麻豆约拍

Can we switch obesity off with the flick of a genetic switch? New research published in the New England Journal of Medicine has been looking at how there may be genes that control whether we burn fat or store it. But could this research end up being used in the clinic? Gareth talks to professor of metabolism and medicine, Sadaf Farooqi about the research and its potential.

Stephen Hawking and Black Holes
Physicist Stephen Hawking has announced a breakthrough on black holes at a conference at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. Rebecca Morelle explains.

Open Defecation in India
Open defecation is a practice where people relieve themselves in fields, forests or other open spaces rather than using a toilet. Despite efforts to improve sanitation, India accounts for almost 60% of the 1.1 billion people in the world who continue to defecate in the open. It poses a serious threat to health, particularly for children, spreading disease that causes sickness, malnutrition and death. The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged to end the habit by 2019; an ambitious target. But schemes like the one taking place in the state of Gujarat may help, as the 麻豆约拍鈥檚 Suranjana Tewari reports.

House Dust
There are thousands of bacteria and fungi in the dust in your house. Most are unknown to science but is this huge diversity of microbes a problem? Gareth talks to Noah Fierer who has analysed the dust in homes across America who says while there may be huge diversity most of it is harmless and could even be doing us some good.

Women in Science
Claudia Hammond asks what is holding back women in science? She hears from women in India, Nigeria and the United States who have made it despite the barriers. Claudia asks if most of us biased against women without even realising it and if we need more role models? Can we get 50 50 men and women in science?

Citizen Science on Safari
Fiona Roberts talks to Professor Craig Packer about the success of his citizen-science project Snapshot Serengeti and what future projects might be on the horizon.

Science Hour was presented by Claudia Hammond with comments from 麻豆约拍 Science Correspondent Rebecca Morelle.

Producer: Deborah Cohen

(Photo credit: 麻豆约拍)

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