Stranger things don't only happen on Netflix- they happen in the real world too! Today Karina and Broderick explore strange things- some of which can be explained by science, while others still remain a mystery.
Well Fuzzy listeners, the wonderfully funny but thoughtful Ignobel Prizes have come around again this year. In this episode Maddy and Broderick discuss whether cats are liquid or solid and why old people have big ears. We also have a listen to a new podwalk from Madi entitled "Let's Talk About It" which you can find at www.letstalkaboutit.co
Coffee is the start of the day for many people around the world, but what's going on with this mysterious black liquid? Why does instant coffee taste different to espresso? Why do you need more and more coffee to stay awake? Is coffee good for you? This week Phoebe and Broderick take a sip and try and answer these questions and more for you.
This week Karina and Broderick put on their black ties and take a closer look at the winners of the Prime Ministers Prizes for Science. Hear about Professor Jenny Graves work studying kangaroos, wallabies and dragons and find out what Recaldent is and where you might find it.
Science is science, right? A collection of cold, miserable facts that live in a detatched ether. Well maybe, but what happens to them, what they mean, and how we interpret them is subject to human psychology. It's no small question because it affects our treatment of global warming. Plus in some cases genuine research that is closed because it's unpalatable to other scientists. Inez Harker-Schuch and (soon to be 'Dr') Jacqui Hoepner have both studied this effect. Make sure you check out their Ki...
Food is not just nutrition, but one of the greatest sources of BS. The world is floating in a sea of myths, misconceptions, and straight rubbish. We kick off with an interview from our archive with Professor Robert Street . His contemporary Sir Mark Oliphant was associated with one of the most enduring food myths - carrots. Our guest today is Associate Professor Nenad Naumovski from the University of Canberra. And make sure you check out this week's Ask Fuzzy in Fairfax, can supplements ward off...
The environment: that thing that sits in the background, quietly do its job. It's not a shareholder, it's not a fund manager, and it's not a politician, but it is arguably the biggest single component in the economy. How then do we account for it, how do we give it voice? Professor Kate Auty shares her insights from from Ledbeater's Possum, to cows grazing near New York, and - the Columbian civil war. Kate Auty is ACT Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment, interviewed by Rod...
Health! It's a bewildering field, so many diseases, so many health issues, and a vast array of established and emerging treatments. How do you navigate all this? You could be looking for a cure, or you might be an innovator with an idea you want to establish. You could be a health practitioner, or an investor. Health Horizon is a hub where you can get in touch with the latest health developments. Hook into a network, see what's available, and track progress. @HealthHorizon Dr Matthew McGann and ...
This week Rod and Broderick talk about the future and the impact humans are having on the earth. How can we reduce climate change effects? The episode starts with a talk from Dr Will Howard talking about the anthropocene, recorded live from the Pint Of Science events in Canberra.
This week on Fuzzy, Broderick talks to three marine scientists about some of the extremes in their research. From Antarctica to Adelaide, these researchers have some great stories to share. To hear more from them and other marine scientists, you can catch these speakers at the Sapphire Coast Marine Discovery Centre Annual Marine Science Forum on June 3 & 4 at the Merimbula RSL. Tickets available from
This episode features recordings from the Pint of Science events held in Canberra. Dr Bryan Lessard discusses his love of booty-licious flies, while Professor Naomi Mclure-Griffiths discusses her mammoth task of mapping the milky way. Apologies for the poor recording quality in parts.
What creatures have we become? Clive Hamilton asks in this interview, contemplating how humanity has caused a rupture in the Earth system. We have triggered a new geological epoch, the Anthropocene . The term Earth system is crucial to understanding what this means. At one level, this podcast is an oscillating sound wave. It's a simple physical phenomenon, but at another level, it's the words, ideas, and emotions of a conversation. These are things that can emerge from a system. Clive Hamilton i...
Margie Fitzpatrick's family has been on the land since the early-mid 1800s. The property near Collector NSW has been severly affected by erosion but with years of care it's returning to health. The journey has been made possible with the support from a deep network of people bringing skills and commitment. Rivers of Carbon were there to celebrate years of work at Australind. Interview by Rod
In October 2014, plans for a 600 megawatt wind farm on the King Island were dumped. A major cause was a divided community. Rebecca Colvin tells a compelling story about what went wrong, of how the islanders split into pro and anti groups. Meanwhile in Canberra, SolarShare is rolling out a community-energy solar farm. Lawrence McIntosh describes how they succeeded in getting their project running. Dr Rebecca Colvin is from the ANU Climate Change Institute. You can read her paper here . Brought to...
March 8th was International Women's Day, so Mitchell and Eleanor are shining the spotlight on some incredible women who deserve their places in science history. Tune in to hear Mitchell's Mary-trifecta; one who used maths to get us to the moon, one who was doing alchemy before it was cool, and one who rocked Queensland. Also featured are Eleanor's picks; a modern day scientist (and Dame) pioneering the technique of mass spectrometry, an astronomer who classified over 300,000 stars in her lifetim...
In the scheme of things 230 years is a mere blink, but that's all it's taken for Europeans to utterly transform Australia. In another 230 years, what will we say? Whatever the answer, the word sustainability is important. Dr Kate Auty is ACT Sustainability Commissioner . We talk about what that means for the ACT, and how we meet the forces that oppose it. Dr Auty shares some life stories from the Kimberleys, and what happened when she held her ground as the Victorian Environment Commissioner. In...
Still waiting for the energy revolution? While the federal government wants to burn coal, the community voice grows. We visited the Hepburn wind farm, and the Community Energy Congress in Melbourne. The Town Hall was a-buzz with excitement. At Hepburn, James took a few moments away from his icecream. We talk smart energy systems with Hillary Platt, co-operatives with Anthony Taylor. Then we hear community energy groups from Seymour and Euroa plans for pumped hydro storage. Rod talks pumped hydro...
February 12 is Darwin Day, celebrating the anniversary of the birth of evolutionary biologist Charles Darwin. This show, originally broadcast on Darwin Day, sees Dr Emma Sherratt join Broderick to discuss the life and science of Charles Darwin. Emma is a postdoctoral researcher from the Research School of Biology at the Australian National Unviersity, Canberra
We are of course, talking about food! The immense pleasure of tucking into a good meal. It's the taste, the texture, the shared social experience, and nutrition. This a topic as rich as a fine meal. Today's conversation is with Dr Nenad Naumovski, Assistant Professor from the University of Canberra, and psychologist Jacqeline Naumovski. Interview by Rod. You can read Dr Nemovski's Ask Fuzzy columns on tea and pectin . @FuzzyLogicSci...
Hepatitis is a tenacious disease, but with basic knowhow, it can be prevented. And with new drugs it can be treated, but the cost is far higher. Given the people at risk, it's as much a social issue as it is a health issue. It's one of the reasons that Hepatitis ACT Executive Director John Didlick has thrown his energy into the cause. Interview by Rod at the Multicultural Festival in Canberra. For more information, go to hepatitisact.com.au...
At a time when we're facing so many dire threats, it's easy to give up and think we're powerless. In the face of such large forces, how can one person do anything? It turns out there are lots of ways. Our guest today describes a few. Simon Sheikh was driving force behind the Getup movement, and in 2013 was the Greens candidate in the ACT federal election. Now, he's founder and manager of Future Super . Interview by Rod...
Last week, millions of people worldwide participated in Women's Marches to raise awareness, celebrate diversity, and demand equality. Eleanor and Mitchell decided to show their support by discussing their favourite women in science. Tune in to learn about the women who pioneered X-ray crystallography, mapped the ocean floor, and literally wrote the book on bone microstructures. These are stories of scientists who not only performed world-changing research, but did so when everything was stacked ...
Welcome to 2017! In this week's episode of Fuzzy Logic, Eleanor and Mitchell talk about cycles. Whether it's the 365 day cycle around the sun, complex cycles of precession and tilt that alter Earth's climate, or the Sun's natural cycle through high and low activity periods, these kinds of patterns are all around us. Tune in to hear Mitchell's "New Years Resolution" and Eleanor try to explain that the Gregorian Calendar was *not* invented by a guy called Gregor....
It's our thoroughly non-Christmassy Christmas episode, and the last Fuzzy for 2016, so we're talking about colour in nature. Why are animals colourful? How did yellow patterns come to mean "please don't eat me, I'm poisonous, I promise" and how did tricksters come to mimic those patterns for their own ends? Eleanor is joined in the studio by Thomas, (a biochemistry PhD student with an encyclopedic knowledge of the natural world and a penchant for awful puns), and Mitchell, who was probably a din...
Today we take a short break from science to bring you a christmas wish. Whatever your creed, this is for you. A personal story recorded by Rod for the ABC in 2006. May peace be with us all in 2017.
We caught up with Australia's former Chief Scientist, Professor Penny Sackett, and asked her about how we're dealing with looming climate change. Is there hope? Interview by Rod at the recent BZE electric vehicle launch.
What's it like to lose your hearing? Our two guests today share their experiences as they struggle with hearing loss. Sue Daw is from Better Hearing Canberra, and today Rod is on the other side of the microphone. Interview by Christine Daniel from radio 1RPH
It's easy to love a panda, a monkey, or an beautifully coloured bird, but spare a thought for the humble fly. These tireless workers aren't just the ones that buzz around your bbq sausage. There's a huge range of species that eat aphids and pollinate flowers. And now Canberra startup Goterra is turning Black Soldier Fly larvae into stock feed. Turn garbage into food, build an industry in Canberra, and slow the dumping of waste into land fille. Dr Bryan (the Fly Guy) Lessard's mission is to celeb...
Why do we like stories about scary beasts, and why did the US just vote for a man who promotes fear and anti-science? The Trump story we quote is here . Read our Ask Fuzzy on cats. Brought to you by Rod with Phil Hore from the National Dinosaur Museum ....
At the Living Green Festival in Canberra, our eye was caught by a curvaceous white object. It was a Tesla Powerwall, on display by the Power Saving Centre Canberra . Energy consultant Ben Luton tells us how you might use solar technology to save money, and do something good for the environment. Interview by Rod
