Science Interviews

Roll Up and Roll Out - Flexible Solar Cells

Flexible solar cells could revolutionise the way solar cells can be used, we hear how they're made and where they can be used from Frank Jeffrey and Mike Coon of PowerFilm SolarFrank Jeffrey and Mike Coon, PowerFilm Solar

Solar Power in Southampton's Structures

We sent Meera Senthilingam out to find out how cleverly designing solar cells into the structure of a building can make them multitask. So as well as offsetting some of the energy demands, they can also act as a shade to keep down air conditioning costs in the summer and as a roof to keep out the rain...Patrick James, Southampton University

Capturing Sunlight on a Nano Scale

Can nanotechnology make solar cells more efficient? We find out how tweaking a surface at the nano-scale could allow us to absorb far more energy from the sun...Niraj Lal, Cambridge University

Magnets Mitigate Migraine

Researchers have identified how a hand held magnetic device could mitigate the pain of migraine...Dr Richard Lipton, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

NEPAD Water Initiative

Eugene Cloete explains how the NEPAD water initiative aims to bring together scientists working in the field of water research to tackle the lack of safe water and sanitation in Southern Africa...Eugene Cloete, University of Stellenbosch

Dam a River - Change the Weather

Most of the water that we use comes from reservoirs. These artificial lakes are often created by damming a river then simply tapping the water off. Simple as this sounds though, there are environmental consequences, including an effect on the local weather... Dr. Faisal Hossain, Tennessee Technological University

WATCHing Water and Global Change

Richard Harding explains how the WATer and global CHange Network, WATCH, is setting about monitoring how water usage and climate change will effect availability of water in the future...Dr Richard Harding, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology

A Leak-Stopping System that really Holds Water

An estimated 32 billion cubic metres of clean water are lost through leaky pipes every year. But there might be a solution. A Southampton-based company have come up with a leak-stopping system that really does hold water...Andrew Burrows, I2O Water

10th Naked Anniversary!

It's been 10 years since Dr Chris and Dr Kat first appeared on the radio! Listen back to some clips of that first show to see how much they've changed...Chris Smith, Kat Arney

Wind Power in the Antarctic

Meera Senthilingam explores how wind turbines can be designed to withstand the cold temperatures of Antarctica in order to reduce the consumption of diesel fuel at research stations...Johan Stander, University of Stellenbosch

Lets Go Fly a Turbine...

Pierre Rivard explains how inflatable wind trubines could help us harness the great winds we see at high altitudes...Pierre Rivard, Magenn Power

Wind turbines inspired by Whales

Professor Frank Fish explains how a sculpture of a humpback whale triggered a whole new design for wind turbines...Professor Frank Fish, West Chester University

The Ressurection Plant's Trick For Tropical Vaccines

Matt Cottingham explains how undetanding the structure of the resurrection plant could help us create live vaccines that are able to withstand hot climates...Matt Cottingham, University of Oxford

What can satellites reveal about earthquakes?

James Jackson explains how satellites can look for changes in landscapes following earthquakes. Spotting patterns in the activity could provide a means to predict future events...Professor James Jackson, Cambridge University

Crisis Camps

Meera Senthilingam speaks to resident techie Chris Vallance to explore how new technology can be used to aid relief efforts during humanitarian crises...Chris Vallance

How Safe is our Mineral Water?

Martin Wagner explains how his team have been looking into the release of oestrogen-like chemicals from in our mineral water...Marin Wagner, University of Frankfurt

Keeping our Rivers Clean at the Sewage Treatment Works

Meera Senthilingam gets her hands wet and dirty this week to see how the river Cam is kept clean...Sara Rowland and Nicola Marvin, Anglian Water

Oestrogen in the Water

How do hormones, like oestrogen, affect aqatic ecosystems? Professor Karen Kidd explains more...Professor Karen Kidd, University of New Brunswick

Bisphenol-A and Human Health

Can plastics pollute your body? We speak to Tamara Galloway who has identified a link between heart disease and bisphenol-A, the base of polycarbonate plastics... Professor Tamara Galloway, Exeter University

The Chemical that Keeps Nerves Alive

Researchers at Cambridge’s Babraham Institute have identified a factor that helps to stop nerves from degenerating. This could lead to better treatments for degenerative diseases, but also better ways to halt the degradation of a nerve when it gets damage as a result of an injury or stroke...Dr. Michael Coleman, the Babraham Institute.