Show Me the Science with Luke O'Neill

On this episode of the podcast, and just in time for Easter, Professor Luke O'Neill is looking at the science of snacking.
What are the main reasons why we snack? Why do we like a crunchy snack? And what is 'food noise'?

There has been an outbreak of meningitis centred in Kent, in the UK, in recent weeks.
On this episode of Show Me The Science, Professor Luke O’Neill explains why this has happened, and what the two types of meningitis are...

This week, Professor Luke O’Neill dives into one of the most remarkable stories in modern medicine: the birth of Hugo, the first child in the UK to be born from a womb transplanted from a deceased donor. His mother, Grace Bell, born without a womb due to MRKH syndrome, calls her baby son “simply a miracle.”
Luke explores the incredible medical journey behind this milestone. The 10-hour womb transplant took place at The Churchill Hospital in Oxford in June 2024, followed by IVF treatment at The Lister Fertility Clinic in London. Consultant gynaecologist Professor Richard Smith, who has researched womb transplantation for over 25 years and was present at Hugo’s birth, was even honoured in Hugo’s full name.
Beyond the headline-grabbing story, Luke takes listeners through the broader science of organ transplantation. He explains how immunosuppressant drugs revolutionised transplant success, looks at cutting-edge frontiers like 3D-printed organs and the potential use of animal organs, and considers the ongoing challenge of organ shortages. He also touches on Ireland’s organ waiting list, especially for kidneys, and the recent updates to donor rules.

With St Patrick’s Day just around the corner, Professor Luke O’Neill takes a closer look at the man behind the legend—and the science behind the stories. Drawing on Patrick’s own Confessio, Luke explores how the saint lived a long life, likely thanks to a mix of lifestyle and genetics.
Could there have been two Patricks, Patricius and Palladius? Luke unpacks this theory and shares its surprising connection to the early days of Ireland’s Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies.
He also tackles the myth of Patrick banishing snakes, explaining how the last Ice Age shaped Ireland’s landscape and wildlife. And he examines the shamrock, used by Patrick to illustrate the Holy Trinity, and its medicinal properties, from easing menopausal symptoms and asthma to treating wounds and fevers.
It’s history, myth, and biology all rolled into one festive podcast.

Winter sports look clean and crystalline on the surface. Snow, ice, precision, courage. But scratch that frozen surface and you find molecular biology doing quiet, mischievous work.
In this week’s podcast, Professor Luke O'Neill takes us from the ski jump ramp to the veg aisle, via one of the strangest alleged performance hacks of the recent Winter Olympics.
First stop: hyaluronic acid. A substance your body already makes, found in skin and connective tissue, famous for its ability to hold vast amounts of water. That’s why it appears in skin creams, dermal fillers, and treatments for sore joints — it hydrates, cushions, and plumps.
Reports suggested some ski jumpers injected it weeks before competition to temporarily enlarge their genitals while being fitted for tightly regulated suits. If the swelling subsided by competition time, the slightly looser fabric could improve aerodynamics. In a sport decided by metres, even tiny changes in airflow can translate into significant gains. That raises an awkward question: if it enhances performance without acting like a traditional drug, does it still count as doping?
Then there’s broccoli. Many athletes were reportedly using concentrated broccoli juice supplements. Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables contain isothiocyanates, compounds linked to anti-inflammatory effects. In high-impact, repetitive sports, reducing inflammation may aid recovery between events.
There’s early research exploring whether these molecules could help in conditions like ulcerative colitis and multiple sclerosis. But while broccoli is unquestionably nutritious, robust clinical evidence for performance-boosting concentrated extracts is limited. A single shot can equal several large heads of broccoli — and tastes predictably grim.
Winter sports may look like poetry in motion. Underneath, it’s chemistry in motion. And sometimes, it’s broccoli.