http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/ Science Interviews from the Naked Scientists Fri, 9 May 2008 16:30:12 +0000 http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/908/ Tue, 06 May 2008 16:16:26 +0100 Meera looks into the latest internet phenomenon, Twitter. - Chris Vallance naksci_interview_908_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/907/ Tue, 06 May 2008 15:26:16 +0100 Meet Probo the robot designed to keep sick children occupied in hospital. - Chelsea Wald, Ivan Hermans naksci_interview_907_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/906/ Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:08:51 +0100 You may have heard of using diamonds to cut glass or harden drill bits, but lasers? Scalpels? Chris Wort joins us from Element 6, who make synthetic diamonds for a huge range of industrial uses... - Chris Wort, Element 6 naksci_interview_906_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/904/ Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:53:30 +0100 How can we be sure that when we buy jewellery it is the real deal? To find out, Meera went to pay a visit to the diamond specialists at De Beers. - Philip Martineau, Diamond Trading Company naksci_interview_904_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/903/ Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:39:42 +0100 Just what is so special about gemstones? We spoke to Ian Mercer of the Gemological Association... - Ian Mercer, Gemological Association of Great Britain naksci_interview_903_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/902/ Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:43:49 +0100 Is it possible to build houses that produce more energy than they use? ZEDFactory aim to produce developments which are Zero Energy, perfect for the Houses of the Future... - Asif Din, Zedfactory naksci_interview_902_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/901/ Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:22:22 +0100 With Ben and Dave doing the ultimate in water recycling, we sent Meera to find out how to be water wise... - Melinda Campbell, Science Museum & Jacob Tompkins, Waterwise naksci_interview_901_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/900/ Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:58:33 +0100 So how else can we generate electricity at home? Well Elaine Ball is from Baxi Group - and they've developed a household boiler system called the Ecogen which, as well as heating the house and water, also generates electricity. And here's the really good news - the electricity effectively comes for free... - Elaine Ball, Baxi group naksci_interview_900_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/899/ Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:41:13 +0100 Solar panels seem to be turning up on rooftops all over the place, but are they really worth using? You may be generating electricity for free - but how long does it take to pay back the costs of buying them in the first place? We spoke to Australia's Dr Karl Kruszelnicki who recently turned his home in Sydney into the solar equivalent of a power station... - Dr Karl Kruszelnicki naksci_interview_899_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/898/ Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:21:04 +0100 Is the sun responsible for our warming climate? Have we been blaming carbon dioxide, when our own sun is the guilty party? Terry Sloan thinks not... - Professor Terry Sloan naksci_interview_898_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/897/ Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:10:34 +0100 Solar flares can have devastating effects here on Earth, but how do we study them, and what do they do to us? - Stuart Clark and Chris Davis naksci_interview_897_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/896/ Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:38:40 +0100 Here's a question: The universe is a big place and if you only have a small number of telescopes with which to look at it, and limited resources to analyse the data that you collect, inevitably lots of important questions will go unanswered. So how do you solve that problem? The answer is by professional astronomers teaming up with amateurs around the world and asking them to do some of the observing. - Dr Pamela Gay, Southern Illinois University naksci_interview_896_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/895/ Tue, 08 Apr 2008 14:40:24 +0100 Conversations with robots and hands-on highlights from the Edinburgh Science festival... - Pi the Robot, Amy & Henry, Science Festival Communicators naksci_interview_895_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/894/ Tue, 08 Apr 2008 14:04:32 +0100 Finding local live music and song writing under pressure are our tech topics with Chris Vallance this week... - Chris Vallance naksci_interview_894_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/893/ Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:59:09 +0100 TB has been virtually eradicated from the UK and a whole generation have had hardly any contact from it so it's easy for us to forget what a disparaging and serious problem it was for us in the past. A serious killer disease, but now we're seeing something of a resurgence and not just a resurgence of any old TB but forms of the bacterium which are drug resistant. - Dr Clifford Leen, Western General Hospital. naksci_interview_893_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/892/ Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:52:23 +0100 Could satellite images of the surface of the sea tell us when and where to expect deadly outbreaks of Cholera? - Professor Rita Colwell, University of Maryland and John Hopkins University naksci_interview_892_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/891/ Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:42:27 +0100 Some bacteria live inside us, some live in freezing cold environments, others near the blistering heat of volcanoes in deep sea vents. You may not have known that some bacteria actually manufacture their own little magnets. Scientists are trying to find out exactly what they use them for and more importantly how we can get them to work for us... - Dr Sarah Staniland, Edinburgh University naksci_interview_891_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/890/ Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:31:23 +0100 If you had the choice between a guaranteed reward or taking a risk, what would you go for? Most people will choose the guaranteed reward. But what about our closest relatives, the great apes? - Sarah Heilbronner naksci_interview_890_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/889/ Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:50:37 +0000 For years, scientists have assumed that the first born of any batch of offspring have a better chance of survival out in the wild, although this may not necessarily be true in humans. This does apply to birds, and it seemed that the first laid egg might do better than it's siblings. However, Dr Keith Sockman, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has found out that although this seems to be true, the first laid egg actually has a harder time in getting to hatch in the first place... - Dr Keith Sockman, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill naksci_interview_889_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/888/ Tue, 18 Mar 2008 11:29:01 +0000 Is there really any science in Dr Who? What does Spiderman have to do with a gecko? And how are skateboarders scientists? - Dr Paul Parsons, Dr Johnathan Wood, Dr Basil Singer naksci_interview_888_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/887/ Tue, 18 Mar 2008 11:23:33 +0000 Fancy a Holiday in Space? If you can afford it, it could be possible very soon... - Duncan Law-Green, Leicester University & Will Whitehall, Virgin Galactic naksci_interview_887_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/886/ Tue, 18 Mar 2008 10:55:05 +0000 As part of Science Saturday at the Science festival, we sent Meera Senthilingam off to roam around the hands-on activities in the Biology Zones, right in the centre of Cambridge. And here's what she found... - Meera Senthilingam naksci_interview_886_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/885/ Tue, 18 Mar 2008 10:40:03 +0000 The Cambridge Science Festival lasts just two weeks, with a lot of the action compressed into a very busy weekend, but how long does it take to organise? Nicola Buckley joined us in the studio... - Nicola Buckley, Cambridge Science Festival naksci_interview_885_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/884/ Tue, 11 Mar 2008 13:51:53 +0000 We're joined by Rick Fienburg from Sky and Telescope magazine, with news about the night sky... - Rick Fienberg, Sky and Telescope Magazine naksci_interview_884_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/883/ Tue, 11 Mar 2008 13:41:01 +0000 The Ig Nobel prizes honour achievements that make people first laugh and then think. They celebrate the unusual, honour the imaginative and also to spur people's interest in science, medicine and technology. Marc Abrahams joined us in the studio to tell us more... - Marc Abrahams naksci_interview_883_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/882/ Tue, 11 Mar 2008 13:17:40 +0000 With the latest news from the world of Chemistry, Mark Peplow joins us once again... - Mark Peplow, Chemistry World naksci_interview_882_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/881/ Tue, 04 Mar 2008 11:57:28 +0000 Is music just there for pleasure, or does it have a role to fulfil? We spoke to Dr Ian Cross... - Dr Ian Cross, University of Cambridge naksci_interview_881_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/880/ Tue, 04 Mar 2008 11:32:44 +0000 How does your brain respond to music? Meera spoke to Professor Daniel Levitin... - Professor Daniel Levitin, McGill University naksci_interview_880_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/879/ Tue, 04 Mar 2008 10:06:22 +0000 The human voice is a versatile tool, and changes dramatically throughout life. David Howard studies the voice... - Professor David Howard, University of York naksci_interview_879_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/878/ Tue, 26 Feb 2008 15:27:45 +0000 Is that file you deleted really gone? Could someone retrieve your passwords from an old hard disk? We ask Graham Henley... - Graham Henley from Getdata.com naksci_interview_878_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/877/ Tue, 26 Feb 2008 15:09:20 +0000 - Gordon Clarke from NPL and Dave Taylor from Imperial College naksci_interview_877_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/876/ Tue, 26 Feb 2008 14:39:38 +0000 - Simon Colton, Michel Valstar and Maja Pantic naksci_interview_876_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/875/ Tue, 26 Feb 2008 12:21:05 +0000 - Kate Smith-Miles, Deakin University in Australia naksci_interview_875_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/874/ Tue, 19 Feb 2008 13:50:19 +0000 A few weeks ago, we reported on the breakthrough where scientists in America had been able to build a beating heart in the lab. By using the scaffold of an existing heart, stripping out the old cells and seeding it with new ones, they've proven the principle that organs could be grown on demand from your own cells! - Dr Steffen Kren, Univerity of Minnesota naksci_interview_874_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/873/ Tue, 19 Feb 2008 12:15:24 +0000 Donated organs need to be transported to the recipient as quickly as possible, and won't survive for long. Now, Oxford scientists have developed a technique that could extend the life of an organ outside the body... - Dr Constantin Coussios and Professor Peter Friend, Oxford University naksci_interview_873_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/872/ Tue, 19 Feb 2008 12:09:44 +0000 Organ Rejection is a big problem, overcome by immuno-suppressant drugs. But these drugs are quite toxic and leaves people vulnerable to infections and cancers. A new technique involving transplanting bone marrow along with an organ could change all that... - Professor Megan Sykes, Harvard University naksci_interview_872_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/871/ Tue, 12 Feb 2008 12:23:26 +0000 In the world of technology this week, copyright infringement on the "virtual" high seas as Pirate Bay goes to court, and Microsoft moves to buy Yahoo... - Chris Vallance naksci_interview_871_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/870/ Tue, 12 Feb 2008 12:16:10 +0000 This week, Mark Peplow comes in to tell us about the moves towards holographic 3D TV, how it could take years to pay back the carbon debt of biofuels, and a new scanner that can 'read' RNA... - Mark Peplow, Chemistry World naksci_interview_870_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/869/ Tue, 12 Feb 2008 12:04:39 +0000 Heating and cooling the average house takes a lot of energy - but filling your walls with tiny wax capsules could keep you cool in the heat of summer... - Matthew Richardson naksci_interview_869_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/868/ Tue, 12 Feb 2008 11:38:33 +0000 Could we generate electricity from the energy we waste while walking? Professor Max Donelan has developed a way to turn people into the human equivalent of a hybrid car... - Professor Max Donelan, Simon Fraser University naksci_interview_868_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/867/ Tue, 12 Feb 2008 11:22:30 +0000 Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer for men in the UK, and now researchers at the Institute of Cancer Research have found seven genes potentially very important in the disease. - Dr Ros Eeles & Professor Doug Easton naksci_interview_867_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/866/ Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:34:53 +0000 Wetlands are disappearing faster than rainforests, and support a huge number of species as well as offering protection from flood and filtering out water before it reaches the sea. So what can we do to conserve them? - Chris Durdin, RSPB naksci_interview_866_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/865/ Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:07:26 +0000 despite being expanses of waterlogged land, wetlands actually offer great protection against flooding. So good, in fact, that the UK's Environment Agency are generating new wetlands for just this purpose, as part of the Alkborough Flood Protection Scheme... - John Pygott, Environment Agency naksci_interview_865_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/864/ Tue, 05 Feb 2008 10:11:10 +0000 The Louisiana wetlands are the largest in the USA and amongst the largest wetlands in the world, playing a vital role in keeping the sea, and local wildlife healthy. We spoke to Robinson Fulweiler from Louisiana State University... - Dr Robinson Fulweiler, Louisiana State University naksci_interview_864_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/863/ Tue, 05 Feb 2008 09:58:25 +0000 The Barnes wetlands site in London lays claim to be the 'best urban site in Europe to watch wildlife, and is home to rare and beautiful wildlife including Bitterns, Kingfishers, a colony of endangered Water voles and this week, Naked Scientist Meera Senthilingam... - Martin Senior, Adam Salmon & Michelle Penelle naksci_interview_863_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/862/ Tue, 05 Feb 2008 09:46:16 +0000 Could something in your diet affect your emotions? Rising Star Caroline Stokes explains how you could eat your way out of depression... - Caroline Stokes naksci_interview_862_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/861/ Tue, 29 Jan 2008 13:56:57 +0000 We've already heard about how flu actually causes disease, how it invades us, how it hijacks our cells and makes us feel generally grotty but how do we actually prevent it? Dr John Wood came in to tell us about making and testing 'Flu vaccines. - Dr John Wood, NIBSC naksci_interview_861_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/860/ Tue, 29 Jan 2008 13:01:30 +0000 We find out about a revolutionary new way to diagnose our winter bugs in two hours rather than two weeks. It's going to lead to numerous benefits in treating flu and other respiratory viruses. - Martin Curran and Tim Wreggitt, Addenbrookes Hospital naksci_interview_860_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/859/ Tue, 29 Jan 2008 12:49:33 +0000 We suss out the facts of flu with Cambridge university researcher Ed Hutchinson... - Ed Hutchinson, Cambridge University naksci_interview_859_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/858/ Tue, 29 Jan 2008 12:40:50 +0000 This week's Rising Star, Yvonna Reekie, explores the neurological basis of emotions, and how the brain reacts to seeing cake! - Yvonna Reekie naksci_interview_858_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/857/ Tue, 29 Jan 2008 11:45:00 +0000 The new standard in black has been discovered! Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic have developed a material using carbon nanotubes that absorbs over 99.9% of all light that falls on it - over 30 times darker than the current 'blackest' black! - Professor Pulickel Ajayan, Rensselaer Polytechnic naksci_interview_857_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/856/ Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:54:32 +0000 Each week we bring you one of Cambridge University's 'Rising Stars' - young researchers bringing you the latest from the coal-face of science... - Andrew Pontzen naksci_interview_856_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/855/ Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:43:20 +0000 Volcanic lava could offer a solution to storing excess carbon - by turning it into rock! We spoke to Dr Pete McGrail, who has been working on pumping carbon dioxide into flood basalt, a rock left over from lava flows... - Dr Peter McGrail, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory naksci_interview_855_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/854/ Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:06:47 +0000 Could we trap carbon in dis-used coal mines? Meera spoke to Prof. Peter Styles about how not only could we lock away unwanted carbon, but we could also get useful fuel out! - Professor Peter Styles, University of Keele naksci_interview_854_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/853/ Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:54:54 +0000 Could the ocean provide a good 'sink' for carbon dioxide? We invited Margaret Leinen, from Climos, and Dr Chris Vivian, from CEFAS, to discuss the pros and cons of sequestering in the sea... - Dr Margaret Leinen, Climos & Dr Steve Vivian, CEFAS naksci_interview_853_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/852/ Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:41:26 +0000 Do ants look tasty to you? These ones might do! Dr Steve Yanoviak and his team have found a species of ant which, when infected by a parasitic worm, look like a tasty berry... - Steve Yanoviak, University of Arkansas at Little Rock naksci_interview_852_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/851/ Tue, 15 Jan 2008 15:09:03 +0000 Technology correspondent Chris Vallance takes us through the new technology on show at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and a new way to search the internet... - Chris Vallance naksci_interview_851_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/850/ Tue, 15 Jan 2008 14:53:10 +0000 This month, we explore a surface that becomes non-stick at the flip of a switch, visit the Paris of 55 million years ago, and the glistening secret of fish scales... - Mark Peplow, Chemistry World naksci_interview_850_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/849/ Tue, 15 Jan 2008 14:37:22 +0000 Rising Star Ben Collie on his work in solitons, important in superconductors and the motors of the future... - Ben Collie naksci_interview_849_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/848/ Tue, 08 Jan 2008 13:58:13 +0000 One of the most common addictions on Earth is the addiction to cigarettes, so tobacco and nicotine addiction. A very interesting study has been done by Professor Leslie Jacobsen, she's at Yale University School of Medicine, looking at how smoking affects the brains of teenagers. - Professor Leslie Jacobsen, Yale University School of Medicine naksci_interview_848_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/847/ Tue, 08 Jan 2008 12:33:46 +0000 It's that time of the year when everyone is thinking, 'how many inches extra, feet, pounds, stone have I gained over Christmas? How am I going to get rid of it all?' Well we thought we'd take a look at the science of dieting and we've invited Dr Toni Steer. She's from the MRC Human Nutrition Research Lab. She's come to talk to us about the basics of dieting, and why diets fail... - Dr Toni Steer, MRC Human Nutrition Research Lab naksci_interview_847_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/846/ Tue, 08 Jan 2008 12:29:26 +0000 Each term Cambridge University's Rising Stars project helps young researchers to tell the world about their work. We teamed up with a group of rising stars so that you can find out what the next generation of top scientists are up to. Seeing as we've been talking about the brain this week we thought we would start you off with a neuroscientist. Here's this week's rising star and that's Hannah Critchlow... - Hannah Critchlow naksci_interview_846_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/845/ Tue, 08 Jan 2008 11:54:16 +0000 How does addiction change the brain? Professor Julie Kauer has found that the changes involved in becoming addicted are very similar to when learning or memorising... - Professor Julie Kauer, Brown University naksci_interview_845_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/844/ Tue, 08 Jan 2008 11:19:11 +0000 Professor Barry Everitt tells us about the basis of addiction - What happens in the brain to get people hooked? - Professor Barry Everitt, Cambridge University naksci_interview_844_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/843/ Tue, 18 Dec 2007 12:35:57 +0000 Which way of cooking do you think will have the best outcome for the healthiness of your sprouts? We sent out Ben to find out. - Kate Guberg naksci_interview_843_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/842/ Tue, 18 Dec 2007 12:31:32 +0000 Are Christmas cracker jokes really funny? What does your choice of Christmas card say about you? We've got Professor Richard Wiseman, from the University of Hertfordshire, on the line, he's looked into the science of Christmas, he led the hunt for the world's funniest joke and he also invented the science of 'Quirkology' - the "curious science of everyday life". - Professor Richard Wiseman naksci_interview_842_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/841/ Tue, 18 Dec 2007 11:50:33 +0000 Now, we all know what snowflakes are, but have you ever gone out and looked at them properly? They've got extremely intricate designs and symmetry that both scientists and artists have been fascinated by for years. So this week, Meera found out how these sub-zero designs are created... - Professor Kenneth Libbrecht naksci_interview_841_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/840/ Tue, 11 Dec 2007 13:35:18 +0000 Each month we catch up with Mark Peplow, editor of the Royal Society of Chemisty's magazine, Chemistry World. - Mark Peplow, Chemistry World naksci_interview_840_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/839/ Tue, 11 Dec 2007 13:01:32 +0000 The internet has revolutionised the way we purchase and use music, but just what is the future for books? - Chris Vallance naksci_interview_839_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/838/ Tue, 11 Dec 2007 12:56:10 +0000 In the East of England recently we've had a big outbreak of a problem caused by Norovirus, a virus that causes vomiting and diarrhoea. Jim was affectionately called 'the poo man' by one of his colleagues, and he came in to speak to us about what causes these outbreaks. - Dr Jim Grey, Health Protection Agency naksci_interview_838_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/837/ Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:07:38 +0000 We've heard about the effect of Alzheimer's on memory, but what actually is memory? How does our brain create a memory, and how can it go wrong? Dr James Ost, from Portsmouth University tells us more... - Dr James Ost, Portsmouth University naksci_interview_837_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/836/ Tue, 04 Dec 2007 11:49:13 +0000 Earworms - the annoying tunes that worm their way into your head, and just wont get out! Meera spoke to Daniel Levitin about the science behind the songs. - Professor Daniel Levitin, McGill University naksci_interview_836_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/835/ Tue, 04 Dec 2007 11:35:25 +0000 How does having Alzheimer's disease change the structure of the brain? Not much, actually. According to Peter Nestor, of Cambridge University, it's more important to look for changes in brain activity. - Dr Peter Nestor, Cambridge University naksci_interview_835_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/834/ Tue, 04 Dec 2007 10:49:17 +0000 Alzheimer's disease affects 1 person in 5 over the age of 80, and can have devastating effect on the families of those people with the disease. Now researchers at Manchester University have found a potential link between Alzheimer's and Herpes Simplex Virus, which causes cold sores. - Professor Ruth Itzhaki, Manchester University naksci_interview_834_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/833/ Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:26:51 +0000 One of the fantastic opportunities we had in South Africa was to visit the collection of fossils at Witwatersrand University. They have a collection of about 30% of the fossils found in South Africa that tell us about how we evolved from ape-like creatures into modern humans. Professor Lee Berger took us though some of the highlights of the collection, piecing together three million years of evolution in the process. - Proessor Lee Burger, University of Witwatersrand naksci_interview_833_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/832/ Tue, 27 Nov 2007 12:45:14 +0000 South Africa is officially the country with the world's highest prevalence of HIV, with up to 50% of the population estimated to become infected. Chris met up with some of the researchers on the front line against the disease. - Prof. Helen Rees, Dr Francois Venter & Dr Jocelyn Moyes, Witswatersrand University naksci_interview_832_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/831/ Tue, 27 Nov 2007 12:06:01 +0000 We explored the township of Soweto, to discover what life is like for the poor in Johannesburg. - Diran Onifade naksci_interview_831_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/830/ Tue, 20 Nov 2007 14:07:18 +0000 Colin sent us a rock he thought was a meteorite, we visit the natural history museum to find out if he is right. - naksci_interview_830_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/829/ Tue, 20 Nov 2007 13:27:32 +0000 Brian won a share of the five hundred thousand dollar prize for his discovery that the universe is expanding as it ages and the older it gets, the faster it expands. - Brian Schmidt naksci_interview_829_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/828/ Tue, 20 Nov 2007 12:53:42 +0000 We talk to Kevin Fong who is a space physiologist about the problems associated with actually living in space. - Kevin Fong naksci_interview_828_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/827/ Tue, 20 Nov 2007 12:21:21 +0000 Case works on the Southern African Large Telescope a huge 11m telescope which can see better than the Hubble Space Telescope - Case Rijsdijk naksci_interview_827_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/826/ Tue, 20 Nov 2007 12:03:00 +0000 Now in the news last week was the story around what, essentially, is a very boring star. Now the star is called 55-Cancri; it's 41 light years away; found in the constellation Cancer; and it seems to be very similar to our Sun. - Professor Geoff Marcy, who's from the University of Berkley, naksci_interview_826_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/825/ Tue, 13 Nov 2007 15:14:06 +0000 This month, we chat to Mark Peplow about the worlds smallest microwave oven, and a microscopic fuel cell. - Mark Peplow, Chemistry World naksci_interview_825_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/824/ Tue, 13 Nov 2007 15:03:15 +0000 In this week's tech section, Chris Vallance tells us about the DARPA Urban Challenge, and how this could lead to cars that drive themselves! - Chris Vallance naksci_interview_824_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/823/ Tue, 06 Nov 2007 14:35:25 +0000 - Dr Jenny Collier, Imperial College London naksci_interview_823_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/822/ Tue, 06 Nov 2007 14:30:56 +0000 - Dr Anne Skinner, Williams College, Massachusetts naksci_interview_822_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/821/ Tue, 06 Nov 2007 14:15:01 +0000 - Professor Chris Turney, University of Exeter naksci_interview_821_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/820/ Tue, 06 Nov 2007 14:08:32 +0000 It seems that it's no longer impressive just to have been able to climb mount Everest; now the goal is to fly over it! We spoke to Giles Cardozo and Bear Grylls... - Giles Cardozo, Bear Grylls, Michael Vore naksci_interview_820_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/819/ Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:32:03 +0000 We sent Meera to UCL's centre for Stem Cell Research, to find out the basics of stem cell technology. - Professor Claudio Stern, University College London naksci_interview_819_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/818/ Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:24:55 +0000 We spoke to Professor Ian Wilmut who, in 1996, cloned the first mammal, Dolly the sheep. - Professor Ian Wilmut, University of Edinburgh. naksci_interview_818_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/817/ Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:21:23 +0000 For Kitchen Science, Ben found out how to clone at home! - Dr Tim Upson, Cambridge Botanic Gardens naksci_interview_817_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/816/ Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:12:28 +0000 We spoke to Professor Roger Pedersen, of the Centre for Regenerative Medicine at Cambridge University, about understanding 'Stemness'. - Professor Roger Pedersen, Cambridge University naksci_interview_816_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/815/ Tue, 30 Oct 2007 16:45:15 +0000 Ben Valsler and Dave Ansell took some of their favourite Kitchen Science experiments to Manchester as part of the Manchester Science Festival - and bumped into Johnny Ball! - David Price, Science Made Simple; Johnny Ball naksci_interview_815_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/814/ Tue, 23 Oct 2007 13:48:12 +0100 We spoke to Cristina Lazzeroni, of Birmingham University, about her work using particle accelerators to track down antimatter and 'beauty' quarks... - Dr Cristina Lazzeroni, Birmingham University naksci_interview_814_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/813/ Tue, 23 Oct 2007 13:42:05 +0100 Chris spoke to Dr Ben Allanach about what we find when we break open an atom... - Dr Ben Allanach, Cambridge University naksci_interview_813_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/812/ Tue, 23 Oct 2007 13:37:54 +0100 The Diamond Synchrotron creates very high energy electromagnetic radiation (known as synchrotron light) that scientists are using to probe hidden secrets. We sent Meera down to the site this week to find out how it works and the benefits of using such high-energy light. - Richard Walker & Sanjeet Dhesi, Diamond Synchrotron; Tim Wess, Cardiff University naksci_interview_812_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/811/ Tue, 16 Oct 2007 12:58:26 +0100 For this, the first of our monthly Technology segments, we look into the world of Machinima - Machine Cinema where characters from computer games perform as actors in home made movies... - Chris Vallance naksci_interview_811_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/810/ Tue, 16 Oct 2007 12:37:33 +0100 When you're buying training shoes, do you really get what you pay for? Professor Rami Abboud doesn't think you do... - Professor Rami Abboud, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School at the University of Dundee naksci_interview_810_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/809/ Thu, 11 Oct 2007 11:41:54 +0100 Continued from part one, where we set up the distillation equipment, Ben returns from the pub to find the results... - Chris Forman, Cambridge University naksci_interview_809_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/808/ Wed, 10 Oct 2007 16:18:38 +0100 This week Bob and Susanne tell us why diet foods might actually make kids fat and why the placebo effect works on some people and not others. - Bob Hirshon & Susanne Bard, AAAS naksci_interview_808_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/807/ Tue, 09 Oct 2007 16:36:42 +0100 While many people enjoy a beer, some prefer a shot of the hard stuff. Ben set out to find out about the science of scotch, by trying out some distillation... - Chris Forman, Cambridge University naksci_interview_807_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/806/ Tue, 09 Oct 2007 14:34:19 +0100 As much as we enjoy the odd beer it's always best to enjoy it in moderation because drinking alcohol does have its health downsides. Ben went to the pub to meet up with Mike Allison, a liver specialist from Addenbrooke's hospital, to find out more about the damage that alcohol can do... - Dr Mike Allison, Addenbrooke's Hospital naksci_interview_806_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/805/ Tue, 09 Oct 2007 14:28:50 +0100 The chemistry of carbon dioxide could give us better beers, by supplying brewers with exactly the compounds they need, extracted from hops. Dr Ray Marriott tells us more... - Dr Ray Marriott, Botanix Ltd naksci_interview_805_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/804/ Tue, 09 Oct 2007 13:09:48 +0100 Beer is one of the world's oldest alcoholic beverages, dating back over seven thousand years and it's still one of the most popular drinks in society today. But how's it made? How was it discovered in the first place? Meera went to the Natural History Museum for one of their Darwin Live events, where the theme of the evening was the natural history of beer... - Dr Dave Roberts, Natural History Museum; Dr Robert Simmons, Fishbourne Roman Palace & Julian Herrington, Master brewer. naksci_interview_804_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/803/ Tue, 09 Oct 2007 12:24:20 +0100 Now, there must be thousands of beers available worldwide and of course, beer sales are very big business. But how do we actually make beer and why do we taste the tastes in beer that we taste? We asked Professor Charlie Bamforth, professor of beer and brewing at the University of California at Davis... - Professor Charlie Bamforth, University of California, Davis naksci_interview_803_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/802/ Tue, 09 Oct 2007 11:57:30 +0100 Birds do it, bees do it, but now Irene Terry, from the University of Utah, has found that primitive plants indulge in hot, smelly sex... - Irene Terry, Univeristy of Utah naksci_interview_802_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/801/ Tue, 02 Oct 2007 14:29:24 +0100 Dr Ruth Cameron and Dr Serena Best from the Centre for Medical material at the University of Cambridge spoke to Chris about how they are using ceramics and polymers to help mend broken bones. - Dr Ruth Cameron and Dr Serena Best, Cambridge University naksci_interview_801_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/800/ Tue, 02 Oct 2007 13:36:46 +0100 Biocomposites, materials similar to plastics but made from biological material, could be the ideal replacement for petrochemical based plastics. Paul Fowler explained more to Chris... - Paul Fowler, Univeristy of Wales, Bangor naksci_interview_800_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/799/ Tue, 02 Oct 2007 13:30:55 +0100 Now, if you listen carefully you will notice that we, in the Naked Scientists are surrounded by paper. We usually try not to make you hear but similarly in offices all around the country incredible amounts of paper are thrown away on a daily basis. I'd just like to point out that I take all my paper home to recycle. Maybe a better solution would be to remove the need to use all this paper in the first place and do away with all those hours spent photocopying and all those pages that come out of printers. We sent Azi to find out about the design and uses of plastic electronics and e-ink. - Professor Henning Sirringhaus and Simon Jones, Plastic Logic naksci_interview_799_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/798/ Tue, 02 Oct 2007 12:57:24 +0100 Non-stick pans are great, they make it so much easier to clean cooked on scrambled egg! But the Thin Films and Interfaces group at Cambridge University have found a way to make a super non stick surface, just by changing the surface structure of ordinary Teflon. Ullrich Steiner explains... - Professor Ullrich Steiner, Cambridge University naksci_interview_798_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/797/ Tue, 02 Oct 2007 12:33:02 +0100 Kat Arney reports in with the latest news from the National Cancer Research Institute conference in Birmingham, UK. - Dr Kat Arney naksci_interview_797_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/796/ Tue, 25 Sep 2007 18:16:22 +0100 What do we need robots for in genetics? Just what difference do they make? We sent Meera to the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute to find out... - Sarah Sims & Jonathan Davies, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute naksci_interview_796_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/795/ Tue, 25 Sep 2007 18:09:25 +0100 Professor Nigel Shadbolt is the President of the British Computer Society - he gave a talk at the BA festival of science asking examining artificial intelligence titled 'Free thinking Machines or Murderous intellects'. Scary stuff indeed... - Professor Nigel Shadbolt, University of Southampton & President of the British Computer Society. naksci_interview_795_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/794/ Tue, 25 Sep 2007 18:04:16 +0100 The Semantic Robot Vision Challenge was set up to find robots which could locate an object in real space, after only seeing it in cyberspace. We spoke to Professor Jim Little and Dr Per-Erik Forssen about their winning robot, Curious George - Professor Jim Little and Dr Per-Erik Forssen, University of British Columbia naksci_interview_794_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/793/ Tue, 25 Sep 2007 17:57:55 +0100 Once a judge on Robot Wars, Professor Noel Sharkey told us about the part robots have to play in real wars... - Professor Noel Sharkey, Sheffield University naksci_interview_793_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/792/ Thu, 20 Sep 2007 14:00:29 +0100 Every year, the British Association for the Advancement of Science, the BA, hold a festival. They go to a different university each year and the idea is to make science fun and interesting for the masses. We spoke to Sue Hordijenko, one of the people responsible for making it all happen... - Sue Hordijenko, The British Association for the Advancement of science naksci_interview_792_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/791/ Thu, 20 Sep 2007 09:33:39 +0100 We're all being asked to lower our carbon footprint and one area where you'd think this would be nearly impossible is the world of Formula one racing. But scientists are now working on a way to reduce the damage that results from this sport. Meera went along to the Science Museum to find out how. - Ben Woods, University of Warwick naksci_interview_791_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/790/ Wed, 19 Sep 2007 15:57:10 +0100 Breastfeeding is the best was to nurture an infant, but what if you're a smoker? We're always told that smoking while pregnant is bad for the baby, so what about nicotine in breastmilk? Chris spoke to Julie Mennella... - Dr Julie Mennella, Monell Chemical Senses Centre naksci_interview_790_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/789/ Tue, 18 Sep 2007 16:16:06 +0100 Being addicted to things is usually bad news, but now there's evidence that getting hooked on chocolate might not be such a bad thing - just so long as it's the dark variety. That said, is chocolate really addictive? To find out, Chris met up with anti-oxidant expert Roger Corder and addiction specialist Peter Rogers. - Roger Corder, The Royal London Medical School & Peter Rogers, University of Bristol naksci_interview_789_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/788/ Tue, 18 Sep 2007 16:10:54 +0100 Meera went out to find the best bits of the festival, and wound up in crowd control! - John Drury, University of Sussex, & David Steven, Hypnotic Audio naksci_interview_788_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/787/ Tue, 18 Sep 2007 16:06:56 +0100 Chris travelled back in time with Sabine Clarke and James Sumner to find out how the people of 17th century York coped with the plague. - Sabine Clarke, Oxford University & James Sumner, Manchester University naksci_interview_787_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/786/ Tue, 04 Sep 2007 14:59:14 +0100 Out of Body Experiences (OBE's)may be spooky, but they can tell us a lot about how the brain works. Now, scientists have found a way to cause OBE's at will... - Henrik Ehrsson, Olaf Blanke & Thomas Metsinger, UCL naksci_interview_786_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/784/ Fri, 31 Aug 2007 11:52:24 +0100 How could Radio help rainforests? Through a community radio station lovingly nicknamed Pygmy FM, indigenous people can highlight the trees that are vital to their lifestyle, and loggers on the right wavelength learn to avoid them. Nature's Mike Hopkin spoke to Scott Poynton of the Tropical Forest Trust. - Scott Poynton, Tropical Forest Trust naksci_interview_784_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/782/ Thu, 23 Aug 2007 17:00:35 +0100 Joel Veitch of Rathergood.com with his suggestion for measuring risk using the unit the 'Curtain'. - Joel Veitch, Rathergood.com naksci_interview_782_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/781/ Thu, 23 Aug 2007 17:00:12 +0100 Prof. Nicky Clayton on her studies with corvids - a group of birds who plan, scheme, steal and even make tools. - Professor Nicky Clayton, University of Cambridge naksci_interview_781_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/780/ Thu, 23 Aug 2007 16:59:46 +0100 Jonathan Shanklin was part of the team from the British Antarctic Survey who first discovered the hole in the ozone layer. Twenty years on, we caught up with him for an update... - Jonathan Shanklin, British Antarctic Survey naksci_interview_780_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/779/ Thu, 23 Aug 2007 16:59:03 +0100 - Professor Trevor Cox, University of Salford naksci_interview_779_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/778/ Tue, 21 Aug 2007 17:51:21 +0100 Geoff Woods has been researching why some people are unable to feel pain, and how this could be useful for medicine. - Dr Geoff Woods, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research naksci_interview_778_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/777/ Tue, 21 Aug 2007 17:50:26 +0100 Where do accents come from? - Kirsty McDougall, Cambridge University naksci_interview_777_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/776/ Tue, 21 Aug 2007 17:49:32 +0100 What is the truth behind all the stories in the papers about the health benefits of red wine, Roger Corder explains. - Roger Corder, from the Royal London School of Medicine naksci_interview_776_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/775/ Tue, 14 Aug 2007 18:07:44 +0100 We spoke to Professor Paul Halpern, author of "What's Science Ever Done for Us?: What the Simpsons Can Teach Us About Physics, Robots, Life and the Universe" - Professor Paul Halpern, University of Philadephia naksci_interview_775_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/774/ Sun, 12 Aug 2007 14:37:32 +0100 Nature's Micheal Hopkin spoke to Al Jean about how The Simpsons is, perhaps surprisingly, one of the most scientifically literate shows around. - Al Jean naksci_interview_774_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/773/ Tue, 07 Aug 2007 17:29:17 +0100 Ben finds out how to avoid being stung and make a great cup of tea at the same time. - Dr Beverley Glover, University of Cambridge naksci_interview_773_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/772/ Tue, 07 Aug 2007 17:19:04 +0100 Chris talks to Dr Bruce Livett about using the venom of cone shells to cure pain. - Bruce Livett, University of Melbourne naksci_interview_772_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/771/ Tue, 07 Aug 2007 14:14:20 +0100 We spoke to Gavin Laing, of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicne, about why snake venom is so potent, how we could use it as medicine and how to make antivenom for those who do get bitten! - Gavin Laing, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine naksci_interview_771_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/770/ Tue, 07 Aug 2007 14:07:17 +0100 Jim Olsen and his team from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle have found a way to use scorpion venom to make a 'paint' which shows up cancer cells. This means that surgeons can be more certain that they are taking out an entire tumour, which can limit the damage to healthy tissue. - Jim Olsen, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre naksci_interview_770_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/769/ Sun, 05 Aug 2007 18:33:52 +0100 Robyn Williams, from ABC Radio National's 'The Science Show' speaks to Glenn King about finding natural alternatives for insecticides - in the venom of deadly spiders! - Glenn King, University of Queensland naksci_interview_769_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/768/ Sun, 05 Aug 2007 18:17:33 +0100 This week, Susanne and Bob look into the sex lives of Arctic Foxes and the effect of melting Polar ice sheets. - Susanne Bard & Bob Hirshon, AAAS naksci_interview_768_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/767/ Tue, 31 Jul 2007 19:01:43 +0100 In the UK, this summer has been the wettest on record so far, so what is going on with the weather? - John Law from Weatherquest naksci_interview_767_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/766/ Tue, 31 Jul 2007 18:58:58 +0100 Coal without the miners and goats fighting chemical weapons - we catch up with Mark Peplow, editor of Chemistry World Magazine - Mark Peplow, Royal Society of Chemistry naksci_interview_766_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/765/ Wed, 25 Jul 2007 17:19:30 +0100 Richard Turner volunteered to have his body tested to extremes of endurance at Everest base camp, all in the name of medical science. - Richard Turner, BBC Manchester naksci_interview_765_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/764/ Tue, 24 Jul 2007 18:10:30 +0100 Fighter pilots need to undergo extreme conditions and still be able to make life or death decisions. How do they train to cope? We spoke to US Air Force Phsyiologist Major Todd Dart. - Major Todd Dart, United States Air Force naksci_interview_764_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/763/ Tue, 24 Jul 2007 18:08:00 +0100 David Thomas is a marine biologist from the University of Wales, Bangor. His work takes him all over the world and he has recently released a book called Surviving Antarctica, we invited him in to the studio for a chat. He's also got another book out called Frozen Oceans, described by Chris Smith as "One of the best books I've ever read about the ecosystems in Antarctica and the Arctic". It gives a vivid account of ice science, and also the life science associated with the ice science. - David Thomas, University of Wales, Bangor. naksci_interview_763_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/762/ Tue, 24 Jul 2007 18:05:54 +0100 How deep can you go? Professional free divers can descend hundreds of feet underwater with no scuba gear, but what does that do to your body? - Mark Harris, British Freediving Association. naksci_interview_762_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/761/ Sun, 22 Jul 2007 22:11:13 +0100 This week, Bob and Chelsea tell us about extreme familily survival. - Bob Hirshon and Chelsea Wald, AAAS naksci_interview_761_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/760/ Tue, 17 Jul 2007 17:34:59 +0100 For kitchen science, we sent Azi to find out how to make biodiesel from vegetable oil, and to prove that it really works in an engine... - Prof. Matthew Davidson, Prof. Gary Hallway & Chris Chuck, University of Bath naksci_interview_760_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/759/ Tue, 17 Jul 2007 17:27:28 +0100 It's all well and good being excited about new fuels, but are the arguments for using them really sound? Can we grow enough crops to make biodiesel? David MacKay brought Chris back down to earth. - David MacKay, Cambridge University naksci_interview_759_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/758/ Tue, 17 Jul 2007 17:22:41 +0100 An alternative to growing crops to make biodiesel is to make use of existing biomass. James Dumesic spoke to Chris smith about a way of making petrol-like fuel from fructose. - Jim Dumesic, Wisconsin-Madison naksci_interview_758_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/757/ Tue, 17 Jul 2007 17:19:38 +0100 Biodiesel is one option for powering cars of the future, but another fuel we could use is hydrogen. This has the benefit of producing only water when it burns, but can be expensive to extract and store. We spoke to Jerry Woodall about a simple way he's found to extract hydrogen from water - Jerry Woodall, Purdue University naksci_interview_757_d/m/Y http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/756/ Fri, 13 Jul 2007 14:13:38 +0100 This week, Chelsea finds evidence that Mexican food may not have changed much in hundreds of years, while Bob explores a way to extract energy from vibrations - Chelsea Wald and Bob Hirshon, AAAS naksci_interview_756_d/m/Y