Award-winning television series 10 Things To Know About returns to RTÉ One for its eighth season. Landing just in time for Science Week, the fascinating programme showcases and celebrates the Irish science behind aspects of modern life.
Entertaining and informative, each episode is themed around one core topic or research area, with Kathriona Devereux, Jonathan McCrea and Fergus McAuliffe meeting Irish researchers working at home and internationally on projects that affect all our lives.
As the global population rises, questions are being asked as to how we can continue to feed the planet with more sustainable food products and behaviours. Could the answer be the humble insect?
Insects have a high protein content and carbon-friendly breeding methods, and with three types of insects already in use in the EU, the team check out the latest Irish research into edible insects and try out some taste testing at the National Ploughing Championships to see if members of the public might be open to adding crickets to their cornflakes!
Unfortunately, not all insects are helpful to the food chain. Grain aphids carrying Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV) can devastate cereal crops, and reduce the yield by on average 30%, but can be as high as 80% in optimal conditions.
With EU regulations limiting the amount of insecticide that farmers can use and aphids evolving to become resistant to it, the crew meet the Irish researchers looking to further understand these creatures and help farmers to combat BYDV.
And in his returning segment "Curious Chronicles", Fergus McAuliffe champions the war-time medical marvel: the humble maggot…
Tune into 10 Things To Know About returns on RTÉ One on Monday 14th November at 8.30pm.
