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Science In Action: Drilling into the past

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Drilling into the past

25/01/2024 GMT

BBC World Service - Science In Action, Drilling into the past

How scientists can drill into the seabed to find out more about the planet’s deep past

How scientists are drilling into the seabed to find out more about the planet’s deep past, discover the history of ancient diseases, and learn about accelerated evolution.

Molecular biologist Prof Jason Chin tells us about his research into accelerated evolution and how it could help create new substances to be used in medicine, chemistry and more. 

In South America, palaeogeneticist Dr Verena Schuenemann has been extracting genetic material from human remains to find out more about treponemal diseases, which include syphilis, yaws and bejel. 

And moving across the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, volcanologist Professor Timothy Druitt has discovered new evidence of a massive volcano that erupted beneath the sea near Santorini around 500,000 years ago. 

Staying in the Mediterranean, we speak to Professor Rachel Flecker, co-chief scientist on Expedition 401 of the International Ocean Discovery Program. She and her team are drilling down into the seabed to establish how the Gibraltar Strait has altered over time. As well as influencing the Mediterranean's salinity, this changing movement of water has impacted the entire planet's oceans and climate.  

Presenter: Roland Pease   
Producer: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell 
Production co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth

(Image Credit: Thomas Ronge)

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