Plants and Algae: Nature's Radioactive Vacuum Cleaners

By Guest Blogger, Matt Gunther

This month, Gunther discusses what is arguably the most glamourous organism in the scientific world: algae. The bane of pond-owners with clogged-up fiter pumps, algae has some very exotic properties, which make it the perfect candidate for sucking up radioactive contamination in the world's rivers and oceans. They also seem to get a kick out of smothering people in foam?!

Episode Six - There's Something About Iran

On this months show we discuss a little-known country called Iran and the nature of their nuclear programme. On our journey of whimsy we discover that mice may well communicate to humans through mobile phones, the Power Rangers may be called upon to face a new threat in Japan, there isn't a weapons-grade nuclear device on the Curiosity rover and the purpose of dodgeball is to avoid dislocating your thumb!

Our guest speakers this month are Craig Morrison and Maureen Haverty!

The track played on this episode was "Computer" by State Shirt from the album This is Old.

Computer (State Shirt) / CC BY-NC-SA 3.0

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Episode Five - A Nuclear Deterrent

On this months show we discuss the UK's supposed plutonium "laundry service", a "balanced" study on Fukushima death projections by an anti-nuclear advocate, Helen Caldicott and the uranium-heroin connection, US-Israeli involvement in "stuxnet" and, finally......... Alex Salmond.

Our discussion will take the form of a debate on whether or not the UK needs a nuclear deterrent any more. Matt Gill, Joel Turner and Paul Butler believe it's immoral to get rid of our nuclear capability; whilst Kate Tucker, Craig Morrison and Toby Wright argue that it's immoral to keep them.......FIGHT!

The track played on this months show was "Radiation Hazard" by gwEm and Counter Reset from the album Live from Hell. (Radiation Hazard (gwEm and Counter Reset) / CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)

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Episode Four - Friends of the Earth (Part Two)

Click on the "Read Below" tab to access PART TWO of the podcast!!

On this months show we discuss the already infamous Mike Childs interview concerning the Friends of the Earth's position on nuclear energy and review the new radioactive horror; "Chernobyl Diaries". On our magical mystery tour we discover Kate is harbouring chickens, all ex-Spetsnaz soldiers own navy blue Adidas jackets and rating a film in Sieverts can prove rather difficult!

Episode Four - Friends of the Earth (Part One)

On this months show we discuss the already infamous Mike Childs interview concerning Friends of the Earth's position on nuclear energy and  we review the new radioactive horror; "Chernobyl Diaries." On our magical mystery tour we discover Kate is harbouring chickens, all ex-Spetsnaz soldiers own navy blue Adidas jackets and rating a film in Sieverts can prove rather difficult!

Like last month the podcast is split up into two chunks but due to iTunes' detection software proving to be temperamental, I've had to split it into two blog posts also. This first post is for the "news" segment.

The track played on the show was "Ride the Nuclear Wave" by The Oranges Band, from the album The World & Everything In it. (Ride the Nuclear Wave (The Oranges Band) / CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)

Click on the "Read Below" tab to access part one of the podcast!

Episode Three - A Nuclear Economy (Part One and Two)

On this months show we enter the murky world of energy economics and ask whether nuclear power is economically viable? On our journey we discover the Europeans aren't aware of Eurovision's existence, Mike has turned his back on the fishing community and Gunth is obsessed with Caroline Lucas. Our guest speakers are Chris Green, Maureen Haverty and Mike Daly.

The podcast is split into two distinct chunks this month: news (40mins) and discussion (20mins).... We just didn't know when to shut up!

The track played on the show was "Floss Suffers From Gamma Radiation" by the Blue Ducks, from the album Six. (Floss Suffers From Gamma Radiation (Blue Ducks) / CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

Click on the "Read Below" tab below to access parts one and two of the podcast!