Packed Lunch
By Wellcome Collection
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Podcast Description
A series of lunchtime talks at Wellcome Collection. Feed your curiosity by dropping in to eat your lunch and hear local scientists in conversation about their latest experiments, life in the lab and why science matters to everyone. Catch up on those you missed with this podcast.
| Name | Description | Released | Price | ||
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1 |
Wendy Barclay on influenza | Flu is the scourge of the winter months - but how does it work? Wendy Barclay of Imperial College London talks to the Wellcome Trust's Daniel Glaser about investigating influenza pandemics in the lab to better understand how this dreaded virus wreaks such havoc. | 11 1 12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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2 |
Zita Martins on meteorites | How did life originate on Earth, and are we alone in the universe? These are the questions that Zita Martins, an astrobiologist at Imperial College London, is determined to answer. She talks to the Wellcome Trust's Daniel Glaser about meteorites, the possibility of life on Mars, and more. | 6 12 11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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3 |
Ron Douglas on deep-sea vision | Ron Douglas is Professor of Visual Science at City University, and an expert on the biology of deep-sea creatures. He talks to the Wellcome Trust's Daniel Glaser about how vision works 4000 metres down. | 8 11 11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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4 |
Chris French on parapsychology | Psychics, paranormal activity, precognition - psychologist and sceptic Chris French, of Goldsmiths, University of London, has spent his career subjecting paranormal claims to scientific scrutiny. He talks to the Wellcome Trust's Daniel Glaser about the powerful psychological factors at work that may explain why people continue to passionately believe in supernatural forces, which can be traced back to the beginnings of human evolutionary history. | 18 10 11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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5 |
Mary Fewtrell on breastfeeding | The Department of Health recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life. But is this supported by the best available scientific evidence? Mary Fewtrell is a paediatrician at the UCL Institute of Child Health, who has spent her career investigating the links between infant nutrition and health, both short-term and in later life. She talks to the Wellcome Trust's Daniel Glaser about the intersection of scientific evidence, opinion and policy. | 4 10 11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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6 |
Zarinah Agnew on mirror neurons | Mirror neurons are thought to be the key to human mimicry, allowing us to ape the actions of others and maybe even forming the basis for empathy. Zarinah Agnew is a neuroscientist at the UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, whose research uses functional MRI to investigate how these systems work. She talks to the Wellcome Trust's Daniel Glaser about these mysterious components of the brain. | 20 9 11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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7 |
Ian Goodfellow on Dirt | Norovirus - better known as winter vomiting disease - is something that most of us have heard of and some of us, unfortunately, have experienced directly. But how does the infamous virus wreak its spectacular havoc on the body? Ian Goodfellow, a virologist at Imperial College London talks to the Wellcome Trust's Dan Glaser about trying to unravel the mysterious workings of this cunning virus. | 31 5 11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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8 |
Shunmay Yeung on malaria | As any backpacker knows, antimalarial drugs are powerful things – unpleasant, but hopefully worth it for the protection they bring. But in some parts of the world these drugs are becoming less effective. Shunmay Yeung, Clinical Senior Lecturer at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, spends much of her time in Cambodia tackling the growing problem of drug resistance. She talks to the Wellcome Trust's Amy Sanders about the challenges and complexities of fighting tropical disease. | 3 5 11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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9 |
Adrian Martineau on vitamin D | Most of us know that vitamin D comes from the sun and that a little bit is essential to keep us healthy. But for Adrian Martineau, Senior Lecturer in Respiratory Infection and Immunity at Barts and The London Medical School, the ‘sunshine vitamin’ is much more interesting than that. He talks to the Wellcome Trust's Jenny Jopson about how his research is uncovering connections with illnesses as diverse as asthma, TB and cancer. | 5 4 11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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10 |
Ifat Yasin on hearing | We hear by amplifying the sounds that go into our ear. But our ears can be tricked using auditory illusions. Ifat Yasin, Lecturer in Auditory Anatomy and Physiology at UCL Ear Institute, thinks these aural deceptions may hold the key to improving the treatment of hearing impairment. She talks to the Wellcome Trust's Dan Glaser about the science of perceiving sound. | 22 3 11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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11 |
Kevin Fong on Space | Space flight wreaks havoc on the body, but its effects will have to be overcome if we are ever to investigate the far reaches of our solar system. Kevin Fong is co-director of the Centre for Aviation Space and Extreme Environment Medicine at UCL. He has spent time at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston investigating the effects of long-term space flight on the human body. He talks to the Wellcome Trust's Daniel Glaser about the extreme physiology of space travel. | 8 2 11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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12 |
Celia Morgan on drugs | What’s it like being a scientist with a licence to possess illegal drugs? Celia Morgan, a psychologist at UCL, works on cannabis and ketamine, conducting experiments on people who are high on their own supply to determine the effect of drugs on their cognitive function. She talks to the Wellcome Trust's Daniel Glaser about the science of getting stoned. | 30 11 10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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13 |
Chris Bakal on cells | Cells come in many shapes and sizes. Chris Bakal, a systems biologist at the Institute of Cancer Research, is fascinated by their ability to change shape and migrate around the body - a process that goes out of control in cancer. Join him to find out how understanding the shapeshifting properties of cells is the key to fighting this disease. | 16 11 10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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14 |
Joe Devlin on brains | Would you let your brain be temporarily switched off? Joe Devlin, a neuroscientist at UCL, regularly does this to willing volunteers as part of his research into the neurological basis of language, using a technique called transcranial magnetic stimulation. Join him to find out what zapping the brain can tell us about the workings of our grey matter. | 2 11 10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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15 |
Eleanor Stride on bubbles | Every Agatha Christie fan knows the murderous potential of an air bubble injected directly into the bloodstream. But, for Eleanor Stride, a biomedical engineer at UCL, bubbles may hold the key to saving lives, not ending them. She talks to the Wellcome Trust's Daniel Glaser about how her pioneering work on microbubbles has the potential to transform ultrasound imaging and drug delivery. | 19 10 10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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16 |
Peter Ayton on decisions | We make thousands of decisions every day, many of them unconscious and many of them less logical than we would like to believe. Peter Ayton, a psychologist at City University in London, studies human judgement and decision-making, and argues that we are often less rational than other animals. He talks to the Wellcome Trust's Daniel Glaser about how the human brain copes with making choices in a modern world flooded with options. | 5 10 10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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17 |
Nick Lane on complexity | The origins of complex life have long fascinated scientists. Nick Lane, a biochemist at UCL, is investigating what drove the shift from simple bacteria to the vast diversity of plants and animals, and believes the answer lies in the mitochondria. He talks to the Wellcome Trust's Amy Sanders about these mysterious powerhouses of the cell. | 23 9 10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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18 |
Isabel Jones on skin | Few people have as intimate a knowledge of the delicate layers of the skin than those who try to repair it after trauma. Isabel Jones is a surgeon at the Burns Unit at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, which provides for the population of Greater London and treated the victims of the 7/7 bombings. In this special skin-themed Packed Lunch, she talks about skin grafts, skin substitutes and the Holy Grail of scarless healing. | 9 9 10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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19 |
Jane Wardle on Food | Why do some people always reach for that extra chocolate biscuit, while others seem to have no problem holding back? Professor Jane Wardle, a health psychologist at UCL, is investigating factors that determine our food choices and what they mean for our future health. She talks to the Wellcome Trust's Daniel Glaser about why overeating is not the simple matter of willpower you might think it is. | 17 6 10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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20 |
Lewis Dartnell on Mars | The possibility of life on Mars has long fascinated scientists, science fiction writers and David Bowie. Lewis Dartnell, an astrobiologist at UCL, is going one step further and developing ways to look for signs of life on the Red Planet. Join him as we explore one of the most enduring questions of humanity: are we alone in the universe? | 10 6 10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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21 |
Jonathan Butterworth on CERN | The Large Hadron Collider may be at CERN in Geneva, but it's a truly international project. Jonathan Butterworth, Professor of Physics at UCL, is a leading member of the British team working at CERN on the hunt for the Higgs boson. He talks to the Wellcome Trust's Dan Glaser about the unique pleasures and frustrations of working on the most powerful physics experiment ever conceived. | 20 5 10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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22 |
Charlie Dunnill on glass | Self-cleaning glass - such as the roof of St Pancras station - has revolutionised architecture. But UCL materials scientist Charlie Dunnill is taking this technology one step further, and hopes that one day it may be used to kill bugs. He talks to the Wellcome Trust's Hugh Blackbourn about how materials science is paving the way for more hygienic conditions in our hospitals. | 8 4 10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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23 |
Tali Sharot on optimism | It is estimated that 80 per cent of the population are optimists. But how do we maintain a positive outlook in the face of reality? At the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, Tali Sharot is teasing apart the neurological basis of optimism. She talks to the Wellcome Trust's Hugh Blackbourn about how a sunny disposition may be the key to our evolutionary success. | 18 3 10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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24 |
John Hutchinson on dinosaurs | Was Tyrannosaurus rex a fast runner? Were dinosaurs warm-blooded? How can answering questions such as these help captive elephants to live a healthier and longer life? John Hutchinson, an expert in the evolution of large animal locomotion at the Royal Veterinary College talks to the Wellcome Trust's Daniel Glaser about this and more. | 4 3 10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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25 |
Pete Coffey on losing sight | Age-related macular degeneration is the most common cause of blindness in the developed world. Pete Coffey talks to the Wellcome Trust's Daniel Glaser about how he and his team at University College London's Institute of Ophthalmology are using pioneering embryonic stem cell technology to restore lost sight. | 28 1 10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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26 |
Rachel Armstrong on living materials | Rachel Armstrong is a synthetic biologist working at the Bartlett School of Architecture. She talks to the Wellcome Trust's Daniel Glaser about connecting the natural world with the built environment to create 'living materials' that can grow themselves and may even offer a solution to climate change. | 3 12 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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27 |
Dan Martin on extreme environments | Dan Martin is an extreme environment physiologist and anaesthetist at University College London Hospitals, and a member of the Caudwell Xtreme Everest research group. He talks to the Wellcome Trust's Daniel Glaser about dropping his trousers at the top of a mountain in the name of medical science, and how this unorthodox experiment could lead to more effective treatment for intensive care patients | 12 11 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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28 |
Mark Zuckerman on viruses and virology | Mark Zuckerman is a clinical virologist based at the Health Protection Agency London Regional Laboratory at King's College Hospital. He talks to the Wellcome Trust's Daniel Glaser about which is the 'cleverest' virus of them all, and what it's like working at the front line of the swine flu pandemic. | 5 11 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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29 |
Val Curtis on public hygiene | Val Curtis is a behavioural scientist based at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She talks the Wellcome Collection’s Lisa Jamieson about the protective power of disgust, and find out who has the dirtiest hands in Britain. | 22 10 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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30 |
Catherine Mercer on sexual health | Catherine Mercer is a statistician based at University College London who is undertaking a particularly interesting questionnaire: the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles 2010. She talks to the Wellcome Trust’s Daniel Glaser about surveying the sexual habits of the nation, and finding out who is doing what with whom, where and when. | 15 10 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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31 |
Angela Clow on the science of happiness | Professor Angela Clow is one of the country's leading experts in stress research, working at the University of Westminster. She talks to the Wellcome Trust's Daniel Glaser about the science of health, happiness and wellbeing, at home and in the workplace. | 16 6 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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32 |
Viren Swami on physical attraction | Dr Viren Swami is a social psychologist based at the University of Westminster. He talks to the Wellcome Trust’s Daniel Glaser about the secrets of physical attraction, how body image differs across cultures, and why who you fancy can change depending on how hungry you are. | 4 6 09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| Total: 32 Episodes |
Customer Reviews
Absolutely Fascinating!
This podcast is an introduction to the groundbreaking scientific research work that Wellcome is doing in a diverse range of fields. The podcast is completely captivating. The topics are explained in some detail (which is refreshing) and yet the brilliance of the explanation makes them easy to follow. I'm incredibly impressed with both this podcast and with the Wellcome foundation.
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