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Sulphur belching out of vessels’ smokestacks is a serious health problem for coastal communities around the world. An estimated four hundred thousand premature deaths from lung cancer and cardiovascular disease, and around 14 million childhood asthma cases annually are reckoned to be related to shipping emissions. The International Maritime Organisation has finally agreed to drastically reduce polluting emissions from 2020. Gareth Mitchell discusses how this reduction could benefit health with James Corbett of the University of Delaware.

The Loneliness Experiment
Claudia Hammond launches the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Loneliness Experiment, in what is hoped will be the largest ever survey of its kind. Loneliness is likely to affect all of us at some point in our lives and is not only distressing, but is implicated in health problems such as an increased risk of heart disease. Claudia Hammond speaks to lead researchers Professor Manuela Barreto of the University of Exeter and Professor Pamela Qualter of the University of Manchester in the UK. Plus, we will have details on how you can take part.

Snowshoe Hares in a Climate-Changed World
Snowshoe hares have a remarkable skill. When winter comes, they lose their brown coat and grow a white one to help them blend in with the snow. But climate change is bringing about problems. Dr Scott Mills from the University of Montana has been researching the phenomenon and explained to Marnie Chesterton.

Science Funding in the US
Roland Pease is in Austin, Texas at the AAAS science conference, where he is finding out about how US scientists are coping with President Trump’s proposals to cut science funding. He finds out why scientists there are looking to philanthropy to fill funding gaps.

Millirobots in Medicine
Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems have invented a magnetically controlled soft robot only four millimetres in size that can walk, crawl or roll through uneven terrain, carry cargo, climb onto the water surface, and even swim in it. Gareth Mitchell talks to Professor Metin Sitti, Director of the Physical Intelligence Department at the Max Planck Institute, about the future use of millirobots in medicine.

Dog Brain Training
Can you teach an old dog new tricks? Apparently, you can. Marnie Chesterton talks to Dr Lisa Wallis from ELTE University in Hungary about her work to improve the cognitive abilities of older dogs - using touchscreens.

(Photo caption: Black smoke from ship sailing on the high sea – credit: Getty Images)

The Science Hour was presented by Gareth Mitchell with comments from ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Health and Science reporter, Katie Silver

Producer: Katy Takatsuki

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