off, and sometimes even their heads'. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2007-07-26 X-Chromosome Back in the Old Days before research into cloning and stem cells, most people didn't know much about genetics and DNA. But they had a vague impression that there was something called the "X-chromosome" and it was called that because it looked like the letter X. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2007-07-19 Reincarnation (Again) As part of my Search for Knowledge, I read newspapers. So my interest was aroused when I read, in the Los Angles Times, that after six-and-a-half years of "scientific research", the one, true and you-betta-believe-it reincarnation of Marilyn Monroe had been discovered. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2007-07-12 Irish Potato The potato is a fine vegetable, high in nutrients and low in fat. In the French, Dutch and German languages, it is known as "apple of the earth". Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2007-07-05 The Missing Day Science and Religion are often seen as being on opposite sides of the fence – on the fairly shaky grounds that one is based on "proven facts and data", while the other is based on "ancient fables, faith and belief". But occasionally, the gap is breached, as in the case where a computer supposedly backs up a biblical miracle. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2007-06-28 Ozone Smell at the Seaside As a child, I remember going with my parents to the seaside, and being told to "smell the ozone", as it was healthy and good for me. This belief is all through our literature, and of course, in the advertising blurbs of companies selling ozone products that you just can't live without. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2007-06-21 Yawn & Oxygen We were having a meeting at the end of a long and hard day spent working on a totally new project (in the daring field of comedy-science TV), when suddenly, a bout of contagious yawning spread through the group. The person who started off this mini-epidemic of yawning said, in her defence, that she must be low in oxygen, and that was why she had to have a big yawn - to get more air in. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2007-06-14 Pap Smear & Ovarian Cancer The medicine of treating men is pretty similar to the medicine of treating women – but there are a few differences, mostly related to organs or body parts that one gender has that the other doesn't. For example, only women can get cancer of the cervix, or cancer of the ovaries. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2007-05-10 The Lion's Mane When you look at a male lion, the first thing you see is its mane. Most people think that the mane is a signal to female lionss, advertising that the possessor of the mane will give the females top-notch lion cubs, with the added bonus of being a good provider and protector. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2007-05-03 Teenage sleep All parents of teenagers have seen the changes that happen with puberty - the growth spurts, the mood changes, and also, the unlimited ability to sleep in on weekends. But this altered sleep pattern is not the teenageers being bone-lazy or anti-social - no, instead, it is their changing biology, lurking deep inside their brains. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2007-04-26 Anthrax not a virus It was a relaxed night watching Junk Television – an adult soap opera followed by another equally-rivetting adult soap opera. Crammed in between, during a short ad-break, was a short news update. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2007-04-19 Celery with Negative Calories My teenage daughter and her friends were recently talking about "negative calories". They were curious about the story that eating and digesting celery chewed up more energy than was in the celery. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2007-04-12 Salt in the water If you watch somebody cooking pasta, you’ll almost always see them adding some salt to the water. When you ask why, they’ll say they add the salt either to improve the flavour, or to make the water boil at a higher temperature so that the pasta cooks faster. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2007-04-05 Oxygen Healing About once every decade, the Oxygen Healing myth bubbles to the surface again. Loosely speaking, it claims that all diseases are caused by low levels of oxygen in the body. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2007-03-29 Psychic Sleuth I've always had an uncanny feeling about the use of psychics as detectives. For one thing, there are so many reports about psychics successfully helping law enforcement agencies solve crimes. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2007-03-22 Gun shot residue There's a veritable epidemic of CSI dramas on TV - that's CSI for Crime Scene Investigation. One often-used slow-motion sequence that I find really funky is the bullet barreling through the air, pushing a shock wave in front of it. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2006-06-01 Rampant Misattributed Paternity The word "paternity" is fairly straight-forward. It comes from the Late Latin, "paternus", meaning "relating to a father", and it signifies "the state of being someone's father". Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | 2006-05-18 Noodle Time Noodles are a big hit with most kids, and with the parents who are trying to feed them. It turns out that most of the names of the various noodles come from Italy. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Far-reaching vision can't claim telescope's invention The philosopher and mathematician, Galileo, has a reputation for many great discoveries. But, as Dr Karl explains, the telescope is not one of them. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Flu flare-ups a migrating menace Newer strains of the flu invariably find their way around the world, often 'jumping' from animals to people. Dr Karl focuses his microscope on these virulent viruses for answers. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache |