Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea

Earlier this month the Dunedin Study into health and behaviour marked its 50th birthday.

In 1972, a researcher in the city set out to track the development of more than 1,000 newborn babies up to the age of three.

Little did Phil Silva realise that over the next 50 years, his research would morph into one of the world’s most important longitudinal studies - the subsequent work yielding more than 1,300 peer-reviewed research papers, reports, and books.

Terrie E. Moffitt, Ph.D. Nannerl O. Keohane University Professor of Psychology at Duke University, and Associate Director of the Dunedin Study joined Jonathan to discuss.

Dr. Shane Bergin & Dr. Lara Dungan also joined Jonathan to run through the week's science news in Newsround.

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Gravity is everywhere.

We and every other thing in the cosmos experience its force at all times no matter how small, no matter how oblivious you might be to its presence - it's there.

But for something that causes the falling of a leaf in autumn as well as the collision of supermassive black holes in interstellar space - there’s a whole lot we don’t know about it too.

Claudia de Rham, Professor of Theoretical Physics at Imperial College London joined Jonathan to run through everything we don’t know about gravity.

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We have a funny relationship with alcohol.

Many of us enjoy how it can make us more outgoing or ready to laugh but for others, it can be a source of significant, long-term problems.

So could a synthetic alcohol - which provides the relaxing and socially lubricating qualities of alcohol without the hangovers - be a solution?

Professor David Nutt, Edmond J. Safra Professor of Neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London, and the man behind Alcarelle, joined Jonathan to discuss.

Dr. Shane Bergin & Dr. Lara Dungan also joined Jonathan to run through the week's science news in Newsround.

Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

  

Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.

   

You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Futureproof Extra: The Joy of Science with Jim Al-Khalili

Designing a Vaccine for Covid-19

For millenia the people’s and states of western Europe were at war with each other.

They fought the 9 years war, the 100 years war, the Napoleonic wars, two world wars, and way too many others to mention.

These people hated each other. It was a cauldron of “us versus them”

But today with the rise of the EU and an extended period of peace in the region many of “them” have become “us”.

So what caused those centuries of hate, where has it gone, and is it possible to eliminate hate altogether?

Matthew Williams, Professor of Criminology in the School of Social Sciences, Director of HateLab and the Social Data Science Lab at Cardiff University, and author of 'The Science of Hate: How Prejudice Becomes Hate And What We Can Do To Stop It' joined Jonathan to discuss.

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For many people, the single greatest human achievement of the 20th century happened on July 20th, 1969 when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon, and a large proportion of those people probably hope for a similar spectacle on Mars in the coming decades.

But aside from it being cool, is there actually any reason to send humans to these far-flung places?

Britain's Astronomer Royal, Martin Rees, and Astrophysicist & Science Writer Donald Goldsmith consider this very question in their new book 'The End of Astronauts: Why Robots are the Future of Exploration'.

They joined Jonathan to discuss.

Also joining Jonathan to run through the week's top science stories are Dr. Lara Dungan and Dr. Jessamyn Fairfield.

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One of the things we here at Futureproof talk a lot about is the genome, the complete IKEA instructions to building you that exists in nearly every one of your living cells.

As research and genetic technologies improve, the potential for medicine and society is huge, but there are also potential dangers too.

It’s why the 'Irish Platform for Patient Organisations, Science & Industry' (IPPOSI) is looking for people to apply to join the Citizens’ Jury on Genomics to discuss all of the implications.

To discuss, Jonathan was joined by Gianpiero Cavalleri, Professor of Human Genetics at RCSI & Deputy Director of the SFI FutureNeuro Research Centre.

If you think you'd be interested in taking part you can apply at www.ipposi.ie before March 23rd.

Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

  

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When you think of motorsport, your mind might think of the speed, the danger, or the excitement.

But it might surprise you to find that it is the motorsport industry, and its various R&D Departments, that have contributed to a wide range of applications - from climate change solutions to help in the fight against Covid.

Dr. Kit Chapman, an award-winning science journalist and author of ‘Racing Green: How Motorsport Science Can Save The World’ - joined Jonathan to discuss.

Dr. Susan Kelleher & Dr. Jessamyn Fairfield also joined Jonathan to run through the top stories from the week in science for Newsround.

Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

  

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Futureproof Extra: The Expectation Effect