The Science Show

Nuclear power plants - now safer and cheaper Barry Brook traces the history of nuclear power. Today, about 440 nuclear power reactors are in use, known as Generation 2 reactors. These were designed between 1960 and 1980. Recently, Generation 3 reactors have adopted a standard design, allowing for faster approval. 45 are being built. 350 are planned. Chernobyl was a cheap design. There was no containment building. Barry Brook describes Chernobyl as an accident waiting to happen. Newer reactors are orders of magnitude safer than the older models. Generation 4 is the new excitement. Efficiency is much higher meaning uranium supplies will last so much longer. They can burn a range of isotopes of uranium and other elements producing short-lived waste. Bruce Alberts - editor Science magazine The journal Science was first published in 1880. Regarding climate change Alberts says there is no debate among scientists. Politicians will continue to argue. He says papers challenging climate change aren´t published because they don´t pass peer review, the method which applies to all papers published in key journals. He points to astrophysics as an area which is expecting enormous growth in the next few years due to technical advancement. Forty years since Apollo 11 - first manned mission to the Moon In 2009 we´re celebrating 40 years since Apollo 11 became the first manned mission to the Moon. Twenty years later, and twenty years ago, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin gave a press conference in Washington. Today we replay excerpts from that press conference. DNA from old grave sites Hundreds of soldiers are thought to still lie in pits where they were buried by German forces in the days immediately after the World War 1 Battle of Fromelles. For Australia, it was the worst day in military history with the loss of about 1,900 soldiers. The remains of 400 soldiers have never been found. Now the search is on to locate the soldiers´ remains. DNA analysis will be used. The Australian Centre for Ancient DNA at the University of Adelaide specialises in the recovery of DNA from ancient human specimens. Alan Cooper is concerned that an early deadline won´t allow complete analysis to be done. Actin gene causes congenital myopathy Congenital myopathy covers a range of rare lethal diseases. They affect muscle fibres. Babies born with congenital myopathy are often born paralysed. Kristen Nowak and Nigel Laing at the University of Western Australia traced mutations in the actin gene as the cause. They describe how the project began and how their work has produced results which may lead to a cure. Chinese approach to internet addiction A BBC report about a youth rehabilitation centre on a Beijing army base, which treats teenagers who are antisocial, doing poorly in school and are sometimes depressed due to the long hours they spend on line, usually playing internet games.