Up Close Research Talk Show

Up Close science host Dr Andi Horvath presents the first installment of a new podcast, In Pursuit. In this episode, Thought Controlled Futures, we talk to the people behind revolutionary technologies enabling people to control movement and manipulate objects using their thoughts alone. In particular, we take a look at the stentrode, a metal scaffold implanted in a blood vessel, that allows brain activity to be recorded and commands generated to control a full-body exoskeleton.  Download mp3 (18.1 MB)      Listen now      Read transcript read more

Behavioral neuroscientist Prof Andrew Lawrence joins host Dr Andi Horvath to discuss addictive and compulsive behaviors around drug and alcohol use, the power of psychological dependence, and how the brains of addicts differ from those of the rest of us.  Download mp3 (26.9 MB)      Listen now      Read transcript read more

Legal scholar Dr James Parker discusses the complex intersection of sound and the law -- from musical incitement to violence, to sonic crowd control, to the very deliberate design of courtroom acoustics. Presented by Peter Clarke.  Download mp3 (36.1 MB)      Listen now      Read transcript read more

Educator and schools researcher Prof David Clarke discusses new understanding of student learning and success in maths and science, gathered from extensive observation of classroom interaction and negotiation styles. Presented by Elisabeth Lopez.  Download mp3 (34.3 MB)      Listen now      Read transcript read more

In our annual PhD episode, two young science researchers discuss their investigations of microbes that threaten, respectively, human health and our food supply. We chat with Claire Gorrie about aspects of the drug-resistant bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae, and how it's implicated in serious infections. And Rebecca Vandegeer tells us how the Barley Yellow Dwarf virus strips our wheat crops of their defences, posing a threat to food security. Presented by Dr Andi Horvath.  Download mp3 (18.0 MB)      Listen now      Read transcript read more

Economic geographer Prof Andrew Leyshon charts the rapid changes in the music industry since the 1990s, how new technologies are changing how music is made and consumed, and how artists are affected. Presented by Peter Clarke.  Download mp3 (34.4 MB)      Listen now      Read transcript read more

Bioethicist Peter Sandøe discusses our complicated relationship with animals and associated moral dilemmas, including how our love for companion animals can actually cause harm and the difference between society’s treatment of pets and production animals. Presented by Peter Clarke.  Download mp3 (34.2 MB)      Listen now      Read transcript read more

Epilepsy researcher Steve Petrou and developmental neuroscientist Mirella Dottori discuss the potential of organoids -- miniature immature organs grown in dishes -- for future epilepsy and autism research. Presented by Dr Andi Horvath.  Download mp3 (32.9 MB)      Listen now      Read transcript read more

American labor historian Leon Fink discusses the rise of the Precariat -- people in developed economies in a permanent state of underemployment or intermittent work due to changes in working conditions since the 19th century. Presented by Elisabeth Lopez.  Download mp3 (30.8 MB)      Listen now      Read transcript read more

Stem cell expert Megan Munsie and bioethicist Dominique Martin discuss medical tourism and the hidden transnational trade in transplant organs and stem cells,and consider the ethics, legislative implications and what the future might hold. Presented by Elisabeth Lopez.  Download mp3 (32.1 MB)      Listen now      Read transcript read more