Plastics: climate friend or foe?

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

🗓️ 30 November 2021

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Surely a day doesn't go by without you using plastic. It's a marvel of material science. But hidden behind its convenience, plastic poses serious enviornmental challenges. Is this versatile and ubiquitous material contributing to the climate problem or helping us solve it? Plus, in the news this week: as Omicron spreads across the globe, we get the low-down on how the new variant differs from those we have already seen, one researcher thinks he might have fouind our solar system's missing 9th planet and printer-ink that 'lives'! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Transcript

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0:00.0	All engine running.
0:04.0	running.
0:05.0	I'm so genius. Get this.
0:06.0	Welcome.
0:07.0	It's the show where we bring you science.
0:09.0	What that essentially means is
0:10.0	Discoveries,
0:11.0	advances, research, technology, unbelievable. is the program where we bring you the latest breakthroughs in science technology
0:23.4	and medicine with me Chris Smith and with Harry Lewis this week the new
0:27.1	COVID variant spreading internationally what do we know about it so far have scientists
0:31.8	found a new ninth planet and And if that wasn't enough
0:34.2	for you, we hear how a project of print bacteria could help us to live on Mars.
0:38.6	Plus, plastic, fantastic, or plastic drastic
0:42.8	drastic problem we put plastic under the microscope to find out what is good
0:46.6	and what is bad about one of the world's favorite materials. The World Health Organization have given it the name Omicron and labeled it a variant of concern. It's a new
1:05.3	COVID-19 variant spotted first by scientists in southern Africa and it's
1:09.9	spreading internationally. The Health Secretary of Sajid Jarvid says scientists are deeply concerned about a new
1:16.2	variant of coronavirus that's been discovered in South Africa.
1:20.3	Mr Jarvid said the variant may be the most infectious yet.
1:24.0	Many countries have put in place control measures and in the case of the UK
1:28.8	that means reintroducing screening for some travellers
1:31.6	face mask will make a reappearance for public
	...

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