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29/05/2009

New predictions of huge natural gas bonanza under the warming Arctic. The GM monkeys that may transform medical research on brain diseases. Plus, a new boss for Nasa.

Jon Stewart talks to the lead researcher behind the first public assessment of the amounts of oil and natural gas still to be located and extracted north of the Arctic circle. The survey suggests there is 13% of the world’s as yet to be discovered oil there, and an enormous 30% of the world’s undiscovered gas reserves.

Science in Action also investigates new genetically engineered, glowing monkeys that may transform medical research and testing on currently incurable human brain disease. But will they increase the number of primates used in research while some countries are trying to use monkeys less.

The programme also takes a zero gravity ride on a roller coaster aircraft in the cause of advancing space science, and gets a personal view on the ex-astronaut chosen to be Nasa’s first African-American chief administrator, Charles Bolden.

And finally the wonderful worlds of bacteria all over your skin – think of your arm pits as the rainforest, your forearm as the savannah and the skin behind your ear as the tundra. Microbe geneticist Julia Segre explains.

26 minutes

Last on

Sun 31 May 2009 03:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Fri 29 May 2009 09:32GMT
  • Fri 29 May 2009 15:32GMT
  • Fri 29 May 2009 19:32GMT
  • Sat 30 May 2009 00:32GMT
  • Sun 31 May 2009 03:32GMT

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