Nepalese Earthquake, Monkey Hands, Maritime Light Pollution, Light in Bacteria

BBC Inside Science

BBC

Technology, Science

4.5 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 30 April 2015

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Nepalese Earthquake The earthquake that struck central Nepal last weekend measured 7.8 in magnitude and has affected up to 1.4 million people. Inside Science reporter Roland Pease joins Adam to discuss the topography of Nepal, and its vulnerability to earthquakes. We hear from Roger Bilham, a seismologist at University of Colorado, and Alex Densmore from Earthquakes without Frontiers on seismic activity in the Himalayas and the difficulty in measuring the scale of the disaster.

Monkey Nuts Capuchin monkeys use stone tools to crack open nuts they want to eat. New research by Madhur Mangalam and Dorothy Fragaszy has shown that they moderate the force they use to open these nuts based on whether the nut shows any cracks from previous strikes. This motor skill demonstrates their dexterity as they are picking the optimal way to complete their task. Scientists hope these findings could help to explain the differences in cognitive processes between non-human primates and hominids who learnt to shape stone tools.

Maritime light pollution Around a fifth of the world's coasts are illuminated at night by lights and as LEDs grow in popularity we can expect to see these areas get brighter. But until recently the effects of this light on the marine ecology was a relatively unknown and understudied phenomenon. Adam talks to Thomas Davies whose research published this week has highlighted how light is affecting marine organisms; attracting organisms like keel worms whilst repelling others.

Wellcome Collection & Bacteria Light Artists, microbiologists, doctors and geneticists will gather at the Wellcome Collection in London this weekend for the Bacteria Light Lab, an event exploring how light is providing the tools for discovering more about bacteria and infections, part of the 'On Light' weekend at Wellcome Collection. Inside Science went along to meet artist Anna Dumitriu and Dr Nicola Fawcett and view- what appear at first glance - somewhat esoteric looking pieces of art which are actually shedding light on the hidden kingdom of microbiology.

Producer: Adrian Washbourne.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Just before this BBC podcast gets underway, here's something you may not know.
0:04.7	My name's Linda Davies and I Commission Podcasts for BBC Sounds.
0:08.5	As you'd expect, at the BBC we make podcasts of the very highest quality featuring the most knowledgeable experts and genuinely engaging voices.
0:18.0	What you may not know is that the BBC makes podcasts about all kinds of things like pop stars,
0:24.6	poltergeist, cricket, and conspiracy theories and that's just a few examples.
0:29.7	If you'd like to discover something a little bit unexpected, find your next podcast over at BBC Sounds.
0:36.0	Hello You, this is the podcast of Inside Science from BBC Radio 4, first broadcast on the 30th of April 2015. I'm Adam Rutherford and a special
0:44.7	thank you to Tracy Logan and Lucy Green for expertly holding the reins for the
0:48.3	last couple of weeks. More information at BBC.-dot UK slash Radio 4.
0:54.2	I typed this script out with my highly dexterous hands.
0:57.3	Deliberate goal-orientated actions resulting in these delightful wards.
1:01.9	Words, who wrote this? We take a look at the development of
1:05.2	dexterity in monkeys not on keyboards but as they skillfully crush their nuts with
1:10.1	just enough momentum to crack the shell but not the juicy bit within, clever monkeys.
1:15.0	And we look at the light and darkness as a force for good and bad and not a Jedi in sight.
1:21.0	Nighttime light pollution is having a significant effect on
1:24.2	local marine ecosystems. That's from oil rigs, town lighting and seaside piers.
1:29.4	And we also visit a new exhibition in which lasers and fluorescence is illuminating bacteria
1:35.0	and some of the greatest threats to medicine that we currently face.
1:39.4	But first, to the tragic earthquake in Nepal, when on Saturday a 7.8 magnitude quake struck 50 miles west of
1:46.6	Kath-Manu devastating large parts of the country. The death toll is extremely high, many
1:52.4	thousands and we'll come on to that in just a minute.
	...

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