Hosts: Ed Brown, Dr. Shayne Joseph, Penny Dumsday, Lucas Randall.
[00:00:51] A genetic analysis of the leather coat and fur hat worn by Otzi the iceman has not only revealed what animals he was wearing, but also why.
[00:07:07] Zebra finch mothers sing weather reports to their eggs, and the embryos alter the speed of their development accordingly.
[00:12:16] Tasmanian devils, nearly wiped out by a devastating facial tumour disease, may be showing signs of resistance to the cancer. This could have a dramatic impact on conservation efforts.
[00:20:07] Traces of supernova ash has been discovered in fossils created by bacteria on Earth, which could explain an extinction event 2 million years ago.
[00:23:04] Russian scientists have detected an unusually strong spike in radio signals from the vicinity of a nearby star. The internet says it’s aliens. Actual scientists say it probably isn’t.
[00:30:46] The “EM Drive” – a space drive that appears to break the laws of physics – has “passed peer review”. But what does that actually mean, and does it mean the drive could be the engine of future spacecraft? Answers: Not much, probably not.
This episode contains traces of SETI astronomer Jill Tarter on Science channel’s “Through the Wormhole”, describing the first small steps in the search for alien intelligence.