Shows / Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
Have you ever wondered why we laugh or if you can really die of a broken heart? Join Professor Luke O'Neill on ‘Show Me the Science’ as he tackles a different issue each week; from the serious to the silly, all explained through science. This Newstalk production will open the world of science to people of all ages. New episodes every Thursday. Show me the Science is with thanks to B Braun.
CONVERSATION THAT COUNTS | Ireland’s national independent talk station for news, sport, analysis and…
Episodes
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
171. The Sciene of Turbulence
Turbulence might be one of the only things that might make you dread jetting off on your summer holidays, especially after recent reports of injuries sustained…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
170. The Science of Human Evolution
50,000 years ago homo-sapiens arrived in Papua New Guinea - It was a big change of environment and the evolution of the people there is a clear demonstration…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
169. The Science of Inflammation and the Brain
What is the role of the brain in our immune response? We already know that the brain makes us feel rotten when we're sick so we stay away from the rest of the…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
168. How We Almost Became Extinct
You know if things had worked out differently 800,000 years ago you wouldn't be here to listen to this podcast? There wouldn't even BE podcasts which is even…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
167. 4 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Be Scared Of A.I
There is no doubting that A.I is here to stay and it is here to revolutionise pretty much every aspect of our lives. There has been many concerns as to what…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
166. The Science of Cancer Treatments
Utilizing our own immune systems to fight cancer has always been an interesting idea to scientists, and now there's serious progress being made in this filed…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
165. The Science of Twins
Between 1980 and 2009, the rate of twinning in the US increased by 76%, and this trend is seen across the world. Twins can be either fraternal where two eggs…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
164. The Science of The Next Pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic may still be fresh in all our memories, but scientists are already looking ahead to the next big pandemic to allow us to prepare and get…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
163. The Science of Music
We all have our favourite songs - The ones that remind us of childhood memories, give us a boost of energy or the ones we play to make us cry. But where did…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
162. The Science of Longevity
How can we increase our life expectancy? Do we have any control over it or is it all to do with our genetic makeup? A new study into microscopic worms has…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
161. The Science of Daylight Savings
Why did we all put our clocks forward by an hour a few weeks ago? And why will we push them back again come autumn? The historic justifications were to allow…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
160. The Science of Self Driving Cars
Is 2024 the year we'll finally see self driving cars on our roads? While there are already some 'Robo-cabs' in service in the United States aiming to provide a…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
159. The Science of Tech Neck
When new machinery was first invented, researchers notices that frequent users such as factory workers or typists were developing repetitive strain injuries…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
158. The Science of Smoking and Immunity
Why does the immune system differ from person to person? Why do some people seem more resistant to infections or viruses than others? New research has sought…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
157. The Science of Long Covid
An Irish research team has just had a breakthrough on their research into Long Covid. Luke recaps what we already know about the condition which causes brain…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
156. The Science of Neuralink
Elon Musk's latest venture 'Neuralink' which aims to place a chip within the brain of a human has shown 'promising neural spike detection'. This means that…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
155. The Science of Viagra
Could Viagra an erectile dysfunction drug, have a second function working to prevent Alzheimer's? Luke recalls how the drug was initially created to treat…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
154. The Science of Morning People
Are you a night owl looking to become more of a morning person? There are lots of health benefits to waking up earlier but is it even possible to become a…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
153. The Science of Showers
How many times should you shower each week? Or should we shower at all? The average changes depending on location and culture, ranging from 12 per week in…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
152. The Science of Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis also known as MS is an auto immune disease that causes symptoms such as muscle weakness, pins and needles, double vision, poor balance and…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
151. The Science of Covid-19 Anniversary
Although it might seem like it was just yesterday, it's already been 4 years since the first fatality as a result of Covid-19. Luke takes us back to what we…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
150. The Science of Itch
We might understand what causes an itch in theory: an insect bite, a healing wound, a poisonous plant. But, where does the urge come from? And what's going on…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
149. The Science of Near Death Experiences
A dark tunnel with a light at the end, family and friends who have already passed on, or a religious figure are all common visions following near death…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
148. The Science of 2023
As we begin a new year bound to bring with it a multitude of exciting scientific discoveries, Luke takes stock of the year just gone and all of the exceptional…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
147. The Science of Protein Supplements
Proteins are the work horses of life and the building blocks for everything from enzymes and antibodies to hormones and of course muscles. Many gym goers add…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
146. The Science of Myrrh and Frankincense
Frankincense and myrrh are probably most famous for being two of the three gifts brought by the Wise Men to the newborn baby Jesus, along with gold. But, they…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
145. The Science of Tumours
Our immune system is constantly working hard to protect us from infection and disease, but try as it may it has always struggled to defend our bodies from…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
144. The Science of Mental Fatigue
We all know that our muscles get tired after we use them, but what about our brain? Does it need rest too after strenuous use? Luke delves into the world of…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
143. The Science of Heavy Metal
Did you know that being a heavy metal music fan might actually help the climate crisis - Or at the very least that's one of the aims of the musical genre where…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
142. The Science of Motion Sickness
Everyone loves a trip away, but when you're afflicted by motion sickness it can make the journey and any necessary travel plans very arduous - Be they on a…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
141. The Science of Nobel Prize Winners
The winners of the 2023 Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology have been announced! And the coveted prize has been awarded to two scientists, Katalin Karikó…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
140. The Science of Child Psychiatric Illnesses
Could bacteria and viruses cause psychiatric disorders? This week Luke receives a request from a concerned grandmother and is happy to seek out the answers she…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
139. The Science of AI
Artificial intelligence is a new frontier for scientists and researchers to explore. Luke talks us through some of the applications of the new technology…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
138. The Science of Aquamation
Aquamation is a new alternative to traditional burial or cremation after a loved one has passed away. The process involves exposing the remains to a mixture of…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
137. The Science of Allergies
Pollen, shellfish, nuts, cats, penicillin - The list of allergens is never ending. But, what exactly is an allergy and why do certain people's bodies react so…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
136. The Science of the Origin of Life
The Earth formed 4.5 billion years ago and relative to that human life, and even life in general is a considered quite a new phenomenon. But, where exactly did…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
135. The Science of a Mars Trip
A colony on Mars is the next big step in space exploration. But, with such a long journey ahead of them, in such a confined area, how does the team of…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
134. The Science of the Loch Ness Monster
A mysterious serpent that lives beneath the dark waters? A hoax? An abnormally large eel? There are many theories about the existence, or not, of the Loch Ness…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
133. The Science of the Vagus Nerve
The vagus nerve is the electrical superhighway of our nervous system - But just what does it do? And could triggering it be one potential solution to issues as…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
132. The Science of Walking
We've all heard that we should be getting 10,00 steps a day - But is this backed up by science? How many steps do we actually need to see benefits for our…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
131. The Science of the Genome
Our genome is the recipe that makes us who we are and the day the human genome was finally mapped out was one of great celebration for scientists across the…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
130. The Science of Luck
Does crossing your fingers make you luckier? Does a coin toss landing on heads 100 times in a row make it more likely for tails to come up the next time? Well…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
129. The Science of Heat
Heatwaves are becoming more and more common across the world and with the mercury frequently reaching 37 degrees and above our bodies can struggle to keep our…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
128. The Science of Board Games
Board games may be a well known source of rows and cause of tantrums, but there are many benefits to them too! Especially for growing children. This week, Luke…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
127. The Science of Ear Wax
If you're using headphones to listen to this episode, you might have noticed some earwax built up on the earbuds. It can be flaky or wet, dark or light, but no…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
126. The Science of Malaria
As climate change impacts their natural habitat and the range of mosquitoes grows, so too has the chance of them spreading malaria. However, scientists and…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
125. The Science of Deadly Viruses
Rabies, Flu, HIV and Covid-19 are all some of the worlds most deadly viruses, but which is the worst? And how do you measure 'deadliness'? Luke takes us…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
124. The Science of Blood Clotting
Blood clotting is an essential part of our body's response to injury. Not only does it prevent blood loss, it also helps to slow the spread of bacteria and…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
123. The Science of Covid-19
While we may not hear as much about Covid-19 today as we did a year or two ago, it continues to be an important topic for scientists around the world…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
122. The Science of Cancer Breakthroughs
Is a cure for cancer becoming more likely? New research has found improved treatments for lung, breast and ovarian cancers, and the development of tests to…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
121. The Science of Slowing Ageing
New scientific research has found that taurine, an amino acid often found in energy drinks, could help to slow down aging with successful results from tests on…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
120. The Science of Musical Inspiration
Where do new melodies come from? Why do so many great songwriters report that some of their best songs came to them in a dream? Luke explains the science…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
119. The Science of Happiness
What is happiness and what are the factors that contribute to us living a happy life? A study that first began in 1938 and followed participants throughout…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
118. The Science of Parkinson's Disease
Michael J Fox's new film Still about his life with Parkinson's disease has inspired Luke to look at the impacts of the disease, the available treatments and to…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
117. The Science of Reverse Stress
Stresses on the body such as pregnancy, surgery, Covid-19 and PTSD can all damage your cells and tissues to age your body prematurely. But, a new study now has…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
116. The Science of the Moonshot
The last time humans walked on the moon was back in 1972. But now, there are new and exciting plans to head back to the moon, and much further beyond. Luke…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
115. The Science of Conspiracy Theories
What makes people believe in a conspiracy? Is it to do with education? Is it just the way certain people think? Or is it all down to stress? Luke goes through…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
114. The Science of Sleep Paralysis
Sleep is a universal need, yet it can affect us all differently. Some people walk around in their sleep while others suffer with sleep paralysis that makes it…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
113. The Science of IVF
A baby mouse has been born with two fathers in a major scientific breakthrough. Luke explains how scientists manipulated the X and Y chromosomes from male…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
112. The Science of Asteroids
Where did life on Earth all begin? It's one of science's most pondered questions, and new research shows that asteroids may have played an important role in…