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'Dreadnought' Dino

The discovery of 'Dreadnought' Dino; Engineering microbes to make propane in the lab; Opium-making bacteria; Snail fur and growing limbs.

A new type of super massive dinosaur species has been discovered in southern Patagonia, Argentina. Led by Professor Kenneth Lacovara from Drexel University, Philadelphia, a team of palaeontologists has confirmed that the fossilised skeleton belongs to the largest land animal ever recorded.

Lab Made Propane
Researchers have successfully engineered microbes to make propane. Often known as liquid petroleum or LPG it is only found as a fossil fuel, so this feat opens the possibility of producing it as a biofuel instead. Dr Patrik Jones, Imperial College London, was part of the team responsible for the work published in Nature Communications and Dr Chris Grant, University College London, is an expert in this field.

Opium-making Bacteria
Altered forms of simple life can also be used to make drugs and medicines. Using engineered yeast, scientists are now developing a method to make morphine and other opiates. Dr Christina Smolke from Stanford University in California says making these crucial drugs could reduce our dependence on traditional poppy processing.

Snail Fur and Growing Limbs
Some animals can regrow lost body parts. One of the best studied 'regenerators' is the sea creature Hydractinia, or Snail fur, because it grows like fur on the back of the snail-shell homes of hermit crabs. By studying Hydractinia's regenerative powers at the cellular level, researchers think that most animals, including humans, may have the potential to regrow lost limbs using stem cell systems lying dormant within us. Tracey Logan reports.

(Image caption: At 26m from head to tail, Dreadnoughtus was longer than two London buses parked end to end Β© M.Klingler, Carnegie Museum)

Presenter: Jack Stewart
Producer: Ania Lichtarowicz

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Mon 8 Sep 2014 03:32GMT

Chapters

  • β€˜Dreadnought’ Dino

    Palaeontologists discover the skeleton of the largest dinosaur known so far

    Duration: 05:58

  • Lab Made Propane

    Genetically engineering bacteria to produce propane in the lab

    Duration: 06:52

  • Opium-Making Yeast

    A new method to produce morphine and other opiates using engineered yeast

    Duration: 05:40

  • Regrowing lost limbs

    The exceptional powers of the sea creature Hydractinia or Snail fur

    Duration: 07:07

Broadcasts

  • Thu 4 Sep 2014 18:32GMT
  • Fri 5 Sep 2014 01:32GMT
  • Fri 5 Sep 2014 08:32GMT
  • Mon 8 Sep 2014 03:32GMT

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