The Extremely Large Telescope - under construction in Chile’s Atacama Desert.
It might be the largest telescope humans will ever build. We visit the site in Chile’s high dry Atacama Desert.
Sep 21, 2024•54 min
The Science Show
The Science Show gives Australians unique insights into the latest scientific research and debate, from the physics of cricket to prime ministerial biorhythms.
Episodes
The Huxleys – a scientific dynasty
Richard Fidler speaks to author Alison Bashford who has written about a hundred years of modern science and culture, told through a one family history.
Sep 14, 2024•54 min
Seabirds have stomachs full of plastic
Plastic is being eaten by seabirds. Some migratory birds can no longer fly. And micro amounts are entering the cells of other creatures. Including us.
Sep 07, 2024•54 min
The Science Show celebrates 49 years
The first Science Show was broadcast on 30th August 1975. This week’s program takes a suitably cosmic view of Australia, its origins and its future.
Aug 31, 2024•52 min
New chemical reaction promises to slash price of some pharmaceuticals
A new chemical reaction eliminates 6 steps in the manufacture of some drugs promising big savings of time and money.
Aug 24, 2024•53 min
Merlin meets Dr Crispy
CRISPR is the most powerful means of gene editing ever developed. It led to Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier being awarded the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 2020. Jennifer Doudna speaks with Merlin Crossley about CRISPR, its capability, and the ethical questions which arise.
Aug 17, 2024•54 min
Fire destroying the Amazon, northern hemisphere forests and a tropical island suffers drought.
Drought in the Amazon has left the forest tinder dry and now burning out of control. Wilderness areas and national parks across north America are on fire. The effects of climate change are hitting hard with threats of major shifts to world weather patterns as shown by the tropical island of Yap in the western Pacific coming perilously close to running out of fresh water.
Aug 10, 2024•54 min
Biodiversity crucial on land, in rivers and in our guts
We go to the Scottish Highlands where biodiversity is being reintroduced to cleared fields, and a comic book explores biodiversity in our guts where bacteria perform essential services.
Aug 03, 2024•54 min
One billion people at risk as temperatures rise, sex genes, Shackleton VR and tennis
As temperatures rise, it is estimated one billion people will be displaced from their land.
Jul 27, 2024•54 min
Stanford University: the great university with a dark side
The University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia are to be combined as one in 2026. So how do you start a new university? You could look at the most successful universities and see what makes them great. Stanford University, just south of San Francisco amid Silicon Valley in one of the great universities. Its graduates have created the high-tech companies which we all now rely on. But Stanford has a dark history with a veil of silence drawn over anyone speaking about the universi...
Jul 20, 2024•54 min
The deep dark ocean – Exploring the abyss
The ocean depths may be out of sight, but they play an important role in climate and the cycling of nutrients.
Jul 13, 2024•54 min
The world's largest underground lab and the hunt for dark matter
From deep within a mountain in Italy, scientists hope increasingly sophisticated experiments are closing in on the hidden matter of the universe.
Jul 06, 2024•55 min
The hunt for a crucial update to Einstein's revolutionary theories
For the next big steps in physics many believe it's time for a shake-up of the field's core theories - including those proposed by Einstein himself.
Jun 29, 2024•54 min
The lab listening to Earth's mysterious seismic rumbles
Deep in an abandoned silver mine in Germany, seismometres monitor the song of the Earth - including its most mysterious rumbles.
Jun 22, 2024•54 min
Molecules with their own fingerprint
Just as DNA is unique, it turns out other molecules may also be unique.
Jun 15, 2024•54 min
Paul Ehrlich - memoir traces science, activism and concerns for the planet
Paul Ehrlich has released a memoir. It covers his decades of science and activism. There have been some improvements. But mostly his concerns are even stronger.
Jun 08, 2024•54 min
Age of Monotremes including three new genera
I00 million years ago, there were more species of monotreme, the egg-laying mammals such as today’s platypus and echidna at Lightning Ridge in northern NSW than anywhere else on earth, past or present.
Jun 01, 2024•54 min
Are our tall forests really being saved?
David Lindenmayer reveals the ugly truth and what’s really happening in our magnificent tall forests.
May 25, 2024•54 min
Big savings possible for the world’s ships
Ships which hitch a ride on small ocean currents could make big savings on fuel and reduce emissions.
May 18, 2024•54 min
Charcoal reveals secrets of first humans in Australia
There are no bone fragments or similar clues. But the structure of cells of ancient plants captured in charcoal is revealing the diet and lifestyle of the first Australians.
May 11, 2024•54 min
Getting serious about energy storage. But is it too late as wildfires rage?
Large scale energy storage will allow users to rely on renewable energy alone. The US Department of Energy is funding research to make it a happen.
May 04, 2024•54 min
Scientists protest in Adelaide
Scientists fear research will be hit in proposed changes at the South Australian Museum
Apr 27, 2024•54 min
Two inspirational books and new powers for Parkes dish
Two inspirational books for younger readers show an intruiging world and the thrill of chasing a dream.
Apr 20, 2024•54 min
The science of friendship
Friendship led ancient humans to cooperate and gain an edge over predators. Compassion is seen among 25 primates and other animals. Today we explore these qualities and meet scientists investigating the role of friendship in our evolution and our lives in the modern world.
Apr 13, 2024•54 min
The amazing world of alpine plants
Today we meet the people at the forefront of studying alpine plants - including how trees and plants survive in deep snow and ferocious winds. We visit the mushroom lab to discovery why fungi are essential to life on earth and find out what seed collection in the Colorado mountains is teaching us how to adapt in a changing climate. And while we're talking plants - Professor Peter Bernhardt of Missouri describes the thrill when the seventh millionth species was revealed and listed at his own form...
Apr 05, 2024•54 min
Meet the man who changed the world forever
Sir Mark Oliphant of Adelaide was the main person missing from the film Oppenheimer. It was Sir Mark who carried the letter from European scientists to New York to convince the American President that Hitler was trying to make an atomic bomb and needed to be beaten to the chilling quest. It led to the Manhattan Project. Mark also gave us microwave power, initially to equip planes, later to give us microwave ovens; he helped establish the ANU; was the first President of the Australian Academy of ...
Mar 29, 2024•54 min
Big things
The Iter Tokamak nuclear fusion reactor is due for completion next year. In the US, a smaller cheaper reactor is also gearing up.
Mar 23, 2024•54 min
US National Center for Atmospheric Research
Join Robyn Williams and meet scientists at one of the world’s centres for the study of climate and weather.
Mar 16, 2024•54 min
Microorganisms support all life, and plastic in creatures’ guts
Microplastics are everywhere and impacting ecosystems.
Mar 09, 2024•54 min
Supernova!
A supernova has been observed in great detail just 3.5 light years from Earth… and that’s close!
Mar 02, 2024•54 min
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