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Science, Maths & Technology
Multipoint cutting (translational)
A mechanical machining process, where a tool with more than one sharp cutting edge (‘teeth’) moves horizontally or vertically to remove material from the workpiece.
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Science, Maths & Technology
Geological landforms: Dorset and The Isle of Skye
Geology is the scientific study of the Earth, its origin, structure, processes and composition. This album is mainly concerned with the interpretation of geological maps and the relationship between the landscape and underlying rocks. The Open University's Dr Iain Gilmour talks us through the geological landforms of Dorset and the Isle of Skye, ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Gold: Medicine for the Brain
Once used for decoration in the ancient world, discover why gold particles are now considered treasure in the world of medicine...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Broken Hearts in Batten Disease (Juvenile Dementia)
An overview of the processes that cause the regular beating of a healthy heart, and the structure of cardiac myocytes (heart muscle cells) with a brief introduction to changes in the heart function found in CLN3 disease, or juvenile dementia.
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Science, Maths & Technology
Timeline: Engineering the real cyborgs
Do you know engineers have been improving lives of people who have disabilities since Ancient Egyptian times? See how prosthesis and aids for the heart, eyes and ears have developed over the years.
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Science, Maths & Technology
The science of making musical instruments
How can you take string or a tube and create a device to make music? Here's the science behind the tools of art.
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Science, Maths & Technology
Multiple Moonlets Maketh Mystery
How did the moon form? Forget a single giant impact – relentless bombardment could explain the Moon’s formation, says Open University research student Zoe Morland.
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Science, Maths & Technology
Darwin and language diversity
Can Darwin's theory of evolution be applied to languages? If so what are the analogues for natural selection and species diversification? What truths does this approach reveal and what problems does it throw up? In this album Professor Mark Pagel of Reading University and Quentin Atkinson, an evolutionary biologist at Oxford, discuss the ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Carbonitriding / carburising
Carbon or carbon and nitrogen together, in a medium of gas, solid or liquid, are diffused into the surface of component(s), particularly those made from low carbon steels. Changes to the chemical composition of the surface (austenite) lead to high carbon content in the surface material, which when quenched transforms to a hard coating (martensite).
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Science, Maths & Technology
Using lanthanides as medical imaging tools
Discover how an element belonging to the 'rare earth metals' is being used in medicine. Here's how lanthanides' magnetic properties are fantastic for medical imaging:
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Science, Maths & Technology
Selective laser melting (SLM)
Heat is generated using a focused heat source, normally a laser, sufficient to melt a thin layer of powder applied to the surface of a substrate. Material is added layer by layer by lowering the build by a small amount and spreading a thin layer of powder over the surface. To create the desired geometry, the heat source is traversed over the ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Rotary Forging, General Forging Machine (GFM) and Swaging
A circular housing contains a rotating shaft (rotor) holding free moving anvils. At the end of each anvil is a die. The dies surround a centrally placed workpiece. Revolving around the rotor is a cage holding loosely rotating rollers. As the cage rotates, the rollers impact on the anvils, which effectively hammer the stationary workpiece into ...