What is Helium-3? Thanks for asking!
Helium-3 is a helium isotope which contains two protons and a neutron. It dates back to the earliest days of the universe and formed in the mantle of planet Earth. However, humans only discovered it in 1934.
It is a pretty unique gas, with rare and valuable properties. For example, it can reduce temperatures to nearly ... Show More
Today
Why are girls' clothes always made shorter?
The differences between girls’ and boys’ clothes can start surprisingly early even before adolescence. In 2022, a German data journalist and her team analysed more than 20,000 items of clothing for children under ten, sold by major online retailers. They found that, on average, g ... Show More
4m 21s
Today
Is it good to have aches and pains after doing sport?
Muscle pain generally occurs after an intense sports session. "They are due either to unusual muscular work, or to an increase in the intensity of a workout, or to the resumption of a sporting activity after a break". According to Sports coach William Chanconie. In fact, muscle s ... Show More
4m 1s
Today
What are the dangers of overusing paracetamol?
Paracetamol, a staple in UK households, is widely available over the counter and commonly used to alleviate headaches, toothaches, joint pain, flu symptoms, menstrual pain, and fever. In the UK, paracetamol is one of the most frequently used painkillers. The British Medical Journ ... Show More
4m 43s
Jun 2020
The World Is Constantly Running Out Of Helium
Encore episode. Helium is the second-most common element in the cosmos, but it's far rarer on planet Earth. As part of our celebration of the periodic table's 150th birthday, correspondent Geoff Brumfiel shares a brief history of helium's ascent, to become a crucial part of rocke ... Show More
13m 24s
May 2023
Should We Care About the Finite Supply of Helium?
Helium is the only truly non-renewable resource, and it's essential for things like MRI machines and nuclear reactors, but should we be worried? And, we turn air into food, so why can’t we get carbon to leave the atmosphere – or helium to stay? In this episode, Cosmos Science Jou ... Show More
7m 54s
Oct 2019
S1E2 - Episode #2 - Oxygen
This week Fergus, Carys and Joe discuss oxygen, the third most abundant element in the universe by mass. Listen to find out about oxygen bars, fire and the ozone layer! Plus a look at science "In The News", the return of "Science Fact or Science Fiction?" and a new game called "S ... Show More
28m 20s
Mar 2016
Noble Gases (Ar, Ne, Kr, Xe)
Neon, argon, krypton and xenon: Laurence Knight investigates their uses, from the blinding light of the arc welder's torch to the dying trade of the neon sign-making. Professor Andrea Sella explains how an alumnus of his home University College London - Scottish chemist Sir Willi ... Show More
29m 38s