You probably have a daddy-long-legs in your house right now. But when is having a weird housemate in the corner ACTUALLY a good thing? Dr Ann Jones investigates. Featuring: Dr Samantha Nixon, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Dr Lizzy Lowe, Invertebrates Australia. Thanks also to Dr Bernhard Huber, Arachnid Curator at Museum Koenig. Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. Petria Ladgrove, Producer. Additional mastering: Hamish Camilleri. This episode of What the Duck?! was pro...
Sep 08, 2023•25 min
An extra special, podcast only, five-minute story for you! A bird that stands over a metre tall hardly seems like it'd bow down to a rock star, but Johnny Cash played a burning role in the near-extinction of Californian Condors. Featuring: Dr. Maggie Watson, Zoologist at Charles Sturt University Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Kaurna people.
Sep 02, 2023•5 min
An ornithologist, a veterinarian and a religious devotee must find the serial killer before every last vulture in India is dead. Featuring: Dr Campbell Murn, Head of Conservation at Hawk Conservancy Trust and University of Reading, UK. Dr Kishor Rithe, Interim Director, Bombay Natural History Society. Dr Andrea Santangeli, Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies, Spain. Dr Percy Avari, Mumbai Vetinarary College. Sherally Munshi, Georgetown. Vulture sounds provided by Nikita Mathur, India. P...
Sep 01, 2023•25 min
We get a bit philosophical and try to find out that if animals do dream, will we ever be able to know what they’re dreaming about? Featuring: Cassie, Claire and Pidgey the Parrot. Associate Professor Nicole Lovato, Flinders University. Associate Professor John Lesku, La Trobe University. Professor David Pena Guzman, author of ‘Animal Dreaming’ and San Francisco State University. Professor Sidarta Ribeiro, neuroscientist at Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Dr Shauni Omond, @worm...
Jul 28, 2023•25 min
Birds can fly while half their brain is sleeping and some spiders sleep dangling on a silk thread, but what about worms. Do worms sleep? Featuring: Associate Professor John Lesku, La Trobe University. Dr Shauni Omond, @shauniomond.sleepsci on Instagram, La Trobe University. Professor Niels Rattenborg, Research leader on Avian Sleep, Max Planck Institute. Dr Daniela Roessler, University of Konstanz. Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. Petria Ladgrove, Producer. This episode of What the D...
Jul 21, 2023•25 min
Boob-shaping hiccups are very sexy in the sage grouse world, but whose chesticles are in charge? Featuring: Lucy Cooke, Zoologist and author of Bitch A Revolutionary Guide to Sex, Evolution and the Female Animal. Professor Gail L Patricelli, University of California, Davis. Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. Petria Ladgrove, Producer. Additional mastering: John Jacobs. This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Kaurna people....
Jul 14, 2023•25 min
Female lab mice have been bred to be passive and breed with ease. But, in the wild they're feisty and even pugnacious. How much of our biological understanding of the world is based on misogyny? Featuring: Lucy Cooke, Zoologist and author of Bitch A Revolutionary Guide to Sex, Evolution and the Female Animal. Professor Arthur Georges, University of Canberra. Professor Catherine Dulac, Harvard University. Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. Petria Ladgrove, Producer. Additional mastering...
Jul 07, 2023•25 min
A tiny penis, a 12-hour annual fertilisation window, picky females and strawberry bubble bath – these are just a few of the issues that pop up when making a panda cub. Featuring: Chad Crittle, Acting Assistant Curator for Carnivores and Ungulates at Zoos SA. Mr Li Zhang, Consul, Head of Bilateral Section at the Chinese Consulate-General in Adelaide. Dr Meghan Martin Wintle, Director, Conservation Ecologist at PDX Wildlife. This is the last show of season 2 of What The Duck but Season 3 is on its...
Mar 31, 2023•25 min
Forget ancestry searches online. Shells can tell you the history of the world. Featuring: Amy Prendergast, University of Melbourne. Jann Vendetti, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Dr Paul Butler, Researcher at the University of Exeter.
Mar 24, 2023•30 min
For thousands of years eels have made people rich and powerful, literally. Now it's time to pay it back. Featuring: Dr. John Wyatt Greenlee, Historian Cornell University. Erin Rose, Budj Bim World Heritage Executive Officer at Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation. Braydon Saunders, Tour Guide Coordinator at Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism. Tyson Lovett-Murray, Budj Bim World Heritage Ranger at Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation. Wayne Koster, Resea...
Mar 17, 2023•30 min
For years we've barely even talked about the human clitoris let alone the fact that snakes have TWO. This program has adult themes. Featuring: Belinda Smith, ABC Science Online Reporter. Lucy Cooke, Author and Film maker. Megan Folwell, University of Adelaide. Dr Jenna Crowe-Riddell, La Trobe University. Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. Petria Ladgrove, Producer. Additional mastering: Angie Grant This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Kaurna p...
Mar 10, 2023•30 min
They look like... 'sabre-toothed sausages', they can barely see, they live for a really long time and have a queen who oppresses them. Find out all about the Naked Mole-rat this week and let us know your weirdest animal on earth suggestions at whattheduck@abc.net.au . Featuring: Dr Alison Barker, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research. Adjunct Professor Rochelle Buffenstein, University of Illinois at Chicago. Extra information: Professor Gary R. Lewin, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine...
Mar 03, 2023•30 min
Would you meet a stranger in a park with a pile of snakes? Comedian, Craig Quartermaine, took the risk in an attempt to overcome his fears! Featuring: Craig Quartermaine, Comedian. Sandy Dickinson, Urban Reptiles. Jonathan Wright, Announcer voice. Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. Petria Ladgrove, Producer. Joel Werner, Script Editor. Field recording: Dylan Prins Additional mastering: Angie Grant Would you meet a stranger in a park with a pile of snakes? Comedian Craig Quartermaine, t...
Feb 24, 2023•30 min
Who made small steps for man before man could even space walk? Featuring: James Foley, Author and Illustrator. Kerrie Dougherty OAM, Senior Heritage and Outreach Officer, Australian Space Agency. Emeritus Professor John P. Gluck, University of New Mexico and Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Georgetown University. Michael Coggan, News Voice. Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. Petria Ladgrove, Producer. Joel Werner, Script Editor. Additional mastering: Matthew Crawford. This episode of What ...
Feb 17, 2023•30 min
He loved gold, so he robbed stage coaches in South Australia and used an ostrich as a getaway car. OR DID HE?! Welcome to the first episode of 'What The Duck?!' Season 2. Featuring: Denice Mason, teacher and Meningie resident. Associate Professor Rohan Clarke, Monash University and co-author of the Australian Bird Guide. Jacob Fiebig, Meningie resident and composer of "The ballad of John Peggotty". Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. Petria Ladgrove, Producer. Joel Werner, Script Editor...
Feb 10, 2023•30 min
Gravity defying ninja skills, being able to hear even if you don't have ears, working together to gang up on huge prey. Spiders are murder machines. This is the final episode of Season 1 What the Duck?! Stay subscribed for Season 2 coming on Feb 11th, 2023. Featuring: Dr Kate Umbers, Western Sydney University. Dr Alfonso Aceves-Aparicio, University Hamburg. Dr Jay Stafstrom, Cornell University. Dr Lena Grinsted, University of Portsmouth. Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. Petria Ladgro...
Dec 16, 2022•30 min
If you think that cow politics is just about the live export business, you are wrong. Cows have politics of their own – machinations to sort out who is the leader and who will be led. Featuring: Dr Rebecca Doyle, Faculty of Veterinary & Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne. Joe Gelonisi - the voice of cow facts. Derek Klingenberg, cattle trombonist. Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the K...
Dec 09, 2022•30 min
Here’s a field guide you probably don’t have — “Introduced Dung Beetles in Australia".
Dec 02, 2022•30 min
Grabbing a lift can go from bad to worse when your uber drops you outside your evolutionary niche. FEATURING Dr Matt Greenlees, Sydney University. Arthur White, NSW frog and tadpole study group. David Chapple, Monash University. Dr Maggie Watson, Charles Sturt University. Dr Robert Streit, Reef Function Hub at James Cook University. Voice of the Internet: Nikolai Beilharz. Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. Petria Ladgrove, Producer. Joel Werner, Script Editor. Additional mastering: An...
Nov 25, 2022•30 min
Ever wondered about the spiders in your car mirror? How they got there and ‘where the duck’ they’re going? FEATURING Dr Ken Walker, Senior Curator of Entomology, Museums Victoria Research Institute. Dr Laurent Keller, University of Lausanne Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. Petria Ladgrove, Producer. Joel Werner, Script Editor. Additional mastering: Angela Grant. This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people....
Nov 18, 2022•30 min
The 'sound of summer' is actually thousands of blokes screaming 'PICK ME' at the top of their screaming cicada voices.
Nov 11, 2022•30 min
A millipede has a thousand legs right? WRONG! FEATURING Dr Juanita Rodriguez, Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO. Dr Bruno Alves Buzatto, Flinders University. Luis Villazon, Science Educator UK. Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. Petria Ladgrove, Producer. Additional mastering: Angela Grant. This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people.
Nov 04, 2022•30 min
It turns out self medicating and herbal remedies are not exclusive to humans… FEATURING Dr Kevin Feeney, Central Washington University. Adjunct Professor Michael Huffman, University of Kyoto. Dr Sophia Daoudi-Simison, Newcastle University UK. Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. Nick Kilvert, Presenter/ Producer. Petria Ladgrove, Producer. This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people....
Oct 28, 2022•30 min
How far from reality are the folk stories about wolves and dogs? We’re going right back to Aesop’s fables with zoologist and author Jo Wimpenny. Listen to part one (Aesop’s animals) here: FEATURING Dr Jo Wimpenny- Zoologist and Author Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. Petria Ladgrove, Producer. This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people....
Oct 21, 2022•26 min
The world's oldest fart is frozen in amber, and it is the source of the world's oldest fart joke. Listen to part one (Does it Fart?!) here . FEATURING Dani Rabaiotti, Author of Does it Fart? and Zoological Society of London. Dr Nick Gales, Former Head of Australian Antarctic Division. Prof Dave Watson, Charles Sturt University. Prof Jeffrey Stillwell, Adjunct Monash Uni Dr Adam Munn, Biologist. Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. Petria Ladgrove, Producer. Jo Khan, Producer. This episod...
Oct 14, 2022•30 min
Move the peas over to find that Australian freezers have seals, kangaroo penises and the DNA of 'the Chanel of goats.' FEATURING: Dr Natalie Warburton, Murdoch University. Dr Jillian Garvey, La Trobe University. Dr Nicola Rivers, Monash University. Dianne Hakof, Hospital Manger Animal Health Department Zoos SA PRODUCTION: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. Petria Ladgrove, Producer. This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people....
Oct 07, 2022•30 min
There are so many sticky things in nature, but what's the nature of their stickiness? Ann puts on her spider-woman gloves to find out. FEATURING: Ella Tyler, wife of the late Prof Mike Tyler. Prof Andrew Smith, Biology, Ithaca College. Prof George Murrell, Director Orthopaedic Research Institute, St George Hospital, NSW. PRODUCTION: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. Petria Ladgrove, Producer. This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people....
Sep 30, 2022•30 min
If you ever wanted to be able to stick to walls like spider man, then listen to this.
Sep 23, 2022•30 min
As per usual the What the Duck?! team is elbow-deep in crap looking for a way out. And the way out, is flies. FEATURING: Dr Bryan Lessard, Entomologist, Author of Eyes on Flies. PRODUCTION: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. Petria Ladgrove, Producer. Joel Werner, Script Editing. This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people.
Sep 16, 2022•30 min
What the Duck?! is taking a short break so instead you'll be hearing Radio New Zealand’s 'Our Changing World' on the radio for the next three weeks.
Aug 26, 2022•30 min
