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Science series. The team look at flu and its different strains. Jem Stansfield explains the disease on a cellular level, while Liz Bonnin witnesses the manufacture of vaccines.

We have got used to hearing scare stories about strange strains of flu with names like H1N1, but is there any real danger? Jem Stansfield explains flu on a cellular level, showing how it can mutate from a cause of winter snuffles to a virus capable of killing millions.

Liz Bonnin witnesses the vaccines being made that will protect us next winter. Maggie Philbin visits a lab where healthy patients are infected with flu, and witnesses exactly how it attacks.

28 minutes

Last on

Thu 4 Mar 2021 14:00

Clips

Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • 00:01

    Air

    Dead Bodies

Can a sneeze go supersonic?

Can a sneeze go supersonic?

Back in 2013, Jem measured the speed of a sneeze to see if one of our most violent bodily functions can break the sound barrier. Achoo!

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Liz Bonnin
Presenter Maggie Philbin
Presenter Jem Stansfield
Executive Producer Tina Fletcher-Hill
Series Producer Ed Booth

Broadcasts

  • Mon 7 Apr 2014 19:30
  • Tue 8 Apr 2014 19:00
  • Wed 28 May 2014 10:00
  • Thu 4 Mar 2021 14:00

Find out more with The Open University

Find out more with The Open University

Visit the OU website.