- Chris Smith
Ask anyone who made the world’s best violins and they’ll inevitably answer "Stradivari". But science is undermining the reputation of this great instrument maker whom, it seems, owes his success as much to an attempt at pest control as his craftmanship...
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- Catherine Zentile
Snowflakes form when water vapour condenses directly into ice crystals, and for many years writers have used their delicate beauty as a metaphor for fragility and uniqueness. But now scientists are studying these same qualities to understand one of the most important molecules on Earth – water.
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- Becky Poole
Why re-invent the wheel when Nature has already come up with the best solution? Becky Poole explores the field of biomimetics - quite literally how engineers are borrowing from biology...
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- Chris Smith
There was a time when almost every action movie seemed to involve the hero or villain becoming swamped in quicksand, sinking away until only their hat remains on the surface. But contrary to what Hollywood would have you believe, although it’s almost impossible to escape from quicksand, it's even more difficult to drown...
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- Nick Heath
Mention plastics and most people think of polythenes, perspex and other oil-based nasties that never break down. But now there's a new breed of plastics; they're biodegradable and based on potatoes and other starchy crops...
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- Chris Smith
What is a thunderstorm, how is lightning generated by clouds, how much energy is there in a lightning bolt, and could it be harnessed to power a town?
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- Lucy Sandbach
As the world focuses on carbon dioxide, are more dangerous agents of global warming creeping up unnoticed? Lucy Sandbach investigates the dark world of nitrogen and how this common element is causing havoc with the environment.
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- Martin Westwell
The recently discovered traces of ricin in a makeshift laboratory in a flat in London have caused a media frenzy over its potential use in a terrorist attack. What is it?
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- Davina Stevenson
Photo-therapy is the term used to describe treatments which use light to achieve their effects. But how do these work chemically? Davina finds out.
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- Martin Westwell
Water, with its incredible properties, is considered an essential ingredient for life. But how does it contribute to the structure of cell membranes and snowflakes, and why does it form a hexagon shape when it freezes ?
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