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THE MATERIAL WORLD
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PROGRAMME INFO |
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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 |
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LISTEN AGAIN 30 min |
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YOUR QUESTIONS |
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PRESENTER |
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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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Photo by Rod Catanach
© Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
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Alvin
For 40 years oceanographers in the United States have been exploring the deep oceans in Alvin - the first manned deep submersible vehicle (DSV).
In the late 1970s Alvin took scientists to the depths of the ocean floor where, for the first time, they saw deep ocean hot springs - geothermal vents.
Alvin has also photographed the wreck of the Titanic as well as retrieved an unexploded hydrogen bomb.
After a long career Alvin is to retire and be replaced.
Quentin Cooper is joined by Dr. Bob Detrick from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Massachussets, home of Alvin and by Dr. Bramley Murton from the Southampton Oceanographic Centre about the deep sea discoveries made in Alvin and to look at the future of Deep Submergence Vehicles.
Biomimetics
There are many designs in nature that are ripe for copying by today's engineers and designers.
The Bombardier beetle is just one of the creatures being studied for its jet propulsive mechanisms.
The beetle has a defensive mechanism where it produces a set of repeated chemical explosions in a combustion chamber in its abdomen, the insect creates a biological gun that can fire a pulsed jet of boiling fluid in almost any direction.
It's the pulsed jet and its efficiency which is of interest to engineers of jet aircraft.
Professor Andy Macintosh from University of Leeds is trying to discover the precise way the beetle performs this amazing feat.
Biomimetics literally means copying living organisms, Professor Julian Vincent from the University of Bath is looking at the biological systems of ants and other social insects to see if they can be applied to managing businesses. |
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RELATED LINKS
BBC News - Bull's eye beetle
Thomas Eisner - Cornell University
Pr J F Vincent - University of Bath
WHOI - History of Alvin
Southampton Oceanography Centre
BBC Science & Nature
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