Nina and the Neurons is a programme shown on the CBeebies channel aimed at four to six-year-olds to help them understand basic science. Nina is a neuroscientist[1] who enlists the help of her Neurons (five animated characters representing the senses) in her brain to answer a scientific question. The show is produced by Lucille McLaughlin, who has also produced the children's programme Balamory. The beginning of the programme is based at Glasgow Science Centre where Nina conducts experiments in front of an audience of children. At the end of the lecture Nina is 'contacted' by a child, who appears on a television screen asking a science-related question. Nina then chooses one or more of five Neurons based upon which of the senses is most appropriate to answer the question. Nina then visits the child and with the help of their friends and family (called the 'experimenters') uses simple and fun experiments to answer the child's question. At the end of each show the Neurons discuss what they have done and the individual role they have played. The main character of Nina is played by Scottish actress Katrina Bryan. Nina wears either a white lab coat with brightly coloured cuffs and lapels in her lab, or one of a bright yellow coat or blue jacket when outside. In the programme, Nina drives either a pale blue 1970s Volkswagen Type 2 (Transporter) minibus or a New MINI, both bearing numberplates reading 'NINA', or rides a bicycle in the Go ECO! version. The Neurons are computer animated characters (stylised with human facial features and body, but no legs) and are named to reflect the five senses which they represent: Felix, voiced by James Dreyfus in the first series but subsequently by Lewis MacLeod represents touch. He is green and speaks in a posh accent and is particular about his appearance. Belle, voiced by Kelly Harrison represents hearing. She is red but also loud and can be bossy. She also the group vice leader. Luke, voiced by Patrice Naiambana, represents sight is yellow and is also the group leader. His character is laid back and relaxed. Ollie, voiced by Siobhan Redmond represents smell. She is purple and described as 'sweet, self-assured and a bit of a goth.'[3] She is the elder sister of Bud. Bud, voiced by Sharon Small represents the taste neuron. He is blue and also the youngest Neuron and can be enthusiastic and easily excited. Bud and Ollie are often chosen together by Nina due to the way taste and smell work together. Felix and Luke got chosen together by Nina due to the way touch and sight work together. Belle and Luke got chosen together by Nina due to the way hearing and sight work together. Felix and Belle got chosen together by Nina due to the way touch and hearing work together. The show began on 26 February 2007 and ended on 30 March 2007. The 2nd series began airing on Cbeebies on 31 March 2008 and ended on 2 May 2008 it was followed by Nina and the Neurons Go Eco, on 13 June 2008 as part of CBeebies' year-long green initiative called EcoBeebies, the Eco series ended on 15 August 2008. A fourth series called Nina and the Neurons Go Inventing started on 18 May 2009 where Nina invites several young inventors to her lab to discover how things work by inventing their own versions, the series ended on 19 June 2009. The fifth series, In The Lab, was broadcast from 27 September 2010 to 10 December 2010.

• published: 23 Jan 2014
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