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If you like a good, broad mix of Science - new science, hard science, pop science, historical science and very silly science, listen to Diffusion. Broadcast from Sydney, Australia every Monday 6:30pm. Hosted by Ian Woolf. email: science@diffusionradio.com

Ian Woolf


    • May 18, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 1,085 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Diffusion Science radio

    After AI take our jobs again

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2025


    From 2017: Paul Mason talks about bots talking jobs, and the future of society. News of vampires switching to human blood. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying venus flytrap Merchandise

    Frontiers of Science Forum 2025 Q and A - part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2025


    Listen to part 2 of the audience Question and Answer session of the 2025 Frontiers of Science Forum. Physicist Benjamin Pope, Science Educator Helen Georgiou, Micro-biologist Liz Harry and Chemist Vipul Agarwal answer the audiences' questions. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying venus flytrap Merchandise

    Frontiers of Science Forum 2025 Q and A - part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2025


    Listen to part 1 of the audience Q and A session of the 2025 Frontiers of Science Forum. Physicist Benjamin Pope, Science Educator Helen Georgiou, Micro-biologist Liz Harry and Chemist Vipul Agarwal answer the audience's questions. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying venus flytrap Merchandise

    The Science of Teaching Science

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2025


    Listen to Associate Professor Helen Georgiou talk about her research into the best ways to teach science at schools. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying venus flytrap Merchandise

    Recycling and healing plastic - part 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2025


    Listen to Vipul Agarwal continue our conversation about his new plastic recycling technology, polymer spinal implants and re-usable rapid tests - part 3 2025 Australian Federal Election Science funding policies Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying venus flytrap Merchandise

    Recycling and healing plastic - part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2025


    Listen to Vipul Agarwal continue our conversation about his new plastic recycling technology, polymer spinal implants and plastic anti-fouling paint for ships and submarines - part 2 Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying venus flytrap Merchandise

    Effective Plastic Recycling - part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2025


    Listen to Vipul Agarwal from UNSW talk about his new plastic recycling technology - part 1 Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying venus flytrap Merchandise

    The Secret Life of Bacteria - part 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2025


    Listen to Professor Liz Harry talk about the secret life of bacteria, and leadership in science - part 3, and from 2018, Daniel Bouzho talks about bacteria and honey. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying venus flytrap Merchandise

    The Secret Life of Bacteria - part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2025


    Listen to Professor Liz Harry talk about the secret life of bacteria, and the social side of doing science - part 2 Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    The Secret Life of Bacteria - part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2025


    Listen to Professor Liz Harry talk about the secret life of bacteria - part 1 Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Investigating Sight again

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2025


    From 2019: Listen to Calvin Eiber investigate the basic science of vision, News of Blood test for ME/CFS, Safe alcohol replacement drink, Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    NIH ME/CFS study criticism

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2025


    Listen to a critical analysis of very flawed research into ME/CFS by the National Institutes of Health. The study has been criticized by experts for ethical and methodological issues, including biased patient selection, ignoring severe cases, and overemphasizing psychological explanations for ME symptoms. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Student Bioengineering Challenge

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2025


    From 2019: Bioengineering Innovation Outreach Challenge 2019 prize winners by Ian Woolf, Professor Hala Zrieqat talks about the ARC Bioengineering Innovation Centre, Dr Gavinda Singh talks about his research in cancer cures and his mentorship, Team Team from Sydney Girls High School talk about their Epilepsy brainwave monitoring solution, Team Biochis from Mount Carmel Catholic School talk about their nutritional deficiency detecting watch, Team Discovery Channel from Fort St High School talk about implanting an epinephrine dispensor for allergic shock, PhD students Mathilde Longfield and Ben Ferguson talk about mentoring the high school students, Team Exothermics from Sydney Girls High School talks about making scorpion antivenom cheaper and easier to access, Team Tissue Box from Sydney Girls High School talks about her team's water-proof hearing aid. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Team Exothermics from Sydney Girls High School Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Enhancing Astronomy - part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2025


    Listen to Associate Professor Benjamin Pope talk about improving images from the James Webb telescope with statistics - part 2 Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Enhancing Astronomy - part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2025


    Listen to Associate Professor Benjamin Pope talk about enhancing astronomy with statistics - part 1 Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Nano 3D Printing Eyes

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2025


    From 2019: Listen to Professor Martin Wegener talks about nano 3D Printing of working retinas to cure blindness. News of Feeling hands, and incriminating handshakes Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Fly eye glasses and carrot therapy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2025


    News of smart glasses for macular degeneration, DeepSeek AI, Virus therapy, Carrot Therapy and Brain chips! Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution

    Automation, investment and society

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2025


    From 2019: Alex Kelly talks about economics, automation, investment, and how to change things for a better society. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution

    Non-negotiable nuclear dump and Fram2Ham 24/7

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2025


    Listen to the Ig Nobel Award 24/7 lectures, with news of compulsory Naval nuclear waste dumps and the Fram2Ham space mission. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    34th First annual Ig Nobel Prizes

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2025


    Listen to the 34th First annual Ig Nobel Prizes for science that first makes you laugh, and then makes you think, edited down to 22 minutes. Hosted by Marc Abrahams, Edited by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Nuclear Proliferation and Robot Relations

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2024


    Special Guests Dr Sue Wareham OAM of the Medical Association for the Prevention of War, and A/Prof Tilman Ruff, Australian Chair of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons talk with Charles Willock about nuclear proliferation. Jaroon Descartes is Jacqui Pfeffer's Special Guest in Part II of "Relationships with Robots". Presented by: Lachlan Whatmore News: Patrick Rubie and Ian Woolf Panelled by: Ian Woolf Produced by Charles Willock and Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution

    Nuclear Waste again

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2024


    From 2007, but the science is still valid, and the technology hasn't improved: Dr Ian Farnan, University of Cambridge, talks to Charles Willock about large errors in estimates of nuclear waste storage times. Alan Parkinson, nuclear engineer, talks with Charles Willock about the mishandling of nuclear waste at Maralinga. Presented by: Emily Fearn Panelled by: Celine Steinfeld Produced by Charles Willock and Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution

    Space Force and Llama Flu

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2024


    From 2018: Llamas fight flu by Ian Woolf, Steven Freeland talks about the US Space Force Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Anti-Privacy again

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2024


    From 2018: Lizzie O'Shea talks about the anti-privacy Assistance and Access Bill, Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Social Media Ban - part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2024


    Listen to Dr Alexia Maddox talk about the planned ban on Australians under 16 using social media - part 2 News of childrens human rights being violated by a social media ban Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Social Media Ban - part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2024


    From 2018: Listen to Dr Alexia Maddox talk about the planned ban on Australians under 16 using social media - part 1 Stewart Baker, former General Counsel of the NSA talking about the Cycle of Moral Panics. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Engineering Cat-girls

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2024


    From 2018: CRISPR babies update by Ian Woolf, Transhumanism and emerging technologies by Peter Xing, Engineering Cat-girls by Meow Ludo Meow Meow. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Why You're (still) Not Dead Yet

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2024


    From 2018: Powerless cameras by Ian Woolf, Dr David Farmer and comedian Jackson Vaarhoor explain Why You're Not Dead Yet, Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Stem Cells and the Organoids

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2024


    From 2014 listen to Professor Michael Morris on investigating the basic science of embryology to find out how embryonic stem cells become all other cells. 2024 news of the Internet Archive is down, and AI clones report the news with unexpected Organoids. From 2014 Crocodiles climb, and use tools, while alligators make video Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Healing corneas and making robots

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2024


    From 2014: Sony smart wigs, DARPA brain impants for memory, and prosthetic hands that feel by Ian Woolf. Professor Stephanie Watson spoke with Ian Woolf about how she heals corneas with stem cells, From the 2014 Sydney Mini Maker Faire: Pete from Robogirls teaches schoolgirls to build lego robots, Stephen Martin from BotBits talks about building kit combat robots Diarmid Herath from Robological has a platform for you to design your own robots Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    2024 Nobel Prizes

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2024


    Listen to The Physiology or Medicine prize for micro-RNA , the Physics Prize for machine learning software, the Chemistry Prize for the use of machine learning to identify the shape of proteins, and the use of machine learning to create new proteins. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Obsolete Cyborgs

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2024


    Listen to NotebookLM AI voices discover they are an artificial intelligence, and news of obsolete cyborgs. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Obsolete Cyborgs

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2024


    Listen to NotebookLM AI voices discover they are an artificial intelligence, and news of obsolete cyborgs. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    World Sepsis Day

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2024


    Listen to Professor Simon Finfer talk about how to identify and treat the deadly condition sepsis, and the importance of teaching doctors and the general public to check for the symptoms, on World Sepsis Day. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    World Sepsis Day

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2024


    Listen to Professor Simon Finfer talk about how to identify and treat the deadly condition sepsis, and the importance of teaching doctors and the general public to check for the symptoms, on World Sepsis Day. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Health in Space - part 4

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2024


    Listen to Dr Gabrielle Caswell talk about the way forward for Australia's place in space. And a brief blast from the past interview with students working on space health from 2017. News of untrustworthy AI podcasters and mouldy space stations. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Health in Space - part 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2024


    Listen to Dr Gabrielle Caswell talk about the Global Spaceport alliance, International space programs and how microgravity affects the structure of the proteins in our bodies, and in the microbes that live inside us, with news of an approaching mini-moon. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Health in Space - part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2024


    Listen to Dr Gabrielle Caswell in the second part of this series on Space Health! In this episode, we talk about space medicine, space colonies and space education. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Health in Space - part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2024


    Listen to part 1 of a special series of Dr Gabrielle Caswell talking about human health in space, the stranded astronauts, and what happens when ordinary people go into space. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Reframing Obesity

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2024


    Listen to Dr Kathryn Williams explain why we need to reframe obesity as a chronic disease, and subsidise its treatment. How I used AI to create a song about obesity using my own voice. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Space up, CSIRO down

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2024


    Listen to news of Billionaires in Space, Australian mini-satellites launch, and CSIRO loses over 600 jobs, more to go. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Repair is Important - part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2024


    Listen to the final part of Karen Ellis talking about Mend It Australia and why repair matters. News of Flu Flies Blow. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Repair is Important - part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2024


    Listen to Karen Ellis from Mend It Australia, talk about the importance of repair and re-use. Part 1 Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Robots of the 12th Century

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2024


    Listen to al-Jazari's Ingenious Devices and Medieval robots. News of probiotics supplements improving thinking. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Robots of the 12th Century

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2024


    Listen to al-Jazari's Ingenious Devices and Medieval robots. News of probiotics supplements improving thinking. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Teleportation, codes and primes

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2024


    From 2009: Marc West explore prime numbers and briefly speaks to Terrance Tao. Ian Woolf and Marc West discuss Quantum technology - quantum entanglement, quantum cryptography and quantum teleportation. News by Marc West -Mobile phones make you vague, -relax for IVF, -why we like drinks that fizz, -batteries made from salty paper. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Artificial Intelligence for Kids

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2024


    Listen to Amber Ivey talk about AI for Kids! Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution

    RSV, vaccines and clinical trials

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2024


    Listen to Dr Munro Neville from Momentum Clinical Research talk about researching RSV, developing vaccines, and clinical trials. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Genes, Jokes, and Conservation - part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2024


    Listen to Diana Rubledo Ruiz talk about applying comedy to conservation and genetics - part 2. News of EEG earbuds. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Genes, Jokes, and Conservation - part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2024


    Listen to Diana Rubledo Ruiz talk about applying genetics to conservation and comedy - part 1. News of new Clinical Guidelines for ME/CFS. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

    Citizen Science Biohackers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2024


    From 2014: At Dorkbot, listen to Andreas Siagian talk about his Indonesian Citizen Science Initiative and Hackteria. Andrew Tuckwell talks about hacking synthetic biology competitions, IGEM and BIOMOD. News of electronic tattoos and Lego Atomic Force Microscopes. Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf Support Diffusion by making a contribution Support Diffusion by buying Merchandise

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