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----- Original Message -----
From: BBC Science & Nature
Sent: Friday, March 04, 2005 12:22 PM
Subject: Life in the freezer Antarctica has two thirds of all the fresh water on Earth, locked up as ice. ------------------------------------------------------- In this week's Science & Nature newsletter ** Frozen water music ** ** Stressed water voles in decline ** ** Gas giant's tiny son and daughters ** ** TV & radio choices this week ** ------------------------------------------------------- ** Frozen water music ** As the UK's cold snap finally shows signs of ending, spare a thought for life in colder climes. http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/blueplanet/ends/ With 300km/h winds and temperatures of -50C, Antarctica's brutal landscape can inspire fear, yet also art. Composer Peter Maxwell Davies' powerful 8th Symphony evokes his time there. This week on BBC Four the music is combined with imagery of the frozen wasteland. Meanwhile the teenage crew from Serious Arctic is carrying out climate research near the North Pole. On the website, get close to an interactive polar bear without making too much fur fly. http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/wild/arctic/ Read on for details of these polar programmes in TV & Radio Choices. ------------------------------------------------------- ** Stressed water voles in decline ** A study monitoring water voles has established a link between the use of radio collars and the proportion of males to females. Scientists believe the stress of wearing the collars has contributed to a 48 per cent decline in females born at a Norfolk site. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/norfolk/4302051.stm Water voles are the UK's most threatened animal. http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/features/289feature1.shtml ------------------------------------------------------- ** Gas giant's tiny son and daughters ** Three Saturn moons discovered last year by the Cassini spacecraft have finally been given names. Methone and Pallene are named after the daughters of the giant Alkyoneos in Greek mythology while Polydeuces is named after the son of Zeus. Each is under 4km wide and dwarfed by Titan, their largest sibling, at 5150km in diameter. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4298053.stm Plans for exploration of the icy moons of Saturn's neighbour - Jupiter - are in development. The controversial Project Prometheus looks at using nuclear power for an unmanned mission to the moons of Jupiter. Read on for more details of Project Prometheus in TV & Radio Choices. ------------------------------------------------------- ** TV & RADIO CHOICES THIS WEEK ** ** Antarctic Symphony ** Peter Maxwell Davies conducts the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in a multimedia rendition of his 8th Symphony - inspired by the beauty and harsh reality of Antarctica. Saturday 5 March, 8pm BBC Four. http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/classicaltv/antarcticsymphony.shtml ** Crufts Preview ** Clare Balding and Richard Hammond preview the top event in the canine calendar which begins on Thursday. Sunday 6 March, 7pm BBC Two. http://www.bbc.co.uk/crufts/ ** The Sky at Night ** The Oort Cloud is said to be where comets originate. Does it really exist? Monday 7 March, 1am BBC One (1.20am Northern Ireland, 1.30am Wales) and 8.30pm BBC Four. Reshowing Saturday 12 March, 12. 45pm BBC Two. http://www.bbc.co.uk/skyatnight/ ** Animal Magic ** A daily 15-minute dose of creatures that send shudders down our spines. Monday 7 March to Friday 11 March, 3.45pm Radio 4. ** Serious Arctic ** The child adventurers continue their mission in the frozen Canadian Arctic. Tuesday 8 March, 5pm BBC One. ** Europe: A Natural History ** How has mankind contributed to the transformation of Europe over the last 10,000 years? Tuesday 8 March, 9pm BBC Four. Reshowing Thursday 10 March, 7.10pm. http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/features/europe-nat-history.shtml ** Project Prometheus ** Leo Enright investigates the prospects for nuclear propulsion in the 21st century. Wednesday 9 March, 9pm Radio 4. ------------------------------------------------------ ** YOU AND THIS NEWSLETTER ** To change your email address or cancel your subscription to the Science newsletter please visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/newsletter/unsubscribe/science.shtml To join this mailing list - if you were sent this newsletter by a friend - go to: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/newsletter/ |
