To find out more about the podcast go to Energy drinks curb, and biting back against beetles.
Below is a short summary and detailed review of this podcast written by FutureFactual:
Naked Scientists: Teen Energy-Drink Rules, Early Alzheimer’s Detection, Climate Storage Limits, and Bark Beetle Defense
The Naked Scientists cover four major science stories this week: public health policy on high-caffeine energy drinks for under-16s and what that could mean for youth health; a fast, passive three-minute EEG-based test that may detect Alzheimer's disease long before symptoms; a new Nature study recalibrating how much carbon dioxide could realistically be stored underground to reverse warming; and a bark beetle invasion in the UK that is being fought with drones, traps, and sniffer dogs. The show also responds to a listener's question about celebratory gunfire. Together, the segments illustrate how research translates into policy, early diagnostics, climate action, and ecosystem protection.
Energy drinks policy and public health: where policy meets science
The episode opens with a discussion of plans to restrict sales of high-caffeine energy drinks to under-16s in England. Prof Amelia Lake explains the caffeine thresholds typical of energy drinks (160–200 mg per large can) and contrasts them with other beverages (coffee ~80 mg, cola ~30–40 mg). She notes the global growth of this market and the public health concerns across physical health (stomach aches, headaches, dental issues, obesity) and mental health (anxiety, depressive symptoms, sleep disruption). The panel considers how policy, such as age restrictions, might interact with broader lifestyle factors like screen time and sleep debt, and whether regulation can meaningfully curb consumption.
"There is a strong link between these drinks and computer gaming culture." - Prof Amelia Lake
Fastball: a three-minute EEG-based test for early Alzheimer’s detection
Next, the show highlights a new test called Fastball, a rapid, passive EEG-based screening method designed to identify memory impairment linked to early Alzheimer’s disease. Dr George Stothart explains that the test uses rapid image presentation and measures recognition signals in the brain, focusing on the perirhinal cortex. The research suggests that people at high risk or with mild cognitive impairment show reduced recognition memory, opening the possibility of diagnosing Alzheimer’s earlier than current clinical pathways. While the approach shows promise, the team emphasizes that determining sensitivity and specificity—especially for screening asymptomatic individuals—requires ongoing, large-scale studies across diverse patient groups.
"We could get up to about 90, 92% accuracy in telling whether someone had Alzheimer’s disease versus a healthy older adult." - Dr George Stothart
Carbon storage realities: how much CO2 can actually be stored underground?
The discussion then turns to climate science and carbon capture. Prof Joeri Rogelj explains that early estimates of the geological storage potential were optimistic, and a careful assessment—accounting for risk, proximity to populations, protected areas, depth, and indigenous land rights—reduces the practical potential. The study arrives at a central figure of about 1,460 billion tonnes of CO2 storage, which is roughly ten times smaller than some theoretical maxima. This implies that, even with full deployment, underground storage alone cannot fully reverse current warming. The panel stresses that this figure represents a prudent limit and that future innovations could improve the capacity, but it remains a critical constraint in climate strategy planning.
"0.7 degrees of warming that can be reversed" is the central estimate, the absolute ceiling. - Prof. Joeri Rogelj
Beetle defense in UK forests: drones, traps and sniffer dogs
Audience members learn about the bark beetle Ipso typographus, a major threat to spruce trees, and how scientists are turning to technology to detect and control outbreaks. Max Blake explains the beetle life cycle, how galleries girdle a tree, and why outbreaks are especially dangerous on stressed or damaged trees. The conversation covers practical detection challenges—exit holes are tiny, and large spruce forests can hide infestations—along with the use of drones for aerial surveys, high-resolution ground data, and sniffer dogs to identify infested timber. The team notes that while these tools show promise, the beetle’s ability to travel across borders by air means ongoing surveillance and adaptive management are essential, with a long-term research focus on why some sites support beetle persistence while others do not.
"Sniffer dogs are fantastic, trying to detect IPs in timber stacks." - Max Blake
Question of the Week: hazards of celebratory gunfire
The program closes with a safety-focused Q&A about bullets fired into the air during celebrations. The discussion covers terminal velocity on descent, potential for head injuries, and mortality estimates. Dr Yousef Hyder outlines that a falling bullet can cause penetrating head injuries and intracranial bleeding, with mortality estimates around 32% for those struck. He also notes that helmets do not reliably protect against every outcome and stresses seeking safer ways to celebrate. The segment highlights how everyday cultural practices intersect with physics and public health, underscoring the value of scientific understanding in risk assessment.
"The mortality rate from a falling bullet is estimated at around 32%." - Dr Yousef Hyder