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
111. The Science of the 4 Day Week
Ever gone back to work after a bank holiday wishing every week had a three day weekend? Well, if you're thinking of suggesting it to your boss, Luke has all…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
110. The Science of Bird Flu
While the worst of the recent pandemic seems to be passed us humans, birds are now facing their own deadly virus. But, could the avian flu that has been…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
109. The Science of Lupus
Despite being one of the most studied autoimmune diseases, the root cause of lupus is still unknown and although treatments are advancing, patients with the…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
108. The Science of Breathing
We all do it without even thinking, but how much control do you have over your breathing and are there benefits to taking deeper, slower breaths? Luke looks at…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
107. The Science of Shelter
How would you stave off hypothermia out in the wild? There are lots of ways to keep warm in the great outdoors including digging trenches, warming up rocks for…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
106. The Science of Moon Dust
Could moon dust be the answer to the climate crisis? Recent studies have proposed that adding lunar dust to the atmosphere could reduce intensity of the sun…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
105. The Science of Chocolate
Curious about where chocolate comes from and just what makes it so delicious? Luke delves into the science behind one of the world's favourite treats and…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
104. The Science of Ageing
Ageing has been reversed in mice in a major scientific breakthrough. But how does it work? And what does this mean for humans? Luke explains the process behind…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
103. The Science of Non-Alcoholic Beer
Non-alcoholic beers have never tasted better, or been more popular, but what's caused this change? This week Luke explains the scientific advancements allowing…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
102. The Science of Addiction
Addiction comes in many forms - from drugs to alcohol to gambling - but what is it that drives us to become addicted? Is there something built into us that…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
101. The Science of Hair
Why does hair grow? What decides hair colour? Why do some go bald? Can baldness be stopped? Science has the answers to everything you want to know about hair…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
100. The Science of Football
Just what is it about football that makes the world love it so much? This week Luke explores the deeper reasons behind life as a football supporter, and why…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
99. The Science of Cats and Dogs
Are you a cat person or a dog person? It's a question that is often asked as if it might reveal something deeper about someone's personality, and tis week Luke…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
98. The Science of Alien Civilisation
The hunt for worlds and cvilisations beyond our own goes on, and this week Luke delves into the efforts (past and present) to find life in the distant reaches…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
97. The Science of Wasps
Let's face it, the bees get all the love, while the wasps are seen as a pest, a threat and an irritant. But are they the victims of much undeserved negative…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
96. The Science of Eggs
Ever wondered how much cholesterol an egg has or the benefits of eating them for your health. This week Luke O'Neil explains why eggs were one of his favourite…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
95. The Science of Death
Every wondered about the odds of getting stung by a bee and surviving. This week Luke O'Neil dives deep into different causes of death and how to live your…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
94. The Science of Sepsis
Ever wondered what Sepsis is? Or how it is caught? Listen this week as Luke analyses the disease and potential artificial intelligence that could be used to…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
93. The Science of The Ocean
Ever wondered about the deep depths of the ocean and what creatures lie beneath the mysterious deep blue?? This week Luke explores the science of the ocean and…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
92. The Science of Ghosts
Do you believe in ghosts? Are stories of apparitions and hauntings verifiable truths, or fanciful falsehoods? This week Luke explores the science behind…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
91. The Science of Asteroids
This week Luke O'Neill tells us all about the beginning of time and updates us on the current asteroid activity in space. Ever wondered how fast they travel…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
90. The Science of Evolution
Ever wondered about the Science behind evolution or how evolution started? Wonder what the fastest evolving gene in humans are? Well Luke O'Neill has all the…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
89. The Science of Tea
Did you know that the Irish are the biggest tea drinkers in the world? Ever wondered what the benefits of tea are? Green tea, Black tea, Hibiscus Tea, Oolong…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
88. The Science of Cheerfulness
Feeling Cheerful or wanting to feel cheerful? Ever wondered why upbeat music makes you smile? In this weeks episode we discover why we are social creatures and…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
87. The Science of Potatoes
The world's most glamorous, exotic or intriguing food they may not be (particularly if you're Irish) but the humble spud is no less than the world's…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
86. The Science of Proteins
Luke returns with tales of a potentially life altering breakthrough in the world of proteins - or the hunt for proteins to be more precise. Through an…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
85. The Science of Cancer Treatment
Pancreatic and colorectal cancer are two of the most deadly forms of the disease, and science has struggled to ever come t grips with them. However a new…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
84. The Science of Clever Animals
Did you ever meet an optimistic pig? This week Luke looks at the cleverest of animals, from piggy of a sunny outlook, to birds who have taken up tools, and the…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
83. The Science of Coffee
It can feel like a lifeline in the morning, or when you need a boost during a long day, but could our daily coffee be doing far more for us that just that…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
82. The Science of Exercise and Mental Health
IT will come as no revelation that exercise is good for us, and good for our mental health. But the reality is science does not fully understand why it is so…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
81. The Science of Drones
While most of us might associate the rise of drones as the world of hobbyists, or tools used for photography, in many parts of the world they are being…
Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill80. The Science of Curry
It's a culinary favourite for many of us, but could curry hold the secret to health? This week Luke explores the science behind a particular spice at the heart…
Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill79. The Science of IBS
Irritable bowel syndrome or IBS, is an affliction that comes in several forms and impacts a lot of us. This week Luke explores what we know about crohn's and…
Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill78. The Science of Dopamine
It's called the "motivation molecule" and it is a central factor why we do what we do every day. This week Luke explores the science of dopamine, explains why…
Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill77. The Science of Enceladus
Enceladus is a moon of Saturn, and it perhaps offers the best chance of finding life beyond Earth Scientists have been exploring and probing Enceladus for…
Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill76. The Science of Modified Mosquitos
Can the humble mosquito be genetically altered to become not a spreader of disease, but rather something far more beneficial to the environment? This week Luke…
Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill75. The Science of Cloning Your Pets
Saying goodbye to a beloved pet is a heartbreaking moment for anyone, and perhaps more than anything underscores just how deeply we come to care for the…
Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill74. The Science of Dinosaurs
We may think we know it all about the dinosaurs, and their end, but new discoveries continue to emerge and this week Luke delves into all that is new in the…
Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill73. The Science of Rheumatoid Arthritis
In the course of Luke's career he has explored many areas and asked many questions, but one illness and the mysteries around it has taken up more of his life…
Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill72. The Science of Musical Health
Luke returns to one of his very favourite topics of discussion, music. Some exciting new info has emerged on the health benefits of a musical life, and the big…
Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill71. The Science of Migraines
For some of us they are an ongoing and excruciating menace in our lives, and for scientists they remain an unsolved mystery in many ways. This week Luke…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
70. The Science of Aspirin
It was the first ever drug ever made by a drug company, but for decades nobody knew exactly how it worked. It is also a drug that has led to many other drugs…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
69. The Science of Human Hibernation
Are you tired of winters? Sick of the those long dark months when not a lot happens? Would a bout of hibernation interest you? Well, science and space travel…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
68. The Science of Insomnia
Sleep can be a tricky one for all of us - getting enough good quality snoozing time can seem an elusive, sometimes unattainable, goal in a busy life. But…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
67. The Science of Whales
One of earth's most fascinating creatures, and also perhaps the species with the biggest influence on the scientific life of one Professor Luke O'Neill. This…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
66. The Science of Beer
For better and worse beer has been intertwined with human history for centuries, but what is the science behind one of the world's favourite drinks? This week…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
65. The Science of Changing Your Blood Group
There are things in life you cannot change - the past, the weather, your family - but there could be one less sure thing in this world, because your blood…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
64. The Science of Dog Intelligence
We know dogs are close to the top of the pecking order of animal intelligence, but the breadth of dog intelligence might just surprise you, from empathy to…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
63. The Science of Laughing
It makes your belly shake, make your eyes water, and binds us to each other - the power of a good laugh can be monumental. But why do we laugh, why are we…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
62. The Science of the Nocebo effect
This week Luke asks if it might all be in our heads? Or a lot of it anyway. While many of us are surely familiar with the idea of the placebo effect, what…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
61. The Science of Fungi and the Wood Wide Web
The humble fungi is the focus of this week's podcast, and it really is a lot more complex and brilliant than we might have expected. Luke explores the…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
60. The Science of Tears
Why do we cry? What is it about humans that makes us shed tears due to sadness, laughter, anger or even onions? This week Luke explores the science of tears -…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
59. The Science of Stopping Ageing
Science forges towards breaking another frontier this week, as Luke brings us news of a vaccine for ageing. Could we one day live forever? Could a simple jab…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
57. The Science of Weight Gain/Loss
A new year and for many a new commitment to shift those extra pounds. But how much of weight gain is down to bad habits, and how much is down to more…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
55. The Science of Santa's Reindeer
On the eve of the greatest journey of the year, as Santa and his reindeer depart the North Pole to cross the globe, Luke explores the science of the animals…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
54. The Science of settling Europe
On cold, rainy winter nights Luke has found himself pondering a question - why on earth did humans end up coming to live in Europe? Why would we leave warmer…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
53. The Science of Plastics
Plastic waste is a problem that the world needs to solve, and this week Luke explains why new discoveries are offering a potential route away from the tonnes…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
52. The Science of Genomic Medicine
We return to the question of the human genome this week, as Luke explores how recent breakthroughs are paving the way for medical interventions of a kind…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
51. The Science of Plant Diets
We all know we should eat plenty of fruit and veg, but just why is a plant based diet so good for us? And is it able to give us all we need, without animal…
- Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill
50. The Science of Gene Therapy
What was once just a dream has become reality for scientists in recent years, and even in recent months, as gene therapy technology has advanced at a rapid…