Cosmos Country: Fire
How can we capitalise on Indigenous burning knowledge?
Sep 22, 2023•17 min•Season 1Ep. 8
The Cosmos Podcast
Investigating the key intersection of science and the community – the stuff that actually matters to us – and cutting through the half-truths and inaccurate science that floods the digital domain. Find the science of everything at cosmosmagazine.com
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Episodes
Podcast Next Gen: Put simply, what is climate change?
We all know about climate change, but do we really understand it? Maya, a year 12 student and musical theatre fan wants to know how it actually works. So, why is our planet warming? Is it really our fault? And why is it like putting on a jumper? Maya puts on her best investigative sweater to find out. Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, scien...
Sep 22, 2023•9 min
Podcast Next Gen: Can kelp save the world?
Sophie is a year 12 student who loves kelp. And why wouldn’t she? A kelp forest called the Great Southern Reef is home to thousands of species of whales, sharks, turtles, okra, seals, and crustaceans. But can kelp help us as well as all these animals? Sophie dives into the slimy substance to find out. Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, scien...
Sep 15, 2023•10 min
Cosmos Country: High voltage
In this Cosmos Country podcast, Glenn Morrison and Marie Low talk with Associate Professor Ken Karipidis from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) about any health risks posed by transmission lines.
Sep 08, 2023•16 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Podcast Next Gen: How does sound work?
Why does the sound of nails on a chalkboard make our skin crawl? Why does a bubbling brook make us calm (if more likely to need to pee)? In this episode of Podcast Next Gen, Zeph – a year 12 student – wanted to know why some sounds are fine, but others we hate. Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, science journalists and podcasters. These ‘sho...
Sep 08, 2023•9 min
Podcast Next Gen: What's the science of skeletons?
For this episode of Podcast Next Gen, Sarah – a year 12 student – is asking how skeletons are formed and what vital functions our bones undertake in our bodies, other than stopping us all from looking like shapeless blobs! Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, science journalists and podcasters. These ‘shortcast’ episodes have been written and ...
Sep 01, 2023•6 min
Podcast Next Gen: Why are magpies so lovely?
Elizabeth is a year twelve student who loves magpies and has never been swooped. For this Podcast Next Gen, she’s diving into all facets of magpie – their different calls, colours and swooping, and why they have their own rap battles. Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, science journalists and podcasters. These ‘shortcast’ episodes have been ...
Aug 25, 2023•10 min
Cosmos Country: Rambo
Somewhere in north-west NSW among 35,000 hectares of forest in the Pilliga National Park, a killer has been hiding. Nicknamed Rambo, the bandit evaded capture for more than 4 years, almost stopping a multi-million conservation project in its tracks.
Aug 24, 2023•16 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Podcast Next Gen: Why do so many people believe in conspiracies?
Conspiracy theories are everywhere. The moon landing was fake, the Earth is flat, Area-51 houses aliens, climate science isn’t real, the government is controlled by lizard people. The list goes on and on and on. Vishnu, a year 12 student loves everything about conspiracies, and this week on Podcast Next Gen, he’s trying to understand why people love conspiracy theories, and why in an age where we have access to more information than ever before, conspiracy theories still thrive. Podcast Next Gen...
Aug 18, 2023•9 min
Podcast Next Gen: Can we make the best scrambled eggs with science?
Lina realised much too late that the scrambled eggs she was making were awful. But being an intrepid science student, she realised that maybe she could science her way to better eggs. Whisk or fork? Hot or warm? And why does water just sometimes leak out of the eggs? Listen to the Podcast Next Gen episode below to find out. Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generati...
Aug 11, 2023•7 min
Cosmos Country: Disasters
In this episode of Cosmos Country, Jamie Seidel and Dr Glenn Morrison talk with Australian National University’s Head of Disaster Solutions, Associate Professor Roslyn Prinsley about how regional communities can address frequent, intense flood events.
Aug 10, 2023•15 min•Season 1Ep. 5
HabiChat: Brush-tailed bettong
Welcome to HabiChat, a podcast miniseries exploring ecosystems and the animals which live in them. Join Cosmos journalists as they talk to experts about the who’s who, and where’s where, of mammals in Australia. Cosmos journalists Jacinta Bowler and Matthew Ward Agius talk to Natasha Harrison, a conservation biologist and behavioural ecologist in her final PhD year. They join her in a woodland soundscape and talk about the furry little t-rex of the mammal world – the brush-tailed bettong – and t...
Aug 08, 2023•20 min•Season 2023Ep. 3
HabiChat: Southern greater glider
Welcome to HabiChat, a podcast miniseries exploring ecosystems and the animals which live in them. Join Cosmos journalists as they talk to experts about the who’s who, and where’s where, of mammals in Australia. In this episode, Cosmos journalists Imma Perfetto and Matthew Ward Agius talk to Dr Kita Ashman, a threatened species and climate adaptation ecologist for WWF Australia. Kita speaks about wet forest and temperate rainforest environments and the organisms that call them home, including on...
Aug 08, 2023•21 min•Season 2023Ep. 2
HabiChat: Kultarr
Welcome to HabiChat, a podcast miniseries exploring ecosystems and the animals which live in them. Join Cosmos journalists as they talk to experts about the who’s who, and where’s where, of mammals in Australia. In this episode, Cosmos journalists Matthew Ward Agius and Jacinta Bowler talk to Cameron Dodd, a PhD student at the University of Western Australia and the Western Australian Museum, about the kultarr . They discuss the arid environments these little-known mammals live in, the difficult...
Aug 08, 2023•19 min•Season 2023Ep. 1
Podcast Next Gen: What's the science of the Bermuda Triangle?
Angie is a year 12 student and wants you to connect the dots. That is, the dots between the kooky conspiracy theories of the Bermuda Triangle. This million-kilometre square stretch of the North Atlantic Ocean has been apparently swallowing ships and planes since the early 1900s. What caused it? Angie puts some of the wackiest theories – like alien wormholes and crystal energies – under scientific scrutiny to try and find out. Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the Na...
Aug 04, 2023•7 min
Cosmos Country: Saving the Murray Cod
River ecologist and CSIRO Scientist Paul Murray talks to Ian Mannix about his new book: "The Life and Times of the Murray Cod."
Jul 28, 2023•11 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Podcast Next Gen: What exactly is a snowflake?
When Hannah first saw snow, she was instantly fascinated by it. Even if it was more like a slushie than the delicate snow crystals she’d imagined. In this episode of Podcast Next Gen, Hannah looks into what a snow flake (or snow crystal) actually is. She wants to know why does it look the way it does? Are all types of snow the same? And finally, what does snow have to do with Kepler? Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters a...
Jul 28, 2023•8 min
Podcast Next Gen: How sustainable are electric cars?
Sascha has just turned 17 and recently had to choose her first car. But being both an environmentalist, and a motorsports fan on a budget, was harder than she thought. In this episode of Podcast Next Gen, Sascha looks into the sustainability of electric cars. She wants to know whether they’re better for the planet from the start to the end of their life, plus she tells us why her parents might need supervision when driving a Tesla. Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and ...
Jul 21, 2023•7 min
Cosmos Country: The electric ute roadshow
Cosmos Country reporters Marie Low and Jamie Seidel discuss the electric ute road show with Ben Lever , a clean transport campaigner who’s been showcasing electric utes throughout Australia.
Jul 15, 2023•14 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Podcast Next Gen: What's the science behind dyed hair?
From pin straight to corkscrew curls, hair is a huge part of us – it protects us from the weather and provides a way for us to communicate who we are. And what better way to communicate then to get out the hair dye. Year 12 student Makaela has investigated what hair dye and bleach does to hair, what uncombable hair syndrome is, and why we love dyeing our hair despite the consequences. Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters ...
Jul 14, 2023•7 min
Podcast Next Gen: Why do we feel hot?
A weather forecast of above 35 degrees is frankly sweltering. But our natural human body temperature is 37 degrees. Although you might not think about it much, it’s worth asking, why is this the case? Year 12 student Dorothea explores how heat works, how bodies keep cool, and what is actually happening to us when we have a fever. Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next ge...
Jul 07, 2023•5 min
Podcast Next Gen: What even is quantum entanglement?
While Einstein wasn’t for it, calling it “spooky action at a distance”, quantum entanglement is very much a real thing. Saskia is a year 12 student who enjoys teaching herself about complicated science phenomena, and for this episode of Podcast Next Gen she is investigating the complexities and complications of quantum entanglement. That trip around the quantum world includes a high five at the beach, an Austrian telescope and mind melting physics. Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cos...
Jun 30, 2023•9 min
Cosmos Country: Weather
In the second episode of the first series of Cosmos Country , Cosmos science journalists discuss how regional and rural Australia are adapting to climate change. Find the science of everything at the Cosmos Magazine website Subscribe to Cosmos Magazine (print) or the Cosmos Weekly Listen to all our Cosmos Podcasts Special 10% discount on Cosmos magazine print subscriptions (1 or 2 year), or 1 year Cosmos Weekly subscriptions for Cosmos Briefing podcast listeners! Use coupon code COSMOSPOD in our...
Jun 25, 2023•18 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Podcast Next Gen: How Singapore does waste management differently
Many big cities around the world have issues with urban waste. Think of the garbage bags piled up on New York's streets or Jakarta's open dumping. But Singapore has managed to avoid much of this problem thanks to incineration. David, a year 12 student from Western Australia, uncovers the ins and outs of Singapore's trash system in this episode of Podcast Next Gen. Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students ...
Jun 23, 2023•7 min
Podcast Next Gen: How do we deal with our vape problem?
Amy – a year 12 student and casual bartender – knows way too many people with dead vape stashes under their beds. While the government is trying to crack down, it doesn't seem like there will be a solution anytime soon. And in the mean time, recycling trucks and apartments are catching alight with vape batteries gone wrong. This week on Podcast Next Gen, Amy dives into the (un)recyclability of disposable vapes, what the new crackdown could mean, and potential solutions. Podcast Next Gen is a col...
Jun 16, 2023•7 min
Cosmos Country: Greening
In the first episode of the first series of Cosmos Country , Dr Glenn Morrison chats with colleague Marie Low, and ecologist Dr Brenda Lin from the CSIRO, about non-urban greening. As more people move away from cities and into the country, how important is it to keep our regions green? And how do we do it? Find the science of everything at the Cosmos Magazine website Subscribe to Cosmos Magazine (print) or the Cosmos Weekly Listen to all our Cosmos Podcasts Special 10% discount on Cosmos magazin...
Jun 09, 2023•13 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Would You Rather: Be an ant or a bee?
Welcome to 'Would You Rather' a podcast where Cosmos science journalists debate a topic and only one comes out the victor. Today, Cosmos journalists Jacinta Bowler and Imma Perfetto debate one of life’s buggest (see what we did there?) questions – would you rather be an ant or a bee? Find the science of everything at the Cosmos Magazine website Subscribe to Cosmos Magazine (print) or the Cosmos Weekly Listen to all our Cosmos Podcasts Special 10% discount on Cosmos magazine print subscriptions (...
May 03, 2023•27 min
Would You Rather: A journey on the Eagle or the Beagle?
Welcome to 'Would You Rather' a podcast where Cosmos science journalists debate a topic and only one comes out the victor. Today, Cosmos journalists Matthew Agius and Ellen Phiddian debate whether recreating Charles Darwin’s journey on HMS Beagle, or the landing on the moon of the lunar module Eagle would be more better. Find the science of everything at the Cosmos Magazine website Subscribe to Cosmos Magazine (print) or the Cosmos Weekly Listen to all our Cosmos Podcasts Special 10% discount on...
Apr 25, 2023•21 min
Would You Rather: Be attacked by magpies or cassowaries?
Welcome to 'Would You Rather' a podcast where Cosmos science journalists debate a topic and only one comes out the victor. Today, Cosmos journalists Jacinta Bowler and Ellen Phiddian bring an office discussion to the podcast platform: would an attack from a pair of cassowaries or 100 magpies be more terrifying? Find the science of everything at the Cosmos Magazine website Subscribe to Cosmos Magazine (print) or the Cosmos Weekly Listen to all our Cosmos Podcasts Special 10% discount on Cosmos ma...
Apr 04, 2023•22 min
What is involved in disposing of radioactive waste from AUKUS nuclear submarines?
Welcome to a Cosmos Insights podcast, where we talk to scientists in Australia about the impact of their work. Australia will dispose of high-level nuclear waste from AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines, according to details revealed when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met leaders of UK and US on March 13. Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed the radioactive waste – including spent nuclear fuel – would require a new facility to be built on “current or future” Defence land with the process of ...
Mar 30, 2023•27 min
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