Did a supernova cause human ancestors to walk upright? Is it right to use Nazi illustrations for surgery? And could a fungus produce spider-venom that wipes out mosquitoes?
SoT 305: Dolphins Doing Backflips
- August 5, 2018
- Tagged as: bacteria, bacteriophages, CRISPR, Eclipse, gene editing, genetic modification, liquid water, mars, peacock spiders, spiders, viruses
Liquid water lake under Mars, viruses can defeat CRISPR, editing out genetic diseases in utero, and the discovery of two new adorable peacock spiders.
SoT:185 An Ewok and a Mogwai
- May 13, 2015
- Tagged as: bacteria, chimpanzees, DNA, dogs, genetic modification, Hubble, Hubble Space Telescope, human genome, humans, hunting, infection, oxytocin, seismology, supervolcano, tools, transplant, Yellowstone
Chinese scientists report editing the genome of human embryos, the role of oxytocin in human/dog relations, chimps that hunt with spears, unexpected bacterial complications in organ transplants, another magma chamber found at the Yellowstone supervolcano and celebrating 25 years of Hubble.
SoT 143: Little Rats Sneezing
- April 18, 2014
- Tagged as: astronomy, biofuel, black death, emotions, Enceladus, facial expressions, genetic modification, LADEE, moon, plague, Saturn
Facial expressions, Enceladus has an ocean, trees that break easily, rats vs Black Death revisited and LADEE to crash into the moon.
No planet X, genetic modification resistance, oldest example of metastatic cancer, tracking humans via chickens, and Climate For Change.
SoT 132: 99 Luftballons All Over Again
- January 27, 2014
- Tagged as: astronomy, calcium, China, cloning, comets, genetic modification, genetics, lactose, milk, personal genetics, Rosetta, sloths, space, spacecraft
Rosetta comet-chaser awakens, new hypothesis for lactose persistence, moths and sloths, and the rise of Chinese cloning.
SoT 121: No Ruttin’ Way!
- October 21, 2013
- Tagged as: bacteria, ballet, bees, fuel, genetic modification, mating, voice
Rutting stags and male larynges, diesel fumes and disappearing bees, why ballerinas can spin without being sick, and GM bacteria produces gasoline.
SoT 112: Cold Hard Cash
- July 31, 2013
- Tagged as: cancer, chimpanzees, Down's sydnrome, genetic modification, life, memory, orangutans, surgery, taxonomy, viruses
The scalpel that sniffs for cancer cells, chimps and orangutans with autobiographical memories, switching off Down’s syndrome genes, and the giant viruses that might be an entirely new domain of life.
SoT 100: Intrauterine Cannibalization
- May 7, 2013
- Tagged as: bacteria, genetic modification, GMO, language, science communication, sharks
Shark babies kill each other before their even born, fishy gestures, misused science words, genetically modified salmon, and the traces of supernovae in bacteria.
SoT 78: The Dark Side of Science
- October 27, 2012
- Tagged as: accountability, babies, earthquake, funding, genetic modification, jail, memories, neuroscience, sexism, sleep, virophage, virus
Mice that detect bombs and forget fears, and the problems with science – sexism, funding cuts, jail sentences and more!
Podcast Reviews
- Great Show
September 6, 2012 by Volk613 from AustraliaAlways informative, often entertaining. Great selection of regulars with a variety of interests and expertise. Also great guests with and Australian focus.
- Great science roundup
July 23, 2012 by SB AUST. from AustraliaNice to hear science news from an Aussie perspective and with a good dose of humour. Great work!
- Fun and smartJune 17, 2012 by wertys from Australia
I have enjoyed this podcast b/c it is very funny banter about science stories but there is also a serious edge to the analysis. It's proof that you can be amusing and entertaining as well as giving the science content its due. Highly recommended weekly listening.