Some of the UK's most innovative research teams have shown off their latest work at the annual British Association for the Advancement of Science festival.
Nick Higham spoke to a number of the scientists taking centre stage at the event in Liverpool.
SCIENCE SUPERHEROES
One of the aims of the science festival is to make science more accessible.
As part of this, scientists have been looking at whether the powers that superheroes have can be recreated.
Jonathan Wood and Davina Bristow are 'science communicators', with a fascinating science trick.
GREEN SCIENCE
The presenters of 'It's Not Easy Being Green', Dick and James Strawbridge, aim to use science to find ways to help the environment.
They gave Nick Higham some advice about how to be green in the 21st Century - including some underwear tips.
NOT JUST A PRETTY FACE
People are likely to find faces that are looking at them and smiling more attractive than those that are not, researchers have found.
Dr Ben Jones of Aberdeen University explained how such social cues play a role in the dating game.
FORENSIC LINGUISTICS
Text message analysis is becoming a powerful tool in solving crime cases, as was shown in the conviction of Jenny Nicholl's murderer.
Forensic linguistic specialist Dr Tim Grant explains how people choose their own text language "rules" - and how these can be used to identify them.
UNDERSTANDING SCIENCE
Professor Edgar Jenkins from the University of Leeds is a specialist on the public understanding of science.
He explains why there is sometimes distrust or suspicion of the science world - as occurred with scares such as the MMR vaccine.
FOOD ALLERGIES
One of the areas being discussed at the science festival is the rise in food allergies and food intolerance.
Dr Sian Astley from the Institute of Food Research talked to Nick Higham about why more people might have allergies, or might think they have.
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