Science In Action

Three relatively easy to understand, and very well-deserved, Nobel Science Prize winning categories this year. The Nobel Prize in Physics 2017 was awarded to Rainer Weiss, Barry C. Barish and Kip S. Thorne "for decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves". The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2017 was awarded to Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank and Richard Henderson "for developing cryo-electron microscopy for the high-resolution structure determination of biomolecules in solution". The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2017 was awarded to Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young "for their discoveries of molecular mechanisms controlling the circadian rhythm". 50th Anniversary of the Theory of Plate Tectonics Scientists are celebrating 50 years of the theory of plate tectonics. This is geology’s equivalent of the ‘Theory of Evolution’ or the ‘Standard Model’ for physics. A fundamental, unifying principle that explains mountains, volcanoes, earthquakes and much, much more. Even down to why marsupials arrived in Australia. Roland gathers the key players to get the story. Sonic weapons in Cuba? US and Canadian diplomats in Cuba have been complaining of a whole host of symptoms, from hearing loss to feeling nauseated, over the past 10 months. This has led to speculation that some kind of new ‘sonic weapon’ is being used, where sound waves are being directed at these officials in order to do them harm. Professor of acoustics, at University of Salford, Trevor Cox explains how sound could be used as a weapon, but thinks these attacks are more likely to be explained by chemistry, psychology or politics. Presenter: Roland Pease Producer: Fiona Roberts (Photo: Black Holes Colliding producing Gravitational Waves © Advanced LIGO)