We start today's Fuzzy with the perenial question, 'what is life', but run straight into trouble when we decide there is no rigorous way to define the term. It's a slippery concept, but full of fascinating alleyways, from Darwin to Mars. Get your skates on if you want to keep up on this wild ride through the history of life with two leading authorities on the topic. Dr Jochen Brocks and Dr Charley Lineweaver are Associate Professors at the ANU Research School of Earth Sciences. Interview by Rod ...
Jul 13, 2014•53 min
We'd say, join Fuzzy today for some hot snail action, but these little creatures go it alone. New Zealand Mud Snails are yet another pest invader in Australia, and lack of sex - or more correctly - asexual reproduction, which would usually be a disadvantage for a species in a new environment. Our guest is PhD student Adrian Dusting from the University of Canberra is studying their genetic diversity. In a wide ranging conversation, we talk about the snail, and how it survives a journey down the g...
Jul 07, 2014•51 min
In this episode we talk to some experts about what happens when the planet gets grumpy. Big waves and volcanoes: Dr Barry Drummond and Dr Adele Bear from Geoscience Australia share some fascinating insights. Did you know there's such a thing as an inland tsunami? What will happen when Krakatoa goes off again? Already it's 500m out of the sea. Then we talk to Dr Michael Lardelli about the human consumption of energy, and what might happen next. Everything depends on energy. And then....are you a ...
Jun 22, 2014•54 min
Imagine what it'd be like to lose your hearing. The first thing is how it affects your ability to communicate with family, friends, and people at work. Less obvious is what does to enjoyment of your music. Your favourite band or composer now sound like an over-amplified shoe box. People with cochlear enjoy the great benefit of having their basic hearing restored, but music no longer sounds the same. We play some sample audio of how the world sounds with a cochlear implant. We talk to Professor K...
Jun 01, 2014•50 min
Today's episode covers the physics of Ancient Egyptians, new elements on the periodic table, fast mites, and cheeky drongos. All that and more from Jarrod & Broderick on Fuzzy Logic.
May 04, 2014•47 min
With ANZAC day celebrated on Friday, we thought we'd celebrate ANZAC science- that's science performed by Aussies and Kiwis. Listen to Jess and Broderick talk about new advances with the Aussie cochlear impant, a Kiwi version of the Mars rover to use on farms and even more Aussie & Kiwi inventions.
Apr 27, 2014•49 min
Chocolate, rabbits and more! Fuzzy talks about the science that affects Easter. Tune in to hear Alice and Broderick talk about why American chocolate tastes different and discuss some of the scientific tests chocolate companies use to make sure their eggs are of eggs-cellent quality!
Apr 27, 2014•51 min
This year is the international year of crystallography and to celebrate Fuzzy Logic presenter Broderick has brought crystallography expert Dr Darren Goosens into the studio. Dr Goosens shares his knowledge of some of todays applications for crystals, discusses what makes a crystal and also talks about some of the interesting history surrounding this science.
Apr 27, 2014•51 min
Imagine what it'd be like to lose your site or hearing, to live with chronic pain, Parkinson's Disease, or epilepsy. Any of these can make life miserable for those who have them. What then, of cures? They are complicated, and the result are mixed, but there are treatments available now, or on the horizon. Each involves tapping into the body's nervous system in some way. This is the mission of Australia's Bionics Institute. Our guest today is a passionate advocate of programs such as the cochlear...
Apr 07, 2014•53 min
Dementia is a difficult disease, especially those affected by it. It's also difficult for researchers trying to find treatments. Our conversation today ranges over dementia, Huntington's Disease, and the nature of the brain, and consciousness. Dr Jeff Looi is Associate Professor, and Fiona Wilkes is PhD candidate at the Medical School, ANU. Interview by Rod.
Mar 30, 2014•50 min
We dropped in to the BHP Billiton Science and Engineering Awards, which are Australia's most prestigious prizes to school students for innovative research in scientific and engineering. On show was some great talent for projects including three high school finalists. Angela Liao's on Something to chew on: Effects of gum’s flavour on salivary flow rate and pH levels , Ian Arachi on his project Ultraviolet protection and clothing , and Sanjog Chintalaphani on Performance of commercial photovoltaic...
Mar 09, 2014•20 min
Of all human skills, our ability to communicate is one of the most important. Stuttering is a difficult condition for those who suffer from it, but there are ways to treat it. It's especially important if it can be tackled early, before it becomes esatablished in the adult. Still, there's much that can be done to help adults, as you'll hear. Our first guest is Professor Mark Onslow, foundation director of the Australian Stuttering Research Centre . Then we hear from Dr Mark Irwin, who takes us o...
Feb 23, 2014•54 min
Why are many economists world addicted to watching GDP? It's a simple measure, but a hopelessly flawed indicator of the health of a nation. It tracks a limited number of economic indicator while ignoring important things such as pollution. You wouldn't go to a doctor who only tested your pulse, so why do we believe in GDP? Australia and other nations, the entire world are a complex brew of environment, economy, and society. Dr Robert Costanza and colleagues have been researching better ways to u...
Feb 22, 2014•53 min
This episode features Broderick discussing all the latest research including brain-changing emoticons, shivering to lose weight, flying snakes and social lizards.
Feb 09, 2014•47 min
This week on Fuzzy Logic the heat causes Broderick's mind to stop working, while Alice & Jarrod try to calm him down with stories about water and ice. Originally aired on 19 January 2014.
Feb 09, 2014•56 min
This week Fuzzy Logic looks at stressed snails, echidna spurs, cold mice and tail-wagging dogs. It's a menagerie of animal science this week with Siân, Phoebe, Nina, Dan and Broderick in the studio.
Nov 25, 2013•50 min
This week Broderick and Alice talk mathematics with Lashi Bandara and Alex Amenta from the ANU. Find out what a mathematician actually does and whether maths can actually be useful!
Oct 20, 2013•50 min
It seems the first priority of every government is to light the fire under economic growth. This means extracting as much as we can from what we always imagined as being an infinite planet. But where is this leading us? We bring you interviews from the 2013 Fenner Conference held at the Shine Dome in Canberra. Dr Jane O'Sullivan's research has challenged beliefs about the 'demographic transition', the impact of ageing on workforce and the '3Ps' of population, participation and productivity. She ...
Oct 13, 2013•57 min
There's something appealing about the idea of Music of the Spheres , that the universe follows harmonic principles. It may not apply everywhere, but one place it has been found is in the arrangement of the Solar System in Titius-Bode 's law. Our guest today Tim Bovaird has been looking for this pattern among the range of extra-solar planets discovered in recent years. Guiding us along on this journey, Dr Charley Lineweaver makes a welcome return to Fuzzy Logic, and we look at his new book Comple...
Oct 01, 2013•53 min
In today's Fuzzy Logic, we go in search of a high altitude balloon launched from Albury a couple of weeks ago during Science Week. You can track the balloon's flight here . We talk to the pilot(?) Robert Brand who also has interests in space flight with TeamStellar . Photos of the recovery are here . Did you watch the movie The Dish ? We have an interview with John Sarkissian who is based at the Parkes Observatory , and was script technical consultant for the movie. And we talk to Nick Barnes ab...
Sep 08, 2013•47 min
How far would you go to modify your body with technology? Maybe it hasn't occurred to you, but you already have. You're wearing cloths, right? Maybe you can pick a point along the continuum from shoes, to bionic eyes, all the way to full brain transplant. In this special Fuzzy Logic, we explore what happens to us as we merge with wires, with chips, and artificial intelligence. Join our A-list panel members, and a packed audience and John Curtin School Medical Research. Joav Niran, cochlear impla...
Aug 21, 2013•1 hr 12 min
Our oceans seem so vast, it's hard to imagine them ever running out. We say there's always another fish in the sea, and when we dump our waste, the solution to pollution is dilution. But can we really afford to treat them as infinite? With world population growing with year on year compound interest we'd better think again. And... did you know you're wearing a space suit? Professor Richard Kenchington is from the National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security. Interview by Tom & Rod...
Aug 12, 2013•47 min
Your body is an attactive store of energy. It's packed with nutrients and is a good place to live for alien invaders if they can evade surveillance. Somehow our immune systems are able to beat out the bad bugs, and leave alone the helpful ones. They are welcome as long as they behave. And what of those claims that immunisation causes autism? Today's guest is Associate Professor Matthew Cook researcher from John Curtin School of Medical Research, and clinical immunologist at Canberra Hospital. Th...
Aug 05, 2013•43 min
Most of us never notice the incredible work it takes to serve our daily needs. Flick the switch, and we have light. Go to the supermaket, and the shelves are lined with every imaginable good. In a disaster, we expect emergency services to take care of us. All these come through the system we call civilisation. It works, but it can always be improved to make it more efficient, and more robust. How? By computer modelling. This is the mission of today's guest, Pascal Van Hentenryck, leader of the O...
Aug 01, 2013•56 min
Getting people on to busses is important, right? But what can you do when the bus doesn't go near your front door? In a spread-out city like Canberra, this is a big issue. Today on Fuzzy we interview Dr Phil Kilby from NICTA with some innovative ideas. We also learn some interesting things about caviar, the great sturgeon fish, and the element vanadium. Plus, we get a special guest visit from the legendary Robyn Wiliams when Rod recorded an Ockham's Razo r recently. This had been scheduled for t...
Jul 14, 2013•54 min
Today, we look at a favourite animal, the turtle. Our guest is doing his PhD on the Eastern Long Neck Turtle, common through much of Australia. Bruno Ferronato tells us some great stories from his fieldwork in the wild rivers of Peru. He travelled by boat and canoe, and lived among the villagers for his research on river turtles. Mosquitoes, leaches boa constrictor, and the occasional piranha are all part of the scenery. Bruno is studying at he Institute of Applied Ecology at the University of C...
Jul 08, 2013•54 min
We all love a a good distraction, amusing ourselves with the little things to take our minds off looming problems. We need those moments to rest, but what happens when the nation descends into trivia, forgetting to tackle the big ticket items heading our way? In today's Austalia, we have been consumed by petty politics, virtually ignoring the approaching road trains. Issues such as peak oil and global warming won't go away if we do nothing. Today we talk to Dr Bob Douglas from Australia 21 about...
Jun 30, 2013•48 min
We all like a bit of technology, but where is it leading us? Smart phones, cameras, lie detectors, sex dolls all bring their pleasures, but what do we gain, what do we lose? Can you imagine a religion founded on technology? What happens when the police bail you up with hand held polygraph lie detectors? Nothing's ever as simple as it seems at first glance. Today's guests are two writers who've delved deeply into the consequence of our technological future. Bruce McCabe has written a racey novel ...
Jun 16, 2013•53 min
Why would a musician need a physiotherapist, and how do cicadas clean their wings are two fascinating question we discover on today's Fuzzy Logic. Simon Kravis interviews Bronwyn Ackermann Pozzible Thanks!
May 14, 2013•58 min
This week Fuzzy regular Broderick is joined by Jill from the Sapphire Coast Marine Discovery Centre to talk about marine science in Australia. They interview scientists who are talking at the Who Cares? Marine Science Forum which is happening on May 4 & 5. For more details check out www.sapphirecoastdiscovery.com.au
Apr 28, 2013•54 min
