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Geologist Ross Stein talks Roland Pease through the geology behind the latest series of earthquakes in Italy. What connects them? And what danger still lurks?

Ebola Virus
The recent West African Ebola virus outbreak was the largest ever seen. With over 28,000 human infections, never before had this virus had such an opportunity to adapt to humans from its natural animal host. Several studies had shown that the virus was evolving but none had assessed if this had altered the way the virus behaved. Two international teams of researchers independently studied the effects of mutations that occurred in the Ebola virus surface protein – the protein it uses to gain entry into a cell – to investigate whether any of these changed its ability to infect humans. Jonathan Ball and Jeremy Luban of the two teams describe the findings.

The James Webb Space Telescope
Engineers have finished assembling the telescope that will succeed Hubble. The huge, tennis-court-sized new observatory, known as the James Webb Space Telescope, is on track to be launched in exactly two years from now. It will go into space on a European Ariane rocket from French Guiana, but before that is possible the delicate hardware must be tested to ensure it will survive the ride. This work will begin in the coming weeks at the US space agency’s Goddard space centre in Maryland.

Fashion to Protect Pregnant Women Against Zika
Pregnant women in Zika-affected areas are being advised to cover up and use mosquito repellent to try to make sure they do not get bitten. And the social enterprise company Maternova in the United States is now creating insecticide-impregnated clothing to offer further protection to women. The global health organisation Americares is distributing the clothing in anti-Zika kits in El Salvador – and it is hoped that the scheme could spread to other parts of Latin America. Claudia Hammond talks to Maternova’s CEO and co-founder, Meg Wirth.

The Sun King of China
Peter Hadfield meets Huang Ming, the Chinese inventor who describes himself as, 'the number one crazy solar guy in the world'. At China’s Solar Valley, he employs 300 people in solar research, development and manufacture, as he tries to develop China’s lead in sun-powered technologies.

China in Space
We hear a lot about space but it is almost all Nasa and ESA, The US and European space agencies. But the Chinese have a very active space programme too, with their sights fixed firmly on the Moon, and also on their own permanent space station. Brian Harvey, space analyst and author of China in Space: the Great Leap Forward, talks about the history of the Chinese space programme, in a week when two taikonauts orbit the earth in China’s own space station, and the biggest rocket yet launched by China, The Great Leap Forward 5 powered into the sky.

Dave the Earthworm
The biggest earthworm ever found in the UK has been added to London’s Natural History Museum collection. His discoverer called him Dave, despite worms being hermaphrodite. He was a staggering 40cm long when alive, yet bigger specimens have been found elsewhere – notably China.

(Picture credit: A fireman looks at cracks on the road outside the center of Norcia after a 6.6 magnitude earthquake on October 30, 2016 © Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images)

The Science Hour was presented by Claudia Hammond with comments from ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Science Correspondent Jonathan Amos, and Professor Jonathan Ball

Producer: Alex Mansfield

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