
Why does a slice of toast land butter side down?
From Ask the Naked Scientists by Dr Chris Smith
June 5, 2026 · 26 min · Episode 791
About this episode
Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford explore various scientific questions, including why toast lands butter side down and the nature of yawning in animals.
Do dolphins and whales yawn? Is yawning contagious in animals? What progress has been made on brain chip implants? What is the difference between kidney thrombosis and renal vein thrombosis? Why does a falling slice of toast land butter side down, and does fall height matter? Is it unsafe to receive the wrong blood type? Why are birds adapted to have birdsong? What keeps all the water up in a cloud? Why can I feel my phone buzz in my pocket when it's actually on the table? And how to improve blood iron levels? Dr Chris Smith and Clarence Ford have the answers... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
People in this episode
Host: Dr Chris Smith
Guest: Clarence Ford
Topics covered
- animal behavior
- health
- science
- yawning
- toast physics
- blood types
- clouds
Keywords
- toast
- yawning
- brain chip implants
- kidney thrombosis
- blood types
- birdsong
- clouds
- blood iron levels
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Naked Scientists
More episodes of Ask the Naked Scientists
- Are there sounds around us that we can't hear? · June 12, 2026 · 21 min
- How does a headache tablet know where it hurts? · May 29, 2026 · 24 min
- Why does running water make us want to use the toilet? · May 22, 2026 · 23 min
- Should we pay attention to the UFO files? · May 15, 2026 · 23 min
- Can we travel forward and backwards in time? · May 8, 2026 · 26 min
- How do vultures find their prey? · May 1, 2026 · 24 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Ask the Naked Scientists podcast page.