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Solar Panel Technology - Gravitational Lenses

Quentin Cooper investigates solar power and how it can most effectively be utilised in providing the country's energy needs.

Solar Panel Technology
In just 40 minutes on a sunny day in the UK, we receive enough energy from the Sun to provide the country鈥檚 entire energy requirements for a whole year. Quentin Cooper finds out how we can make more use of the Sun. Why are solar panels currently so inefficient and how can the blackness of a moth's eye could help improve our ray catching abilities? Quentin is joined by Professor Ken Durose, Director of the Durham centre for Renewable Energy, University of Durham and Dr Darren Bagnall from the School of Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton.

Gravitational Lenses
Why do stars act like a magnifying glass in the heavens? Astronomers have just discovered two giant gas planets orbiting a star which bear a striking resemblance to Jupiter and Saturn. Quentin finds out about how are these discoveries are being made - by using predictions made by Einstein in his theory of Relativity and searching the sky for one in a million events. Quentin is joined by Professor Keith Horne, Head of Astronomy, School of Astronomy at the University of St. Andrews and Dr Nicholas Rattenbury from the Jodrell Bank Centre of Astrophysics, University of Manchester.

Available now

30 minutes

Broadcast

  • Thu 21 Feb 2008 16:30

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