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The science of chocolate

The science of chocolate Copyrighted imageCredit: Mikael Damkier | Dreamstime.com
Introductory Level Updated 19 Feb 2013
By Dr Claire Turner
Senior lecturer in analytical science Claire Turner asks: Can chocolate ever be good for us? 
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OU on the BBC: Shock and Awe: The Story of Electricity - Revelations and Revolutions

OU on the BBC: Shock and Awe: The Story of Electricity - Revelations and Revolutions Copyrighted imageCredit: BBC
Introductory Level Duration 5 mins Updated 23 Nov 2012
By The OpenLearn team
The final episode of Shock and Awe: The Story of Electricity tells the story of how a new age of real understanding dawned.
Read more : OU on the BBC: Shock and Awe: The Story of Electricity - Revelations and Revolutions

Warren East on licencing and life-cycles

Featuring: Video
Warren East on licencing and life-cycles Creative commons imageCredit: The Open University
Introductory Level Duration 5 mins Updated 30 May 2012
By Warren East, Dr Richard Blundel
ARM's Warren East reveals the secret of the company's success - and explains why you need to take a long view of technology's environmental impacts.
Watch now: Warren East on licencing and life-cycles

OU on the BBC: Shock and Awe: The Story of Electricity

Featuring: Video
OU on the BBC: Shock and Awe: The Story of Electricity Copyrighted imageCredit: BBC
Introductory Level Duration 5 mins Updated 29 Apr 2012
In Shock and Awe: The Story of Electricity, Jim Al-Khalili tells the electrifying story of our quest to master nature’s most mysterious force - electricity.
Watch now: OU on the BBC: Shock and Awe: The Story of Electricity

Spark it up!

Featuring: Activity
Spark it up!
Introductory Level Duration 5 mins Updated 11 Aug 2011
By Jan Kowal, The OpenLearn team
How many eels to power a laptop? Discover how much energy it takes to start up a variety of objects in this game developed to...
Launch now: Spark it up!

Earth Reporters: Damming the Mekong

Featuring: Video
Earth Reporters: Damming the Mekong Copyrighted imageCredit: tve
Introductory Level Duration 15 mins Updated 10 Jun 2011
By Thitarat Sriwattanapong
Episode five: Thitarat Sriwattanapong takes us on a trip down the Mekong River and introduces us to the people who earn their livelihoods on it
Watch now: Earth Reporters: Damming the Mekong

Fukushima: nuclear concerns

Fukushima: nuclear concerns Creative commons imageCredit: JobyOne under CC-BY-NC-SA licence
Introductory Level Duration 5 mins Updated 16 Mar 2011
By Professor Nick Braithwaite, Sam Smidt
Following the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the spotlight is now on the nuclear situation there. The team preparing the new OU course Inside Nuclear...
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Urban decay

Featuring: Video
Urban decay Copyrighted imageCredit: The Open University
Introductory Level Duration 10 mins Updated 06 Oct 2010
By Professor Matthias Schuler
Adjunct professor of Environmental Technology of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design and founder of Transsolar, Matthias Schuler suggests that single environmental buildings will...
Watch now: Urban decay

Spinning in the breeze

Featuring: Video
Spinning in the breeze Copyrighted imageCredit: The Open University
Introductory Level Duration 5 mins Updated 05 Oct 2010
By The OpenLearn team
Professor Godfrey Boyle from The Open University takes us on a tour of the Middelgrunden offshore wind farm in Denmark.
Watch now: Spinning in the breeze

Finding the energy

Featuring: Video
Finding the energy Copyrighted imageCredit: The Open University
Introductory Level Duration 10 mins Updated 05 Oct 2010
By The OpenLearn team
An extensive research and teaching career in energy, environment and sustainable development paved the way to Maria Da Graça Carvalho becoming a Member of the...
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Systems thinking: Understanding sustainability

Free Course
Systems thinking: Understanding sustainability Copyrighted imageCredit: Used with permission
Intermediate Level Duration 15 hours Updated 20 Jun 2013
By The Open University
In the increasingly complex world of change and uncertainty, particularly in the context of climate change, the notion of sustainability is often raised as the...
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Unclear about nuclear?

Free CourseFeaturing: VideoActivity
Unclear about nuclear?
Introductory Level Duration 20 hours Updated 20 Jun 2013
By The Open University
The unit will provide an opportunity for young people (18+) who are interested but unsure about entering the nuclear industry to develop their learning about...
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Living without oil

Free CourseFeaturing: VideoAudio
Living without oil Copyrighted imageCredit: Used with permission
Introductory Level Duration 8 hours Updated 20 Jun 2013
By The Open University
Crude oil is currently our most important global source of energy. It is vital in the manufacture of many modern materials. But the world's supply...
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Earth's physical resources: petroleum

Free CourseFeaturing: Activity
Earth's physical resources: petroleum Creative commons imageCredit: Used with permission
Intermediate Level Duration 12 hours Updated 20 Jun 2013
By The Open University
The discovery of of the world's first major underground oilfield in Pennsylvania, USA in 1859 sparked the continuing era of the world's reliance on cheap...
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The frozen planet

Free Course
The frozen planet
Introductory Level Duration 7 hours Updated 20 Jun 2013
By The Open University
This unit is a general introduction to the frozen planet, including the temperature in the polar regions; the energy from the Sun and the seasons;...
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Biofuels

Free CourseFeaturing: VideoAudio
Biofuels Copyrighted imageCredit: Used with permission
Introductory Level Duration 5 hours Updated 20 Jun 2013
By The Open University
This unit investigates what is meant by a biofuel and covers the advantages of using biofuels compared to fossil fuels. The different types of biofuel...
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Future energy demand and supply

Free Course
Future energy demand and supply Copyrighted imageCredit: Used with permission
Intermediate Level Duration 13 hours Updated 20 Jun 2013
By The Open University
When you consider that the global annual consumption of primary energy increased more than ten-fold during the 20th Century, the importance of planning future energy...
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Obesity: Balanced diets and treatment

Free Course
Obesity: Balanced diets and treatment Copyrighted imageCredit: Used with permission
Intermediate Level Duration 15 hours Updated 20 Jun 2013
By The Open University
The incidence of obesity is on the increase in affluent societies, and the phenomenon commands increasing attention from health professionals, legislators and the media. This...
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An introduction to sustainable energy

Free Course
An introduction to sustainable energy Copyrighted imageCredit: Used with permission
Introductory Level Duration 3 hours Updated 20 Jun 2013
By The Open University
The search for sustainable energy will dominate the twenty-first century. This unit provides an introductory overview of the present energy systems and takes a brief...
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Climate change

Free Course
Climate change Copyrighted imageCredit: Used with permission
Intermediate Level Duration 18 hours Updated 20 Jun 2013
By The Open University
Climate change is a key issue on today’s social and political agenda. This unit explores the basic science that underpins climate change and global warming.
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