Making a Meal out of Microbes

The Naked Scientists Podcast

Dr Chris Smith

Science Radio, Engineering, Naked Scientists, Natural Sciences, Technology, Life Sciences, Health & Fitness, Medicine, Science

4.6 • 957 Ratings

🗓️ 26 May 2012

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This week we explore the role of microbes in drug development, food production and soil fertility. We investigate how bacteria such as Streptomyces are used and improved to make antibiotics, discover how gut microbes in cattle can be manipulated to increase growth and reduce environmental impact, and we visit the Chelsea flower show to learn how Rhizobia found in the roots of legumes could be used to improve crop growth and food availability. Also, in the news, how shift-work could affect your fertility, a new method of data storage using DNA, the key to growing the tastiest tomatoes and the... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Transcript

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0:00.0	Stripping down science, the naked scientists.
0:07.0	The Naked Scientists. The The world of bacteria goes under the microscope this week. We'll be hearing how scientists
0:30.1	are delving into the soil for the antibiotics of tomorrow, how plants like clover and peas
0:36.0	trap bugs in their roots to put nitrogen into the ground, and a new way to make cows much
0:41.9	more environmentally friendly. We have worked using a new
0:45.0	new way to make cows much more environmentally friendly.
0:46.0	We have worked using new grass varieties that when we feed them to the animals,
0:48.0	the animals draw quicker,
0:50.0	and we have 25% less methane.
0:52.0	Hello, it's Sunday the 27th of May, this is the Naked Scientists.
0:57.0	I'm Sarah Kaster Perry and also here this week is Chris Smith.
1:00.0	Hello and in the news this week why shift work could affect your fertility, why
1:05.1	supermarket tomatoes don't taste too good, and the world's biggest diamond, it's
1:09.6	more than a meter across, it's being built in Britain.
1:13.0	The Naked Scientists Podcast is powered by UK Fast, the UK's best hosting provider on the
1:21.4	web at UKfast.co.uk.
1:25.0	Surprising as it sounds, the majority of antibiotic drugs actually come from microbes themselves, particularly
1:35.3	streptomycis bacteria which naturally live in the soil.
1:39.4	Strathclyde Universities, Paul Hoskerson, studies these bugs to understand their metabolism and how they grow and also
1:45.1	look for new antimicrobial agents and he joins us now.
1:47.9	Hi Paul.
1:48.9	Hi Sarah.
	...

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