Naked Scientists: Asparagus Smell, Biodegradable Plastics, and the Next Era of Space Stations

The Naked Scientists episode brings together a panel of experts to tackle questions spanning biology, materials science, mathematics education and space science. Lewis Dartnall explains why asparagus makes urine smell and whether it affects breath, while Anna Pischiski discusses biodegradable plastics and circular material economies. The conversation also covers the International Space Station’s deorbit plan and potential new space stations, the interdisciplinary nature of astrobiology, and the role of maths education and AI in science. The program blends science trivia with practical insights into research, learning, and future technologies.

• Asparagus smell comes from sulfur compounds excreted in urine, not breath
• Biodegradable plastics must degrade into harmless end products and fit a circular economy to avoid microplastics
• The ISS is planned for deorbit in 2031; private, commercial space habitats may fill the gap
• Maths education can be made engaging by translating real life situations into solvable problems

Overview and panel

This week’s Naked Scientists episode gathers four experts: Lewis Dartnall, an astrobiologist exploring microbial life on Mars; Ems Lord, director of Cambridge University’s Enrich maths outreach; Anna Pischaksi, a materials scientist focused on hydrogen storage materials; and Xander Byrne, an astronomer from the Institute of Astronomy at the University of Cambridge. Hosted by Chris Smith, the show weaves together discoveries, questions, and technology. The discussion brushes across life in the universe, the science of materials, mathematical education, and space exploration, reflecting the show’s interdisciplinary ethos.

Being Human and interdisciplinarity

Lewis discusses his book Being Human, which examines how biology shapes human history through genetics, anatomy, physiology and cognitive biases. The conversation emphasizes that science often sits at the intersection of disciplines; astrobiology, for instance, merges biology with planetary science, space science, geology and astronomy. The guests explore how biological constraints influence human technology and history, while remaining curious about life beyond Earth.

Life, Mars and the nature of science

The panel explains the interdisciplinary nature of the search for life on other worlds. Astrobiology is described as a field where biology, planetary science and astronomy converge to understand habitability and detect biosignatures. Xander Byrne speaks about modeling exoplanetary systems, atmospheres and habitability, noting the excitement and challenges of interpreting distant signals from worlds around other stars. The discussion touches on recent space science discoveries and the potential for future missions to reveal habitable environments beyond Earth.

Materials science, climate and hydrogen storage

Anna Pischiski describes her work on materials that can store hydrogen as a solid, enabling denser energy carriers and advancing sustainable energy technologies. The conversation links material breakthroughs to climate goals and references the Paris climate targets, underscoring the urgency of breakthrough technologies in energy storage and efficiency. The discussion also acknowledges the complexity of deploying new materials in real-world cycles and the need for integrated systems thinking.

Biodegradable plastics and the circular economy

Anna engages with Sally’s question about biodegradable plastics, explaining that “better” environmental impact depends on end-of-life products and the full lifecycle. The group emphasizes a circular material economy in which materials are designed to be reintegrated into ecosystems, reducing pollution and avoiding microplastics. They also caution against simplistic narratives that shift pollution elsewhere and advocate for considering end products and recycling pathways.

Space and exploration updates

The fate of the International Space Station is discussed, including deorbit plans set for 2031. The episode also references new commercial space stations and the economics of space travel, including ticket prices. The panel notes that private space ventures are changing how space is accessed and funded, while continuing to probe the technical and regulatory aspects of human spaceflight.

Biology, behavior and human evolution

Lewis replies to questions about whether there is an evolutionary benefit to friendship, explaining reciprocal altruism and the role of social bonding in survival and cooperation. The discussion expands to how biology shapes social behavior and how cognitive biases have influenced historical events, illustrating the broad reach of biology in day-to-day life and long-term human history.

GCSE maths problem and mathematics education

The guests tackle a widely used GCSE maths question about price changes and ratios. Ems offers strategies to simplify complex word problems by translating real-world scenarios into manageable equations, emphasizing the importance of comprehension and problem-solving processes. The team discusses approaches such as reducing complexity to a simpler context and then translating back to X and Y, demonstrating how math can be used as a practical tool in everyday life.

Other listener questions and topics

Audience questions cover asparagus smell and breath, microgravity effects on the human body, NASA and Martian habitability, and the use of AI in science. The panel discusses olfaction, physiology in microgravity, exercise as a countermeasure for bone and muscle loss, and the potential for AI to assist in data analysis and problem solving while highlighting current limitations around explainability and source attribution.

Closing notes

The program closes with reflections on the importance of hands-on making and the role of art and craft in materials science, as well as a nod to broader issues such as right-to-repair movements and home experimentation. The Naked Scientists promise to return with topics on allergies in the next episode and invite listener engagement.