Season 6

2012 · 8 episodes

Episodes

1Fuel for FreeThe team investigates why petrol costs so much, and whether we can use science to make fuel for free. Liz experiences life on an oil rig, Jem and Dallas compete to make their own DIY fuel alternatives, and Jem discovers the link between fossil fuels and a recent earthquake in Lancashire.
2Is Life Too LoudThe team asks whether modern life is damaging our ears. Dallas explores how safety-conscious scientists are putting the noise back into driving, Liz learns to like the sound of being sick, and Jem sets out to record the sound of a centipede's footsteps.
3Cyber SecurityLiz finds out how safe digital storage formats such as DVDs and memory sticks are, and whether the Cloud answers all our problems. Dallas and Jem see what it takes to properly wipe your computer memory, and Maggie Philbin revisits phone security after nearly 30 years, investigating how hackers can access your smartphone.
4CrowdsDallas learns how people in crowds can cooperate subconsciously. Liz learns how architects can control the flow of crowds. Jem talks to some scientists who are attempting to understand how crush injuries can occur. Johnny Ball shows how biologists measure population size.
5Wireless SignalsThe team look at the health implications of wireless signals with the assistance of Howard Stableford. Jem looks at the possibility of electricity without wires and Liz finds out how mobile phones could help protect people from injury.
6EnergyJem dreams of flying under his own power by pedalling a homemade plane into the air. He sets out to discover why muscles get tired, and to see if he can boost his own using nothing more than beetroot. Meanwhile, Liz explores how hormones and blood sugar affect our energy levels and mood, and Dallas sweats himself to a standstill as he tries to answer the question 'Do we really need to drink eight glasses of water a day?'.
7TrafficThe team looks at some of the biggest travel nightmares. Liz investigates what causes traffic jams, whether lane switching works, and how to beat travel sickness. Meanwhile Jem heads for his workshop to build his own solution to traffic jams: a home-made, man-powered aeroplane.
8Humans and DogsThe team sets out to discover what is behind our special relationship with dogs. In Austria, Liz visits researchers comparing dogs to wolves to see how domestication has shaped canine wits. Philippa Forrester takes her pet to a lab to find out how dogs really can be good for your health, while the team set their very own Dog Mastermind to see if it is dog intelligence that we love.