Did you know that - botanically speaking - Halloween Jack O’Lantern Pumpkins are more closely related to zucchini than they are to Kent / Jap pumpkins, butternut pumpkins, or giant pumpkins? This episode, Kade and Matt chat about some awesome PUMPKIN science! Like, speaking of giant pumpkins… how and why do they get so giant?! What does it take, according to science, to grow amazing pumpkins? We chat about everything from companion planting, to the birds and the bees (that is, quite literally, p...
Nov 04, 2024•1 hr 35 min•Season 5Ep. 7
Epilepsy: you've heard of it, you likely know people who have it, but do you know the science behind it? This month, Kade and Matt are joined by Dr Lauren Bleakley to find out just that. Stick around to the end of the episode for our listener question looking at the surprising benefits of chocolate milk! As always, you can find us @curiosityrat on X, instagram, and facebook, and send your listener questions in to curiosityrat@gmail.com We also have a Patreon! If you love our content and want to ...
Oct 08, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 32
This month, Kade and Matt are joined once again by Bodhi for a very special episode: The Philosophy of Science. This will be part 1 of 3 in a special series where we delve into some of the more abstract ideas about science itself. What is science? How effective is peer review? What is burden of proof? And much, much, much more. Make sure to check out the reference list below for further resources on anything we discuss during the episode. As always, you can find us @curiosityrat on X, instagram,...
Sep 08, 2024•2 hr 41 min•Season 5Ep. 5
This month Kade & Matt take a break from recording to give listeners a blast from the past with their episode all about crying. Why do our eyes leak when we feel emotions, chop onions, or get poked in the eye? Do these scenarios lead to the creation of different types of tears? How are tears created? WHY? This episode, Kate and Matt delve into all these questions and so many more, as we chat all about crying. We also tackle a listener question about sweating – why do our palms sweat when we ...
Aug 01, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 5Ep. 4
Acetylcholine: the greatest neurotransmitter you've never heard of. This month, Kade and Matt deep dive into what makes this chemical fascinating enough to make Kade spend the last 5 years of their life researching it. What does it do? How was it discovered? What makes it special? Listen to the end of the episode to hear Matt take on the role of asking the listener question, further picking Kade's brain about the many quirks of this neurotransmitter. As always, you can find us @curiosityrat on X...
Jul 01, 2024•1 hr 33 min•Season 5Ep. 2
This episode on curiosity killed the rat, join Kade, Matt and Riley for a deep dive into the science of Narrative. How are human brains wired to understand the world via narrative, and how is this used both for and against us? We break down the concept of “narrative” into the components of setting, characters, and plot, and chat about some of the research being done in all of these areas. We also have a look at some real-life examples of the ways narrative is being harnessed to influence our bel...
Jun 01, 2024•2 hr 4 min•Season 5Ep. 1
Welcome to season 5 of Curiosity Killed the Rat! To kick off the year, Kade and Matt welcome special guest Dr Jarrod McKenna onto the show once again to talk about his recent amazing experience visiting Antarctica: a place so cool it deserved another whole episode. What's it like to visit one of the most isolated places in the world as a tourist? How is climate change affecting this beautiful continent? What can we do as regular people to help? Stick around to the end of the episode to hear all ...
Apr 30, 2024•1 hr 30 min•Season 5Ep. 1
In one final episode for 2023 / season 4 of Curiosity Killed the Rat, Kade and Matt bring you an extended special reflecting on one of the biggest Australian milestones of 2023: the re-classification and approval of MDMA and Psilocybin to assist therapy. Kade leads us through the science accompanying the historical journey of these drugs; from their discovery and synthesis, through their recreational use (both legal and illegal), to their status today as promising therapeutic compounds. Stick ar...
Dec 31, 2023•2 hr 19 min•Season 4Ep. 8
This episode, join Kade and Matt as they spin their way into the world of spider webs – just in time for Halloween! Learn about the absolute wonder that is spider silk: its incredible properties, how it is made, why humans can’t yet mass-produce it, and some of the interesting efforts scientists are trying to change that! Stick around for a listener question all about glow sticks. As always, you can find us @curiosityrat on twitter, instagram, and facebook, and send your listener questions in to...
Oct 31, 2023•1 hr 19 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Link for Kade's video: https://youtu.be/rdOc2HB5sx0?si=-4B_koSDMxPxyNMi This month on Curiosity Killed the Rat, we are taking a break from our usual content to present the audio from the YouTube video made by host Kade Huckstep this month in response to Channel 7’s blatant spread of disinformation and misrepresentation of science. It breaks down the “documentary” aired about detransitioning, and goes through the scientific evidence that does actually exist. As a show, we value the spread of corr...
Sep 30, 2023•48 min•Season 4Ep. 6
This month on Curiosity Killed the Rat, Kade and Matt tackle a more serious issue: the science of antidepressants. What is depression? How is it caused? How do antidepressants work, and are they actually effective? Stick around to the end of the episode to hear sound guy Matt answer a listener question about the science of noise cancelling headphones! As always, you can find us @curiosityrat on twitter, instagram, and facebook, and send your listener questions in to curiosityrat@gmail.com. We al...
Aug 31, 2023•1 hr 28 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Join Kade and Matt on a wondrous wintery episode where we talk all about snowflakes! How are they formed? What makes them so unique and special? Is everything we think we know about them true? Stick around to end to hear Matt tell some fun facts about native Australian trees! As always, you can find us @curiosityrat on twitter, instagram, and facebook, and send your listener questions in to curiosityrat@gmail.com. We also have a Patreon! If you love our content and want to support us you can jum...
Jul 31, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 4Ep. 4
This month on Curiosity Killed the Rat, Kade and Matt are joined by Oliver Anagnostou and Benji Metha to talk about rockets! What is a rocket? How does a rocket actually work? Listen to find out how rocket science really is out of this world! Stick around to the end of the episode for a listener question that answers: what is it that gives us butterflies in our belly? As always, you can find us @curiosityrat on twitter, instagram, and facebook, and send your listener questions in to curiosityrat...
Jun 30, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 4Ep. 3
This episode on Curiosity Killed the Rat, Kade and Matt talk about bones! Bones may in fact be one of the most under-appreciated parts of the body. Not a bunch of dry pieces of scaffolding holding our bodies together, bones do all sorts of weird and wacky things you may not expect! As always, you can find us @curiosityrat on twitter, instagram, and facebook, and send your listener questions in to curiosityrat@gmail.com We also have a Patreon! If you love our content and want to support us you ca...
May 31, 2023•31 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Welcome back to season 4 of Curiosity Killed the Rat! This episode, Kade and Matt are chatting all about Testosterone: a hormone that makes you sweaty and hungry and hairy and horny. We often learn about testosterone and its effects on the body in the context of a cisgender male puberty. But testosterone can be important for other individuals, too! This episode, our resident scientist Kade – who has been on testosterone as part of a gender-affirming hormone replacement therapy for several months...
Apr 30, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 4Ep. 1
During the holiday season in Australia, it's hot and summery, and we're all told to slip slop slap. But what is sunscreen, and how does it actually work? What does SPF mean? Does sunscreen cause cancer? Kade and Matt are joined once again by friend of the show, Dr Catriona Nguyen-Robertson, to talk all things sunscreen. If you loved what Cat had to say and want to find more from her, you can follow her on twitter @CatrionaNR, Instagram @nyuroscientist, and YouTube ( https://www.youtube.com/chann...
Dec 31, 2022•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 31
Just in time for halloween, Kade and Matt are joined by Arin Oliver to talk about weird, gross, and curious aspects of working in a pathology laboratory. From dismembered toes, to human soup, and a deep dive into working in science & sci-com in between, tune in for a spooktacular conversation. Stick around till the end of the episode to find out some of the scientific explanations for why vampires were once thought to be real! If you want to hear more of Arin, check out their sound cloud at ...
Oct 30, 2022•1 hr 45 min•Ep. 9
This episode, Kate and Matt discuss stomach ulcers, gastritis, the bacteria h. pylori, and one man’s decision to use HIMSELF as a lab rat. That’s right, we tell the tale of Barry J Marshall, winner of the 2005 Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine for his work uncovering the cause of stomach ulcers… and, more importantly, the absolutely insane way he went about proving his hypothesis. We also tackle a listener question about snails… what happens, exactly, when they’re given amphetamines? If yo...
Sep 30, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 8
In light of science’s latest and greatest big project on everybody’s lips right now – the James Webb Space Telescope – Kate and Matt are joined by astronomer Stephanie Bernard (and our regular space consultant Benji Metha) to talk about some of the OTHER telescopes out there! What is the Hubble Space Telescope and why was it made? What advantages do space telescopes have over the ones here on earth? Where does astronomy even come from? Stick around ‘til the end to hear Kate answer this month’s l...
Aug 31, 2022•1 hr 20 min•Season 3Ep. 7
This time on Curiosity Killed the Rat, Kate and Matt discuss all things muscle. How do we grow bigger muscles? How to our muscles actually make us move? How do steroids effect our bodies? Stick around to the end for a listener question on how much of our brain do we really need. As always, you can find us @curiosityrat on twitter, instagram, and facebook, and send your listener questions in to curiosityrat@gmail.com We also have a Patreon! If you love our content and want to support us you can j...
Aug 01, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Way back in 2020 we did an episode all about the James Webb Space Telescope. Since then, this Bad Boi has been launched, is in space, unfolded, and ready to deliver it’s first data to the world! Given this, we thought it was time for an update, getting the low-down from high-up about the current status of the James Webb Space Telescope! With Kate out this episode due to an unfortunately timed cased of COVID, friend-of-the-show Benji steps up alongside Matt to chat to fellow astronomer Maddie Mar...
Jun 30, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Season 3Ep. 5
The refrigeration cycle is so fundamental to human society, but it can be very easy to take for granted. This episode, Kate and Matt are joined by Mark Kelly, who teaches us all about the science and history of refrigeration. We dive into thermodynamics and heat transfer, as Mark explains just why he thinks refrigeration is amazing and how it relies on what feels like a bug in the physics engine of our world. We also tackle a listener question about dust… what is it, exactly? As always, you can ...
May 31, 2022•1 hr 24 min•Season 3Ep. 4
This episode, Kate and Matt are joined by Ulysse Thivisol to chat about the brain and some of the cool research he is doing to learn about it! We talk about everything from brain development and substance use to schizophrenia, and how those things overlap. We also tackle a listener question about the mysterious “alcohol jacket”… does drinking actually warm you up? If you enjoyed what Ulysse had to say and want to find more of him, you can follow him on twitter @Uthivisol. And, as always, you can...
Apr 30, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Season 3Ep. 3
This episode, join Kate and Matt as they take a deep dive into the world of Stingrays! The many species of stingray range so greatly in size and habitat, but they share some common incredibly cool features. Just how exactly do they hunt for their prey? How do they sense it? Of course, we also discuss the tragedy of Steve Irwin’s death. But just how dangerous are stingrays? What usually happens if you get stung by one, and what should you do? We also tackle a listener question about breathing and...
Mar 31, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Kate and Matt bring in a brand new season of Curiosity Killed the Rat with the help of this week's guest, Brandon Richards, to talk about all things fear. What's the difference between fear and anxiety? Why do adrenaline junkies love fear so much? What actually occurs in the brain when we're scared, and how could we use this knowledge? Stay tuned till the end of the episode for our Listener Question, where Kate reveals the truth about what is actually inside those DO NOT EAT packets that seem to...
Feb 28, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Season 3Ep. 1
For the final episode of the season, we take a deep dive into the science of Botox! Or, more accurately, botulinum toxin: one of the most dangerous biological substances known to humankind. We mostly associate Botox with its cosmetic use, but there is so much more to it! This toxin was first discovered thanks to the illness it causes when accidentally eaten. From there, its powers were harnessed by the medical and cosmetic industries… but HOW does it work!? This episode, Kate goes into the histo...
Nov 14, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 30
This is a super special BONUS EPISODE all about vaccine science communication! Do you have loved ones or people in your life expressing some hesitancy around the COVID vaccine? Is hitting them with facts just not doing the job? This episode, Kate, Matt, and Cat have a chat about vaccine hesitancy and how to best have those conversations. We discuss WHY some people might be feeling hesitant, and how best to approach a conversation with them. We talk about where some of the mis/disinformation is c...
Oct 18, 2021•38 min
This episode, Kate and Matt are joined once again by our resident immunologist Catriona Nguyen-Robertson! We hit you up with your second dose of vaccine science, expanding on our previous vaccine episode. We start with a quick recap of the past ep’s key points: what are vaccines, how do they work, and what is new and cool about the COVID ones? Then we talk about second doses! Why do we need a second dose of the COVID vaccine, but not for some other vaccines? We also chat about booster shots… wil...
Oct 18, 2021•51 min•Ep. 29
This episode, Kate informs Matt about the fantastically hilarious “Ig Nobel Prizes”. The Ig Nobels are a parody of the better-known Nobel Prize, and they reward science that makes you laugh, and then makes you think. We take a dive into some of the most entertaining award winners from this year, last year, and across history. From levitating frogs and giving helium to alligators… to knives made from faeces and unboiled eggs. This is a wild ride of hilarious, but also super interesting science! W...
Oct 04, 2021•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 28
This episode, Kate and Matt are joined by Elysa for a super serious scientific conversation about… butts. Specifically, we talk about the role butts play in a very important part of life: waste removal. Interestingly, not all creatures have butts that develop and function the same, nor do they deal with waste removal in the same ways. So, this episode, we go on a tour of anuses across the animal kingdom. We talk about humans, and how our anus develops and works. But(t) we also talk about animals...
Sep 20, 2021•1 hr 27 min•Season 2Ep. 27
