Episode 29: Getting a grip!
We are getting to grips with nature on the Sciblogs podcast this week as we gain an insight into Japan’s tsunami recovery efforts, manipulate plastic to create tiny solar cells and use brain implants to control a robotic arm – and grip a cup of coffee!
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Click below to listen to the podcast…
[audio: http://ia700202.us.archive.org/20/items/SciblogsPodcast29GettingAGrip/SciblogsPodcastEpisode29.mp3]
Show notes
Sciblogger Motoko Kakubayashi checks in from Japan
What to do with 20 million tons of debris – Motoko’s latest Sciblogs post on the Japanese earthquake
The Science Media Centre of Japan website
Shedding light on solar cells with Justin Hodgkiss
Dr Justin Hodgkiss’s staff page at Victoria University of Wellington
A Q&A with Justin on emerging scientists by colleague and Sciblogger’ Elf Eldridge (Just So Science)
Tetraplegics control robotic arm through brain implant
The BrainGate2 robotic arm case study, published this week in Nature
Acompanying ‘News & Views’ article in the journal
You can watch video of the system in action and further researcher interviews on the Science Media Centre website .
Find out more about the BrainGate project on the official website.
Journal Wrap
Life, death and coffee
Research article from the New England Journal of Medicine
Gaydar on the radar
Original article in PLoS ONE
Expert analysis from the Conversation
Googling cancer
Research article from PLoS Computational Biology
Inflammation thermostat
Original research in Disruptive Science & Technology
Media Release from the University of Pittsburgh