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Dropping the population bomb - 50 years of BBC environmental broadcasting, part two
Society, Politics & Law

Dropping the population bomb - 50 years of BBC environmental broadcasting, part two

...energy use is connected with quite abstract physical impacts that are distant in time and space, using a mix of footage of glaciers and windfarms. But the journalist is talking at a kitchen table and she reaches to turn off a light switch. It’s all very down to earth and practical. The thing I note here is how the Newsround team have taken enormous care over the...
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Article 5 mins
Systems thinking: a select glossary
Money & Business

Systems thinking: a select glossary

...energy. In practice such systems rarely exist, but many systems are treated as if they were closed. Communication (i) First-order communication is based on simple feedback (as in a thermostat) but should not be confused with human communication, which has a biological basis. (ii) Second-order communication is understood from a theory of cognition which encompasses...
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Article 5 mins
Warming winters: How will the Winter Olympics adapt?
Health, Sports & Psychology

Warming winters: How will the Winter Olympics adapt?

...energy. For the Milano-Cortina games approximately 1.6m cubic metres of artificial snow will be made. This has required two new water reservoirs to be built, one in the Livigno Snow Park and the other next to the village of Bormio 2300m high-up in the mountains. In addition, 75 extra snow guns, that distribute the snow over the mountain courses, have also been installed....
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Article 5 mins
What can you do with leftover coffee grounds?
Science, Maths & Technology

What can you do with leftover coffee grounds?

...energy than traditional wood pellets. However unlike Nestlé, Bio-bean first removes oil from the coffee, which brings us to our second point. Turn coffee into liquid fuel Like most plant seeds, the coffee bean contains a significant amount of oil which can either be squeezed out or chemically extracted. It can then be converted into biodiesel, a liquid with similar...
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Article 5 mins
Exercising at 50
Health, Sports & Psychology

Exercising at 50

...energy levels, mood and overall quality of life. ...In 1969, when the Open University first opened its doors, the average life expectancy in the United Kingdom was 71.8 years (World Bank, 2018). Half a century later in 2019 when the ‘University of the Air’ is celebrating its 50th birthday, the average number of years that a person is expected to live for has increased...
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Article 5 mins
Studying mammals: The insect hunters
Nature & Environment

Studying mammals: The insect hunters

...energy requirements. Insect eaters have diverse ways of catching and dealing with their prey; teeth play a crucial role. Indeed, teeth are of such enormous significance to mammalian diets in general (and are so readily preserved by fossilisation) that they feature extensively in this series of units as a whole. A general introduction to teeth is useful at this point....
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Level 1: Introductory 10 hrs
Chinese at the tip of your tongue: How do you translate brand names?
Languages

Chinese at the tip of your tongue: How do you translate brand names?

...and energy. So if you have got a BMW, you’ve got a treasured horse. Finally, the perfect translation is when you can combine the sound with characters that have got nice meanings. The translation for the car Mini is mi nĭ, which sounds like Mini, and it means to fascinate you or to attract you. Dur: 3’15” Inspired? Learn beginner's Chinese with The Open University...
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Video 5 mins
Can landfills be used to improve biodiversity?
Nature & Environment

Can landfills be used to improve biodiversity?

...solar farms. Here, too, there are no overarching guidelines geared towards biodiversity. Exploring this potential and evaluating the extent to which closed landfills can help to restore biodiversity is an active research area. Additionally, evaluating the role of stakeholders in landfill restoration could complement this research effort by widening our understanding of...
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Article 5 mins