The Science Show - Separate stories podcast

In 1972 Robyn Williams described the Apollo 17 mission for the radio audience. In 2026 Belinda Smith and Janicta Bowler presented the Artemis Explained podcast. Robyn and Belinda celebrate with gifts!

Rhonda Marriott supports Aboriginal families and provides science-based knowledge to women, empowering them during pregnancy and birthing.

When parasitic worms are absent, the immune system sometimes overreacts producing an autoimmune disease. New treatments based on hookworm secretions are showing promise.

DNA from viruses integrates with our own DNA and brings a range of impacts.

Chloe Kwan reflects on what turned her off as a young child and how science teaching for juniors might change to excite more students like her.

A nylon material that can harvest this kind of energy has been developed which is non-toxic, tough, and easy and cheap to make.

Belinda Smith speaks to a chemist about how improving nitrogen fertiliser efficiency not only reduces fertiliser waste, but also helps protects air and waterways.

In 2024, measles claimed an estimated 95,000 lives around the world – despite the fact that we have an effective, affordable vaccine. In Australia, at least 80 cases have been recorded this year. So is measles back?

Penny van Oosterzee argues carbon offsets work and can bring about positive results.

Experiments confirm increased carbon dioxide as is experienced everywhere now due to the burning of fossil fuels, does not stimulate enhanced growth of trees.

Paul Davies canvasses the many amazing applications being realised by quantum theory.

On one distant planet, where the temperature range is extreme, the atmosphere is composed of iron vapour. As the vapour condenses, drops of iron fall to the ground as iron rain.

Rogier Windhorst describes the impact of micro meteorites on space telescopes and possible replacements for both the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes.

Christina Slade, president of the Royal Society of NSW summarises the report's findings into research and development in Australia.

The main aim of NASA's Artemis program is to establish a permanent human presence on the Moon — so what will we eat? And can food be actually be grown there?You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science editor and presenter Jonathan Webb on the ABC Listen app (Australia). You'll find episodes on animal behaviour, human health, space exploration and so much more.Get in touch with us: labnotes@abc.net.auFeaturing:Matthew Gilliham, director the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space at Adelaide UniversityThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal and Menang Noongar people.

Humans have done experiments on animals for thousands of years — but animal testing has always been controversial because of the concerns for animal welfare. Recently, there have been more and more efforts to find alternatives to lab animals.So how is this quest going? What's on the horizon – and will we ever get rid of lab animals completely? You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science editor and presenter Jonathan Webb on the ABC Listen app (Australia). You'll find episodes on animal behaviour, human health, space exploration and so much more.Get in touch with us: labnotes@abc.net.auFeaturing:Darren Saunders, New South Wales deputy chief scientist and engineerThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal and Menang Noongar people.

Heat tolerance varies within seagrass species. Researchers are considering the practicalities of transplanting seagrasses to areas where plants have been impacted by heat.

Paul Davies tells the story of the iconic mathematical equation that spawned a new theory of nature – quantum mechanics.

The waves are produced when black holes or neutron stars merge.

A self-propelled robot moves through oil contaminated water cleaning up as it goes.

Ambitious Australia report suggests how to fix Australia's broken R&D sector

It's more than 50 years since humans went anywhere near the Moon — but that's about to change. After a series of delays, NASA's Artemis II mission is set to launch in early April. So what's the aim of the mission, where exactly are the astronauts headed, and why is it happening now?You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science editor and presenter Jonathan Webb on the ABC Listen app (Australia). You'll find episodes on animal behaviour, human health, space exploration and so much more.Get in touch with us: labnotes@abc.net.auFeaturing:  Jacinta Bowler, ABC science reporterExtra information:NASA delays Artemis II mission to the Moon, a day after flagging March launchFormer NASA engineer warns about heat shield on Artemis II moon missionThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal and Menang Noongar people.

Moss Piglet a science-based show for kids playing at the World Science Festival Brisbane, March 26-29 2026.

Ultra-processed food contains special carbohydrates to improve shelf life. They require special bacteria for digestion.

Pottery fragments reveal Australia's ancient Indigenous people interacted with other Pacific communities and produced their own pottery.

Seagrass meadows act as a fish nursery and large amounts of carbon become stored as sediment collects.

Two possums, which once lived in Australia and were thought to be extinct have been found in the Vogelkop Peninsular in Indonesian Papua. 

A fast-moving strain of influenza known as "Super-K" is circulating in Australia and has been driving up flu numbers around the world. Virologists are constantly tracking strains like this as they come and go. Professor Kirsty Short, shares her anxiety about the flu season ahead, as well as a surprising recent win — and a call to arms about vaccination.You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science editor and presenter Jonathan Webb on the ABC Listen app (Australia). You'll find episodes on animal behaviour, human health, space exploration and so much more.Get in touch with us: labnotes@abc.net.auFeaturing:Kirsty Short, virologist at University of QueenslandMore information:Australia's 2026 influenza vaccine rollout and the Super-K strainThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal and Menang Noongar people.

Madeleine Beekman argues for a new origin of language: the need to share childcare.

New technology is allowing long chains of DNA to be manipulated opening the door for the creation of new life forms. 

A 10% honey solution can stop growth of bacteria. And strong impacts on common fungal infections have also been observed.

Despite the move to sustainable fuel in F1 car racing, the fuel powering cars cannot be tracked easily, and only amounts to 1% of the energy cost in staging a race.

Australia has the highest melanoma rates in the world — but there's some good news for Aussie kids. The presence of moles is a strong predictor of melanoma and researchers in Queensland have found that the number of moles found on children's bodies has halved in recent decades.You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science editor and presenter Jonathan Webb on the ABC Listen app (Australia). You'll find episodes on animal behaviour, human health, space exploration and so much more.Get in touch with us: labnotes@abc.net.auFeaturing:  Nick Martin, human geneticist at the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research InstituteExtra information:Halving of Australian children's naevus counts during 1992-2016 and change in sun behaviourHopes for lower melanoma risk as study finds number of moles on children's bodies halved in 25 yearsThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal and Menang Noongar people.

Dr John Bolton, once of the Radiophysics Laboratory in the CSIRO to conduct secret research on radar for the military, also helped pioneer radio astronomy after the Second World War. He was invited to Caltech to show them how to build radio telescopes — but then resigned and returned to Australia to build the legendary Parkes Telescope. Guest Jonas Zmuidzinas  Professor of physics  Director of Caltech Optical Observatories  Caltech PresenterRobyn Williams

Harriet Brettle studied finance, had several varied jobs in leadership, and now heads the Keck Institute for Space Studies at Caltech. Like the “professor of everything” Bob May from Australia, who once combined his mathematical physics with the head of the Bank of England, Harriet can take risks with projects based on knowing both what's worthwhile scientifically and sensible financially. Guest Harriet Brettle Executive director of the Keck Institute for Space Studies Caltech PresenterRobyn Williams

Erik Petigura is a professor of physics and astronomy at UCLA who specialises in discovering planets smaller than giants like Neptune and bigger than Mars and Earth.Our Solar System has none of these intermediate planets, so what's the attraction?GuestErik PetiguraProfessor of physics and astronomy UCLA PresenterRobyn Williams

Once the stuff of science fiction, self-driving cars are now a common sight in some American cities.Robyn Williams rode in a robot taxi around Phoenix, Arizona.GuestKylie AhernScience publisher at STEM Matters and The BrilliantPresenterRobyn Williams

When raised lead levels were noticed in Los Angeles last year, Professor Francois Tissot, who usually examines the chemistry of asteroids, quickly saw that the fires that ravaged the region in January 2025 were to blame. He reveals the current extent of the concern and suggests Australia inspects its own burned regions too. Guest Francois Tissot Professor of geochemistry Caltech PresenterRobyn Williams

Major international airports in the Middle East have been closed this week due to the war with Iran, leaving hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded. So, what happens after a major airspace closure?How do pilots know where they should fly? And how long will it take to get things back to normal?You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science editor and presenter Jonathan Webb on the ABC Listen app (Australia). You'll find episodes on animal behaviour, human health, space exploration and so much more.Get in touch with us: labnotes@abc.net.auFeaturing:  Amy Briggs, science reporter Extra information:  Air travel may be disrupted by the Iran war for months. This is whyThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Wurundjeri and Menang Noongar people.

How do you establish a telescope? For Caltech astrophysicist Professor Jonas Zmuidzinas, the answer involves time, money, and incredibly sensitive detectors that can pick up everything from water in the dusty discs around young stars to galaxies in the far reaches of the Universe. 

Shortly after the Hubble Space Telescope launched in 1990, astronomers realised its primary mirror, designed to focus minute amounts of light from distant planets, stars and galaxies, had the wrong curve. 

A likely successor for Jane Goodall is Professor Cat Hobaiter, who's based at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. She told the AAAS audience of her finding the 6,000-year-old mummies of baboons in Egypt. But there are no wild baboons there — so where did those dead creatures come from?