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Science, Maths & Technology
Open Mathematics
The Severn Valley Railway is one of Britain's best known steam railways. Over much of its length, there is only a single track, with passing points at various points along the line. As with any commercial rail operation, the timetable needs to meet passenger needs and health and safety requirements. The five video tracks in this album follow ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Showing the way they went
Hot air balloon rides have become a popular celebration treat. But do they really just drift with the wind? Investigate the meticulous planning needed for round-the-world flights. Learn how journeys are monitored and measured, and discover how pilots merge mathematics and geography while high above the ground. This material forms part of the ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Molecular Science: Spectrometry
Chemistry is of enormous importance in everyday life: almost everything that exists, and all that we see, make and eat is composed of molecules. The unravelling of molecular structure is a key activity of chemists. In these three video tracks, Dr Mike Bullivant looks briefly at three of the spectroscopic techniques that are used to determine the...
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Science, Maths & Technology
The Next Big Thing: Nanotechnology
How - and why - would you build a machine 10,000 times thinner than a human hair? This album features experts discussing the paradigm shift that is occurring in science. Scientists are learning to manipulate atoms on the scale of a billionth of a metre and control them to perform specific tasks. They can emulate biological and chemical systems ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Earth and Life
This series of tracks focuses on geological phenomena, Gaia theory and volcanoes. Included is a discussion on Climate Change and whether the uplift of Tibet caused global cooling. Material is taken from The Open University Course S269 Earth and Life.
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Science, Maths & Technology
Astronomy
Thanks to cutting-edge radio and infra-red astronomy, our understanding of the universe is moving very fast. Ideas about black holes and cosmic jets are constantly being refined as new discoveries are made using new, more powerful telescopes. This album explores the incredible discoveries and theories developed in recent years and introduces the...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Planetary science
Our planet is at the centre of a cosmic shooting gallery. This album examines the evidence for and effect of asteroid impacts and meteor explosions on Earth. The 6 video tracks assess the environmental effects caused by bolides of different sizes and trajectories. How do scientists detect that a crater on Earth is the result of an asteroid ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Iceland: ridge, plume and basalt
Why is Iceland the fastest growing island in the North Atlantic? Why is Iceland on dry land? Dr Dave McGarvie takes us on a geographically complex field trip to discover Iceland's new land. McGarvie explains how different types of basalts eruptions help build the crust of Iceland. This material forms part of The Open University course S339, ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Island Arc Magmatism: Santorini
Today tourists flock to the spectacular Greek island of Santorini. But how many realise that its stunning scenery was birthed by one of the largest and most destructive volcanic eruptions in history? This eruption left a geological caldera surrounded by huge amounts of volcanic ash. In this album, Open University geologists Richard Thorpe and ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Geological structures exposed
Understanding mountain building involves unraveling how and why rocks deform. Geologists Nigel Harris and John Whalley tour the Scottish segment of the Caledonian orogenic Belt to untangle the kinematics and the chronology of deformation. This material forms part of The Open University course S339, Understanding the continents.
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Science, Maths & Technology
Radiotherapy and its Physics
This masters level science course aims to give you an understanding of the application of physics to the techniques of radiotherapy, one of the key weapons in the fight against cancer. It is designed to enable you to develop a broad and balanced appreciation of this area of contemporary medicine, rather than a detailed ‘professional’ knowledge. ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Archaeology: the science of investigation
Archaeology is about reconstructing the physical past to obtain an understanding of how different civilisations and cultures have evolved over time. In this album, archaeologists from the British Museum explain the scientific processes involved in the discovery, investigation and interpretation of a variety of artefacts, such as skeletons, ...