It's science, but not as you know it. The Naked Scientists.

Hello and welcome to the Naked Scientists with me Ben Valsler and with Dave Ansel.

Hi Dave.

Hi there.

This week sees the 150th anniversary of Charles Darwin presenting his theories to the

Lenayan Society, so we're looking at the science of evolution.

We'll be finding out why scientists have revisited a textbook example of evolution in action,

and we'll be discovering why being the horniest sheep may not be best.

Plus we'll be looking at Darwin's own letters to get a behind the scenes look at the man himself,

and we'll also be finding out why bacteria evolved in the lab can out-compete their parents.

So they actually grow close to twice as fast as did the ancestor.

So when you compete them, the evolved bacteria kick butt.

Now, Dr. Chris isn't with us this week, as his own experiment in genetic recombination,

that's mixing his DNA with that of his wife Sarah has been a success and they are now the

proud parents of a little boy Timothy a brother to their daughter Amelia.

So congratulations Sarah and Chris from all of us here at the naked scientists.

Indeed, but even in Chris's absence will be catching up on the latest science news,

including why ancient poets may have been astronomically accurate and a new way to communicate underwater.

And Diana O' Carroll will be joining us with this colourful question of the week.

Why is copper the metal, copper in colour,

when in solution with copper sulfate it's blue and copper carbonate it's colored and when you do a flame

test is actually green.

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