10 Things to Know About

Toilet flushing, cats, cheese, belly buttons, the number 13, our fears and phobias can be as bizarre as they are diverse. But how are our fears created in the first place? And what happens inside our brain when we feel the fear?! Aoibhinn tackles her fear of spiders with a hands on experience with one of the furriest critters and we hear from NUI Maynooth’s Dr Brian Roche on how our fears develop and why, if we don’t face them, we can become crippled by them. Jonathan undergoes a form of the highly controversial “water boarding” in an experiment at Trinity College Dublin to determine if stress affects our ability to recall information and we hear from Professor Shane O’Meara about the brain’s reaction to torture and the psychology of fear.

From people who are involved in terrible accidents, to the general wear and tear of our bodies as we age, episode two of 10 Things to Know About... looks at how advances in robotics and biomaterials are transforming lives worldwide. We look at: The latest technology in bionic prosthesis in Ireland including meeting with Stephen Lowry from Newry who lost his hand in a bomb attack and was the first man in Northern Ireland to receive an electric hand. Not only can he now manage day to day tasks, such as cutting up food and driving, but he’s also currently taking flying lessons! The potential positive effect of deep brain stimulation on diseases such as Parkinson’s. Whether stem cells can mend a broken heart, looking at new materials and surgical devices being developed to help keep the heart pumping. and In “Weird Science” investigate the development of the bionic eye.

This week Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, Kathriona Devereux and Jonathan McCrea look at all things gut including: The beneficial qualities of probiotics and the challenge of getting them into our gut given the hostile environment created by the stomach’s acidic juices. Can our guts actually affect our brains? The link between food and mood is a proven fact but scientists are now investigating which bacteria are key to this and developing potential medications out of it. Is breast best? Ireland is one of the world leaders in the technology behind improving infant formula and we look how it is being developed to further mimic mother’s milk. In Weird Science we look at the sea cucumber’s unusual method of defence – literally spilling its guts!

As technology develops, we are learning more and more about how our brain works. 10 Things… presenter Jonathan McCrea undergoes an MRI scan to reveal the structures and activity going on in his brain and 2FM DJ Rick O’Shea discusses what it’s like to live with epilepsy and his efforts to raise awareness of the condition. We meet with consultant neuropathologist Professor Michael Farrell at Ireland’s “brain bank” and learn how the country’s researchers are working to tackle neurological conditions. And in Weird Science, Fergus McAuliffe tells us what scientists have learned from studying a remote tribe in Papua New Guinea who eat human brains. There are some dangers but also bizarre benefits.

Water is something we often take for granted but without it, we wouldn't exist. A hugely valuable resource that plays a vital part in every aspect of our lives, this week we look at the impact of pollution on water systems and how technology is being applied to make water safer for both us and our fishy friends.

An alarming number of people are knowingly, or otherwise, abusing over the counter pain medications. The 10 Things to Know About... crew ask: 'could there be another way?