Bytesize Science Archive: 2007
Uncover the chemistry all around you.
Episode 12 – Germ chat: Learning the language of bacteria
Scientists are beginning to decode the secret chemical language that
bacteria use to chat. This discovery could lead to new treatments for
bacteria that shrug off existing medicine. Every year, these so-called
'superbugs' make more than 90,000 people in the United States
very, very sick.
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Episode 11 – The water strider's amazing belly flop
Scientists in Korea have solved a big mystery about the water strider:
How on Earth does this bug manage to leap onto the water without
sinking?
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Episode 10 – Good news about bad breath
Scientists have discovered a new weapon in the battle against bad
breath: chewing gum or mints made with from material found in
the bark of the sweet magnolia tree.
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Episode 9 – "Bald" Peanuts
Boiled peanuts: the science of South Carolina’s official snack food.
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Episode 8 – Dragon's Blood
Dragon's blood may sound like part of a magic potion that is used to
fend off enemies in an epic battle. It actually is a bright red plant sap
that has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine.
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Episode 7 – Underwater camouflage secrets
Scientists in Massachusetts learn the sneaky secrets of cephalopods,
nature's ultimate camouflage artists.
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Episode 6 - Chocoholic science
Some stomachs simply cannot get enough of one sweet treat; chocolate.
Find out why!
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Episode 5 - Carbon dioxide vacuum slurps up air pollution
Thanks to a new gadget that gulps pollution right out of the air, scientists
may be able to reduce the environmental damage caused by the
hundreds of millions of cars worldwide.
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Episode 4 - A hair-raising discovery about hairy roots
Sci-fi movies and comic books are not the only place you can find
“hair-raising” mutants with super-powers. With the help of some special
bacteria, scientists are giving plants mutant roots with abilities that may
one day make super-heroes turn green with envy. These roots may
become biofactories — natural factories that churn out fuels, food
flavorings, and even medicine.
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Episode 3 - A new spin on used CDs and DVDs
The next time you rip a CD onto that shiny new iPod or cozy up with a DVD
movie, give this some thought: Scientists have found a surprising new job
for compact discs and players. Those silvery wafers of plastic may be
taking a spin in a laboratory near you!
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Episode 2 - Three nutritional cheers for a healthier cassava
Scientists find a way to make a tasty African veggie called cassava
more healthy.
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Episode 1 - Water pollution threatens Shamu's wild brothers and sisters
Shows at family adventure parks featuring Shamu — an orca or killer whale
— have made these gigantic mammals one of the most famous marine
animals. Shamu’s wild brothers and sisters, however, face many threats
to their survival in the open ocean.
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Intro theme and sound effects by Adam Dylewski; “Whimsy Groove”
by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com);
Bytesize Science episode music by Genghis Attenborough, bebeto,
anbo, swuing, Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com).
Creative Commons licensed audio from freesound.iua.upf.edu includes
sounds by:
Volivieri, , foghorn, Kathol, Hazure, SandyRB, batchku, jungle, inferno, UncleSigmund, kokuya, Han1, suonho, roscoetoon, jppi Stu, thanvannispen, nannygrimshaw, Francisco, Padilla, zippi1, Leady, WIM, junggle, patchen, Xythe, tweeterdj, Jamius, Percy Duke, acclivity, cdrk, zerolagtime, dobroide, Halleck, nannygrimshaw, samplecat, acclivity,scarbelly25, Sruddi1, Heigh-hoo, Harri, prosounder, milo, megamart, samplecat, totya, thanvannispen, Dobroide, UncleSigmund, FreqMan, kokuya, mich3d, mich3d, reinsamba, cdrk, nannygrimshaw, freesound, galeku, Halion, Traveler, SandyRB, Corsica_S, WIM, Totya, seejacksurf, reinsamba, mich3d, kjackson, fogma, Jamius, judman, Matt G, ERH, DJ Chronos, Sruddi1, smcameron, Koops, and galeku.
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