Superbugs - MRSA and C. diff

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

🗓️ 20 September 2008

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Superbugs and hospital acquired infections go under the microscope on this weeks Naked Scientists. We find out why Clostridium difficile has become such a problem, how to keep bacteria away from surfaces and see if there's a vaccine for MRSA on the horizon. Plus, we discover where fat cells hide out, why fungi fire spores at amazing speeds and how plant sugars can make perfect petrol. And in Kitchen Science, Ben and Dave launch a liver-powered rocket! Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Transcript

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0:00.0	Boldly going where no science show has gone before.
0:05.0	The Naked Scientists.
0:09.0	Hello, welcome to this week's naked scientists with me Chris Smith and also with
0:16.0	Katani. Hi, Captain. Hello there. Now coming up we'll be hearing how
0:19.1	researchers have uncovered the muscle stem cell and they say it exists in all of us and it could be used
0:24.2	to repair damaged or disease muscles. Also how scientists have found the cell that
0:28.0	makes you fat sounds like good news and scientists have also found the fastest
0:32.1	organisms in nature.
0:33.3	These ones are capable of nearly 100 kilometers an hour.
0:36.3	But what are they?
0:37.3	Well, we'll be finding out shortly.
0:39.2	Also, under the microscope this week, it's the science of superbugs. We'll be uncovering the origins of drug
0:44.4	resistant bacteria like MRSA, finding out where Clustridium difficile came from and what makes
0:49.7	it so evil. But it's not all bad news because we'll be hearing how researchers are
0:54.0	fighting back with new surface coatings that can kill bacteria on contact and
0:58.4	we'll also be talking to the man who's at last managed to make an MRSA
1:02.2	vaccine.
1:03.0	Plus, we've got a rather snappy answer on the way in question of the week.
1:07.0	Apparently, a shark can smell blood up to a quarter of a mile away.
1:11.0	How does smell travel in water? It would seem strange that if you drop
1:15.5	ink in water, it takes ages to dissipate. So how can the individual particles of a smell
1:21.6	travel so far and apparently so fast.
	...

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