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Last broadcast on Mon, 26 Jul 2010, 21:00 on BBC Radio 4 (see all broadcasts).
Synopsis
Quentin Cooper presents his weekly digest of science in and behind the headlines. This week: seeing through clothes without getting personal, earworms you can't get out of your head, identifying an Anzac hero, how we want to be seen in a social network, and closing in on the mysterious Higgs boson.
Safe Scanner
Originally developed for environmental monitoring from space, the Science and Technology Facilities Council spinout company, ThruVision Systems have launched a new security scanner at the Farnborough International Air Show this week. It’s completely passive, using no harmful radiation and, claim its designers, can reveal weapons, explosives or other illegal goods under clothing, without invading personal privacy. Product manager David Haskett explains.
Earworms
We all know those annoying – or even pleasing – little tunes that you just can’t get out of your head. But why do they worm their way in there and continue to wriggle? Psychologist Dr Vicky Williamson of Goldsmiths, University of London has launched what’s thought to be the first attempt to study the phenomenon scientifically.
Identification of a missing Anzac
1983 Private Alan James Mather. (photo courtesy of Kim Blomfield)
In August 2008, archaeologists from the group No Man’s Land – the European Group for Great War archaeology - recovered the remains of an unknown Australian Soldier. After 20 months of painstaking research and cutting edge science the soldier was finally identified as Private A J Mather. He was given a formal burial on 22nd July 2010.
So you want to be a scientist: Facebook Profile Picture Survey
So You Want To Be A Scientist finalist Nina Jones launches her survey into why people choose the profile pictures they do on a social networking website such as Facebook. And her mentor, Dr Bernie Hogan discusses how to turn something so subjective into good science.
The Race For The God Particle
It’s an exciting time in high energy physics. The huge new European particle collider, the LHC, at CERN is beginning to produce results in the hope of tracking down the mysterious Higgs boson, dubbed ‘the god particle’. But the race is not over In the USA, teams at Fermilab are hoping for results from their well-established though less powerful Tevatron. Terry Wyatt, from Fermilab’s D-Zero team juons Quentin from the ICHEP conference in Paris.
Broadcasts
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Thu 22 Jul 201016:30
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Mon 26 Jul 201021:00
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