Audio from across ABC Radio
Weight-gain gum and glowing bones
Dr Karl on triplej Does chewing gum make you put on weight? What happens to your brain when you have a thought? Are there any sure-fire ways of winning money, and glow-in-the-dark chicken bones!
'Swearing' syndrome a sensational screamer
Great Moments in Science Tourette syndrome can manifest itself in more than coarse words repeated over and over again. Dr Karl swears there's more to it than that.
Asteroid impact ended dinosaurs' reign
StarStuff Podcast Scientists answer what killed dinosaurs; are type 1A supernovae the best mile-markers?; and life-enabling organic molecules discovered in Orion nebula.
Carbon sequestration - reality or dream? - Science Show
What is the fate of carbon dioxide in the long term, when sequestered beneath the earth? Will it stay there? Or will it come out? It goes down as a liquid. But what happens then? Might it leak out as a gas? Barbara Sherwood Lollar is addressing this problem to determine the reality of sequestration as a solution to disposal of carbon dioxide.
DNA fingerprinting - Science Show
A piece of DNA can be considered a barcode, being a unique identifier of a species. It can also be used to identify animal parts, such as skins and shark fins and determine whether the parts are from a legal or illegal trade. The technology can also be used to determine whether whale meat or tuna is what it’s purported to be. George Amato says there is an enormous illegal trade in wildlife. DNA fingerprinting will greatly bolster the efforts of law enforcement officials.
SETI – still searching - Science Show
Seth Shostak describes the search for signals from extra terrestrial beings. The technology is getting better and better. But so far it’s quiet. But the search continues.
Laser fusion – demo plant within sight - Science Show
Fusion is the holy grail of power generation. It’s been a promise for decades, but has never arrived. The latest method shows promise. Lasers are used to concentrate isotopes of hydrogen. The pressures and densities achieved are close to what occurs in the sun. Mass becomes energy. A demonstration plant at the National Ignition Facility in California is expected to be running in 2 years time. If successful it would produce limitless clean electricity.
Changing attitude to nuclear power in the US - Science Show
Phillip Finck says it’s been a momentous couple of months in the US. New nuclear power plants have been announced. New panels will look at the options for spent nuclear fuel. The aim is to develop reactors that produce very little or even no waste.
Nuclear power – prevalence and waste options - Science Show
Europe has 145 reactors in 15 of 27 countries producing one third of Europe’s electricity. A key challenge for nuclear is deployment of the latest generation 4 reactors. Many waste dumps are nearly full. Waste storage is a developing problem. Geological disposal is a new option which may become available after 2025.
Maths in crisis - Science Show
Fewer and fewer Australian students are studying maths. It’s a dilemma and a problem. Gavin Brown describes what is at state. Adam Spencer offers some suggestions.
Archival Curiosities: Elizabeth Kubler-Ross on death and dying. - All In The Mind
Psychiatrist Dr Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’s book On Death and Dying in many ways transformed the way we publicly and privately talk about death and grief, and inspired the modern palliative care movement. From the depths of the ABC's rich archives comes this 1978 interview with Kubler-Ross. She died in 2004, and her ideas and legacy continue to provoke, and to court controversy,
Age of Metrics - RN Future Tense
We've fashioned computers to think like us, but are we now starting to think like them? Anand Giridharadas says 'welcome to the Age of Metrics'.
Childhood obesity - Health Report
In this program we look at some of the possible causes of childhood obesity and what effect genes may have on eating behaviour. We also talk to a researcher who's involved in developing ways to help children and their parents to combat childhood obesity.
Nuclear power in Sweden - Science Show
50% of electricity in Sweden comes from nuclear power. The other half comes from hydro. Claes Thegerström describes the challenges and process by which Sweden developed nuclear power. Despite a referendum in 1980, after the Three Mile Island accident, where Swedes agreed to phase out nuclear power, the decision changed, when it was seen the referendum decision was obsolete. Now Sweden has a mix of electricity sources including 10 nuclear reactors.
AAAS President 2010 Peter Agre - Science Show
AAAS President Peter Agre comments on President Obama’s consideration of science and acceptance of scientific advice. He says Americans are reading less and becoming ignorant of key issues and debates. This comes to play when politicians and the public need to consider issues based on science, and is exacerbated by a scientific illiterate media.
Stressed out! The powerful biology of stress - All In The Mind
A little tension keeps us on our toes - we're biologically primed for it. But 'toxic' stress makes us physically sick, and powerful research is now revealing its potent impact on our developing bodies and brains. Don't miss two world leaders transforming our understanding.
