Short Science Podcast 081: Wikileaks

Welcome to the eighty-first episode of the Short Science Podcast!

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

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

- telescope gets a fibre optic upgrade

- GPs to test for cancer

- light provides lift

- developing world faces same hospital bugs battle

- Voyager nears edge of the solar system

- think it, don't eat it

- potato blight genes found

- safe sex warning for the party season

This week, Elizabeth and Pippa talk about the Wikileaks scandal. Elizabeth starts off by talking about what Wikileaks is, while Pippa goes on to talk about computer data encryption. We finish with a round-up of the latest news on the Wikileaks story.

To be included in the show, leave any thoughts, questions or ideas on the Short Science answerphone +44 (0)7401 856 681, or send us an email to studio@shortscience.co.uk. More details can be found on our website www.shortscience.co.uk!

Short Science Podcast 080: End of the World

Welcome to the eightieth episode of the Short Science Podcast!

This is a very special 'Take-Over' edition of Short Science. Hosted by Elizabeth Hauke, this episode is written and presented by Ed Prosser, Katie Draper and Andy Bailey.

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

- new study offers hope for multiple sclerosis sufferers

- giant panda breeding breakthrough

- oriental hornets powered by solar energy

- index finger length possible clue to risk of prostate cancer

- artificial tornado created in Japan

- arsenic-eating microbe claims to redefine chemistry of life

This week, Ed, Katie and Andy are looking at potential 'end of the world' scenarios. After a run down of the top-five possibilities, they focus on nuclear annihiliation.

Guest Andrew Purcell talks about the science magazine I, Science.

To be included in the show, leave any thoughts, questions or ideas on the Short Science answerphone +44 (0)7401 856 681, or send us an email to studio@shortscience.co.uk. More details can be found on our website www.shortscience.co.uk!

Short Science Podcast 079: World AIDS Day

Welcome to the seventy-ninth episode of the Short Science Podcast!

Join Elizabeth Hauke and Charlie Harvey for all the very best science in brief!

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

- ALICE in plasmaland

- women not aware of heart risk

- woolly jumpers shrink in the heat of climate change

- memory booster helps mice

- female phone calls affected by fertility

- weather data could help healthcare planning

- new energy sources needed to combat climate change

- a quarter of sufferers unaware of HIV

In Capsule Medicine this week, we cover the basics of HIV and AIDS. We take a look in the archives to see when AIDS was first discovered and how it came into existence in the first place.

Charlie looks at managing HIV/AIDS on a global scale, and studio guest Monique Tsang talks about World AIDS Day.

We really battled the elements today to get this episode of Short Science recorded, and actually ended up recording the show from various locations around London. We apologise for the slight changes in recording quality throughout the show, and hope to be back recording in the studio next week!

To be included in the show, leave any thoughts, questions or ideas on the Short Science answerphone +44 (0)7401 856 681, or send us an email to studio@shortscience.co.uk. More details can be found on our website www.shortscience.co.uk!

Short Science Podcast 078: Intelligence

Welcome to the seventy-eighth episode of the Short Science Podcast!

Join Elizabeth Hauke and Kirsty Seager for all the very best science in brief!

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

- anti-matter trapped for the first time

- HIV infections declining

- ancient seaweed found growing in the deep sea

- diabetes provides hope for Alzheimer's

- baby black hole found

Along with studio guests Nathan Wren and Catherine Zentile, we consider just what IQ is, and how it can be measured. We also look at evidence of animal intelligence, and consider the Flynn effect.

Plus we air the second episode in our Sounds of Science feature, written and produced by Ed Prosser.

And our horticultural correspondent Austen Zingel answers another listener question.

To be included in the show, leave any thoughts, questions or ideas on the Short Science answerphone +44 (0)7401 856 681, or send us an email to studio@shortscience.co.uk. More details can be found on our website www.shortscience.co.uk!

Short Science Podcast 077: Fish

Welcome to the seventy-seventh episode of the Short Science Podcast!

This is a very special 'Take-Over' edition of Short Science. Hosted by Elizabeth Hauke, this episode is written and presented by Charlie Harvey, Tom Lewton and Jack Croxall.

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

- fish oil fails

- new fish discovered in deep ocean trench

- evolution by supernatural selection

- invisibility gene discovered

- the salmon of doubt

- unlucky pelican

- fisherman catches monster goldfish

This week, Charlie, Tom and Jack are looking at all things fishy - from the most unusual fish to monster fish. They'll also be reviewing the current situation with overfishing, and answering the question 'cod or haddock?'.

To be included in the show, leave any thoughts, questions or ideas on the Short Science answerphone +44 (0)7401 856 681, or send us an email to studio@shortscience.co.uk. More details can be found on our website www.shortscience.co.uk!

Short Science Podcast 076: Space Travel

Welcome to the seventy-sixth episode of the Short Science Podcast!

Join Elizabeth, Katie, Jan and Lizzie for all the very best science in brief!

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

- large hadron collider creates mini big bang

- raise statin doses to save lives

- sawfly moves to Scotland

- smokers cling to cigarettes in recession

- remote tribes at risk from expedition

- hospitals to trial padded floor

- UK space sector bucking recession

- electricity to the brain improves mental arithmetic

This week we're looking at space travel from space exploration for scientific purposes to space tourism and the potential effect on the environment.

To be included in the show, leave any thoughts, questions or ideas on the Short Science answerphone +44 (0)7401 856 681, or send us an email to studio@shortscience.co.uk. More details can be found on our website www.shortscience.co.uk!

Short Science Podcast 075: Sensors, Sensing and Synaesthesia

Welcome to the seventy-fifth episode of the Short Science Podcast!

Join Elizabeth, Thea and Carinne for all the very best science in brief!

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

- earth-sized planets more common than previously believed

- scientists crack common cold

- 2012 Olympic Games could miss environmental targets

- set limits for salt

- fruit flies find mates with help of love bug

- jellyfish used to diagnose cancer

- study of spiral galaxies

This week we're looking at sensing, sensors and synaesthesia. Thea kicks of the capsules this week with a look at sensors - from the human body to inside a car engine.

And in Capsule Medicine, Carinne tells us all about synaesthesia.

Plus we answer listener James' question on what happens to an email when you press 'send'.

To be included in the show, leave any thoughts, questions or ideas on the Short Science answerphone +44 (0)7401 856 681, or send us an email to studio@shortscience.co.uk. More details can be found on our website www.shortscience.co.uk!