
Science Week Special: What are the biggest threats to humanity?
19 November - 57 minsWhen it comes to the end of humanity, there are numerous ways it might come to pass - be it a wayward asteroid, the eruption of a super volcano, the ever-growing presence of Artificial Intelligence in our lives, or the unseen spores of a killer fungus.
But which one of these poses the greatest risk? This is the question posed by Jonathan in this very special episode of Futureproof which was recorded in front of a live audience at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre.
Joining us to discuss is:
Dr. Robert Ross, Senior Lecturer in the School of Computer Science at TU Dublin
Professor Chris Bean, Senior Professor and Head of Geophysics at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies
Professor C...

The importance of scepticism in science
For centuries we have been marketed and sold products that claim extraordinary things only to find out that the evidence and application don’t match up. So-called snake oil products have littered the internet recently and despite pretty clear regulations, the internet has turned on the firehose when it comes to advertising and marketing, to the point where regulators can’t keep up. So, to protect ourselves we should be developing a sceptical approach, so says Nick Teller, the author of 'The Skeptic’s Guide to Sports Science' - he joins Jonathan to discuss. Also joining Jonathan for Newsround is Catherine McGuinness, Research and Education Officer at Cavan County Museum & Lianne Shanley, PhD Researcher from the School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin.
33 mins
3 December Finished

Futureproof Extra: Where do we save our memories?
Our brain has about 86 billion neurons making it a pretty busy place but how much of that space is dedicated to storing our memories and where exactly does that happen? Joining Jonathan to get a better understanding of how we store memories is Tomás Ryan, Associate Professor in Trinity’s School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, and the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience.
16 mins
28 November Finished

Should we delay clamping the umbilical cord?
Joining Jonathan to discuss new research that indicates that a delay in clamping the umbilical cord of premature babies could decrease the risk of death by as much as two-thirds is Professor Eugene Dempsey, Horgan Chair in Neonatology at the INFANT Centre at UCC. Also joining Jonathan for Newsround is physicist, Philip Smyth, and sustainable food production scientist, Laura Healy.
39 mins
26 November Finished

Futureproof Extra: Exploring why UTIs persist with artificial bladders
There are around 400 million global cases of UTIs or urinary tract infections per year, and they can often persist, but why? Researchers in the UK have been using artificial bladders to find out what makes them stick around. Joining Jonathan to discuss is Prof Jennifer Rohn, Professorial Research Fellow in Renal Medicine at University College London and Head of the Centre for Urological Biology.
14 mins
14 November Finished

EIRSAT-1: Ireland’s first satellite set for launch
The Educational Irish Research Satellite 1 (EIRSAT-1) is set for launch in November, which will make it Ireland’s first venture into space. To discuss, Jonathan is joined by Dr. David McKeown, Assistant Professor/Lecturer in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at UCD, and the Engineering Manager for the EIRSAT-1 project. For this week's episode of Newsround, Jonathan is joined by Dr Oran Kennedy, Associate Professor of Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine, RCSI & Dr. Fergus McAuliffe, Communications and Public Engagement Manager at iCRAG, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Applied Geosciences.
32 mins
12 November Finished