The Science Briefing

Kathleen Folbigg is pardoned thanks to scientific discoveries, why scientists shaved artistic ants and do frogs have accents? These are the science stories you might have missed in June.  Today, Dr Sophie Calabretto is joined by Cosmos journalist Jacinta Bowler to chat about the science you might have missed last monthSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've all heard of archaeology, but what exactly is it? A science or sociology? Well, it's a bit of both!  Today, Dr Sophie Calabretto is joined by Matthew Ward Agius to discuss all things archaeology, what they actually do and what we've been digging up recently.  You can see the reconstruction mentioned here, and the article about the trading post hereSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've all heard of Kangaroos and Koalas, but did you know that Australia is home to over 350 mammal species? Our diverse landscape is primed for mammal habitation, but unfortunately, Australia currently has the worst animal extinction rate in the world.  This is where the Australian Mammal of the Year competition comes in! Today, Dr Sophie Calabretto is joined by Cosmos Journalist, Imma Perfetto to chat all things mammals, how to get involved in Australian Mammal of the Year and why it's important. We also hear from Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Euan Ritchie.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Migratory birds travel astronomical distances every year, spanning the entire globe. Have you ever wondered how birds prepare for global migration? Or how far they travel?  Join Dr Sophie Calabretto as she chats to Cosmos Magazine journalist Imma Perfetto about migratory birds, how they navigate their way around and what they go through to endure the long journeys.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some things are so tiny you can't see them under a normal microscope – think proteins and molecules. These are a thousandth of the size of the red blood cells running through your veins. We measure these things in nanometres where one nanometre is a billionth of a metre.   Scientists have some adventurous ideas harnessing things at the nanoscale - a field called nanotechnology.   Some ideas are realistic, others are still science fiction.   Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Ellen Phiddian about nanotechnology, what's realistically possible and how on Earth you work with things this small.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Painting? Firefighting? Is there anything Aussie robots can't do? These examples are just a glimpse into the world of Australian robotics, but where do we stand on the global scale?  Dr Sophie Calabretto is joined by Cosmos Magazine journalist Petra Stock to talk all things Aussie robots, what they can do and what's coming up next. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Botox contains the most toxic compound on earth, but if it's so dangerous, why is it so widely used?  Dr Sophie Calabretto is joined by Cosmos magazine journalist Jacinta Bowler to talk about the science behind botox, the risks associated with it and the research that is making it safer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Entanglement! Superposition! Qubits! What does it all mean?! Quantum theory is known for being largely unknown, but today, we're going to try to make it a bit more understandable. Dr Sophie Calabretto is joined by Cosmos Magazine journalist Evrim Yazgin to decode quantum mechanics and answer the question on everyone's lips, what on earth is quantum theory? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We know more about space than we do the deep depths of the ocean, so it's no surprise that there are unknown species down there. Obviously this intrigues scientists, but why are miners so interested? Dr Sophie Calabretto is joined by Matthew Ward Agius to discuss the 5000 new species that have been discovered and what that has to do with mining.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The origins of butterflies, records of the first romantic kiss and unidentified sounds recorded in the stratosphere - here are the science stories you might have missed over the last month. Dr Sophie Calabretto chats with Cosmos Magazine journalist Ellen Phiddian about the stories you might have missed in MaySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did dinosaurs have feathers, coloured skin and sing and dance? It's more likely than you think.  The mental image we have of dinosaurs has been drilled into us thanks to how the media has painted them - think Jurassic Park.  But how accurate is this image? Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist about unlocking what dinosaurs truly looked like.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ancestry.com, hair samples and crime scenes - that's likely what you think of when you hear DNA.  Probably not fish mucus and kangaroo scat. That's what's called environmental DNA - or eDNA - and ecologists can track it down pretty easily to find out what animals and organisms have been where. But some are concerned about human eDNA could be collected and used in nefarious. Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Ellen Phiddian about the good and the bad uses of environmental DNA.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Talking to chatbots has become an everyday part of life for a lot of us. They help set timers, make calls and give us the weather forecast.  But what if the voice coming through your smart speaker belonged to a loved one who had passed away? Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Petra Stock about resurrecting loved ones through artificial intelligence, what these conversations might sound like and whether or not it's a road we should go down.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've become so reliant on maps apps on our phone that use GPS, it's hard to imagine navigating our way around without them.  R.I.P street directory books.  But what happened if GPS systems around the globe randomly went down?  Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Jacinta Bowler about how GPS technology works and what would happen if it suddenly went dark.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some volcanoes erupt multiple times a day, others, once every 600,000 years. But how do we know when they're going to blow? Predicting eruptions has baffled those studying volcanoes, but is that about to change? Dr Sophie Calabretto asks Cosmos Magazine journalist Evrim Yazgin about predicting volcanic eruptions and the researchers using artificial intelligence to unlock when a volcanoes about to go off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've modelled the ice melting in Antarctica for decades, but new research suggests it's melting five times faster than we previously thought.  The biggest concern is that more melting ice means higher sea level rise, but that's far from the only thing we should be worried about.   Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Matthew Ward Agius about what's going on with Antarctica and putting a plug in sea level rise before it gets worse.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Not a fan of needles? What if getting vaccinated was as easy as putting on a patch?  Studies around the world are looking into printable vaccine patches and if they could be used in place of the typical jab, and so far, the results are looking promising.  Dr Sophie Calabretto asks Cosmos Magazine journalist Ellen Phiddian what are vaccine patches, how are they made and how far off are they for human use?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The SpaceX Starship fails to launch. Birds eating beetles get toxic feathers. Dinosaur triangle unearths the Ann sauropod skull.  Dr Sophie Calabretto chats to Cosmos Magazine journalist about 3 major science stories from April that you might have missed but should definitely know about.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kathleen Folbigg has served 20 years in prison for killing her four children.   She has continually professed her innocence.   An inquiry into her convictions re-commenced last week with scientific findings from November edging her closer than ever to a possible release.   So what happens next? And what's the likely result from this latest inquiry?  Dr Sophie Calabretto talk to Cosmos Magazine journalist Matthew Agius about the latest developments in the Kathleen Folbigg story and the science that blew the case wide open two decades later.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It might walk and talk like meat... but is meat grown in a lab, actually meat? Yes! Lab grown meat is coming in hot – and fast – as a sustainable, cruelty free alternative to regular meat. But how is it made? And does it taste any good? Dr Sophie Calabretto and Cosmos Magazine journalist Jacinta Bowler put cultivated meat to the taste test and run through some of the wild lab meat ideas manufacturers have in the works.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scooping protein powder into a shaker and adding water after a workout is the norm for many gym goers.  It's seen as an easy way to get big and up your protein intake quick smart.  But just how effective are protein powders? And do we rely on them too much? Dr Sophie Calabretto talks the science behind protein powders with Cosmos Magazine journalist Matthew Agius and whether or not you're getting the bang for your buck.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the early 2010's something called The Mandela Effect blew up on the internet.   Masses of people online claimed to remember events or images as being one way, when they're actually completely different to how they recall them.   False memories have mostly been thought of as chance or a result of believing some conspiracy, however researchers are now trying to see if there's a scientific explanation at play here.  Dr Sophie Calabretto asks Cosmos Magazine journalist Imma Perfetto if there's any science that explains the Mandela Effect and the experiments trying to understand exactly what's going on. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NASA wants astronaut boots back on the Moon ASAP.   However, the next step isn't just touching back down, but looking to set up some sort of settlement so humans can stick around.   But the Moon is NOT Earth and there are some pretty harsh conditions on the lunar surface, meaning building safe havens is absolutely critical for a long-term stay.  Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Jacinta Bowler about building on the Moon, what sort of structures we're looking at and whether a full on Moon base is even possible. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're moving into flu season, so a lot of people will soon grab their influenza jab.  But in a post/ongoing covid world, where getting regular vaccines is the norm, how much do you actually know about what's in a vaccine? Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist about exactly what's in your jab and some of the ingredients that may surprise you.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can we learn how Beethoven died from his hair?  Also, a huge discovery in 5 grams of asteroid dirt and the scientific explanation for curly hair.   These are 3 science stories from March you might have missed but should definitely know about. Featuring Cosmos Magazine journalist Imma Perfetto.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There aren't just a bunch of ethical issues with AI, but potential legal problems as well. Who's responsible when a self-driving car gets into an accident? What happens if ChatGPT leaks copyrighted or protected information? Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Petra Stock about how our legal systems aren't ready for an AI future and the exploited labor behind artificial intelligence.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With some of the biggest AI advocates in the world now jumping on the 'let's slow it down' bandwagon (Elon Musk, wink wink) we're asking - is AI actually a bad thing? Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Jacinta Bowler about the good, and not so good applications of artificial intelligence and what they say about our AI filled future. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ChatGPT chatbot has taken the internet by storm for both very legitimate and very silly reasons.  Some of the things the AI language processor churns out are incredibly sophisticated, leaving many worried it's going to take over their jobs.   But other responses from ChatGPT are hilarious non-sensical trash.  Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Evrim about how ChatGPT works, how it can spit out incredible knowledge and garbage at the same time and what the algorithms behind the AI are truly capable of.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many of us are glued to a device from the moment we wake up to the minute we go to sleep.  Not only are we clocking up huge amounts of screen time, but we're also interacting with some form of artificial intelligence for likely hours each day.  Kind of crazy, right? Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Evrim Yazgin about how many times a day we're interacting with AI in ways you might not even think about. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thankfully this is no Last of Us situation – that's the popular video game and TV series where a fungus turns humans into horrifying mushroom zombies.   Instead, the fungus discovered on Lord Howe Island off Australia's east coast poses a massive threat to a number of iconic plant species.   So, what is this fungus? Where did it come from? And what dangers does it pose to native plant species?  Dr Sophie Calabretto gets an update on the fungal outbreak at Lord Howe Island from Cosmos Magazine journalist Imma Perfetto.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Giant wombats and seven metre long lizards - not the stuff of nightmares, but real creatures that roamed Australia some 50,000 years ago. They're called megafauna and the majority of these big animals and mammals went extinct, although we're not sure exactly why.  Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Evrim Yazgin about the biggest and weirdest creatures that once walked the Earth, why they were so big and the theories around what wiped them out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most dentists say you should brush your teeth twice a day, so if you think about it, it's one of the most regular things we put in our mouths.  But how much do you know about the chemicals in your toothpaste? Cosmos Magazine journalist and resident chemistry expert Ellen Phiddian runs us through what's in your toothpaste and the tablets some claim can replace brushing altogether.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James Bond has had hundreds of zany gadgets over the years - but how many of them are actually real? Some completely defy the laws of physics but quite a few that seem like fantasy are actually legit. Cosmos Magazine journalist Matthew Agius separates fact from fiction when it comes to  gadgets and weaponry in the James Bond universe.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You might remember the chaos about a hole in the ozone layer back in the 1980s and 90s.  The protective layer above the Earth protecting us from harmful UV radiation that was being stripped away?  Well, now the hole is on its way to a full recovery! But humans have a knack for screwing things up and the ozone layer is no exception.  Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Ellen Phiddian about how we overcame this environmental hurdle and the latest threat that could catapult us right back to where we started. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They love street food scraps, they're often a bit mangled looking but they're also incredibly smart?  Research on pigeon intelligence has picked up serious speed these last few years that has found these birds have some serious brains.  Not only can they solve incredibly complex mathematics but in some cases they can even identify deadly tumors.   Dr Sophie Calabretto gets a pigeon intelligence blow-by-blow from Cosmos Magazine journalist Petra Stock.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The science around medicinal cannabis for the most part remains incomplete.  And for the conditions that it does help treat, it's often incredibly difficult to access. Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Imma Perfetto about the science behind medicinal cannabis, the conditions it's typically prescribed for and what the future looks like for Australia's medicinal cannabis industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apocalyptic melting glaciers, Jupiter and Saturn in a moon battle and whales resorting to violence - here are the science stories from February you might have missed.  Featuring Cosmos Magazine journalist Evrim Yazgin.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are HEAPS of other forensic methods we haven't been able to cover in this series.  And unfortunately, a whole bunch of them are nowhere near as reliable as you might think.   At times, they can be flat out inaccurate.  Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Jacinta Bowler about the unreliable forensic methods, how some have sent the wrong people to jail and even sentenced innocent people to death.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

DNA identification is one of the most powerful tools in forensic science.  it can pinpoint who was at a crime scene and even uncover who was behind the crime.  But how does it work? Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Matthew Agius about the power of DNA in forensics and how profiling has cracked open cold cases more than 50 years old.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Blood – it's a pretty standard part of a crime scene.   But what can bloodstains splattered across a room actually tell us about a crime?  And how granular can that detail get? Down to the very weapon that was used?  Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Ellen Phiddian about bloodstain pattern analysis and reconstructing gruesome events only using little red droplets.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When a body is discovered in an unusual place, how do we determine when that person died? Can we narrow the window down to minutes and seconds?  And why is time of death important in the world of forensics?  In Part 1 of our forensic science series, Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Jacinta Bowler about determining time of death, decomposing bodies and what clues these gruesome details can unlock.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

News of Asteroid 2023 BU floating past planet Earth in January was a fleeting story in the global news cycle. On top of that, we typically don't find out about asteroids floating super close to Earth until a few days before. That could explain why more us didn't hear about a big space object coming this close. Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Jacinta Bowler about how we discovery asteroids, how big 2023 US is and whether or not it poses any threat.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It might sound a bit random, but the cricket bat – yes, literally the bat you swing in the game – is under threat because of climate change.   This could mean big changes for the sport that well over a million Australians are registered to play and the millions more watch as fans.   Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Matthew Agius about the ways to save the cricket bat and how more of your favourite sports might be feeling the heat.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's so much new scientific research coming out it's hard to keep track let alone cover it all on The Science Briefing. So here are a few stories from last month we didn't get to talk about but think are well worth mentioning. Dr Sophie Calabretto chats to Cosmos Magazine journalist Imma Perfetto about a text writing algorithm taking the world by storm, lasers being shot at lightning and booger bubbles from echidna noses. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It might sound a bit weird, but cryptocurrencies – digital currencies that don't have a physical form like notes or coins – have a carbon footprint. This is because crypto requires a huge number of computers and energy to power its existence.   And Bitcoin is the biggest energy sucker.  Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Petra Stock about how the world's most famous cryptocurrency could be spewing out huge amounts of carbon into the atmosphere.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You know when you're watching tennis on the TV and one of the players calls a challenge, saying ‘hey! That shot was in!'  Then, an animation plays on your screen of a little virtual ball bouncing across a 3D court.   If you've ever wondered how they spit out this replay so fast, it's thanks to an incredibly precise technology called Hawk-eye.  But how does this tech work exactly? And just how accurate is it?  Dr Sophie Calabretto chats to Cosmos Magazine journalist Matthew Agius to find out and how Hawk-eye is even more sophisticated at this years Australian Open.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2022 was a tough year for many reasons and covid was still a big part of that.  Last year - three years into the pandemic - covid was responsible for around 12,000 deaths. Now the government is saying to truly reach the other side of the pandemic we must focus on immunity – meaning more vaccines and already having the virus will protect us.   But is this the case? Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Ellen Phiddian to find out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sitting down for dinner isn't so easy when you're floating around a spacecraft.  Not only is dining quite different in space but the food options for astronauts are much more limited.  Meals mostly come in tins, vacuum packs or protein pastes in squidgy tubes - but these can get boring fast, so researchers are brainstorming other options to keep astronauts and their tummies happy. Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Evrim Yazgin about space food and how long until we can start growing food in space.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We often think of penguins as waddling and tobogganing across the ice in Antarctica, but there are also colonies scattered across the south coast of Australia.  Some of these colonies are doing super well and despite all odds their population numbers are thriving and growing. But other colonies are really struggling, some on the brink of collapse.  Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Matthew Agius about why some little penguin colonies are performing better than others and what needs to change to help the species as a whole.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If last year was mammoth for space research and exploration, 2023 is gearing up to be even bigger. We've got planet rovers, trips to icy moons, crisper images of far away galaxies and stars - and that's just to name a few. Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Jacinta Bowler about their five top space stories for 2023 and asks you to make a note in your diary about the next rare hybrid eclipse!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia is decarbonising its energy systems at a faster rate than we anticipated.  And that's thanks to more and more renewable energy projects being thought up and signed off to start construction.  So what are some of the biggest projects coming out this year? And how will they reshape we power Australia? Cosmos Magazine journalist Ellen Phiddian joins Dr Sophie Calabretto to discuss what's making waves in energy in 2023 and the fast-track to a decarbonised Australia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.