³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

Adam Rutherford speaks to Professor of Extragalactic Astronomy at the University of Bath, Carole Mundell, who explains how she and other astronomers captured the most complete picture yet of the most powerful type of explosion in the universe - Gamma Ray Bursts.

Could future treatments for HIV be revolutionised by an injection? HIV/Aids researchers from around the world have been meeting in Paris this week. Anti-retroviral drugs have transformed HIV into a manageable long-term condition. So Professor Joe Eron and colleagues from the United States tested an injectable, slow-acting form of the medication. The jab performed as well as the daily tablets, keeping the virus at bay. Claudia Hammond finds out more.

The Dutch authorities have just busted and closed down AlphaBay and Hansa, two of the most significant market places on the so called dark net, the internet that is not indexed by the main search engines. Jamie Bartlett, author of a book about the dark net, explains how it was done.

How do we end up speaking the way we do? We hear from Glasgow in Scotland, home to one of the most distinctive dialects of English, to see how social status and age affect the way we speak. Presenter Nastaran Tavakoli-Far reports.

Sight and sound work together to build up a picture of the world around us, and when the two senses are not aligned our brains have to work much harder to filter out distractions. Although this relationship is largely unexplored, it could tell us more about how to aid those with hearing impairments and even what effect technology, such as smartphones, might be having on our ability to concentrate.

People love to watch dancers moving perfectly in time – whether it is ballet or a flash mob. But what is so special about synchronised movement? Claudia Hammond talks to Dr Guido Orgs, who is both a lecturer in psychology at Goldsmiths University of London and a professional dancer.

(Image caption: Illustration of a Gamma Ray Burst © Nasa/D.Berry)

The Science Hour was presented by Claudia Hammond with comments from freelance science writer David Robson

Producer: Caroline Steel

Show less