Science in the Spotlight

Last Updated: 26 June 2008

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[NASA]

A special series of Radio Australia reports, where we discover the region's superfoods, the health risks of climate change, and how high-speed internet is revolutionising medicine.

This series of reports by Corinne Podger looks at how Asian and Pacific scientists are taking on some of the big challenges in our region.

From Asia to Europe in an instant

The Trans-Eurasia Information Network, or TEIN2, connects scientists, doctors and researchers in 10 Asian countries, with Europe and Australia.

The network operates at more than two gigabytes a second - the equivalent of sending thirty blockbuster movie files down a phone line every minute.

As Corinne Podger discovers, it's revolutionising science and medical education.

Planet Earth catches a fever

This year climate change was the theme of both the UN World Health Day and the recent World Health Assembly.

The Assembly sets the research agenda for the World Health Organisation, which has a packed year ahead studying the effects our world's changing climate is having on our health and in helping poorer countries cope with it all.

The WHO says climatic changes are already causing an extra 150,000 deaths worldwide every year, as rainfall patterns shift and disease-carrying insects move into new areas.

Corinne Podger investigates some of the risks, and talks to grass roots groups on the front line of the battle against climate change.

Have you had your Superfood today?

'Superfoods' have become a buzzword in diet and health circles.

It's claimed they're better for you than ordinary fruit and vegetables; can make you smarter, slow down ageing, or help prevent diseases like cancer and diabetes.

As Corinne Podger discovers, some of the new superfood contenders have been part of the Asia-Pacific diet for centuries.