Sunday 6th January at 5.03pm

(Repeated Wednesday 9th January at 9.30pm)

Martian Armageddon?

Astronomers are currently watching with great interest a football pitch-sized lump of rock which is hurtling through space at a speed of 45000 km/h. The reason they're so interested in this asteroid fragment, which has been christened WD-5, is that it appears to be on a collision course with Mars. As it gets closer to the red planet scientists will be able to give more accurate odds on a direct hit but as this week's Science Cafe goes on air the chances are about 1 in 25. If there is a collision on 30th January the impact will throw out plenty of debris and planetary scientists will be able to get a better picture of what lies beneath the Martian surface. Dr. Edward Gomez of the Faulkes Telescope Project at Cardiff University joins Adam to discuss the possible impact - and the chances of the same thing happening to planet Earth.

Cold Science

Since it's the time of year when many of us have either got one, are going down with one or just getting over one the Science Cafe looks into the science of the common cold. Dr. Ron Eccles of the Common Cold Centre at Cardiff University tells reporter Nan Pickering (who's just recovering from a cold herself) that over 200 different viruses can cause the common cold. The viruses are like little spaceships which land on cells in the nose and throat and inject their genetic material. He also reveals that women between age of 20 and 40 are the most susceptible to colds.

Antimatter Matters

If you thought that antimatter was a creation of science fiction writers and film-makers you may be surprised to discover that not only does it exist but that one of the best places in the Universe to find it is, believe it or not, Swansea. Antimatter is composed of particles with an opposite electrical charge to that of matter and physicists believe that at the time of the 'big bang' equal amounts of matter and antimatter were created. The question which researchers like Prof. Mike Charlton of Swansea University are trying to answer is why the matter and antimatter didn't cancel each other out after the big bang, leaving an empty universe. He joins Adam at this week's Science Cafe to discuss the great mystery of antimatter and how he creates positrons (the antimatter equivalent of electrons) in Swansea.

The End of Aging

Dr. Aubrey de Grey believes that the human life span could be extended not just by decades but by centuries - even, perhaps, to a thousand years! Aubrey is a biomedical theorist and Chairman of the Methuselah Foundation, an organisation which funds research into ending aging. He'll be discussing his controversial views at the Bangor Science Cafe on Thursday 10th January and he joins Adam at Radio Wales own Science Cafe to explain why the idea of living for centuries isn't so far fetched.

Espresso Science

For the last shot of Espresso Science of the current series the theme - appropriately enough for everybody on a new year health kick - is fitness. Adam runs along to the Techniquest @ NEWI science discovery centre in Wrexham where Rhiann Davies demonstrates just how hard the human heart has to work.

Listen to Espresso Science - 9

LINKS

Faulkes Telescope Project

Asteroid Impact Simulator

Common Cold Centre

Methuselah Foundation

Science Cafe Wales

Techniquest@NEWI

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