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Science, Maths & Technology
Innovation Design: Sustainable Communities
Can you picture the future in a world without fossil fuels? Perhaps you think that living an "alternative" lifestyle has to mean painful and radical changes to the way you live now. This album looks at various small scale initiatives which show that living sustainably may not be as unpalatable as you might imagine. Bedzed, Findhorn, Hockerton, ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Starting with Maths
How many times have you used mathematics today? Starting with Maths takes a detailed look into the history behind numbers and how mathematics has evolved into something we use in everyday life. We hear the experiences of people who rely heavily on accurate calculations for the success of their jobs. In addition to this we look into the lives of ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Evolution and the human family
Can Darwin's theory of evolution be applied to cultural institutions like the family? If so, how can it help us to understand how family structures have evolved? If not, what are the limitations of a Darwinian approach? In this album, Ruth Mace, Professor of Evolutionary Biology at UCL in London, reveals how she uses a Darwinian approach to ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Living the Legacy
How can Darwin be used to inspire the scientists of tomorrow? What is the best way to communicate his theories to a modern audience? And what events have been taking place all over the world to commemorate him? Sheila Ochugboju from the African Technology Policy Studies Network, Janice Asnine from the OU and Roberta Kacowicz from The British ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Publishing The Origin of Species
John Murray VII tells the fascinating story of how his ancestor, John Murray III, was offered the manuscript of Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species. Drawing upon original letters, photographs, family stories and the help of a set of live pigeons, he gives a unique insight in to the early history of this epoch-making book, telling how early ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Investigating spiders: life on a thread
Whether you find spiders fearful or fascinating, they are to be admired for their web-spinning and prey-catching techniques, and the remarkable methods they use to move from one place to another. In this album, researchers in Denmark and the United States use an 8-legged robot and a virtual spider, high-speed photography, a hot air balloon and a...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Investigating fungi: the wood-wide web
How fundamental are fungi to a forest's eco-system? And how can they be utilised to reclaim barren land and grow sustainable plantations for economic markets? In this album, scientists from the UK and Malaysia explore how fungi form constructive and cooperative partnerships with other plants and trees, and how such symbiosis can be used for ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Investigating flagellates, plankton and filter feeders
How do we enter the strange and fascinating world of small organisms? How do scientists explore their habits, growth, and rather intriguing behaviours? In this album, scientists from Italy, the US and the UK reveal some of the technologies and techniques they use to investigate the behaviour of small aquatic organisms such as flagellates, ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Mathematical models: from sundials to number engines
Since the dawn of civilisation, humans have used everyday materials to create mathematical models of the world around them. This album explores the ancient Greeks' astrolabe as a model of the skies; the sundial, to tell the time; Babylonian clay tablets to record wages and trading of sheep; wooden tallies for bulk-buying beer, the Incas' use of ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Rollercoaster design
Why is a rollercoaster so exciting and terrifying, yet safe? Modern rollercoasters such as ‘Nemesis’ are engineered very precisely to create an exciting experience for thrill-seekers. This short album visits Alton Towers theme park in England, and explores the part that mathematicians play in rollercoaster design, using mathematical models to ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Darwin and Inheritance
How are genetic traits handed down through generations? How did you inherit your grandfather's red hair whilst your parents are both black-haired? Even Charles Darwin himself never really understood the causes behind this. This album traces the development of our understanding of the laws of inheritance. The tracks on this album, drawn from an ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
The Galapagos
The Galapagos Islands are famous for inspiring Charles Darwin to form his Theory of Evolution based on the biodiversity he'd observed there. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the publication of his "On the origin of species", and the unspoilt islands still fascinate researchers. Some of the plants and animals that live here are found ...