Brain Barrier

New research by physiologist Dr Sam Marcora and his team at Bangor's Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences suggests that exhaustion is all in the mind. He believes that he has dispproved the theory that endurance performance is limited to muscles, heart and lung capacity. He tells Adam that his study showed that it is perception of effort that limits your performance - and recognising this could lead to new ways of training for endurance events.

Fancy That

A study in Cardiff recently showed that mixed race faces were deemed to be more attractive than others. The findings could have wider implications that mere attractiveness or good looks. Dr Michael Lewis of Cardiff University's School of Psychology, suggest it could be an indication of fitter genes. Could humans also be subject to heterosis - or hybrid vigour - the biologicall phenomenon where cross-breeding leads to offspring that's genetically fitter than its parents.

Natural Prawn Killers

As our demand for seafood grows, sound aquaculture is increasingly important - partricularly in Wales where jobs are at stake. Adam finds out more about the work of the pioneering Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture Research, in Swansea, where Dr Adam Powell specialises in fish and shellfish immunology.