Short Science Podcast 030

Welcome to the thirtieth episode of the Short Science Podcast!

Join Elizabeth Hauke for this very special edition of Short Science.

Today we are focussing on the use of sound in the detection and diagnosis of disease. From the naked ear and the traditional stethoscope, to the increasingly complex technologies that allow us to listen in to the body, the possibilities for the ear to play a major diagnostic role seem to be ever increasing. However, a trip to the hospital is more likely to reveal huddles of doctors poring over lightboxes than listening to sound through headphones.

We investigate the use of sound in the diagnosis of disease, looking at listening in to the sounds of the body with the naked ear and the stethoscope, applying sound to the body with percussion and ultrasound and converting information about the body into sound with brain scans.

Please send in any comments or questions to studio@shortscience.co.uk. Send us in suggestions for science topics that you think we should cover, or offer up your own science and join us on the show. See our website for more information http://www.shortscience.co.uk/!

If you'd prefer to listen to the broadcast show (which contains some fabulous eighties music tracks) then join us live on http://www.icradio.com/ at 12-1pm (UK time) every Wednesday lunchtime or check out www.icradio.com/shortscience for the listen again links!

Short Science Podcast 018

Welcome to the eighteenth edition of the Short Science Podcast.

Join Emma and Elizabeth for all the very best science in brief!

We kick off the podcast with a few prominent science news headlines from the week including:

- rat experiments show development of learning mechanisms

- sleepless nights linked to Alzheimers

- bubbly champagne tastes better - who knew?!

- parasites protect from allergy

Emma starts the capsules this week with a Capsule Science on animal calls.

Our guest Capsule this week is from Dr Emma Chung, British Heart Foundation Research Fellow at the University of Leicester. She talks about her work with embolus detection and ultrasound and her role as the editor of journal 'Ultrasound'.

Elizabeth rounds off the capsules this week with Capsule Medicine, looking at why we sometimes lose our voices.

And for a bit of light relief after all this mighty serious science (!) a short quiz, and a maths conundrum for you to take a crack at! Just send in your answers by 10am (UK time) on Wednesday 7th October 2009.

Contact us with your comments and suggestions at studio@shortscience.co.uk.

Send us your requests for topics to cover, or offer up your science and join us on the show! Visit our website for more information http://www.shortscience.co.uk/.

You can also join our guests by posting your profile and/or your 'Capsule Science'.

If you want to listen to the broadcast show (which includes some light musical interludes) then catch us live on Wednesdays at 12-1pm or listen again - all at http://www.icradio.com/.