The Science Show - Separate stories podcast

Max Lu, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Wollongong says yes. He presents his case.

Easy access to tropical forests via modern highways encourages rapid colonisation, land grabbers, illegal logging, illegal gold mining and animal poaching.  Is this progress?

Not a leftover of evolution but a marvel – Danielle Clode celebrates the enigmatic echidna.

Archaeologist Adam Brumm pieces together the story of a rare artefact, a fighting sword likely used by Southeast Asian pirates, which appeared in Brisbane perhaps via British naval hero Lord Horatio Nelson.

On an island full of trees, there can only be one that is the tallest. How did researchers in Taiwan manage to find the tallest tree in East Asia?This week, Jonathan Webb finds this out by speaking to Dr Rebecca Hsu, the lead researcher behind the project to find The Heaven Sword.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:Dr Rebecca Hsu, Taiwan Institute of ForestryFurther information:The journey of finding the tallest tree in Formosa TaiwanFinding and saving the world's biggest trees before they disappearThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Plants are more aware of their surroundings then we give them credit for. A growing body of work is showing that plants can change themselves in response to different sounds.Dr Samarth Kulshrestha, a molecular biologist from the University of Canterbury, is one of these researchers, looking at the mechanisms behind plant senses. 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:Dr Kulshrestha, University of Canterbury Further information:The secret sensory life of plants: researchers are discovering how they see, hear, feel – and even rememberPlants respond to leaf vibrations caused by insect herbivore chewingTuned in: plant roots use sound to locate waterThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

A panel discussion from the Australian National Maritime Museum explores the use of AI tools in ocean research.

Dame Bridget Ogilvie from Glen Innes in NSW was a renowned parasitologist and former director of the Wellcome Trust in the UK. She died in April.

Ever wondered how your sweater became bright orange, or how your leather shoes were made? Chances are, at some point in the process, hazardous chemicals like lead or azo dyes were used. Jonathan Webb speaks to Ellen Phiddian, science reporter with Radio National, about whether these chemicals are dangerous to us, and if we should be worried about them. 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:Ellen Phiddian, science reporterFurther information:Lead may contaminate our clothes but there's no requirement to test for itThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Birds on a US university campus have been seen to change in response to being fed. Evolution in front of our eyes. 

A cricket attends to a damaged antenna. Is that a true indication of pain?

Logging in the Daintree rainforest in Far North Queensland began in the 1890s. Recently it has been impacted by dairying. Susan Laurance describes the restoration underway.

Based on David Bodanis's book, E=mc2 The Musical introduces students and audiences to the human story behind the famous equation.

Rare variations exist making an IOC gene test for sex imperfect.

A new giant dinosaur has been uncovered in Thailand: the largest ever found in South-East Asia.More than 100 million years ago, Nagatitan towered over the Earth — and has now been described by a team of researchers from the UK and Thailand.  Jonathan Webb speaks with Thitiwoot Sethapanichsakul, a PhD student at University College London who was part of the team that discovered and named this prehistoric behemoth.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:Thitiwoot Sethapanichsakul, PhD student University College LondonFurther information:The first sauropod dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous Khok Kruat Formation of Thailand enriches the diversity of somphospondylan titanosauriforms in southeast AsiaThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

This month Sam Berkovic becomes the 21st president of the Australian Academy of Science. He chats with Robyn Williams about the challenges for science and the Academy.

Despite losing his vast garden to bushfire, Kingsley Dixon, like the environment, is resilient and is bouncing back.

Plants have devised a great many ways of exchanging genes, creating seed, and ensuring the continuation of each species. Chantelle Doyle introduces us to the wonderful world of pollination in its many forms.

Karen Laurie at CSL Seqirus describes the steps which would lead to vaccine manufacture.

Avian influenza H5N1 is leaving a heavy impact around Antarctica. It is now on Heard Island with fears it will be on Macquarie Island and before too long arrive in Australia.

The Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona has mapped five million extra galaxies. Could this, finally, solve the dark energy problem?

Belinda Smith reports on how science and research fare following the federal budget brought down this week by treasurer Jim Chalmers.

Stories of AI chatbot users drifting from our shared reality are increasingly common, often described as cases of AI delusions, delusional spirals, or AI psychosis.New research from Stanford University and the Human Line Project investigates the mechanisms behind these delusions, asking whether AI is making people more delusional or whether these chatbots are simply agreeing with delusional thinking.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:James Purtill, technology reporterFurther information:The Dynamics of Delusion: Modeling Bidirectional False Belief Amplification in Human-Chatbot DialogueCharacterizing Delusional Spirals through Human-LLM Chat LogsThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Professor of Sociology Stewart Lockie at James Cook University in Cairns says people with different expertise working together on reef conservation and restoration in northern Queensland are producing results. 

Since the 1940s, vaccines have been made using the eggs of chickens. A new process uses cells from a dog. Belinda Smith finds out more.

Winds are so fast on distant planets they'd blow your socks off.

Ian Chubb discusses the Ambitious Australia review he led into research in Australia.

We hear examples of a brilliant career and how the young David nearly failed his BBC television audition because “his teeth were too big!”

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is a vast current that helps move water and energy right around our planet, from top to bottom. Scientists say it is slowing down — and might stop altogether, with dire consequences for the global climate if it does. So how do major ocean currents work, why is it slowing down, and what will happen if it collapses?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:Laurie Menviel, climate researcher at UNSWThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal and Menang Noongar people.

Desmond Morris, the English zoologist, film and television producer and writer, has died at the age of 98. 

Chloe Kwan suggests ways in which science education can nurture and sustain interest in science for young people.

Australia lags behind most OECD countries when it comes to percentage of GDP spent on scientific research. Belinda Smith speaks to scientists impacted with a response from science minister Tim Ayres.

After almost 10 years, the Australian Academy of Science has farewelled its CEO, Anna-Maria Arabia. Might she become an ambassador for Australian science?

Michael Bird uses isotopes to construct the nation's environmental history and human practices over time such as Indigenous burning practices.

The Kimberley region is more than 2000 kilometres north of Western Australia's capital city, Perth. The area is both extremely remote and extremely beautiful. So why is it the proposed location for Australia's biggest "AI factory"? Why do we need this massive AI data centre? And are these factories likely to be built in other remote parts of Australia? 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:Jess Baker, ABC rural reporterMore information:Australia's biggest AI factory planned for remote WAThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal and Menang Noongar people.

Reese Halter says those determining our laws have very poor science literacy and are not heeding the urgency presented by climate change.

Chloe Kwan continues with her observations of science teaching for primary school students. 

In her Book Plotting the Oceans, Stories of Powerful Maps and their Makers, author Sarah Hamylton traces the intriguing stories of Charles Darwin, Hubert Wilkins, Marie Tharp and Terry Hughes.

Australia will not participate in the European Southern Observatory.

Australians were captivated by the recent Artemis II mission — and they're hungry for more. New YouGov polling reveals surging national interest in space exploration and its future.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:Brooke Schlesinger, associate director at YouGov AustraliaThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Kaurna and Menang Noongar people.

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.