大象传媒

Hepatitis-C is a massive worldwide problem. While effective anti-viral treatments do exist, they are expensive and administering them effectively is not always feasible, especially in developing countries where the virus is prevalent. However, the results of a new Hepatitis-C vaccine show great promise. Professor Ellie Barnes from the University of Oxford was part of the research team and explains how this new potential vaccine works.

Sticking Plaster-like Needle Replacement
Microneedles on a sticking-plaster-like patch may be the painless and safe way doctors will test for drugs and infections, and give vaccinations in the future. Roland Pease tries an alternative to the traditional injection at Queen's University Belfast with Dr Ryan Donnelly.

The Red-Dead Canal
For years, Israel, Syria and Jordan have diverted more than 90% of the River Jordan鈥檚 southward flow to agricultural and industrial processes, choking the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, and adversely affecting its ecosystems. There are plans to build a 180km-long canal that would carry water from the Red Sea to revive the Dead Sea. Dr Moneef Zoub, Director General of the Islamic Academy of Sciences, and Dr Zafar Adeel, Director at the UN University for Water, Environment and Health, discuss what this ambitious project could achieve.

Cigarette Warnings
Graphic photographs of some of the diseases caused by smoking have just been made available for governments to put on cigarette packets. Shocking pictures of everything from gangrene to mouth cancer. In Africa smoking rates are still much lower than in parts of the world such as China or Indonesia, but organisations such as the World Lung Foundation are keen to prevent an epidemic taking hold there as countries develop and prosper. Rebecca Perl, director of Communications and Special Projects, explains why special images were developed for Africa.

War Trauma Care
Dr Emily Mayhew highlights the work of stretcher bearers and other front line medics today and during The Great War.

Open Data Summit
Gareth Mitchell went to the Open Data Summit and spoke to digital artist Julie Freeman. Julie really is at the intersection of Web Science, technology and open data. She takes ideas and data from nature and science and transforms them into visual and sonic treats.

(Photo: Syringes and drugs. Credit: Photo Science Library)