Philip Luo
It was known as the ultimate goal in aviation. The aim was to fly around the world without stopping or adding more fuel. In this episode, Frank Oliver and Doug Johnson talk about a special plane called Voyager and the efforts involved in setting this challenging world record.The idea for Voyager started with a quick … Read more
Today, we will discuss a method that provides low-income individuals with the financial services they need to improve their lives. Organisations around the world are demonstrating how microfinance methods can help lift people out of poverty. We will also discuss a book that argues that economic progress in the developing world lies in creating opportunities … Read more
Scientists who study the Earth tell us that the continents and the ocean floors are constantly in motion. This movement can sometimes be violent, causing death and destruction. Today, we examine what causes earthquakes and volcanic activity.The first images of Earth taken from space revealed a solid sphere covered in brown and green landmasses surrounded … Read more
Winter has brought cold weather to many parts of the northern hemisphere of Earth. Along with the cold comes a danger as old as humanity’s knowledge of fire: death or injury by carbon monoxide poisoning. Today, we explore this ancient and ongoing threat. Last month, a sixty-six-year-old man and his twenty-nine-year-old son died from carbon … Read more
We examine scientific findings on how intelligence develops in babies. Until recently, many people believed that babies only wanted food and to be kept warm and dry. Some even thought that babies were unable to learn anything until they were five or six months old. However, doctors in the United States claim that babies start … Read more
This week, we will talk about six liver diseases. These diseases are caused by six different viruses. Doctors have one name for all of them: hepatitis. The liver is located in the upper right part of the abdomen. This dark red organ is large. It weighs more than one kilogramme. It has an important job, … Read more
Today, we’re talking about headaches, a pain that almost everyone experiences at some point in their life. Have you had a headache recently? If so, you are one of the many millions of people worldwide who experience head pain. The pain can be mild and temporary, and easily cured with a simple painkiller like aspirin. … Read more
Today, we talk about compulsive hoarding syndrome. It is both a mental illness and a public safety issue. Many people in the United States are looking forward to spring returning. During this season, millions of Americans do what is known as ‘spring cleaning’. They open their windows to let in fresh air. They use cleaning … Read more
This week, we discuss health problems associated with extreme heat. We explain what experts recommend to prevent and treat these issues. Extremely hot weather is common in many parts of the world. While hot weather usually just makes people feel hot, it can also cause serious medical problems and even death. Floods, storms and other … Read more
This week, we will be talking about lupus and other autoimmune diseases. These diseases affect the immune system, which is the body’s natural defence against disease. Normally, the immune system protects the body against foreign materials, such as viruses and bacteria. However, autoimmune diseases result from a failure of the body’s own defences against disease. … Read more