What Is Science Doing to Predict Natural Disasters? Ever Wondered? (Series 1)

Scorpion TV

In this episode, host John Watt tackles the titans of Mother Nature: the earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes that have shaped the very bedrock of New Zealand. Through a series of intelligent interviews, explosive field testing, and gritty archival footage, viewers will see what science is doing to demystify Earth's biggest natural phenomena. A part of Ever Wondered? (Series 1). (22 minutes)

How Are Science and Technology Aiding Medical Research? Ever Wondered? (Series 1)

Scorpion TV

In this episode, host John Watt discovers what advances in science and technology are doing to assist unwell and elderly citizens in New Zealand. Ever Wondered? sheds light on an amazing technicolor breakthrough led by a father-and-son team from Christchurch and on a flow cytometry suite in Wellington, where lasers are used to excite fluorescent dyes in a quest to develop immune-based therapies for the treatment of a host of diseases. Back in Auckland, viewers are introduced to biomimetics, where artificial muscles, soft machines, and prosthetics are being used to imitate and assist our natural systems—and, at a retirement home, viewers also get to observe a bunch of helpful healthbots, or health robots, hard at work. A part of Ever Wondered? (Series 1). (22 minutes)

How Is Science Investigating Humankind’s Impact on the Atmosphere? Ever Wondered? (Series 1)

Scorpion TV

This episode uncovers the impact that humankind and industrialization are having on the air we breathe. Maintaining safe levels of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere is an incredibly complex issue—influenced, as it is, by factors that come from the depths of the ocean, the stratospheric heights of the ozone layer, and everywhere in between. The solution, too, will be complex, of course, but it’s heartening to know that scientists in New Zealand are at the forefront of endeavoring to discover it. Original title: Man’s Impact on the Atmosphere. A part of Ever Wondered? (Series 1). (22 minutes)

How Is Science Impacting Our Physical Performance? Ever Wondered? (Series 1)

Scorpion TV

This episode examines how science is changing the way we look at physical endurance and the discoveries that could change the future for the better. Viewers meet a scientist who is pursuing research into the differences that carbohydrate fuel can make to soccer players—in particular the benefits of carbohydrates ingested during a game. The results are intriguing and lead to an exciting discovery regarding how we’d previously viewed the way our bodies work. A part of Ever Wondered? (Series 1). (22 minutes)

What Is Science Doing to Tackle Air Pollution? Ever Wondered? (Series 1)

Scorpion TV

In this episode, viewers go behind the scenes to investigate what science is doing to tackle air pollution in New Zealand and the effects airborne contaminants are having on people's health. The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research uncovers the main pollutants—the “dirty 5”—and concludes that the main offenders are vehicle emissions and wood fires. Host John Watt then heads out into the field to see what happens when science meets up with urban transport systems by conducting a series of field tests to monitor varied pollution exposures on a particular route traveling by bike, bus, train, and even inside a baby stroller. A part of Ever Wondered? (Series 1). (22 minutes)

What Is Science Doing for the Future of Food? Ever Wondered? (Series 1)

Scorpion TV

In this episode, host John Watt takes viewers out of the cafés and kitchens and into the laboratory to discover how science is not only changing but also shaping the foods of the future. He travels up and down New Zealand meeting scientists involved at the sharp end of food research and development. On the menu: a scientist developing an antianxiety mood-food beverage, an iconic ice cream company producing an extra-special flavor, a bunch of overachieving black currants, and a machine that prints techno-food to your exact personal tastes and nutritional requirements. A part of Ever Wondered? (Series 1). (22 minutes)

What Is Science Discovering About Space? Ever Wondered? (Series 1)

Scorpion TV

The number of New Zealanders involved at the cutting edge of global astronomical research is impressive indeed—and the potential of the international projects being undertaken in that country is mind-boggling. In this episode, viewers will look upwards—way, way up, beyond the clouds, the stars, and our own galaxy—to see just what it is that we already know and what we have yet to discover about the science of space. Original title: Space. A part of Ever Wondered? (Series 1). (22 minutes)

How Is Science Mapping Biodiversity? Ever Wondered? (Series 1)

Scorpion TV

As an island nation in the Pacific, New Zealand is biologically diverse due to a number of very specific geologic, climatic, and geographic variables. In this episode, viewers will learn how these variables have affected New Zealand's flora and fauna and see how through the mapping of these changes we are better able to predict what the future may hold. Original title: Mapping Biodiversity. A part of Ever Wondered? (Series 1). (22 minutes)

How Is Science Pursuing New Energy Technology and Alternative Energy Sources? Ever Wondered? (Series 1)

Scorpion TV

The global demand for energy is ever-increasing; however, the ability to fairly meet this demand now and in the future is rapidly diminishing. This episode tackles the pressing issue of what can be done to break away from dependence on imported liquid transport fuels. Viewers will find out what research scientists in New Zealand are doing in the field of new energy technology and what discoveries have been made in their search for alternative energy sources. Original title: New Energy Technology and Alternative Energy Sources. A part of Ever Wondered? (Series 1). (22 minutes)