Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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Glue is no longer feeble! From rockets to running shoes, modern adhesives are replacing rivets in high-stress engineering. We visit a lab where a barnacle's natural two-part glue is tested to the breaking point, and explain the molecular physics that makes glue the strongest way to hold two surfaces together.

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Only one scientist in thousands wins a Nobel Prize. Far fewer ever become household names. In this fascinating series, Brian Trueman looks at the work of scientists whose names are relatively unknown outside their own very specialist fields.

This film was first broadcast: 1983

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Discover the best science, technology, and engineering shows. Explore amazing experiments, groundbreaking inventions, and the secrets behind incredible builds. Ignite your curiosity!

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