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Sciences at Warwick University

A collection of podcasts and videos from the University of Warwick focussing on research stories in the sciences.

Professor Sir Harry Kroto

09:34 Tue 23 Jul 2013

Nobel prize winner Professor Sir Harry Kroto talks to Professor Richard Walton of the Department of Chemistry about his work and research.

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Higgs Boson explained with Daniel Scully

13:03 Wed 18 Jul 2012

Particle Physicist Daniel Scully explains the concepts behind the elusive Higgs boson, including the methods used to look for it and what this discovery might mean for the future of mankind.

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Chemistry for your Future - Warwick Chemistry

13:19 Wed 11 Jul 2012

A short 3 minute video explaining the benefits of studying Chemistry at the University of Warwick.

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On the structure and topography of free-standing chemically modified graphene

14:01 Mon 12 Dec 2011

The properties of chemically modified graphene (CMG) are intrinsically linked to its structure. Here, we report on our study of the topographic structure of free-standing CMG using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and electron diffraction.

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Science

John Armitt CBE, Hon DSc

12:34 Mon 12 Dec 2011

John Armitt CBE, Chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority, talks about the 2012 Olympics and receiving his Honorary Degree in Science.

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Science

Living with risk and uncertainty; we're all going to die (sometime)

14:37 Tue 20 Dec 2011

This lecture is hosted by the Department of Statistics, by David J Spiegelhalter OBE, FRS (Winton Professor of the Public Understanding of Risk, University of Cambridge).

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Mathematics, Statistics

Launch of the new NMR facility

12:25 Mon 05 Jan 2009

At the launch of the new NMR facility at the University of Warwick.

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Physics

How Psychology Affects Our Credit Card Payments

12:25 Mon 05 Jan 2009

A psychological phenomenon called anchoring can determine the amount you pay on your credit card bill. Dr Neil Stewart from the Department of Psychology at Warwick University sheds light on how we can be more credit savvy when making credit card repayments.

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Psychology

Fungal footbaths could save the honey bee

12:25 Mon 05 Jan 2009

Globally, the honey bee population is in decline. This has serious implications for the cross pollination of commercial crops and wild plants. One of the major causes of this decline is the Varroa Destructor mite. However, researchers at Warwick University may have found a natural solution to this problem. Dr Dave Chandler from Warwick HRI explains how.

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Agricultural, Science

The biology of the 21st Century

12:25 Mon 05 Jan 2009

Professor Denis Noble, who was a pioneer in the field of systems biology building the first working mathematical model of the heart and has been given an honorary degree at Warwick, talks about how the future study of biology will change in the 21st Century.

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Biology, Mathematics, Science

Saving the British strawberry

12:25 Mon 05 Jan 2009

Researchers at Warwick HRI describe a project which could help to prevent the disappearance of UK grown strawberries due to changes in the weather by helping farmers combat the effects of climate change.

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Agricultural, Science

Hybrid embryo research could ‘offer chance to treat incurable diseases’

12:25 Mon 05 Jan 2009

Justin St John, Professor of reproductive biology at Warwick Medical School, explains some of the details of planned legislation that would permit for the first time in the UK the wide scale creation of hybrid human embryos for research, containing human and animal elements.

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Biology, Science

Improving solar cells

12:25 Mon 05 Jan 2009

Professor Chris McConville, from the department of physics, talks about his work on the semiconductor indium nitride which could make the conversion of solar energy more efficient. Professor McConville won the John Yarwood Memorial Medal for his work in this area.

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Physics, Science

The case for embryo research

12:25 Mon 05 Jan 2009

Professor of reproductive biology at Warwick Medical School Justin St John explains why his proposed work into using very early stage hybrid human-animal embryos for research is necessary.

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Biology, Science

Finding gratitude at Christmas

12:25 Mon 05 Jan 2009

Psychologist Alex Wood talks about how gratitude could be the key to happiness and how our Christmas gifts can best generate gratitude.

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Psychology

How swarming theory could inform plasma physics and financial markets

12:25 Mon 05 Jan 2009

Postgraduate researcher Robert Wicks talks about how a tool to analyse swarming could be used to analyse plasma in the solar wind and movements in financial markets.

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Finance, Mathematics, Physics, Science

Modelling the spread of foot and mouth infection

12:25 Mon 05 Jan 2009

Matthew Vernon discusses his work modelling the spread of infections such as foot and mouth in cattle and how these models can inform the response to an outbreak.

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Agricultural, Biology, Science

Building nanotech clay armour for emulsions.

12:25 Mon 05 Jan 2009

Dr Stefan Bon discusses how his team have developed a process for reinforcing pickering emulsions with laponite clay.

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Chemistry, Science

The Culture of Genetics - part 2

12:25 Mon 05 Jan 2009

Professor Sander Gilman of Emory University continues our discussion on the culture and science of genetics.

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Genetics, Health & Medicine, Science, Social Science

The Culture of Genetics

12:25 Mon 05 Jan 2009

Dr Deborah Steinberg discusses the cultural impact of genetic science.

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Genetics, Science, Social Science

Metal-containing molecules and DNA

12:25 Mon 05 Jan 2009

PhD student, Adair Richards, and Professor Alison Rodger from the Molecular Organisation and Assembly in Cells Doctoral Training Centre (MOAC) talk about their work and recent article about binding metal-containing molecules to DNA. Length: 20 minutes

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Biology, Chemistry, Health & Medicine

Green Chemistry

12:25 Mon 05 Jan 2009

Professor James Clark from The University of York's Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence talks about sustainable chemistry, current areas of research and how it impacts on our day to day lives and the environment. Length: 26 minutes

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Chemistry, Environmental, Science

Producing antibodies in plants

12:25 Mon 05 Jan 2009

Dr. Lorenzo Frigerio from Warwick's Biological Sciences Department talks about the Wellcome Trust Translation Award he has received to enable him to validate his lab based work on increased yield of antibody production within plant cells using complete plants in order to show industrial scale manufacture is possible. Length: 19 minutes

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Biology, Health & Medicine, Science

Nanotechnology in medicine

12:25 Mon 05 Jan 2009

Professor David Smith from The University of York talks about nanotechnology and its application to modern medicine. Topics covered include delivery of cancer drugs, tissue engineering and gene therapy. Length: 25 minutes

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Chemistry, Health & Medicine, Science

Responding to Water Scarcity

12:25 Mon 05 Jan 2009

Growers in the UK are having to get used to managing with less water. Changing climate patterns mean that techniques long established in Southern Europe are now being adapted for use further north. Dr Jim Monaghan (Harper Adams University College) is leading research at Warwick HRI on Dynamic Fertigation, an irrigation system that not only saves water and fertilizer but also automatically respond to five day weather forecasts. Length: 15 minutes

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Agricultural, Science

Escaping the Earth

12:25 Mon 05 Jan 2009

According to Professor Stephen Hawking the future of the Human race is dependent on our ability to begin colonising other planets - within 100 years! Is this a realistic goal and if it is achievable, is it desirable? How might mankind go about building new homes amongst the stars? Professor Ian Stewart, Department of Mathematics, is an expert on the parallels between science and science fiction. Length: 22 minutes

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Astronomy, Mathematics, Physics, Science

Intelligent Design or Evolution - Professor Steve Fuller and Professor Jack Cohen

12:25 Mon 05 Jan 2009

The controversial issue of whether intelligent design should be taught in American Schools is creating much debate in scientific and religous communities across the world. The latest battleground in the argument has been in the Kitzmiller et al. v. Dover Area School District case currently being heard in Pennsylvania. The case is attracting a great deal of attention and generating much discussion of the relationship between the theories of intelligent design and the established theories of evolution. The following programme is a debate between Jack Cohen and Steve Fuller, two professors of the University of Warwick exploring the issues involved in the debate between intelligent design and evolutionary theory. Length: 1 hour 8 minutes

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Biology, Religion, Science, Social Science

The Science of Discworld - Professor Ian Stewart

12:25 Mon 05 Jan 2009

The Science of Discworld series weaves together a Discworld story by Terry Pratchett which examines what happens when wizards meddle with history in a battle against the elves for the future of humanity, with scientific commentary by two University of Warwick researchers (mathematician and chaos theory expert Professor Ian Stewart and reproductive Biologist Dr Jack Cohen) on the evolution and development of the human mind, culture, language, art, and science. Professor Ian Stewart is a member of the Department of Mathematics at the University of Warwick, but is also an honorary Wizard of the Unseen University. In our current podcast, Professor Stewart discusses the history of the Science of the Discworld books and explains why a leading mathematician is dabbling in the world of magic and fantasy. Length: 16 minutes

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Literature, Mathematics, Science, South American