³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

Solar Impulse 2
The sunlight-powered, Solar Impulse 2, is about to take off on its circum-global flight, piloted by Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg.

NASA’s Dawn space probe arrives at Ceres, the largest dwarf planet in the solar system. Deputy project scientist Carol Raymond explains what Dawn will do around this early planetary relict. The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ’s Jon Amos explains how Dawn is just the beginning of our exploration of the dwarf planets and comets.

Self-cleaning paint inspired by the lotus plant
Mimicking the surface of the ever-clean lotus leaf, chemists led by Claire Carmalt at University College, London have developed an oil-resistant, self-cleaning coating with titanium oxide nanoparticles.

The oldest fossil of our Kind
Ethiopian and US researchers discover a fossil jaw bone of the oldest known member of the human family. It is 2.8 million years old. Bill Kimbel at Arizona State University led the team.

Sophie the Stegosaurus
A near complete skeleton of this dinosaur species at London’s Natural History Museum is revealing many new insights into the life of this armour-plated monster.

The Nocebo Effect
Just positive expectations can make medicines more effective via the placebo effect, negative attitudes from doctors and patients alike can influence how people feel through its evil twin – the nocebo effect.

Urine-powered lighting
The University of the West of England have created a urinal which powers low level lighting for refugee camps. Bugs in a microbial battery use urine as food and produce electricity as a by-product.

Science Hour was presented by Roland Pease with comments from ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ science reporter Jon Amos and produced by Andrew Luck Baker

Photo: Solar Impulse 2 - Credit: Laurent Gilleron/Getty