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| THE MATERIAL WORLD
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| | | Quentin Cooper reports on developments across the sciences. Each week scientists describe their work, conveying the excitement they feel for their research projects.
material.world@bbc.co.uk | | | | | LISTEN AGAIN 30 min | | | |
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"For me science isn't a subject, it's a perspective. There are fascinating scientific aspects to everything from ancient history to the latest gadgets, outer space to interior decorating; and each week on The Material World we try to reflect the excitement, ideas, uncertainties, collisions and collaborations as science continues its never-ending voyage into the unknown".
Quentin Cooper |
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BIOGRAPHY
INTERVIEW |
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|  | | | There are thousands of cells in our bodies but no-one knew until recently the sounds they make. |
Power of Sound
We may be familiar with many of the (sometimes unfortunate) sounds emitted by the human body – but how many of us have ever heard the sound of our own DNA?
Scientists are now developing an incredible new technology to record and amplify the minute acoustic signals given off by single bacteria, viruses and DNA molecules. The ability to identify specific viruses or cancer cells by their sound has profound implications for the medical world, but this technology also has the potential to scan for other small particles – such as the chemicals used in bioterrorism.
So, if single molecules and cells emit sound energy, then they must also be affected by sound energy. A device has already been created that uses only sound energy to refrigerate ice-cream, while therapeutic ultrasound is being duped as the ‘future of non-invasive surgery’. What, then, do new developments in acoustic physics tell us about the true power of sound?
This week, Quentin Cooper investigates the suprising science behind sound healing and diagnosis. From controlling brainwave activity to exploding cancer cells, there is far more to sound than meets the ear. He talks to Matthew Cooper, chief scientific officer of Akubio and Jim Gimzewski from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Household Appliances
Whether we realise it or not we are already communicating with the machines around us. The noises they make tell us whether or not they are doing their jobs properly.
If you switched your vacuum cleaner on, for example, and it didn’t make any noise you wouldn’t carry on and try to clean the floor. Similarly if you switched your vacuum cleaner on and it emitted an unexpected grinding noise you would turn it off again quickly.
A user has expectations of what a product should sound like and if the product fails to meet them then it may be assumed to be inadequate for the task.
It’s fair enough to say that this is a subjective issue and we have to take into account people’s personal likes and dislikes when it comes to product sound. But this is clearly a topic that affects all of us in our everyday lives. There are some sounds that we would like to enhance and others that we would like removed. Therefore acoustics design is not just about making quieter products.
Quentin talks to Claire Churchill, Research Assistant at the University of Salford and Richard Lyon, President of R H Lyon Corporation.
Next month: We are recording a special programme in which you can put your questions directly to Quentin Cooper and a panel of experts.
If you'd like to ask a question, you can do so by sending an email to material.world@bbc.co.uk If you'd like to ask your question in person, please include a daytime telephone number.
On December 11th, there's a special programme recorded at the Glasgow Science Centre. If you would like to attend the recording on Tuesday 9th December at 7.00 pm, you can book tickets by calling 0141 420 5000. | | |
RELATED LINKS
BBCi Science
Chromosome 3
Akubio
UniSci Press Release
Flavio Noca
Article from 'The Register'
Jim Gimzewski
Acoustics Research Centre
Richard H Lyon
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