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An introduction to stem cells while assuming no prior knowledge, and covers the following topics: what stem cells are, the difference between embryonic and adult stem cells, IVF as a key source of embryonic stem cells, therapeutic cloning (somatic cell nuclear transfer), the difference between therapeutic and reproductive cloning, potential medical applications of stem cell research and a brief

This program tackles one of the most contentious areas of contemporary science: embryonic stem cell research. Different viewpoints are presented, and speakers include: Professor Alan Trounson, prominent stem cell scientist; Father Norman Ford, an ethics commentator; Patients with life-threatening medical conditions.

Any ecosystem needs energy to sustain it, and the organisms within it. This energy comes in massive quantities from the Sun, although only a tiny fraction of the solar energy hitting the Earth goes towards sustaining life. The flow of energy through an ecosystem is complex, and vital to sustaining all life within it.

There is a lot of controversy around genetic modification of organisms and cloning. This program looks at the way man has modified genomes of plants and animals used for food since the dawn of agriculture. As knowledge of cells and genetics has increased so has man's ability to alter genomes.

Professor Alan Trounson is a distinguished Australian scientist. He was one of the pioneers of IVF treatment for infertile couples, and is now a leading international figure in stem cell research. He reviews a range of techniques and issues related to stem cell research, including: maker cell biology, gene expression and epigenetics, applications of genetics and epigenetics, ?blinking on?