Bushrangers Of The Sydney Region
The Sydney region was absolutely plagued with bushrangers, as well as cattle thieves, illegal distillers and even a few pirates, right up to the 1840s.
Mar 09, 2022•12 min
Self Improvement Wednesday
A weekly lesson on a specific topic with some of Sydney's greatest teachers.
Last refreshed: ⓘ
Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
Episodes
The wonderful world of the waratah
It's the iconic flower that has attracted attention since it was first observed by Aboriginal people thousands of years ago. Take a dip into the inner workings of the waratah with Dr Brett Summerell.
Mar 02, 2022•10 min
Australia's Fiery Volcanic Past
Where might the next volcanic eruption occur in Australia?
Feb 23, 2022•10 min
What is a trojan asteroid?
Professor Fred Watson explains how asteroids can cluster near planets in a gravity-neutral space
Feb 16, 2022•11 min
Checking the pulse of the environment - how do we measure it?
Just like a visit to a GP, there are ways to test the health of the environment. Richard Kingsford is professor of Ecosystem Science at UNSW and explains how the stethoscope is applied to an ecosystem.
Feb 09, 2022•10 min
The wonderful world of the waratah
It's the iconic flower that has attracted attention since it was first observed by Aboriginal people thousands of years ago. Dr Brett Summerell takes a dip into the inner workings of the waratah.
Feb 03, 2022•10 min
The enduring popularity of long-running radio series Blue Hills
The series ran for 27 years with every episode written by Gwen Meredith. Professor Michelle Arrow from Macquarie University explains why it was so captivating.
Feb 02, 2022•13 min
The fascinating life of the leaf-curling spider
If you've ever seen a spider wrapped up in a leaf on its web, that's the leaf-curling spider. Learn more from Dr Jess Marsh, an arachnologist at Murdoch University.
Jan 19, 2022•9 min
Do you know the story of Jesus' birth?
When you think of the story of Jesus' birth, you might be confused with the different stories you've heard about how it all happened. The Reverend Professor Dorothy Lee from the University of Divinity unpacks the two versions of the story found in the Bible.
Dec 08, 2021•12 min
Meet Eastern Australia's Two Newest Frog Species
We thought this was one species, but we've actually got three different species.
Dec 01, 2021•10 min
Dogs of Antiquity
Having dogs as companions is a recent thing, isn't it? Not at all. Just ask the ancient Greeks and Romans
Nov 24, 2021•12 min
The Order of Adjectives in the English Language
Why do we say the Big Bad Wolf, instead of the Bad Big Wolf? Tiger Webb, the ABC's Language Expert explains the hierarchy of how adjectives have to appear in the English language
Nov 17, 2021•13 min
The Journey of a Water Molecule through a tree
A fascinating lesson on how the tallest trees manage to transport water from their deepest roots right through to their furthest limbs
Oct 27, 2021•13 min
How to build healthier, livelier cities.
Imagine a more relaxed commute with more space and fresh air. The key could be getting rid of many of our cars
Oct 20, 2021•13 min
A Midsummer Night's Dream. Why the play is much darker than is commonly supposed
It's considered so light an amusing, but Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is darker than you might think
Oct 13, 2021•11 min
Australia's Astronomer-at-Large, Fred Watson, on whether or not Sodom and Gomorrah were really destroyed by an asteroid.
The Bible says the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by an asteroid. Our own Astronomer-at-large isn't so sure.
Oct 06, 2021•9 min
What is the Alligator Snapping Turtle?
It's mating season for the Alligator Snapping Turtles at the Big Cat Conservation Centre near Sydney. Ben Britton gives you a crash course on these fascinating creatures.
Sep 29, 2021•8 min
Self Improvement Wednesday. Scanning human remains at Pompeii.
The slave whose life story can now be told
Sep 15, 2021•11 min
"Here be dragons": The numbers and sequences we know, and those we don't
See if you can wrap your head around this fascinating maths lesson from your teacher Professor Nalini Joshi from the School of Mathematics at the University of Sydney as she dives into the world of unseen numbers, sequences and functions; and how they can be applied in the real world.
Sep 08, 2021•14 min
Somewheres and Anywheres
How do you define your place in the world? The theory of "Somewheres" and "Anywheres" was devised by British journalist and commentator, David Goodhart. It suggests some people are grounded to the place they're born, and others see themselves as a citizen of the world. Tim Dean, philosopher and author from the University of Sydney explains the theory.
Sep 01, 2021•9 min
How music heightens your emotions
Ever wondered why some pieces of music make you feel just so amazing you can't quite describe the feeling? Your teacher is Professor Emery Schubert, leader of the Empirical Musicology Lab at the University of New South Wales.
Aug 25, 2021•9 min
Plants get sick too: the pandemic facing some Aussie natives
On Self Improvement Wednesday, Dr Brett Summerell dives into Myrtle Rust, a plant disease which has spread rapidly around Australia in just over a decade.
Aug 11, 2021•11 min
Self Improvement Wednesday. The Pygmy Blue Whale.
Two sightings of the Pygmy Blue Whale off Maroubra last year, but it's not the first time these mysterious creatures have been seen in our own blue backyard.
Aug 04, 2021•9 min
Self Improvement Wednesday: Smoke and seeds
In Self Improvement Wednesday, how Australian Flora is helped along by fire and smoke.
Jul 28, 2021•11 min
Self Improvement: The Art of Dale Harding
The departing director of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Liz Ann Macgregor, on the work of artist, Dale Harding, of the Bidjara, Ghungalu and Garingbal peoples.
Jul 21, 2021•10 min
Self Improvement: A short history of dog training
Ever wondered how on earth we managed to train our favourite furry friends to do both fun and very important things? Turns out the accepted methodology for training man's best friend hasn't always been the same. Your teacher Dr. Kersti Seksel, vet, animal behaviourist and Adjunct Professor at the University of Queensland takes you on a short journey through the history of dog training.
Jul 14, 2021•9 min
Self Improvement: revitalising an ancient Aboriginal snow song
A small group of Ngarigu people and academic colleagues have been working hard to revitalise an ancient snow making song, sung on Ngarigu Country at Kunama Namadgi (the Snowy Mountains). It was once observed and written down by the nineteenth century explorer John Lotsky, and your teacher this week, Professor Jakelin Troy, Ngarigu woman and Director of Indigenous Research at the University of Sydney, tells of her revitalisation and performance of the ancient corroboree - and its intriguing resul...
Jul 07, 2021•14 min
Self Improvement: how does language shape the way you think?
Does language influence how we think? Could it affect your conception of time, or the colours you see, or even your ability to count? These questions are at the heart of what’s called the theory of linguistic relativity, sometimes known as the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. Your teacher is Tiger Webb, the ABC’s Language Specialist.
Jun 30, 2021•11 min
Self Improvement: how outdoor advertising is reshaping our cities
You might be used to the idea that advertising revenue funds much of the media we access – newspapers, magazines, radio, television, digital media and more. But advertising is increasingly funding everyday public facilities and services in our cities – like buses and trains, bus stops, street signs, public toilets, and even road repairs. Your teacher Kurt Iveson, Associate Professor of Urban Geography at the University of Sydney takes us through the branded city and its impacts.
Jun 09, 2021•11 min
Self Improvement: Finding black holes with warped space
The black hole has captured the imagination of many an astronomer and our brightest boffins are constantly finding out more about one of the most mysterious phenomena in the universe. Your teacher Fred Watson, Australia's astronomer-at-large, sheds some light on some of the new research looking for different types of black holes.
Jun 02, 2021•13 min
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android