Short Science Podcast 061: Combustion

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

Join Elizabeth and Emma the very best science in brief!

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

- eco-friendly air conditioning

- motherly love key to adult success

- biggest star identified

- neglected cancer needs attention

- sniffing to communicate

- education fights back against dementia

- algae biofuel could generate more greenhouse emissions

- combative sports dangerous for the brain

We continue our new features in the show this week, including the Short Science News Archive and Statistic of the week.

Emma presents a Capsule Science looking at the process of combustion. Elizabeth looks at how the body extracts energy from food.

Plus we welcome our resident plant expert Austen Zingel as he tackles his first listener question - why do some plants like shade?

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 060: Summer Sunshine

Welcome to the sixtieth episode of the Short Science Podcast!

Join Elizabeth and Emma the very best science in brief!

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

- multi-storey computer chips

- vaginal gel protects women from AIDS

- gobies keeping damaged ecosystem going

- mobiles never stop ringing

- single suns could have similar solar systems

- distinctive voice in austism

- cooking - an evolutionary leap?

- vaccine patches

We continue our new features in the show this week, including the Short Science News Archive and Statistic of the week.

Emma presents a Capsule Science looking at just how the summer sunshine can play havoc with modern engineering. Elizabeth looks at how the body keeps cool by producing sweat.

Plus we hear from listeners about sunglass selection and forest fires.

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 059: Self Destruction

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

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

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

- news from Planck

- vitamin D a must for healthy babies

- from sea to sky

- asbestos under the radar

- dragonfly trick makes missiles harder to dodge

- prosper and live long

- genetic heritage-print

- mixed news for home births

We continue our new features in the show this week, including the Short Science News Archive and Statistic of the week.

Georgie presents a Capsule Science looking at self-destruction in movies and real life, while Elizabeth looks at what can happen in the human body when our immune systems turn against us in Capsule Medicine.

Plus we hear from Harriet Vickers who has sent in a special report about lupus, and discusses the use of art to communicate science with Henry Elliott.

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 058

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

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

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

- Scotland's coastline moved up and down

- genes predict longevity

- USA starts space cleanup

- goals replace targets

- beak size affected by climate

- spit for marrow match

- russian spies using outdated technology

- Huntington's twice as common

We continue our new features in the show this week, including the Short Science News Archive and Statistic of the week.

Emma presents a Capsule Science exploring biometric data and passports. Elizabeth considers just how hi-tech fingerprinting can get in Capsule Medicine.

Plus we hear from Short Scientists around the world about their views on the identity and identification data being used by the government. Should science be harnessed to conceal or reveal identity?

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 057: Mobile Phones

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

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

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

- Tutankhamen not killed by malaria after all

- foetal pain a myth

- solar activity could cause technological crisis

- beetroots beat blood pressure

- public distrust scientists

- obesity bad news for IVF

- worker bees lay queen eggs

- slouching is the new sitting up

We continue our new features in the show this week, including the Short Science News Archive and Statistic of the week.

Emma presents a Capsule Science detailing just how mobile phones actually work, while Elizabeth examines the evidence linking mobile phones with health problems.

Plus we hear from Short Scientists around the world about their views on the mobile revolution, and we have a special report from Paola Faraca on the iPhone 4.

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 056: Football World Cup

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

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

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

- degrading plastics threaten 20th century icons

- test tube liver

- edges of coral reefs evolving faster

- waiting times to increase

- stars found in our galaxy but far, far away

- voice predicts build

- bee decline threatens UK economy

- vuvuzela nightmare

We continue our new features in the show this week, including the Short Science News Archive and Statistic of the week.

Emma presents a Capsule Science on statistics in sport, while Elizabeth examines the latest Beckham injury, the ruptured achilles tendon.

Plus we hear from Short Scientists around the world about their views on whether there is any science involved in football. Including the thoughts of Rupert Colley and a report from Paola Faraca. We also announce the results of our science in football survey.

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 055: Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill

Welcome to the fifty-fourth episode of the Short Science Podcast!

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

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

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

- asteroid sample hits terra firma

- heart pills linked to deadly cancer

- artificial life shouldn’t gain a life of its own

- Legionnaire’s disease lurks under the bonnet

- BP downplaying oil loss

- internal radiation to get on top of cancer

- popping bubbles don’t disappear

- cancer drug stops blindness

We continue our new features in the show this week, including the Short Science News Archive and Statistic of the week.

Emma presents a Capsule Science on fossil fuels, while Elizabeth examines the impact of the oil spill on the ocean and wildlife.

Plus we hear from Short Scientists around the world about their views on the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

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!

Correction: Alysha and Brandi would like to make a correction to their summary of the oil spill. There are currently 40 000 gallons of oil being released a day, not 210 000 as mistakenly quoted.