Catalyst

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Catalyst returns to take you to the heart of the biggest science stories from Australia and around the world, revealing the latest understanding of how science affects our lives – from deep inside the human body to the furthest reaches of outer space. Each hour-long program delves into the very late…

ABC TV


    • Aug 23, 2022 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 57m AVG DURATION
    • 63 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Catalyst

    Australia's Favourite Tree

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2022 62:50


    Dr Ann Jones and Paul West travel across Australia meeting locals and scientists to help understand the lives of some of our most iconic trees.

    Australia's Favourite Tree

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2022 59:54


    Dr Ann Jones and Paul West investigate the extraordinary lives of Australia's oldest, largest and most iconic trees. 

    The Science Of Relationships

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2022 51:52


    Join Lily Serna as she explores the key ingredients to happy relationships and lasting friendships.

    Solar Storms: A Warning From Space

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2022 55:33


    Catalyst follows the scientists working to help us prepare for the next big solar event.

    Forever Young? The Rise Of Injectables

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2022 58:08


    We explore the psychology behind the injectable treatments trend and the consequences of pursuing youth and perfection.

    Miracle Babies: Operation Hope

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2022 58:57


    This intimate look at the astonishing world of fetal surgery is a story of hope and incredible medicine.

    The Big Brew Challenge

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2022 57:50


    Paul West celebrates the science behind brewing by inviting three teams of novice brewers to create a beer good enough to impress a panel of expert judges.

    The Secret Lives Of Our Urban Birds

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2022 60:27


    Join nature journalist Dr Ann Jones on an urban safari through Melbourne to discover the hidden world of the city's feathery friends.

    Magic And The Brain: The Science Of Illusion

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2021 55:04


    Mathematician Lily Serna explores the strange world of sensory perception, using magic and illusions to reveal the difference between how we perceive the world, and reality.

    Doctor At The Door: The Kulkarnis

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2021 56:00


    How much could a doctor change your life if they saw how you lived? In this episode, Dr Preeya Alexander meets Anu and Narendra Kulkarni who struggle with chronic pain, type 2 diabetes and anxiety.

    Doctor At The Door: The McClellands

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2021 58:05


    In episode one, Dr Preeya Alexander heads to Penrith in Western Sydney to spend time with the McClelland family and help them take back control of their health and wellbeing.

    The Grid: Powering The Future

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2021 59:12


    Dr Niraj Lal meets the Australians leading the biggest change to the electricity grid in a century: the rise of renewable energy.

    The Wildlife Revolution

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2021 60:40


    Nature journalist, Dr Ann Jones explores how technology can help protect our wildlife in bold new ways. 

    The Truth About Fasting

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2021 57:03


    To better understand the benefits and impacts of intermittent fasting diets, dietician Dr Joanna McMillan tracks five Australians over six weeks. 

    Cancer: A Story Of Hope

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2021 61:43


    Cancer. It's a diagnosis that we all dread to hear. But with advances in technology and medicine, more people are living better and longer with their disease. 

    Kill Or Cure: The Story Of Venom

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2021 55:14


    Nature journalist, Dr Ann Jones, meets the scientists who are turning deadly venom into lifesaving drugs.

    Mars: The Hunt For Life

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2021 57:34


    In the second of a two-part Mars special, astrophysicist Professor Tamara Davis and astronomer Greg Quicke explore the clues on our blue planet that are inspiring the search for life on the red planet.

    Mars: The Hunt For Life

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2021 57:34


    In the second of a two-part Mars special, astrophysicist Professor Tamara Davis and astronomer Greg Quicke explore the clues on our blue planet that are inspiring the search for life on the red planet.

    Mars: Our Second Home?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2021 58:52


    In the first of a two-part Mars special, astrophysicist Professor Tamara Davis and astronomer Greg Quicke meet the Australian scientists on a mission to solve the many challenges of putting people on the red planet.

    Mars: Our Second Home?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2021 58:52


    In the first of a two-part Mars special, astrophysicist Professor Tamara Davis and astronomer Greg Quicke meet the Australian scientists on a mission to solve the many challenges of putting people on the red planet.

    Are We Killing Our Koalas?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2021 55:54


    Professor Tim Flannery investigates the story behind the koala extinction headlines, meeting researchers working to understand the threats they face, and how we can avoid them.

    Are We Killing Our Koalas?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2021 55:54


    Professor Tim Flannery investigates the story behind the koala extinction headlines, meeting researchers working to understand the threats they face, and how we can avoid them.

    Building Greener Cities

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2020 54:55


    Physicist Dr Niraj Lal explores engineering solutions designed to make our cities cleaner, greener and more efficient places to live.

    Building Greener Cities

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2020 54:55


    Physicist Dr Niraj Lal explores engineering solutions designed to make our cities cleaner, greener and more efficient places to live.

    Asteroid Hunters

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2020 56:12


    Astrophysicist Professor Tamara Davis explores the impact asteroids have had on our planet and discovers that they may hold the key to one of the greatest scientific mysteries of all – how life began.

    Asteroid Hunters

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2020 56:12


    Astrophysicist Professor Tamara Davis explores the impact asteroids have had on our planet and discovers that they may hold the key to one of the greatest scientific mysteries of all – how life began.

    Teeth Clinic: A Catalyst Special

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2020 56:38


    Catalyst explores Australia’s most common dental complaints at a special pop-up clinic, where presenters Dr Brad McKay and Kumi Taguchi uncover the best tips to keep your mouth healthy and unveil surprising secrets that could reduce the need to drill and fill.

    Teeth Clinic: A Catalyst Special

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2020 56:38


    Catalyst explores Australia’s most common dental complaints at a special pop-up clinic, where presenters Dr Brad McKay and Kumi Taguchi uncover the best tips to keep your mouth healthy and unveil surprising secrets that could reduce the need to drill and fill.

    How Food Works - Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2020 55:51


    Chef Paul West, dietician Professor Clare Collins and chemist Dr Noby Leong explore the science behind the cryogenic freezing of fish, why we are hard-wired to desire junk foods, and the chemistry of hot and spicy foods.

    How Food Works - Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2020 55:51


    Chef Paul West, dietician Professor Clare Collins and chemist Dr Noby Leong explore the science behind the cryogenic freezing of fish, why we are hard-wired to desire junk foods, and the chemistry of hot and spicy foods.

    How Food Works - Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2020 57:24


    In this special Catalyst series, chef Paul West, dietician Professor Clare Collins and chemist Noby Leong reveal the delicious chemistry, biology and physics hidden inside the foods we all love, so we can cook better and eat healthier.

    How Food Works - Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2020 57:24


    In this special Catalyst series, chef Paul West, dietician Professor Clare Collins and chemist Noby Leong reveal the delicious chemistry, biology and physics hidden inside the foods we all love, so we can cook better and eat healthier.

    Investigating Body Dysmorphia

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2019 54:01


    Investigative journalist Ruby Jones meets some of the 2.5 million Australians for whom body image concerns have become a serious mental health issue.

    Investigating Body Dysmorphia

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2019 54:01


    Investigative journalist Ruby Jones meets some of the 2.5 million Australians for whom body image concerns have become a serious mental health issue.

    Face Surgeons

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2019 58:49


    This documentary reveals the extraordinary work of the Australian Craniofacial Unit in Adelaide. Catalyst was given unprecedented access behind the scenes to look at what lies beneath the face, and the surgeons trusted to make it whole again. 

    Face Surgeons

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2019 58:49


    This documentary reveals the extraordinary work of the Australian Craniofacial Unit in Adelaide. Catalyst was given unprecedented access behind the scenes to look at what lies beneath the face, and the surgeons trusted to make it whole again. 

    Should I Risk It?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2019 59:54


    Lily Serna finds out how maths can help us all become smarter with the risks we take in life. She discovers that far from taking too many risks, many of us are playing it too safe.

    Should I Risk It?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2019 59:54


    Lily Serna finds out how maths can help us all become smarter with the risks we take in life. She discovers that far from taking too many risks, many of us are playing it too safe.

    Staying Younger For Longer: Brain

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2019 57:36


    Dr Sarah McKay uncovers the revolutionary new science that promises to keep your brain healthy into old age, and uncovers the drugs that hope to defeat many of the diseases of ageing.

    Staying Younger For Longer: Brain

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2019 57:36


    Dr Sarah McKay uncovers the revolutionary new science that promises to keep your brain healthy into old age, and uncovers the drugs that hope to defeat many of the diseases of ageing.

    Staying Younger For Longer: Body

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2019 54:02


    Ian Henderson discovers the extraordinary new research that promises to keep us all younger for longer.

    Staying Younger For Longer: Body

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2019 54:02


    Ian Henderson discovers the extraordinary new research that promises to keep us all younger for longer.

    Black Hole Hunters

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2019 57:29


    Professor Tamara Davis meets the scientists on a quest to hunt down black holes.

    Black Hole Hunters

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2019 57:29


    Professor Tamara Davis meets the scientists on a quest to hunt down black holes.

    The Mindfulness Experiment

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2019 58:20


    Catalyst brings together 15 ordinary Australians to take part in a revealing scientific experiment - to see if practicing mindfulness can...

    The Mindfulness Experiment

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2019 58:20


    Catalyst brings together 15 ordinary Australians to take part in a revealing scientific experiment - to see if practicing mindfulness can...

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