2005 Series

Helen Scales

Chris Smith

On today's show we go in search of life's origins, extraterrestrial life, and the ingredients that make a planet a good home with astronomer Dr. Simon Goodwin, from the University of Cardiff, and Dr. Monica Grady, from the Natural History Museum, London. Also joining us on the programme are theoretical physicist Professor Michio Kaku, from City University New York, to discuss the possible existence of parallel universes, and NASA plant scientist Dr. Volker Kern, who describes interesting results when moss grows in the absence of gravity aboard a spaceship...

Kat Arney

Chris Smith

On this week's show we are joined by microbiologist and probiotic expert Professor Glenn Gibson, from the University of Reading, to talk about friendly bacteria and how they can affect human health, and bioremediation researcher Professor Lynne Macaskie, from the University of Birmingham, who explains how bacteria can be used to help clean up the environment by eating concrete and oil spills. Also joining us are pathologist Professor John Lee, who discusses his new TV programme "Anatomy for Beginners" featuring human dissection, and space scientist Professor John Zarnecki who brings us up to speed with the success of the Huygens mission to Titan, Saturn's largest moon.

Chris Smith

Helen Scales

This week's show explores the reality of science fiction by merging man with machine. Dr. Kevin Warwick from the University of Reading discusses current research into cyborgs and upgrading humans through mechanical implants, Professor William Clocksin from Oxford Brookes University talks about computer vision and making machines more human, and Dr Andrew Gosler from Oxford University applies computer vision to finding out why birds eggs have speckles.

Chris Smith

Today's guests include Dr Campbell Bunce, from Xenova, who joins us to talk about vaccines to prevent nicotine and cocaine addiction, Cambridge University's Prof. Barry Everitt, who works on the brain mechanisms of addiction, and Prof. Lawrence Whalley, from the University of Aberdeen, who has been looking into how smoking can dimish brain power as you age. Also joining us on the show is Prof. Mark Griffiths, from Nottingham Trent University, the UK's only professor of gambling addiction, who asks whether gambling can genuinely be considered an addiction, like nicotine or heroin.