The Hello, welcome to this week's naked scientist with me, Chris Smith and also with

Cat Arnie. This week are we on the verge of being able to print a new kidney or liver?

And we'll every home soon have a machine in it to make medicine so we don't need to

head off to the chemist for a dose of antibiotics. This is the world of 3D printing and will show you what it promises to deliver.

Plus in the news this week is fracking contaminating underground water or is it just down to leaky pipes

and a new breakthrough therapy for multiple sclerosis.

The Naked Scientist Podcast is powered by UKfast.colyuk. UK.

Also known as hydraulic fracturing, fracking is a way to recover natural gas from deposits deep underground.

Fluid at very high pressures are pumped down into a borehole into gas-rich rocks below.

The force of the fluid fractures the rock, releasing pockets of gas which are tapped off,

but many are concerned about the

environmental impact of the process, with some people even claiming to be able to

set fire to their drinking water, which is becoming contaminated with escaping

methane. Now a new study from scientists in America has shown that the contamination is caused by leaks from faulty casings lining the boreholes rather than rising up from the fractured rock itself.

Science writer Mark Peplo has been looking at the story. than rising up from the fractured rock itself.

Science writer Mark Peplo has been looking at the story.

The point is, this means that the fracking process

isn't to blame for any methane contamination.

It's the result of poor workmanship at the borehole and now that borehole is lined with steel and concrete to stop the gas escaping as it rises to the pipe.

Now the key thing is that suggests that it should be possible to eliminate the leakage by simply doing a proper job.

What it does highlight is that you need really strong regulations to ensure that the wells are

constructed properly.

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