Cassini's finale; Science and Technology Select Committee; Crick's lecture; Cave acoustics
What was captured during Cassini's final plunge into Saturn? Project scientist Linda Spilker discusses the last images, data and how the mission is driving a desire to return.
After last week's Inside Science's edition devoted to Cassini ended, the Cassini spaceship plunged into the atmosphere of Saturn, and became part of the planet it studied. But the project lives on, as the data and photos generated by Cassini right up until contact was lost will be studied and scrutinised for years to come. Linda Spilker is the Project Scientist for the Cassini mission. Adam Rutherford spoke to her to find out what was captured in the last few moments of Cassini's closest and fatal encounter with the ringed planet.
The House of Commons has announced its Science and Technology Select Committee - the body of MPs that holds the Government to account on scientific matters, and offers advice on scientific issues of the day. Some controversy has followed, concerning the scientific credentials and the gender imbalance of the committee make-up so far. Norman Lamb, MP for North Norfolk was elected chair of the committee, and he came into the Inside Science studio to discuss the committee selection and its future ambitions.
This week was the 60th anniversary of one of the greatest conceptual leaps in all biology, made by Crick at a lecture at University College London. Matthew Cobb, biologist and historian from Manchester University, who's written a new account of the lecture, discusses its fundamental significance.
It has long been suggested that there's something about the acoustics of a cave that correlates with the location of motifs and sometimes paintings on the walls.Bruno Fazenda is an acoustic scientist at the University of Salford, and reveals how he went into the caves to conduct the first methodical study of this theory by listening to the past.
Last on
大象传媒 Inside Science is produced in partnership with The Open University.
Clip
-
Testosterone Rex
Duration: 05:49
From DNA to proteins
Crick鈥檚 first outline of the central dogma, from an unpublished note made in 1956
(Credit: Wellcome Library, London)
Broadcasts
- Thu 21 Sep 2017 16:30大象传媒 Radio 4
- Thu 21 Sep 2017 21:00大象传媒 Radio 4
Explore further with The Open University
大象传媒 Inside Science is produced in partnership with The Open University.
Podcast
-
大象传媒 Inside Science
A weekly programme looking at the science that's changing our world.