Cosmos Briefing

Our Ultramarine series continues with Patrick Noble from Sea Life Australia and  the Sydney Aquarium. Patrick discusses his involvement with saving the white seahorse, also known as the Sydney seahorse. 

In this Ultramarine podcast, we dive into the crucial issue of ocean pollution and explore real-world solutions.Let's Science It Out hosts David Boldeman and Steven Boldeman are joined by Tom Batrouney and Ashley Hayes, two passionate advocates for marine conservation.In this episode, we uncover:

When your neighbour is struggling, the community rallies around them – even if that neighbour is a fish. Keely Jobe's small Tasmanian town shares its shores with the endangered red handfish. By telling the story of her involvement in local conservation efforts, Jobe considers how the community and scientists are both vital to saving at-risk species.As part of the Ultramarine project we are republishing some paid content for free. This long read was originally published in issue 101 of Cosmos print magazine, in December 2023. You can read more amazing long reads if you subscribe now.

The village of Pang Pang is like many in Vanuatu. A dozen or so traditional houses, covered in native natangura palm leaves lay nestled between tall coconut palms and mango trees. Led for the first time by Indigenous archaeologists, a dig team at Pang Pang is tapping into the Pacific's ancient past. Prianka Srinivasan was there to witness something special.As part of the Ultramarine project we are republishing some paid content for free. This story was originally published in issue 100 of Cosmos print magazine, in September 2023. You can read more amazing long reads if you subscribe now.

Compact and easily overlooked, bar-tailed godwits make the longest known nonstop flight of any animal on Earth. Drew Rooke reports on the research that led to the amazing feat's discovery – and that is changing much of our understanding of the science of these epic crossings. Narrated by Renee Garvin.  As part of the Ultramarine project we are republishing some paid content for free. This story was originally published in issue 99 of Cosmos print magazine, in July 2023. You can read more amazing long reads if you subscribe now.

In a remote archipelago off Australia's Top End, scientists and Indigenous rangers are collaborating to gather knowledge about the region's large marine animals, which are thought to be in decline. Story and photography by DAVID HANCOCK, narrated by HANNAH HARMS.As part of the Ultramarine project we are diving into our archives and republishing some paid content for free. This audio content was created from a story originally published in issue 97 of Cosmos print magazine, in December 2022. You can read more amazing long reads if you subscribe now.

In the September 2022 Cosmos print magazine, Kate Evans looked at how the nautilus's lineage made it through all five of Earth's previous mass extinctions and asked can it survive the Anthropocene.The article has been read by Renee Garvin and published for free as part of our Ultramarine project, which is funded by Mindaroo Foundation. 

Ian Connellan and Gail McCallum talk to Jason Flesher, the Director of Discovery Operations for Scenic, about his experiences in Antarctica.   

Australia's farmers and agricultural industries are at the front line when it comes to dealing with the impacts of climate change. Agriculture also contributes 14% of the country's emissions.The recently established Zero Net Emissions Agriculture Cooperative Research Centre (ZNE-Ag CRC) aims to help the agriculture industry transition to net zero by 2040 by bringing academic knowledge and agriculture experience together. In this episode of Cosmos Country, hosts Glenn Morrison and Jamie Seidel speak with Dr Deb Cousins and Professor Matthew Morell from the ZNE-Ag CRC's Establishment Committee about the role of the CRC, the challenges facing our farmers and the integrated systems approach needed to make the transition.

The Science Detectives are on another case. This week, Olivia Henry wants to know why animals come in so many different colours and patterns. The detectives talk to Devi Stuart-Fox, a professor of evolution and ecology at the University of Melbourne, to find out. This episode was hosted and produced by Imma Perfetto and edited by Andrew Wyrill.For more science news, visit cosmosmagazine.com and follow us on Instagram @cosmosmagazineLove the show? Let us know by rating and leaving a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Regional communities looking for ways to diversify income and employment under climate change often turn to tourism. Recently, the Australian Tourism Commission created a data hub to help. It shows the value of Australian tourism by region; and the scale of incomes and number of people in the industry to be staggering.The Cosmos Country podcast speaks with two people involved in tourism about how events can contribute to a diversified economy. Archaeologist Dr James Hunter is curator of Naval Heritage and Archaeology at the Australian National Maritime Museum. He recently highlighted the wreck called The South Australia, just offshore in Victor Harbour. Despite its size and importance to the history of South Australia, the wreck was only discovered less than a decade ago. Hunter is also exploring the southern SA coast in search of shipwrecks offshore of Robe.And Carolyn Grant is Director of Engagement at the Ocean Lovers Festival in Sydney, a blend of ideas, arts and music.They spoke to Cosmos Country's podcast hosts Glenn Morrison and Marie Low.

The Science Detectives chase down the facts of the hard, and not so difficult questions.

Series one ep: 14When coral reefs disappear more is lost than animals and evonomic benefits. Dr Tommy Fellowes at the USyd's School of Geosciences Geocoastal Research Group talkas to Cosmos Country reporter Glenn Morrison.

Cosmos Science regional reporters Jamie Seidel and Glenn Morrison find out how quolls were transported across the country  to help re-wild an arid reserve in outback WA.

Science Detetctives series 1 ep 2

If marine microbes are Earth's unsung heroes, year 12 student Emelia is singing their praises. They produce 50% of our oxygen, are a crucial part of the food pyramid and they can even help us understand the ancient world. In this episode of Podcast Next Gen, join Emelia as she unpacks marine microbes in all their fabulous forms.Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, science journalists and podcasters.These ‘shortcast' episodes have been written and recorded by the students, giving them the opportunity to work with real science journalists and editors to make their science concept come to life.

Science can answer most of life's big and little questions – but you don't always have scientist on hand to explain their reasoning. Now you do, with a new Cosmos Science Detectives podcast finding the experts and interrogating them to help answer your burning inquiries.The crack Cosmos team of newsroom science journalists will leave no stone unturned. They'll open a case file; find evidence and witnesses; and give you the detail you need to close a case of “uncertainty.”In this episode, they explain why mangroves are thought to be important.

While for most of us, maths might conjure up equations and stuffy professors, for year 12 student Matilda, she thinks of poetry.From weird and wonderful mathematical sequences popping up in traditional verse structures, to the mathematics of metre and rhythm, and even completely numerical poems, maths is everywhere.In this episode of Podcast Next Gen, join Matilda as she dives into poetic mathematics and mathematical poetry.Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, science journalists and podcasters.These ‘shortcast' episodes have been written and recorded by the students, giving them the opportunity to work with real science journalists and editors to make their science concept come to life.

For those lucky enough to have been able to experience it, an aurora is an incredible sight. But year 12 student Hajara wanted to know what was happening behind the scenes to cause these gorgeous hues. In this episode of Podcast Next Gen, she investigates how it occurs, where the colours come from, and exactly when and where you can find the auroras. Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, science journalists and podcasters.These ‘shortcast' episodes have been written and recorded by the students, giving them the opportunity to work with real science journalists and editors to make their science concept come to life.

Have you ever been trying to study and turn on some music, but discover that what you've picked is just too good? Instead of focusing on your work, you end up vibing with the song.Jorja, a year 12 student and robotics enthusiast wanted to know why, and so she hooked up her own brain to find out.Explore Jorja's brain on music, why jazz might be the most meditative, and why you need to keep an eye on those gamma waves.Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, science journalists and podcasters.These ‘shortcast' episodes have been written and recorded by the students, giving them the opportunity to work with real science journalists and editors to make their science concept come to life.

We all know the feeling – sweat forming on your brow and your face heating up. Eating something spicy is not an easy thing to forget.Year 12 student Stephanie wanted to know why spicy food is just so hot. In this episode of Podcast Next Gen she discovers why a study used strawberry jam spiked with capsaicin, why one food acts like tear gas, and why you might need to fake it to you make it when it comes to spice. Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, science journalists and podcasters.These ‘shortcast' episodes have been written and recorded by the students, giving them the opportunity to work with real science journalists and editors to make their science concept come to life.

 How can we capitalise on Indigenous burning knowledge? 

We all know about climate change, but do we really understand it? Maya, a year 12 student and musical theatre fan wants to know how it actually works. So, why is our planet warming? Is it really our fault? And why is it like putting on a jumper? Maya puts on her best investigative sweater to find out. Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, science journalists and podcasters.These ‘shortcast' episodes have been written and recorded by the students, giving them the opportunity to work with real science journalists and editors to make their science concept come to life.

Sophie is a year 12 student who loves kelp. And why wouldn't she? A kelp forest called the Great Southern Reef is home to thousands of species of whales, sharks, turtles, okra, seals, and crustaceans.But can kelp help us as well as all these animals? Sophie dives into the slimy substance to find out.Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, science journalists and podcasters.These ‘shortcast' episodes have been written and recorded by the students, giving them the opportunity to work with real science journalists and editors to make their science concept come to life.

In this Cosmos Country podcast, Glenn Morrison and Marie Low talk with Associate Professor Ken Karipidis from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) about any health risks posed by transmission lines.

Why does the sound of nails on a chalkboard make our skin crawl? Why does a bubbling brook make us calm (if more likely to need to pee)? In this episode of Podcast Next Gen, Zeph – a year 12 student – wanted to know why some sounds are fine, but others we hate.Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, science journalists and podcasters.These ‘shortcast' episodes have been written and recorded by the students, giving them the opportunity to work with real science journalists and editors to make their science concept come to life.

For this episode of Podcast Next Gen, Sarah – a year 12 student – is asking how skeletons are formed and what vital functions our bones undertake in our bodies, other than stopping us all from looking like shapeless blobs!Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, science journalists and podcasters.These ‘shortcast' episodes have been written and recorded by the students, giving them the opportunity to work with real science journalists and editors to make their science concept come to life.

Elizabeth is a year twelve student who loves magpies and has never been swooped. For this Podcast Next Gen, she's diving into all facets of magpie – their different calls, colours and swooping, and why they have their own rap battles.  Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, science journalists and podcasters.These ‘shortcast' episodes have been written and recorded by the students, giving them the opportunity to work with real science journalists and editors to make their science concept come to life.

Somewhere in north-west NSW among 35,000 hectares of forest in the Pilliga National Park, a killer has been hiding. Nicknamed Rambo, the bandit evaded capture for more than 4 years, almost stopping a multi-million conservation project in its tracks.

Conspiracy theories are everywhere. The moon landing was fake, the Earth is flat, Area-51 houses aliens, climate science isn't real, the government is controlled by lizard people. The list goes on and on and on.Vishnu, a year 12 student loves everything about conspiracies, and this week on Podcast Next Gen, he's trying to understand why people love conspiracy theories, and why in an age where we have access to more information than ever before, conspiracy theories still thrive.Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, science journalists and podcasters.These ‘shortcast' episodes have been written and recorded by the students, giving them the opportunity to work with real science journalists and editors to make their science concept come to life.

Lina realised much too late that the scrambled eggs she was making were awful. But being an intrepid science student, she realised that maybe she could science her way to better eggs.Whisk or fork? Hot or warm? And why does water just sometimes leak out of the eggs? Listen to the Podcast Next Gen episode below to find out.Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, science journalists and podcasters.These ‘shortcast' episodes have been written and recorded by the students, giving them the opportunity to work with real science journalists and editors to make their science concept come to life.

 In this episode of Cosmos Country, Jamie Seidel and Dr Glenn Morrison talk with Australian National University's Head of Disaster Solutions, Associate Professor Roslyn Prinsley about how regional communities can address frequent, intense flood events. 

Welcome to HabiChat, a podcast miniseries exploring ecosystems and the animals which live in them. Join Cosmos journalists as they talk to experts about the who's who, and where's where, of mammals in Australia. Cosmos journalists Jacinta Bowler and Matthew Ward Agius talk to Natasha Harrison, a conservation biologist and behavioural ecologist in her final PhD year. They join her in a woodland soundscape and talk about the furry little t-rex of the mammal world – the brush-tailed bettong – and the threats facing them. 

Welcome to HabiChat, a podcast miniseries exploring ecosystems and the animals which live in them. Join Cosmos journalists as they talk to experts about the who's who, and where's where, of mammals in Australia. In this episode, Cosmos journalists Imma Perfetto and Matthew Ward Agius talk to Dr Kita Ashman, a threatened species and climate adaptation ecologist for WWF Australia. Kita speaks about wet forest and temperate rainforest environments and the organisms that call them home, including one very special mammal that can silently glide distances of up to 100 metres – the southern greater glider. 

Welcome to HabiChat, a podcast miniseries exploring ecosystems and the animals which live in them. Join Cosmos journalists as they talk to experts about the who's who, and where's where, of mammals in Australia. In this episode, Cosmos journalists Matthew Ward Agius and Jacinta Bowler talk to Cameron Dodd, a PhD student at the University of Western Australia and the Western Australian Museum, about the kultarr.They discuss the arid environments these little-known mammals live in, the difficulties of studying such tiny, fast, and aggressive predators in the wild, a gruesome story from out in the field in the Simpson Desert, and more.

Angie is a year 12 student and wants you to connect the dots. That is, the dots between the kooky conspiracy theories of the Bermuda Triangle. This million-kilometre square stretch of the North Atlantic Ocean has been apparently swallowing ships and planes since the early 1900s. What caused it? Angie puts some of the wackiest theories – like alien wormholes and crystal energies – under scientific scrutiny to try and find out.Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, science journalists and podcasters. These ‘shortcast' episodes have been written and recorded by the students, giving them the opportunity to work with real science journalists and editors to make their science concept come to life.

River ecologist and CSIRO Scientist Paul Murray talks to Ian Mannix about his new book: "The Life and Times of the Murray Cod."

When Hannah first saw snow, she was instantly fascinated by it. Even if it was more like a slushie than the delicate snow crystals she'd imagined.In this episode of Podcast Next Gen, Hannah looks into what a snow flake (or snow crystal) actually is. She wants to know why does it look the way it does? Are all types of snow the same? And finally, what does snow have to do with Kepler?Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum.The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, science journalists and podcasters. These ‘shortcast' episodes have been written and recorded by the students, giving them the opportunity to work with real science journalists and editors to make their science concept come to life.

Sascha has just turned 17 and recently had to choose her first car. But being both an environmentalist, and a motorsports fan on a budget, was harder than she thought.In this episode of Podcast Next Gen, Sascha looks into the sustainability of electric cars.She wants to know whether they're better for the planet from the start to the end of their life, plus she tells us why her parents might need supervision when driving a Tesla.Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum.The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, science journalists and podcasters. These ‘shortcast' episodes have been written and recorded by the students, giving them the opportunity to work with real science journalists and editors to make their science concept come to life. 

 Cosmos Country reporters Marie Low and Jamie Seidel discuss the electric ute road show with Ben Lever, a clean transport campaigner who's been showcasing electric utes throughout Australia. 

From pin straight to corkscrew curls, hair is a huge part of us – it protects us from the weather and provides a way for us to communicate who we are.And what better way to communicate then to get out the hair dye.Year 12 student Makaela has investigated what hair dye and bleach does to hair, what uncombable hair syndrome is, and why we love dyeing our hair despite the consequences.Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum.The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, science journalists and podcasters. These ‘shortcast' episodes have been written and recorded by the students, giving them the opportunity to work with real science journalists and editors to make their science concept come to life. 

A weather forecast of above 35 degrees is frankly sweltering. But our natural human body temperature is 37 degrees. Although you might not think about it much, it's worth asking, why is this the case? Year 12 student Dorothea explores how heat works, how bodies keep cool, and what is actually happening to us when we have a fever. Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum.The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, science journalists and podcasters. These ‘shortcast' episodes have been written and recorded by the students, giving them the opportunity to work with real science journalists and editors to make their science concept come to life.