Afternoon all,
The idea has been making me squirm rather - take a rat, insert part of its brain in a robot and watch it go. Apparently the robot can then learn from it's mistakes so, if it bumps into something, it remembers where it is and navigates round it. Pretty clever, but a little bit Frankenstein too.
It has, however, got researchers at Reading Uni absolutely hopping with excitement. We will be investigating just how clever this "roborat" really is and why it could have massive implications for medical science that might help us all. (And I don't think they are suggesting giving us all a bit of rat brain.)
From super smart rats to super smart seven year olds. I found my A - levels a strain aged 17, but get this - there is a set of twins in Deptford who have just passed their Maths AS aged 7 - yes 7! Glen has been round to their house to see if he can keep up with them. I am hoping they challenge him to a sudoku match. But more seriously, we are asking if it's healthy to put that much pressure on kids so young. Is it a gift or a curse to be a child prodigy?
Now this could put pupils in West Norwood off their exams - a local pub owner wants to open a strip club just metres from their school. He wasn't too keen to explain to us just why he thinks that's a suitable location, but Liz has been on his trail, and meeting the local mums who are not going to accept what they see as an invasion of sleaze outside the school gates.
Simon is still in Beijing - the lucky man. He'll be telling us today why London 2012, rather than China is going to be the place to party for free. According to Simon who has a nose for these things - the public Olympic areas in Beijing are an atmosphere-free zone. In London they are promising a carnival feel, big screens, music. Bring it on!
Then there's the amazing story of ten year old Rachel who saved her family's life after watching a tv programme AND the ex conman who is managing Chertsey Town FC.
Tune in for all of that at six,
Romilly and Ben
