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24 May 2008
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1st Feb 2009

The Science of the Seriously Small


Ben Valsler

Kat Arney
Carbon nanotube animation

This week, we're studying the science of the seriously small - nanotechnology. We'll find out how tiny, flexible electronics could be implanted under the skin to restore lost sensation, and how tiny protein covered silicon "diving boards" can show us how superbugs evade antibiotics. Also, how sheets of carbon just one atom thick can be used to read the entire human genome in just a couple of hours, and how nanotech "motherships" can deliver exactly the right amount of drug, directly to where it's needed. Plus, the plant genome that could solve the food crisis, how our fingerprints help us to feel fine textures, and how a new way to make LEDs could slash our household bills. And, as if that wasn't enough, in Kitchen Science Dave will be looking for silver in soot!

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News

(c) Cyrillic

Pointing out how fingerprints help us feel fine details

In a piece of true science detective work, researchers at the Laboratoire de Physique Statistique in Paris have found another reason why we have fingerprints. It’s been known for a while that the distinctive ridges on the pads of our fingers help us to grip things, but now Julien Schiebert and coll...

(c) Hari Manoharan, Stanford

Writing the world’s smallest letters

Keeping with our theme of nanotechnology this week, researchers at Stanford University in the States have managed to write the smallest letters ever – assembled from subatomic particles just 0.3 nanometres in size.  The researchers are particularly pleased with their achievement, because it was...

(c) Per H. Olsen

Mob rule to scare away cuckoos

Researchers studying Reed warblers have found out that mob rule can avoid being cuckolded by cuckoos. Cuckoos live a parasitic lifestyle – laying eggs in the nest of other birds and letting them spend their time and resources bringing up their young.  From an evolutionary perspective, it’s a g...

(c) Marco Schmidt

Turning up the heat on cereal genome

It’s clear that the global climate is changing, and this is having a big impact on food supplies.  For example, if the climate changes in a major crop-growing region, it may not be possible to grow that crop successfully any more. So scientists are investigating whether people living in dry reg...


Kitchen Science

(c) Dave Ansell
Part 1 Part 2 Listen
...or download as MP3 [1] [2]

Silver from soot

Convert normal soot into a beautiful silvery substance using just a candle, some water and a mug...


Interviews

(c) PiccoloNamek

New LEDs to Slash household bills

A new way of manufacturing LEDs could see household bills slashed, and even provide clean drinking water wherever it's needed...

(c) Courtesy of the U.S. Army, by Walter Reed photographers.

Implanted Electronics and Artificial Skin

Building flexible electronics could enable us to make artificial limbs with feelings, or even implant electronics under our skin...

(c) Dive614c

Nano Diving Boards for Bacteria

How can nanotechnology tell us about antibiotic resistant bacteria? - With tiny diving boards, of course...

(c) Dr Thomas Szkopek

Rapid DNA Reading with Graphene

A sheet of carbon one atom thick could read the entire human genome in just a few hours. Dr Henk Postma explains more...

(c) Created by Michael Ströck

Mothership for Nanotechnology

Porous Nanospheres could deliver drugs to exactly where they're needed - but we must make sure that the body can handle them once they've delivered the payload...


QotW

(c) Tom Gibbs

Spit and Polish

Why should spit shine shoes so successfully?


Hi - That was a fascinating preview of what could happen re water purification using gallium nitrite. Especially as I am in West africa now!...
- Lisa - 1st Feb 09
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