Christmas offers plenty of chances to explore science without leaving the living room.
Researchers say simple games and kitchen experiments can spark festive discovery.
Matthew Cobb suggests testing flavour by eating sweets while holding your nose.
The experiment shows taste relies heavily on smell, not just the tongue.
Cracker jokes also offer insight into human behaviour.
Sophie Scott says laughter is mainly social, not about joke quality.
Christmas dinner can double as a biology lesson.
Steve Brusatte recommends examining turkey bones to understand movement and flight.
For chemistry fans, custard can become ice cream using salt and ice.
Andrea Sella says salt lowers freezing points, rapidly chilling mixtures.
Maths can join in using pine needles to estimate pi.
Kit Yates says probability brings numbers to life on the floor.
Experts agree curiosity, not equipment, is the key ingredient.
