Bang Goes the Theory

A Bang Goes the Theory special event showing how much electricity we use and abuse without even thinking about it. This massive experiment attempts to power a house for an entire day solely through human pedal power - while the unsuspecting family inside go about their normal Sunday routine. Will they drive the Human Power Station to meltdown?

A Bang Goes the Theory special to help you improve your brain. The science team gives the results of the world's biggest ever brain training experiment and reveals how you can make yourself smarter Brain training computer games are big news in Britain and the craze is growing. But does it actually work? The BBC teamed up with leading scientists to devise a huge online experiment to find out. This is genuine, groundbreaking science. And the results are surprising. This programme explores the power of the human brain and its untapped potential. Resident extreme engineer, Jem, taps into his brain to drive a car with the power of thought alone. Biologist Liz joins an experiment to try to improve the structure of her brain. And we meet an extraordinary man who has normal intelligence despite having had half of his brain removed. With lots of top tips Can You Train Your Brain? will help you make the most of your brain!

Red Button Extra “Little Bang” will deliver a rich mix of interactive science and features, including outtakes, a quiz and special extras. The audience will contact the team (via email and text) to ask their science questions live and take part in the discussions about features from the BBC ONE programme.

Jem Stansfield builds a vortex cannon to pick up where the big bad wolf failed to blow over a house of brick; Dallas Campbell takes on the big brother technology that will track every one of us simply by the way we walk; Liz Bonnin confronts the controversial US scientist working to create the first generation of artificial life; and Dr Yan Wong tackles unsuspecting shoppers with a simple question: how do you cook an egg with a piece of newspaper?

In this second episode of the series, the team take on more scientific challenges. Engineer Jem Stansfield designs, builds and then puts his life in his hands by tying himself to a water jet pack. Zoologist Liz Bonnin finds out if insects are the future of food, science-mad Dallas Campbell investigates NASA's latest attempts to prove there is life beyond Earth, and roving reporter Dr Yan Wong challenges the people of Cambridge to blow up a bin liner.

In the latest of the series that puts science to the test, the team takes on more fun experiments and challenges. Dallas Campbell traces the incredible global journey of 30,000 indestructible plastic ducks, while Liz Bonnin goes on manoeuvres at the bottom of the Baltic Sea in the Royal Navy's latest search and rescue sub. Dr Yan Wong challenges the people of Cardiff to take on the might of friction, and Jem Stansfield uses two domestic vacuum cleaners to climb up the side of a building.

Engineer Jem tries to smash a land speed record with the help of a single fire extinguisher, a go kart and a well oiled spanner. In an experiment that you really shouldn't try at home, Jem builds himself a go-kart attached to a staggeringly powerful fire extinguisher that uses the laws of physics to fire him along a race track and into the record books. With oil prices rising every year, Dallas takes on an issue that concerns all of us. What will we do when the oil runs out? At the moment, across the globe, we use 85 million barrels of crude oil every single day but the fact is that our oil supplies can't last forever. With Richard Branson as one of his guides, Dallas looks at the future of oil explorations, and tells us what this means for our wallets. Liz goes behind the scenes of the real CSI (the Forensic Science Service) to meet the scientists working with the police to solve real crimes. With one crime, three suspects and no DNA evidence, Liz launches her very own forensic investigation to catch the bad guy. Bang Goes the Theory is co-produced with The Open University. For more ways to put science to the test, go to www.bbc.co.uk/bang and follow the links to The Open University.

Liz Bonnin, Dallas Campbell and Jem Stansfield take on more scientific challenges. Engineer Jem becomes a crash test dummy to discover how much g-force his body can take, while scientist Liz gets the Olympic treatment for Sport Relief. Dallas enters the weird world of the atom, and roving reporter Dr Yan Wong dives into a shark tank to explain why there are no long snorkels.

Dallas takes on the latest lie detection technology, while Liz looks at the dilemma that threatened to undermine her hero Charles Darwin. Jem faces his toughest challenge yet, to build a human-powered hydrofoil, and Dr Yan gets on the 3D bandwagon.

In this episode, the team investigate the recent Gulf of Mexico oil disaster. Zoologist Liz Bonnin travels to Louisiana and takes part in the rescue effort to protect the area's wildlife, while Jem Stansfield builds a scale model to explain what happens when an oil well gets out of control, and how to solve the problem. Meanwhile, Dallas Campbell proves Einstein's theory of relativity with the help of a jet plane and a very expensive atomic clock.

In the second episode of the series, the team take on more scientific challenges. Liz Bonnin looks at the science behind sunburn, and discovers how much sun damage she has on her face. Dallas Campbell tries to make museum visitors younger and smarter in a series of psychological experiments. And Jem Stansfield proves that wheels don't have to be round by building a square-wheeled skateboard. The programme is co-produced with the Open University. For more ways to put science to the test, go to www.bbc.co.uk/bang and follow the links to The Open University.

Liz conducts an experiment into jetlag and how to avoid it, while Dallas demonstrates the size of the solar system with the help of a bicycle and a fruit bowl. And Jem upgrades his square-wheeled skateboard to a motorbike, before trying to jump it into the record books.

In the first of a new series, Bang Goes the Theory looks at the science behind the recent devastating Japanese earthquake and the tsunami it triggered. The programme explains what happened and examines the technology that attempts to protect us from the shocking power of our planet.

In the second episode of the series, Liz follows two couples undertaking IVF and looks at the new research that may dramatically increase success rates. Jem attempts to become the first man to go 360 degrees on a playground swing. And Dr Yan confuses shoppers with the help of a very special mirror.

Dallas goes supersonic and meets the team behind a 1000mph car. Jem looks at what makes stuff sticky and makes homemade glues to test out on the other presenters and Dr Yan puzzles commuters with an optical illusion.

Jem makes his own diamond and then proves they aren't forever. Dr Yan explains the science of popcorn, and Dallas investigates why we haven't cured cancer yet, meeting the team that hope to change that.

In the second episode of the science series, Liz hits the beach with the RNLI to experience the power of rip currents; Dr Yan attempts to demonstrate evolution by drawing a couple of lines; and Jem is back in the workshop, turning everyday scrap into gold.

Jem Stansfield witnesses the power of rockets as he spends time with the team working on the Bloodhound land-speed record project. Dr Yan Wong re-creates an ancient Greek experiment to measure Earth's circumference with two sticks, and Dallas Campbell goes in search of a robot he can call his own.

The team investigates why petrol costs so much, and whether we can use science to make fuel for free. Liz experiences life on an oil rig, Jem and Dallas compete to make their own DIY fuel alternatives, and Jem discovers the link between fossil fuels and a recent earthquake in Lancashire.

The team asks whether modern life is damaging our ears. Dallas explores how safety-conscious scientists are putting the noise back into driving, Liz learns to like the sound of being sick, and Jem sets out to record the sound of a centipede's footsteps.

Liz finds out how safe digital storage formats such as DVDs and memory sticks are, and whether the Cloud answers all our problems. Dallas and Jem see what it takes to properly wipe your computer memory, and Maggie Philbin revisits phone security after nearly 30 years, investigating how hackers can access your smartphone.

From food-fraud to flu, from plastics to poisons, and from superbugs to sugar, TV science legend Maggie Philbin joins presenters Liz Bonnin and Jem Stansfield as the team investigate the science that makes sense of the stories that affect us all.

The team investigates germs and infection the future of antibiotics. Liz Bonnin explains why doctors can be reluctant to prescribe antibiotics for coughs and colds, and what bacterial resistance is all about.

Sugar is on trial in this programme. Widely blamed for all manner of health issues beyond rotten teeth and expanding waistlines, the team investigate whether sugar really deserves such a lousy health reputation. Jem sets out to make some pure, white, granulated sugar of his own, while Maggie meets a surprise victim of fatty liver disease. Maggie also discovers how sugar is being used to preserve life-saving vaccines, while Liz explores the power sugar has to switch on our brains.

The team investigate how close Britain might get to running out of electricity.

Liz Bonnin explains how cells turn cancerous by blowing high-tech bubbles.

Liz Bonnin takes a look at how big data monitors Rolls Royce jet engines.