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2D supermaterials; Inside an MRI; Antarctic architecture

Dr Adam Rutherford explores the research that's transforming our world, including the next generation of supermaterials, inside a brain scanner and how to design an Antarctic base.

Nobel Prize and - as of this week, Copley Medal - winner Andre Geim outlined in Nature today his vision for the next generation of super-materials.

Chemist Prof Andrea Sella joins Adam to explain how the discovery of graphene may have been the start of a remarkable new class of tailor made materials technically known as 'Van der Waals heterostructures'.

This week on Show Us Your Instrument, Prof Sophie Scott introduces the MRI machine and explains why you never press the 'quench' button, unless you want to blow the roof off.

Finally, an exhibition on Antarctic architecture opens on Friday 26th July in Glasgow, commissioned by the British Council and curated by The Arts Catalyst. We talk to Hugh Broughton who designed the new Halley VI base, a Thunderbirds inspired building, perched on top of stilts, on top of skis.

Plus, Adam calls the current Halley Base Commander, Agnieszka Fryckowska, to find out what it's like to live and work during three months of darkness.

Producer: Michelle Martin.

Available now

30 minutes

Broadcasts

  • Thu 25 Jul 2013 16:30
  • Thu 25 Jul 2013 21:00

Explore further with The Open University

Explore further with The Open University

BBC Inside Science is produced in partnership with The Open University.

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