Episodes

  • The Science of Greens: Using Genetic Insights to Cultivate Better, Stronger Lettuce

    The Science of Greens: Using Genetic Insights to Cultivate Better, Stronger Lettuce
    Nov 27 2024
    In recent years, rapid advancements in techniques for genetic analysis and manipulation have enhanced our potential to understand and improve crop diversity. An innovative project led by Dr. Pasquale Tripodi of the Italian Council for Agricultural Research and Economics and Dr Sandra Goritschnig of the European Cooperative Programme for Plant Genetic Resources marks a significant advance in the study of lettuce genetics. Their recently published research platforms a highly sophisticated technique to analyse genetic diversity within lettuces called Single Primer Enrichment Technology, or SPET for short. This approach provides a highly detailed view of lettuce genetics and also has significant implications for agricultural resilience and crop selection and breeding.
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    10 mins
  • Optimising Pharmaceutical Production Using Digital Models

    Optimising Pharmaceutical Production Using Digital Models
    Jun 28 2024
    The development of safe and effective medicines that meet strict regulatory requirements has traditionally involved extensive experimentation, which can be laborious and costly. Incorporating digital processes, which can be used to produce individual pharmaceutical components, may provide a solution to manufacturing challenges by reducing development time, resource requirements, and costs. The Future Continuous Manufacturing and Advanced Crystallisation Hub, a flagship project at CMAC, at the University of Strathclyde, along with collaborators throughout the UK, has investigated the feasibility of using digital models to reduce costs, time and waste for high quality pharmaceutical production.
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    8 mins
  • Utilising Cocoa Pod Waste to Improve the Sustainability of Chocolate

    Utilising Cocoa Pod Waste to Improve the Sustainability of Chocolate
    Jun 20 2024
    With a history as rich as its flavour, chocolate in its various forms has been loved by people for over 5000 years. Currently, however, chocolate is facing a serious threat. The improper disposal of cocoa waste products is spreading devastating diseases through cocoa crops across the world. To address this serious problem, Dr Piergiorgio Gentile from Newcastle University and Dr Joel Girón-Hernández from Northumbria University with their collaborators have been exploring new uses for cocoa waste products, to increase sustainability and prevent the spread of crop diseases.
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    8 mins
  • Globalisation: A Race to the Bottom or an Opportunity to Improve Labour Standards?

    Globalisation: A Race to the Bottom or an Opportunity to Improve Labour Standards?
    Jun 19 2024
    Brazil, Russia, India and China, often known as the BRICs, have seen explosive growth in the past two decades and have asserted themselves as drivers of globalisation. Many scholars have researched the effects of this growth and development, and how these factors have affected domestic labour conditions. But are they asking the right questions? For instance, if developing countries invest in developed economies, will this lead to improved working conditions in the investing developing nation? Dr Patrick Wagner of the University of Konstanz, Germany, and Professor Damian Raess of the Catholic University of Lille, France, have conducted a study investigating whether Brazilian direct investment in Europe leads to improved working conditions back in Brazil.
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    10 mins
  • How Can We Equip Teens With Skills and Values of Reasoned, Respectful Discourse?

    How Can We Equip Teens With Skills and Values of Reasoned, Respectful Discourse?
    Jun 19 2024
    Our world is facing new and frightening challenges, and political polarization has never been greater. Many see reasoned, respectful discourse as our only path to survival and progress, but attaining the skills and values it requires is not straightforward. Professor Deanna Kuhn of Columbia University has developed a discourse-based curriculum to help the next generation develop the values and the social and critical thinking skills they will need if they are to use tools of discourse to address the complex problems and challenges that await them.
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    10 mins
  • Key Changes in Daily Greetings in 18th Century Britain

    Key Changes in Daily Greetings in 18th Century Britain
    Jun 18 2024
    In 18th century Britain, the old tradition of deep bowing and curtseying as a form of greeting slowly evolved into a brief touch of the cap or head (for men), or quick bob of the body (for women). Simultaneously, a new form of urban greeting was emerging: the handshake. How and why did the handshake gain such popularity, becoming our most standard greeting today? This phenomenon is explored in a new essay published in the journal Urban History and authored by Professor Penelope Corfield of London University.
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    9 mins
  • Mint: A Fresh Perspective in the Fight Against Covid

    Mint: A Fresh Perspective in the Fight Against Covid
    Jun 12 2024
    Dr. Christopher Buck, a virologist at the US National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, has been working to spread the word about a growing body of scientific literature suggesting that mint and related herbs can help fight Covid infections. In his recent review article, “The Mint Versus Covid Hypothesis,” he makes a case for the idea that decentralized clinical trials could be used to more thoroughly explore this exciting idea.
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    7 mins
  • What Makes Great Orators’ Speeches Effective and Persuasive?

    What Makes Great Orators’ Speeches Effective and Persuasive?
    Jun 11 2024
    Since ancient Greek civilization, we have sought to identify what makes some people more effective and persuasive orators than others. Studies have suggested that this might be related to rhythmic patterns in certain speech, but evidence is limited. Dr. Ceccherini-Nelli of the University of Alberta conducted a study with his colleagues to explore this. They looked at the patterns present in political speeches and conducted experiments to determine their effects.
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    8 mins