The Science Show Podcasts on Down Under

Science Show - 2008-10-11

Fri October 10 2008

Galaxy Zoo Galaxy Zoo uses the power of the internet and allows interested amateurs to assist in classifying the millions of galaxies in the univers... read more

Galaxy Zoo Galaxy Zoo uses the power of the internet and allows interested amateurs to assist in classifying the millions of galaxies in the universe. So far around 900,000 galaxies have been identified. Nobel Prizes 2008 Wendy Barnaby reports on the Nobel Prizes for chemistry, physics and medicine announced this week. Light used to monitor nerves of flies Gero Miesenbck studies the nervous system of flies by using light as a tool rather than the more cumbersome electrode. The optical signals record the activity of neurons. The neurons being studied are those which react to smell. These neurons are programmed genetically to respond to light and trigger an electrical impulse. Squid gel assists in nasal surgery A surgical gel has been made from squid remains and two other materials which has the effect of stopping bleeding and adhesions in nasal surgery. Trends in science education School students are turning away from hard sciences such as physics. Helen Haste discusses the trends and asks whether young students get what they look for in science courses. New approach to undergraduate science Phil Long says very little of interest is offered in undergraduate courses. He has broken down the typical large physics lecture with 600 people in a lecture hall, and has smaller groups doing both theory and practical experiments in the same session. He also sees application for digital technology, allowing work to remain, be classified and accessed, rather than decay on paper. Green at Work - Bob Downe Bob Downe offers a few hints at saving energy in the office. Double influence on changing climate Using ice cores from Antarctica and Greenland, the sun´s activity over the past 10,000 years can be reconstructed. It shows cycle variations. Ken McCracken suggests there are two contributors to climate change - increased carbon dioxide and methane due to human activity and a changing sun cycle. He says we´re entering a cooling period from the sun, as sun spots decrease in frequency, but we shouldn´t diminish our concern or efforts in reducing production of greenhouse gas. read less

Science Show - 2008-10-04

Fri October 03 2008

New wave technology a potential major source of energy The CETO process consists of hundreds of underwater buoys, each attached to a pump. Movement ... read more

New wave technology a potential major source of energy The CETO process consists of hundreds of underwater buoys, each attached to a pump. Movement of the buoys sends pressurised water to shore for use in generators or desalination plants. Tim Sawyer estimates 35% of Australia´s energy needs is practically and economically extractable now. Ketone bodies - a new food on the way Kieran Clarke is working on a new fuel source for the human body, ketone bodies. These chemical are present in our bodies already, made by the liver from fat when glucose is in short supply. But until now they have not been considered a food. When properly prepared, it is chewed and provides energy for athletes as well as fuel for brain function, even helping, it is hoped, Alzheimer´s and Parkinson´s disease patients. Penny Sackett appointed Australia's Chief Scientist Penny Sackett discusses her background and how she found it easy to pursue a path in science. An excerpt from an earlier appearance on The Science Show. Daylight saving and energy use Does daylight saving mean less energy is used by a community? Or more? Nicky Phillips reports. New ideas about circadian rhythms A mouse was engineered without the photo receptors, rods or cones in the eye. But it could still use its eyes to regulate its circadian physiology. This suggests there is something else in the eye regulating the body clock and that a whole class of receptor had been missed! It turns out to be the ganglian cells, where 1% are light sensitive. They send messages about daylight cycles to the brain´s super clock. Brains change structure with use Parts of London taxi drivers´ brains have been shown to get larger as the drivers learn and absorb all the information required to be efficient taxi drivers. The brains´ structure changes. Origin of scientists Richard Holmes - An except from In Conversation 9th October 2008. Gold nanoparticles In 1850 Farraday discovered colloidal compounds of gold and chlorine. Today gold nanoaparticles are used in industry. Applications include as superconductors, and in drug delivery systems. Gold nanoparticles can combine with cancer cells. But these particles had not been seen. Rob Hough went looking, and has been able to see the surfaces of naturally occurring gold crystals. This has generated interest from manufacturers around the world. read less

Science Show - 2008-09-27

Fri September 26 2008

Lawrence Krauss - The LHC, going to Mars, and the US Presidential campaign Studying the fundamental structure of the universe won´t replace studyin... read more

Lawrence Krauss - The LHC, going to Mars, and the US Presidential campaign Studying the fundamental structure of the universe won´t replace studying climate change and other important areas as has been suggested recently. Lawrence Krauss says sending people to Mars is crazy as so much of the venture is spent on keeping the astronauts alive rather than from doing science. Too little of the US presidential campaign mentions science, says Krauss, considering its importance. Measuring sea level and the Earth The Earth isn´t a sphere. It is flattened at the poles. These days, the Earth is measured from space. Sea level is measured by radar altimetry. The level of the sea changes by different amounts in different places. Some areas of Sumatra have seas which are rising at a rate of 30mm/year. Other areas in the Pacific are dropping by 20mm/year. A new mission, to be launched in October 2008 aims at measuring the Earth´s gravity field from space in very fine detail. This will provide a reference point from which future changes can be measured. Genetic anomaly could explain severe difficulty with arithmetic Most Australian Aboriginal languages are deficient in words for numbers. Brian Butterworth sought out children who were monolingual in such a language. He set them tasks involving numbers and counting involving spatial strategy. The children completed the tasks as well as children who grew up with English. This finding is important as there is debate as to whether you can enumerate when there are no counting words in your language. The suggestion is that numbers are wired into the human brain and perhaps a genetic anomaly explains why some children have severe difficulties with arithmetic. Magic helps children´s confidence Richard Wiseman teaches children magic - basic tricks, but they still require a lot of practice. Anyone can learn magic tricks. It´s a matter of discipline. Learning magic assists in self-esteem, confidence and sociability. Birds - use of tools and photography in flight Lucan Buff and Christian Rutz have developed technology to photograph and study the behaviour of wild birds. Birds are trained to carry harnesses which carry cameras. The cameras are just 13 grams. Recent photographs show New Caledonian crows using tools including hooked tools of serrated leaf edges. They also craft hooks by nibbling leaves. Stonehenge - a site for people from far away Stonehenge is a Bronze Age monument. But was it a burial site, an observatory, or something else? There are large animal bone deposits nearby. Jane Evans suggests the people who used the structure came from thousands of kilometres away. read less

Science Show - 2008-09-20

Fri September 19 2008

Chimps consol each other after fighting Orlaith Fraser has studied post-conflict behaviour in chimpanzees, looking at how friendly interactions afte... read more

Chimps consol each other after fighting Orlaith Fraser has studied post-conflict behaviour in chimpanzees, looking at how friendly interactions after a conflict can mitigate the costs of aggression. Hugging and embracing by chimps after fighting reduces their stress levels and calms them down. In chimps, this is indicated by the degree of scratching and grooming. Her research was conducted at Chester Zoo. The behaviour also occurs in the wild. The next 50 years The next 50 years, next 100 years and beyond will be unique in history in that one species, us, will have the power to affect the future of the entire planet. If we continue burning coal, then by 2050, the risk of serious climate change from carbon dioxide building up in the atmosphere will be very real. Martin Rees is calling for a huge effort for research on carbon capture and storage. Call for scientists to focus on big problems Roland Jackson cites President of the British Association for the Advancement of Science Sir David King who calls for young scientists to focus on the big problems which confront the world such as climate change and disease rather than pursuing pure research. Giant spider crawls over Liverpool Colin Macilwain describes a huge mechanical spider which greeted Liverpudlians during the British science festival this year. The newsletter he edits covers issues of research policy. Birds of prey A demonstration at the British Association Science Festival showed bords of prey. Alaska, a 17-year-old female Bald Eagle from Canada is shown hunting, catching and eating its catch. Birds of prey need to be taught to hunt. This happens in the first three months of life. After this they really don´t learn much at all! Priorities for science in the twenty-first century The twenty-first century presents challenges unprecedented in human history. These challenges arise due to the successes of science, engineering, technology and medicine. Current world population is 6.8 billion. Mid-century there will be 9 billion people. David King calls for a re-thinking of priorities and questions our funding for big physics and cosmology projects over funding for solar energy and new technologies for food production. Twin Towers toppled by weakened steel columns At high temperature, the strength of steel is controlled by magnetic properties. It is a quantum effect, and explains why the Twin Towers in New York collapsed in 2001. The thermal insulation panels on the columns were knocked off by the impact from the aircraft, exposing the steel to the high temperatures of the fire. The solution is applying the insulation in a different way, or using new steels with additives, allowing them to maintain strength at high temperatures. Memories of the Beatles 3,500 people responded to a web survey and emailed their memories of the Beatles. The most named song was She Loves You. Others included Hey Jude, and I Want To Hold Your Hand. Music is processed in various brain areas, including the temporal lobes which also process memory which could explain why we often associate music with memory of past events. read less

Science Show - 2008-09-13

Fri September 12 2008

Living with Asperger´s What do Einstein, Beethoven, Andy Warhol, Bill Gates, Bob Dylan, Peter Sellers, Woody Allen, Van Gogh, Mozart and Thomas Je... read more