Sex and the Sciences

It may not be to everyone's taste, but the edgy direction in which Simon Andreae, head of science at UK-based broadcaster Channel 4, has taken science programming has reaped rewards. The Boy Who Gave Birth to His Twin, a one-hour show on the new 'BodyShock' strand, about a seven-year-old who was 'pregnant' with a parasitic twin, garnered 5.5 million viewers in primetime and was the highest-rated science program ever on C4. 'The first run of 'BodyShock' at the end of last year broke all records for science at C4,' says Andreae. 'It's been a good, growing year for science audiences.'