Izzie Clarke

We take a look back at the science of 2017... Presented by Katie Haylor, Izzie Clarke. Production by Katie Haylor. This week, The Naked Scientists raise a glass to 2017 as they look back at their favourite science of the year, including: bees playing football, ghost busting, and removing farts from a car. Discover more Podcast Science Podcasts Why do we laugh? PlayFull TranscriptDownload To dispell those January blues, Chris Smith got the lowdown from UCL's Sophie Scott on what makes us laugh...

Could sugar be fuelling superbugs in hospitals? PlayFull TranscriptDownload Clostridium difficile is a bacterium commonly causing problems in hospital wards. It leads to diarrhoea and is now responsible for thousands of deaths each year. But it's only since the year 2000 that one strain, or ribotype, in particular has been spreading faster and becoming more dangerous. Antibiotic resistance is part of the problem, but now a new study has revealed that our diets may also be to blame.

The immune system can be programmed to attack cancer, but it doesn't always work, and doctors work out why. PlayFull TranscriptDownload A cancer treatment known as "immunotherapy" has the potential to revolutionise the way we treat/manage malignant diseases. It involves programming the immune system to attack and remove cancer cells from anywhere in the body. It's at an early stage but some people with life-threatening cancers have been cured by the technique.