Football crazy...

There's no refuge from the World Cup in Science Cafe, but we are putting a scientific spin on our tournament-related stories. Adam Walton talks to an expert from the School of Sport, Health and Exercise Science at Bangor University about the effect altitude can have on sporting performance. And we also get an explanation from an accoustics expert on why we might find those vuvuzelas so irritating.

Angels above...

Cast your eyes to the heavens in the coming evenings and you might be lucky enough to spot some noctilucent clouds drifting past. These mysterious clouds appear close to the edge of space and give off a gentle glow - some have described them as floating angels. John Rowlands from Anglesey is studying them and is one of four UK finalists in BBC Radio 4's Amateur Scientist of the Year Competition. He talks to Adam about the work that's keeping him up at night.

Fantastic plastic...

Well, not just plastic - any synthetic polymer really. They are such an integral part of our modern lives and yet we take them for granted. We can find them in numerous every day items from cars to electronics to medicens and - of course - footballs. Prof Tony Johnson gives Adam a preview of his forthcoming lecture, 'When the oil runs out...the impact on our material world' at Wrexham Science Festival next week.