Main content

Making Oil from Plastic and Seaweed

Some types of seaweed can be converted into fuel for cars, but can this ever replace petrol derived from oil?

This week Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Planet listeners ask the panel about two ways of producing fuel from sources other than crude oil. Is a process to turn discarded plastic into oil too good to be true? Or will the fuel of the future come from farming algae?

One listener also wants to know whether computer models will ever become sufficiently good to be able to predict future climate. How do migrating swifts know when to stop flying north and why do predators often have such yellow eyes?

On the panel this week are ornithologist Graham Appleton of the British Trust for Ornithology; Professor Andrew Watkinson, Director of Living With Environmental Change and Professor Philip Stott, an environmental scientist from the University of London.

The programme is presented by Richard Daniel.

Producer: Toby Murcott
A Pier production for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4.

Available now

30 minutes

Last on

Tue 9 Aug 2011 15:00

Broadcast

  • Tue 9 Aug 2011 15:00