Naked Science Forum
General Discussion & Feedback => Radio Show & Podcast Feedback => Topic started by: thedoc on 09/11/2008 16:38:12
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This week's Pathological programme brings you a glimpse into the world of the pathologist. We attend a real autopsy to discover how a pathologist uncovers a cause of death, and hear how Cambridge scientists have found a new way to stop Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in its tracks. We also find out how a common rock can lock away carbon, why forest fungi give out less greenhouse gases when they're warm, and shed some light on the workings of world's smallest solar panels. Plus, in place of Kitchen Science, Ben tries to stop a virtual outbreak of the plague!
Listen to this Show (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/show/2008.11.09/)
If you want to discuss this show, or ask a question, this is the place to do it.
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I was wondering whether you could ask your guest how many mutations are necessary for a bacterium to become airborn, where it was previously not. Or if this is too vague, what are the chances of a particular bacterium of becoming airborn over say 10 generations.
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There was a question in this show about whether or not the UK has a 'body farm'. In response to that question it was mentioned that the US has a rather famous body farm but there was no reply as to where it is located. The answer -- the body farm is located at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee in the US. There are some documentary shows that have toured the facility and a few books (such as Stiff by Mary Roach) that describe it in detail if you are interested in this topic.
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Thanks Susie, great info!
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Arun Pandyan asked the Naked Scientists:
Chris,
I listen to the podcast regularly (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/). I live near Dallas Texas.
Love your program.
There was a reference to 'body farm' by one of the callers on the radio show. The 'body farm' referred to by the caller is a plot of land that has cadavers scattered about it. Researchers study the bodies to figure out how the environment affects decomposition of the bodies. A Google search on 'body farm' even brings up a video of one such location.
Best Regards, Arun Pandyan
What do you think?
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Yep, that would be the Forensic Anthropology Facility at the Uni of Tennessee, set up by Dr Bill Bass in 1971. This body farm has provided pretty much all of the info we have on rates of decomposition, so just think how many forensic investigations have benefited from this research facility!
I believe there's also been a second body farm set up at Western Carolina university. Unfortunately that's right next to Tennessee, so it's not really going to be studying decomposition in a different climate, which would be useful.
(Sorry, i'm a forensics student - maybe it's all a bit too exciting for me!)
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So do they know how many bodies lie here?
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The "Body Farm" is a human forensic anthropology research facility at the Uni. of Tennessee in Knoxville. They leave human corpses in various states & environments, to experimentally record what happens to them. See Mary Roach's book Stiff.