Naked Scientists: COVID lockdowns and adolescent brain aging, nuclear-waste disposal, and non-invasive sweat biosensing

Podcast snapshot

The Naked Scientists explore three science stories: how COVID-19 lockdowns may accelerate brain aging in teenagers, the challenges of safely disposing UK nuclear waste at Sellafield and the potential of deep geological disposal, and a new sweat-band that non-invasively analyzes biomarkers to monitor metabolism and performance.

• Adolescent brain aging linked to stress from lockdowns with stronger effects in girls
• Geological disposal as a safer future for nuclear waste, with community-led site selection
• A wearable band that analyzes sweat for lactate, pH, and sweat rate in real time
• Connected segments on puffins and a listener question about music and emotion

Introduction and episode overview

This edition of the Naked Scientists brings together several science stories that span biology, energy, and technology. Host Rhys James guides listeners through new research on how COVID-19 lockdowns affected teenage brain development, discussions with experts about the UK’s approach to managing long-lived nuclear waste at the Sellafield site, and an interview about a revolutionary sweat sensing band developed by John Rogers and colleagues at Northwestern University. The program also features a field report from the Farne Islands about puffin populations and a Question of the Week addressing musical anhedonia, with input from Purdue University researchers. Across these topics the common thread is how science translates a national or personal concern into actionable knowledge and potential solutions, from brain health to energy security and athlete performance monitoring.

COVID 19 lockdowns and adolescent brain development

The first major segment centers on new research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that examined how the brain develops during adolescence in the context of the pandemic. Researchers built a normative model of cortical thinning based on 2018 data and compared it to 2021 data gathered after reopening, allowing them to quantify deviations from normal aging patterns. The striking finding was that teenagers thinned faster than age alone would predict, a process interpreted as accelerated maturation or aging of the brain. The effect was markedly stronger in girls, with roughly four years of accelerated aging observed in the female group compared with about one year in boys. Areas affected in girls spanned social processing and face interpretation networks, whereas in boys the thinning was more localized to visual cortex. The researchers emphasize that these changes are correlations and do not prove causation, but they hypothesize links to stress and social dynamics in adolescence, including increased reliance on social media and face-to-face interactions as life returns to normal. The team is pursuing further analysis to connect these brain changes with measures of well-being and belonging, acknowledging the uncertainty about long-term outcomes and the possibility of a slowdown in thinning as social life normalizes.

Recovery prospects and social factors

Discussion in the podcast pivots to what the prognosis might be for these youths. The experts propose that brain thinning is a natural, lifelong process; a return to normal social life could slow the thinning or even allow partial recovery in the sense of slowed aging, though researchers admit this remains speculative. The conversation extends to ongoing shifts in how young people socialize, including online interactions that can both comfort and harm through bullying and reduced face-to-face contact. The episode highlights the importance of monitoring social well-being and maintaining communication with children to support healthy development during and after disruptive periods.

Sellafield and nuclear waste management

The program then shifts to nuclear waste management in the United Kingdom. Sellafield houses most of the country’s spent fuel and radioactive waste, with storage in robust concrete‑like form and, in older facilities, underwater pools. The interview with Claire Corkhill from the University of Bristol explains that certain wastes generate heat and require cooling; others are solid and can be stored for decades with careful monitoring. The big strategic question is how to isolate waste for hundreds of thousands of years. The ideal solution is a deep geological disposal facility, and other nations are already making progress, notably Finland where communities have shown willingness to host such a facility in exchange for economic benefits. The UK policy aims to select a site with suitable geology and a cooperative community. The discussion also touches on the waste implications of small modular reactors and future reactor designs, stressing the need to integrate waste considerations early in design to avoid past mistakes like those seen at Sellafield.

Sweat biosensing and athletic performance

John Rogers discusses a wrist-worn, non‑invasive sweat-sensing band that captures biomarkers from sweat as a proxy for blood and interstitial fluid. The band uses microfluidics, color-changing chemistries, and inlet ports to measure sweat rate, total sweat, lactate, pH and related parameters. The device has undergone trackside testing with athletes and endurance teams, including swimming where sweat can be washed away by water. The results demonstrate the potential to visualize sweat release in real time, offering a new metric to optimize hydration strategies and performance, complementing traditional absorbent pads used in sports coaching. Rogers emphasizes that sweat biomarkers can reflect physiological states and that this technology could help a broad range of users monitor metabolic status during exercise.

Farne Islands puffin population and avian flu context

The Farne Islands report presents a snapshot of an estimated 50 000 breeding puffins, a remarkable increase from prior counts. The site benefits from predator-free burrows and a marine-protected area that supports a rich seabird ecosystem. While other species and places experienced declines during avian influenza years, puffins on the Farne Islands have weathered the storm with limited losses relative to others. The team cites nesting biology, burrow protection, and perhaps some immunity within puffin populations as contributing factors. Protocols are in place to monitor disease and protect both birds and visitors, including PPE use and sanitization for staff and visitors, with island closures if needed to curb transmission.

Question of the Week and listener engagement

The episode closes with a listener question about musical anhedonia, which lacks a cure in neurologically typical cases but can be managed through social activities and alternative forms of engagement. Purdue researchers discuss two types of musical anhedonia, one potentially acquired after neural damage and another intrinsic form without brain injury. The listeners are invited to participate in the forum to weigh in with experiences and ideas about social connections, mental health, and music appreciation.

Concluding notes

The Naked Scientists wrap up by inviting further questions and previewing the next program focused on climate-change solutions from engineered concrete to CO2-absorbing enzymes, underscoring the show’s aim to connect everyday life with cutting-edge science.