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Episode 5

Series celebrating the British winter. Margherita Taylor meets the duo who are raising and nurturing disease-free cocoa plants.

Jules Hudson files his final reports from Anglesey, including the top signs that spring is finally on its way. He's also on the island of Llanddwyn, home to Wales's patron saint of love.

In time for Valentine's Day, self-confessed chocoholic Margherita Taylor meets the duo responsible for saving the world's cocoa crops, which are being decimated by bugs and disease. Beavering away in greenhouses in Reading, they are raising and nurturing disease-free cocoa plants which will wing their way to farmers in 200 countries.

In Aberystwyth and Borth on the Welsh coast, Keeley Donovan battles the elements for the rockpooling expedition of a lifetime. The coast in this area is one of the most diverse in the UK, and tidal patterns reveal pools which are vital nurseries for sealife. But there's a threat. Just off the coast lie manmade seawalls, essential to safeguard homes from coastal erosion at a time when storms are predicted to be more commonplace. But these concrete walls are hostile environments for the delicate ecosystems which need rock pools to survive. The answer might lie in something the size of a dinner plate, and a simple but ingenious idea from a scientist who's something of a rock pool magician.

Paul Martin unravels why his pigs might just hold the secret to a cure for a winter misery that affects us all. The common cold costs the UK economy a£40 billion a year as colds take us off work for 34 million days. Since the ancient Egyptians, trying to a find a cure has eluded some of the finest brains in the world. But immunologists at Edinburgh Napier University might just have cracked it. Dr Peter Barlow meets Paul at his Wiltshire smallholding to explain why Paul's kune kune pigs, Truffle and Fudge, might just hold the key. Paul also discovers whether old remedies can offer relief - from a curry to chicken soup, lemon and honey and even a garlic-infused sock. And, while we wait for the cure to arrive, he finds out how to try and fend off colds in the first place.

Walking is more popular than cycling, swimming or the gym, but rescue services receive 3,500 SOS's a year from walkers who get into trouble. Jules is in the Forest of Dean discovering just what you need to do to stay safe and alive in the winter until help arrives, and he has a secret weapon which could prove crucial to survival.

43 minutes

Last on

Fri 14 Jan 2022 10:00

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Cure for the common cold

Cure for the common cold

Paul Martin unravels why his pigs might just hold the secret to a cure for a winter misery that affects us all. Since the ancient Egyptians, trying to a find a cure has eluded some of the finest brains in the world.

But immunologists at Edinburgh Napier University might just have cracked it. Dr Peter Barlow meets Paul Martin at his Wiltshire smallholding to explain why Paul’s kune kune pigs, Toffee and Fudge, might just hold the key.

Paul also discovers whether old remedies can offer relief – from a curry to chicken soup, lemon and honey and even a garlic-infused sock.Ìý And, while we wait for the cure to arrive, he finds out how to try and fend off colds in the first place.

Ìý

Staying Alive

Staying Alive

Walking is more popular than cycling, swimming or the gym but rescue services receive three and half thousand SOS’s a year from walkers who get into trouble. Jules is in the Forest of Dean discovering just what you need to do to stay safe and alive in the winter until help arrives. And he has a secret weapon which could prove crucial to survival…

Rock pool magician

Rock pool magician

InÌýTwywn and Borth on the Welsh coast, Keeley Donovan battles the elements for the rock-pooling expedition of a lifetime. The coast in this area is one of the most diverse in the UK and tidal patterns reveal pools which are vital nurseries for sealife. But there’s a threat. Just off the coast lie manmade seawalls, essential to safeguard homes from coastal erosion at a time when storms are predicted to be more commonplace. But these concrete walls are hostile environments for the delicate eco-systems which need rock pools to survive. The answer might lie in something the size of a dinner plate and a simple but ingenious idea from a scientist who’s something of a rock pool magician.

Chocolate rescue squad

Chocolate rescue squad

In time for Valentine’s Day, self-confessed chocoholic Margherita Taylor meets the duo responsible for saving the world’s cocoa crops which are being decimated by bugs and disease. These rescuers are not in some far- flung tropical corner as you might expect.Ìý Instead, they’re to be found beavering away inÌýpolytunnels in Reading, raising and nurturing disease-free cocoa plants which will wing their way to farmers in two hundred countries. Good news for chocolate-lovers especially in the UK where we each wolf down a staggering two stone of the nectar every year.

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Jules Hudson
Presenter Paul Martin
Presenter Keeley Donovan
Presenter Matt Baker
Presenter Margherita Taylor
Series Producer Jane Lomas
Executive Producer William Lyons

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