Imperial News

Podcast: Making maths connections, spotting fakes and working with your hands

by Hayley Dunning

In this edition: We say bonjour to a new Imperial-France maths centre, use machines to spot fake reviews, and swap skills with curators and artists.

The podcast is presented by Gareth Mitchell, a lecturer on Imperial's MSc Science Communication course and the presenter of Click Radio on the BBC World Service, with contributions from our roving reporters in the Research Communications group.

Download the complete podcast (mp3)

OR LISTEN TO INDIVIDUAL CHAPTERS:

News: GP opening hours and testing Ebola resistance – A study reveals that GP opening hours are not necessarily correlated with visits to A&E, and Imperial researchers trial a cheap device for detecting immunity to Ebola.

Making maths connections – At the opening of a new joint research unit between Imperial and France's National Center for Scientific Research, we speak to French Fields medallist and politician Cédric Villani.

Keeping the internet honest – How can we be sure online reviews are genuine? A machine trained to argue can help us root out the fakes, but also help medics find the best treatments. Professor Francesca Toni explains how.

Working with your hands – What can artists, conservators and researchers learn from each other’s physical skills? Professor Roger Kneebone explored the topic with a range of people not often in a room together, but with surprisingly similar skills – from taxidermists to solar physicists. You can also listen to the full interview.