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Embark on a captivating journey into the realm of space exploration as we unravel the remarkable story of Meganne Christian, a trailblazer whose unconventional path led her to the stars. With a degree in Engineering from UNSW Sydney, Meganne's path took her to the ends of the Earth as a scientist in Antarctica. From there she soared even higher, earning a coveted spot as an astronaut in reserve, with dreams of venturing into the cosmos. Hear Meganne in conversation with Aude Vignelles as they discuss her extraordinary journey as a reservist astronaut, the rigorous selection process, and both the physical and mental training required to be part of this elite group, as well as the importance of space research and its impact on our everyday lives.Presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas and UNSW Engineering as a part of National Science Week, and supported by the Powerhouse's Sydney Science Festival. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A major upside to the pandemic has been a falling back in love with the natural world as people, confined to their homes, see their local landscapes through reinvigorated eyes. Birdwatching, and the citizen science of the backyard bird count, is booming. So close, yet so far, these enigmatic creatures inspire the awe and affection of fans, who passionately lobby for their bird of the year and diligently record millions of informational gems in birdwatching apps. But the news is not all good. As scientists and amateurs document worrying declines in bird populations, from climate change and development, there's never been a more vital time to talk about what birds mean to us and what we can do to protect them. Join this lively panel discussion, hosted by Ann Jones, presenter of the ABC's What the Duck?!, in conversation with ecologist Richard Kingsford, writer and birdwatcher Sean Dooley, and bestselling author Charlotte McConaghy, and you'll certainly be among friends. Find out why people love birds so much, how this love grew during the pandemic and why taking action to protect birds is more important than ever. This event is presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas and UNSW Science as part of National Science Week and Sydney Science Festival. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How can we make a Blue New Deal? Healthy oceans are fundamental to a healthy planet. From phytoplankton, the tiny ocean plants that produce the oxygen we breathe, to the rich diversity of other ocean plants and creatures, we depend on our oceans to survive and thrive. But our oceans are both under threat and pose a threat. Pollution, overfishing and the destruction of coral reefs are killing them from within, while the impacts of climate change – rising sea levels and storm surges – are transforming the ocean from friend to foe for the many millions who live on the coast. Globally-renowned ocean defender Dr Ayana Elizabeth Johnson is clear: saving the oceans is key to fighting the climate crisis. Join us for a conversation between Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and leading Australian marine scientist Emma Johnston. They will explore how these issues are playing out in Australia and internationally, the future of the oceans in the age of climate change, how to mobilise support for a Blue New Deal and how women leaders are pioneering global climate action. This event is presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas and UNSW Science, and the Powerhouse Museum for the 2021 Sydney Science Festival. Supported by Inspiring Australia as a part of National Science Week.
Shari L. Forbes is the Canada 150 Research Chair in Forensic Thanatology at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR). She is the Director of the first human taphonomy facility in Canada for Recherche en Sciences Thanatologiques [Expérimentales et Sociales], also referred to as REST[ES]. She is an advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) and has a deep commitment to the implementation of EDI values in academia. She has encouraged young adults to become engaged in science through her roles as an Ambassador for the Sydney Science Festival, the National Youth Science Forum, and Science Rendezvous.Prof. Forbes' research investigates the chemical processes that occur in soft tissue decomposition. Her research aims to increase the knowledge base relating to decomposition chemistry to identify an accurate biochemical signature for estimating time since death. She has studied these processes in terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric environments throughout Australia, Canada and the USA. Her current research focuses on identifying an accurate chemical profile of decomposition odour using advanced chemical instrumentation. Her research assists police canine units to enhance their training protocols for cadaver-detection dogs deployed to forensic and mass disaster investigations. Her expertise is regularly requested to assist police with locating and recovering buried or concealed evidence, including human remains, drugs, explosives, weapons, and currency. [biography taken from Shariforbes.com]Audio played:"What happens to your body after you die" by Science Insider"The Story of Ada Lovelace" produced by the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET)"Visiting the Brewarrina First Traps" produced by Now-ness.
Support In Situ Science on Patreon SPECIAL GUEST: Isabelle Kingsley (UNSW) From school teacher, to science communicator, to events producer, and now researcher, Isabelle Kingsley has spent her career spanning widely different areas of science education and outreach. She founded the Sydney Science Festival in 2015 which has grown into an annual festival attended by over 80,000 people. While she was running the Sydney Science Festival she began to wonder what sort of educational impact public science events actually have. This inspired her to undertake her PhD at the University of New South Wales where she is developing methods to quantify what people actually learn from public science events. Despite the proliferation of science communication and outreach across the world we actually don’t know how effective these initiatives are at increasing science literacy and comprehension. Isabelle’s work will help improve the efforts of science communicators and educators and help make science engagement more effective into the future. Visit Isabelle’s website to find out more or follow her research and outreach journey on Twitter and Instagram @isabellekingsley Find out more at www.insituscience.com Follow us on Twitter @insituscience Follow us on Instagram Like us on Facebook Music: ‘Strange Stuff’ by Sonic Wallpaper - www.sonicwallpaper.bandcamp.com
Live from the Django Bar Support In Situ Science on Patreon In Situ Science returned to the Django Bar to celebrate National Science Week and the Sydney Science Festival. This year we we’re joined by Cameron Webb (USyd and NSW Health), Katherina Petrou (UTS), Fonti Kar (UNSW) and Samuel Bannister (USyd) who shared stories about everything from studying marine algae in Antarctic sea ice, to fishing for komodo dragons with giant genetically engineered mosquitos. We asked our panel important questions about careers in science such as ‘do you have a plan B’ and ‘whats the weirdest thing you have been bitten by?’ We discovered a range of new scientific terms including ‘bum snorkels’ and ‘Devil’s lettuce’ and once again we tested the wits and wisdom of our panel with a ‘guess that ology’ quiz. Katherina Petrou was named smartest scientist of the night and took home one of our much sought after In Situ Science trophies. Thanks to the Django Bar for having us back once again and to our amazing Sydney Science Festival Volunteers. Find out more at www.insituscience.com Follow us on Twitter @insituscience Follow us on Instagram Like us on Facebook Music: ‘Strange Stuff’ by Sonic Wallpaper - www.sonicwallpaper.bandcamp.com
Find out more about the Innovation Games, a free science event held in the heart of Sydney Olympic Park as part of National Science Week and the Sydney Science Festival. Hosted by Ben Newsome from Fizzics Education About the Innovation Games Part of Sydney Science Festival in National Science Week, The Innovation Games is a free event held in Sydney Olympic Park that is full of ways to taste, touch and see science and technology in action! A variety of exhibits, shows, hands-on workshops and more are available to the public for people to connect with researchers, science organisations & technology companies to learn more about how science is relevant in our everyday lives. About the FizzicsEd Podcast With interviews with leading science educators and STEM thought leaders, this science education podcast is about highlighting different ways of teaching kids within and beyond the classroom. It's not just about educational practice & pedagogy, it's about inspiring new ideas & challenging conventions of how students can learn about their world! https://www.fizzicseducation.com.au/ Know an educator who'd love this STEM podcast episode? Share it! The FizzicsEd podcast is a member of the Australian Educators Online Network (AEON ) http://www.aeon.net.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We are heading into a world where robots will be an increasingly important part of our lives. This won't just have an impact on the future of work, but on the future of everything. What will it mean if robots are our toys, our pets, our friends and our partners? If robots can be everything from carers to warriors, what does this mean not just for human lives, but for the way we understand human intelligence, human values, and humanity itself? If we want technology to create a better future for people all over the world, what do we need to do right now to make sure that we can steer these extraordinary developments in the right direction and avoid a dystopian future? Hear from a panel of experts including Toby Walsh, Scientia Professor of Artificial Intelligence at UNSW; Ellen Broad, Head of Policy at the Open Data Institute; and Hae Won Park, research scientist in the Personal Robots Group at MIT Media Lab. This is a Sydney Science Festival event, part of National Science Week, and co-presented with the Sydney Opera House.
0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:04:30 Kate Browne Kate is an investigative journalist and leader of the news team at CHOICE. She is also known as 'The Gulty Mum' from the ABC TV show 'The Checkout' and will be the M.C. for the upcoming Skepticon in October. https://www.choice.com.au/authors/kate-browne https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcnP8uT1FzoUVv3WOpQDFNlU_YmVszNoP 0:14:33 Maynard's Spooky Action.... The launch of Science Week #2 Maynard heads to Australian Museum to attend the launch of Science Week 2018. Interviews with Dr Karl Kruszelnicki - All round Science Communicator http://drkarl.com/ Catherine Polcz - Program Producer (Science) Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences - producer of the Sydney Science Festival. https://catherinepolcz.com/ 0:27:10 Interview with Alethea Dean from Australian Skeptics Over a coffee or two, Alethea tells us of some of the people lined up for Skepticon 2018. Also news about a possible crèche and sign language interpreter at the convention. https://convention.skeptics.com.au 0:34:00 Speed Meet the Scientists at the Powerhouse Museum #1 This week, interviews with... Dr Camilla Hoyos - Sleep researcher https://woolcock.org.au/sleep-research Amelie Vanderstock - Ecologist https://www.crosspollinating.org/ Dr Alexandra Thomson - Marine Ecologist and Biogeochemist https://www.uts.edu.au/ Frankie Lee - Event Coordinator Cara Van Der Wal - Marine biologist https://sydney.edu.au/science/people/cara.vanderwal.168.php 0:49:22 Mrs Mac and Morse Code Our Canberra reporter Kevin Davies chats to author David Dufty about Florence Violet McKenzie OBE. Affectionately known as "Mrs Mac", she was Australia's first female electrical engineer, founder of the Women's Emergency Signalling Corps and lifelong promoter for technical education for women. The Secret Code-Breakers of Central Bureau: how Australia’s signals-intelligence network helped win the Pacific War https://tinyurl.com/ycemoee7
LIVE AT THE CAMELOT LOUNGE!!! Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a scientist? Do they really wear lab coats? Are they really all timid nerds, like in the movies? All these questions and more were answered at In Situ Science's annual Life Vs Science live podcast recording. Each year we celebrate National Science Week and the Sydney Science Festival with a live podcast at the Camelot Lounge in Sydney's inner west. This wear we we're joined by Dieter Hochuli (USyd), Michael Kasumovic (UNSW), Naomi Koh Belic (UTS) and Sophie Calabretto (MQ) who regaled the audience with tales of their favourite fluids, fatty uber deliveries, Fortnite parenting strategies and the multiple-hat wearing community. We topped off the night by crowning a science champion with a 'Name that Effect' quiz. Thanks to the Camelot Lounge for having us and to everyone who came along on the night, it was an amazing event! Find out more at www.insituscience.com Follow us on twitter @insituscience Follow us on Instagram http://instagram.com/insituscience Like us on Facebook Music: ‘Strange Stuff’ by Sonic Wallpaper - www.sonicwallpaper.bandcamp.com
Professor Geraint Lewis takes us on a cosmic journey through space and time, through galactic collisions and hyperactive black holes, and onto the death of the last star. A Sydney Ideas event held on Thursday 16 August, as part of 2018 Sydney Science Festival. https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/sydney-ideas/2018/the-end-of-time-the-future-history-of-the-universe.html
Hear from a panel of experts responding to the question: How will cellular therapy, immunotherapy, personalised medicine, and the use of big data impact cancer treatments? A Sydney Ideas event held at Westmead Institute for Medical Research (WIMR) on Monday 13 August, as part of Sydney Science Festival. https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/sydney-ideas/2018/the-future-of-cancer-can-we-find-a-cure.html TIME STAMPS Professor Roger Reddel (introduction): 1:00 - 5:05 Professor Anna DeFazio: 5:25 - 16:20 Dr Matteo Carlino: 17:00 - 28:30 Dr Kenneth Micklethwaite: 42:50 - 52:20 Professor Roger Reddel (on big data and closing remarks): 42:50 - 52:20
An and Ellery take a very loose, very casual look at the Sydney Science Festival 2018 in anticipation of National Science Week.Get out there and enjoy #ssf18 !!!Contact us at @alumnotyet or get a hold of Ellery @pelagicjohnson
Sydney Science Festival Wuxiaoqin Interview - 为期13天的2018年悉尼科学节将於8月7日星期二至8月19日星期天举行,悉尼各区多个场馆在此期间将成为科学与技术的摇滚殿堂。不分年龄老幼,每个人都有机会体验实践科学的魔幻魅力。悉尼各区90多个场馆将举办200多场主题活动,当今科学界部份最伟大的思想家们将在悉尼汇聚一堂。悉尼科学节已经踏入四周年,是全国科学周活动的一部份。本台记者陈艺舒采访了澳大利亚注册中医师武晓勤,她将在科学节上作出关于中医针灸研究的讲座。 首先她和我们分享了科学周在澳大利亚举办的意义。
An and Ellery take a very loose, very casual look at the Sydney Science Festival 2018 in anticipation of National Science Week.Get out there and enjoy #ssf18 !!!Contact us at @alumnotyet or get a hold of Ellery @pelagicjohnson
All about museum education and the thoughts behind public exhibitions at the Australian Museum! Ellie Downing is the Manager for Science Engagement and Events at the Australian Museum and has been involved in science engagement and content creation for many years in the museum sector. Listen in as we chat during the busy lead up to the Australian Museum Science Festival. About Ellie Downing Managing the Science Engagements and Events (SEE) team at the Australian Museum, Ellie helps deliver a suite of events and activities within the museum as well as beyond through the Sydney Science Festival, Science on the Road outreach initiatives and other education events. Ellie also is heavily in community science engagement and is the current secretary for the Australian Citizen Science Association's (ACSA) Management Committee whose mission is to advance citizen science through advocacy, collaboration, sharing of knowledge and capacity building. More information Australian Museum https://australianmuseum.net.au/ Check out the 2018 Sydney Science Festival https://sydneyscience.com.au/2018/ Australian Citizen Science Association https://citizenscience.org.auAbout the FizzicsEd Podcast With interviews with leading science educators and STEM thought leaders, this science education podcast is about highlighting different ways of teaching kids within and beyond the classroom. It's not just about educational practice & pedagogy, it's about inspiring new ideas & challenging conventions of how students can learn about their world! https://www.fizzicseducation.com.au/Know an educator who'd love this STEM podcast episode? Share it! The FizzicsEd podcast is a member of the Australian Educators Online Network (AEON ) http://www.aeon.net.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Sydney Science Festival celebrates and showcases Sydney's diverse and multidisciplinary science and innovation community through a program of talks by world-leading researchers, hands-on workshops, exhibitions and family events exploring all areas of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM). Today we speak with the event producers, Catherine Polcz, the Program Producer (Science) from the Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences and Ellie Downing, the Manager for Science Engagement and Events at the Australian Museum. Hosted by Ben Newsome from Fizzics Education. About the Sydney Science Festival Through strengthening the ties between scientists and the communities they serve, Sydney Science Festival empowers audiences and helps create an active, engaged and informed Sydney. The Festival aims to encourage an interest in science among the general public and young people and provides opportunities to highlight Sydney's scientific credentials and foster partnerships between the community, research organisations and industry. Part of National Science Week, Sydney Science Festival is produced by the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences and Australian Museum with support and funding from Inspiring Australia. More information Register for the 2018 Sydney Science Festival https://sydneyscience.com.au/2018/register/About the FizzicsEd Podcast With interviews with leading science educators and STEM thought leaders, this science education podcast is about highlighting different ways of teaching kids within and beyond the classroom. It's not just about educational practice & pedagogy, it's about inspiring new ideas & challenging conventions of how students can learn about their world! https://www.fizzicseducation.com.au/Know an educator who'd love this STEM podcast episode? Share it! The FizzicsEd podcast is a member of the Australian Educators Online Network (AEON ) http://www.aeon.net.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Professor Lisa Harvey-Smith is a television presenter, live stage host, speaker and MC with an extensive knowledge of astronomy and physics. She has performed in sold-out theatres across Australia with science superstar Neil deGrasse Tyson and Apollo astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Gene Cernan. She has appeared at the World Science Festival, Vivid Ideas, Sydney Mardi Gras and the Sydney Science Festival. Lisa was a presenter on ABC Stargazing Live and appeared as a guest on BBC Stargazing Live. She has appeared in numerous documentary series including Brian Cox: Life Of A Universe and ABC television's Todd Sampson's Life on the Line. Show links: Do Farts Smell in Space? (with astronaut Captain Gene Cernan) Guest links: Follow Professor Lisa on Facebook! Follow Professor Lisa on Twitter! And/or visit her website!
Meet Isabelle Kingsley, a former science teacher who previously ran the Sydney Science Festival as well as adult programming at the Museum of Applied Arts Museum in Sydney. She is now a researcher in science communication at the University of NSW. In this episode, we talk about the importance of scientific literacy and value of allowing students to explore their learning through guided long-term science projects.Top 3 learnings Project-based learning works! Find ways to get students into longer-term projects that allow them to deep dive into a specific area of study. Be a facilitator in the classroom whereby you let students drive their own learning wherever possible. Let them explore, question, fail, succeed and create… they'll be better off in the long run! Just be sure to create a safe classroom environment and your students will undoubtedly grow as learners. Be firm with your guidance as a teacher and become more relaxed as the year progresses. You can make a highly inclusive and engaging classroom environment whilst ensuring that students learn boundaries and what's appropriate in your classroom.About Isabelle Kingsley After being a high school science teacher for four years, Isabelle has worked in the field of informal science education and science outreach at various cultural institutions in Canada and Australia. Isabelle has produced and managed multiple science education initiatives including National Science and Technology Week (Canada), Ultimo Science Festival and the Mars Lab, a world-class STEM education program located at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney. In her current role at the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Isabelle runs the Sydney Science Festival, an annual festival that engages people of all ages in celebrating and appreciating science. Isabelle has recently embarked on a PhD at the University of New South Wales in the Faculty of Science. Her research aims to understand and measure the effectiveness of informal science education in achieving its objectives of improving people's understanding, attitudes and perceptions of science.About the FizzicsEd Podcast With interviews with leading science educators and STEM thought leaders, this science education podcast is about highlighting different ways of teaching kids within and beyond the classroom. It's not just about educational practice & pedagogy, it's about inspiring new ideas & challenging conventions of how students can learn about their world!Know an educator who'd love this episode? Share it! If something grabbed your attention in this STEM podcast please leave your thoughts below. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
LIVE PODCAST RECORDING: SYDNEY SCIENCE FESTIVAL Being a scientist is not just a profession, it is a way of life. It is the searing agony you feel when you find inaccuracies in science fiction movies. It is checking your pedometer hourly, not because you have to, but because you want to. The Sydney Science Festival 2017 rocked on from the 10th to the 20th of August. During this time, In Situ Science hosted “Life vs Science” a live podcast recording at The Camelot Lounge in Sydney. A wonderful audience filled the air with laughter as they learnt about science ‘behind-the-scenes’ from Jim Fishwick, Shane Hengst, Leigh Nicholson, James O’Hanlon and Alice Williamson. This diverse panel of scientists delved into the types of research they are currently doing, early inspirations and pet peeves as scientists and closed the night with questions from the audience. Questions include science stereotypes, the biology of the leaf and how we should deal with climate change deniers. So, join us for the highlights of the night! Follow us on Twitter @insituscience Follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/insituscience/ Check out our fortnightly podcast https://insituscience.com/category/podcast/ Music: “Strange Stuff” by Sonic Wallpaper – www.sonicwallpaper.bandcamp.com Mixed and Edited by Jim Fishwick
Join visiting philosophers Jonathan Tallant (University of Nottingham, UK) and Elay Shech (Auburn University, USA) in a conversation with Associate Professor Kristie Miller from the University of Sydney, as they discuss what implications contemporary physics has for our understanding of time, and how philosophers are engaging with cutting-edge physical theories in their attempts to understand time. A Sydney Ideas and the Centre for Time event held on 10 August 2017 as part of Sydney Science Festival for National Science Week: http://sydney.edu.au/sydney_ideas/lectures/2017/sydney_science_festival_2017_the_physics_and_philosophy_of_time.shtml
Science used to be 'natural philosophy'; but Francis Bacon and the scientific revolution of the 16th and 17th centuries saw a parting of ways. Many scientists now consider philosophy to be largely irrelevant; while many philosophers consider science – particularly theoretical physics – to have lost its grip on reality. Exactly where, they ask, are all those ‘parallel universes’? It’s time for scientists and philosophers to get together and have a long chat…Tibor Molnar explores some of the issues they need to chat about. A Sydney Ideas and Department of Philosophy event held on 17 August 2017 as part of Sydney Science Festival for National Science Week: http://sydney.edu.au/sydney_ideas/lectures/2017/sydney_science_festival_2017_tibor_molnar.shtml
0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:05:22 Look out! Total Solar Eclipse 2017 Evan Bernstein from the Skeptics Guide to the Universe joins us to talk about the upcoming eclipse. Evan also notes the 10 year anniversary since the passing of Perry DeAngelis. https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_July_22,_2028 0:18:00 Brew Ha Ha: Science in less time than it takes to order a coffee With Kelly Wong In the green corner: South Australia's newly announced solar thermal power plant. In the black corner: Queensland's proposed coal mine. Which form of energy production will triumph? We know where we're placing our bets https://www.australiascience.tv/vod/brew-ha-ha-australias-energy-showdown 0:19:42 The Raw Skeptic Report... with Heidi Robertson While at the recent Star Stuff Astronomy weekend, Heidi met John who has touching story to tell of the struggle of his late son. A cautionary message for us all about the dangers of not vaccinating. https://campaigns.health.gov.au/immunisationfacts 0:31:44 Maynard's Spooky Action.... Maynard at Sydney Science Festival, live from the Powerhouse Museum Interviews with... Yarra the Diamond Python https://taronga.org.au Dr Jodi Rowley http://jodirowley.com Dr Joanne Ocock http://www.csu.edu.au/research/ilws/team/profiles/adjuncts/jo-ocock Dr Rebecca Swanson http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/news?search=Hunter%20river%20reports https://sydneyscience.com.au/2017 Also... Richard Saunders and Tim Medham - late night radio segment http://www.2gb.com/?s=Skeptics Maynard and Bunga Bunga maynard.com.au CSI Con - Las Vagas http://csiconference.org European Skeptics Congress - Wroclaw http://euroscepticscon.org QED - Manchester qedcon.org Skepticon Sydney http://www.skeptics.com.au
CrowdScience heads to the Sydney Science Festival in Australia where, from a special event at The Powerhouse Museum, we reveal answers to questions listeners have been sending in such as: What living thing has the most toxic venom? What is déjà vu? And why do our fingers wrinkle in the bath? To tackle our listeners’ questions about life, Earth and the universe, presenter Marnie Chesterton is joined by four special guests who will bring the good, weird and bemusing from the world of science to the stage. Prof Shari Forbes, Professor in Forensic Science at the University of Technology Sydney,aims to help police and forensic teams establish a more precise time of death in missing person and homicide cases. Dr Katie Mack is an astrophysicist at the University of Melbourne. Her work focuses on finding new ways to learn about the early universe and fundamental physics using astronomical observations. Dr Jonathan Webb runs the science unit at ABC RN. He is also a former neuroscientist and a former science reporter for BBC News in London. Dr Alice Williamson is a chemistry lecturer and researcher at The University of Sydney. She hosts a weekly science segment, Up and Atom on FBi Radio in Sydney, co-hosts RN’s Dear Science, and is a regular guest on Dr Karl's Shirtloads of Science podcast. Do you have a question we can turn into a programme? Email us at crowdscience@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producer: Marijke Peter and Jen Whyntie (Image: Koala in tree Credit: Getty Images)
Dr Alice Williamson is riding the Sydney Science Festival wave at the moment, and she had a couple of huge stories for Lucy this morning. Scientists have worked out how and why goldfish are using alcohol to survive icy winters (yes, really), and thanks to some big advances in gene editing, we may be one step closer to transplanting pig organs into humans and saving thousands of lives.
To celebrate National Science Week in Australia, we all got together under the umbrella of the Sydney Science Festival to have a fun night called SquizCo – in other words, Science Plus Quiz = Comedy. We had two teams of top-notch scientists battling it out in an Arena of Knowledge and Wits under the watchful eye of host and fellow Sleek Geek Adam Spencer, with Dr Karl as the Brains Trust.
With the Sydney Science Festival and National Science Week upon us, Dr Alice Williamson filled Lucy in on some amazing research from two women killing it in Australian science. Professor Shari Forbes is a forensic chemist and professor at UTS, and she's the lead researcher and coordinator of Australia's first body farm, where she's studing human decomposition and capturing the smell of death. She's presenting a keynote called Cracking the World of Forensics for the Sydney Science Festival. Masters student and Kamilaroi woman Karlie Noon is the first Indigenous person on the East coast of Australia to attain degrees in mathematics and physics. She's currently studying a joint Masters of Astronomy and Astrophysics (Advanced), and on top of that is doing research into weather predictions used by Indigenous Australians with Indigenous astronomer, Duane Hamacher. In particular, she's been looking at moon haloes, how they've been used for centuries to predict storms, and how modern science backs it all up. She's giving a keynote address at Indigenous Sciences: A Second Symposium... of Sorts.
An exclusive Sydney Science Festival presentation by acclaimed science writer Dava Sobel. In conversation with Jessica Bloom, a young University of Sydney astrophysics PhD student, Dava speaks of her love for science and what it took for a women to break through. Presented as part of the Sydney Ideas program on 9 August, 2017: http://sydney.edu.au/sydney_ideas/lectures/2017/sydney_science_festival_2017_dava_sobel.shtml?cid=em_si-news
Professor Mark Dadds from the Sydney Child Behaviour Research Clinic at the University of Sydney covers some of the current scientific evidence behind the building blocks of evidence-based parenting interventions: including rewards, punishment, and attachment. A Sydney Ideas event for Sydney Science Festival 2016.
The most common causes of death in Australia are chronic non-communicable diseases related to lifestyle. Despite great improvements in treatments and outcomes, more Australians are developing diseases like type 2 Diabetes than ever before, and the total cost to the health system of diabetes alone is around $15bn per year. How do these illnesses interact? What are the factors associated with increased risk of chronic illness, and what can we do to reduce our risk? And what can scientists, health care providers and our community as a whole do to reduce the risk, and the cost, for the benefit of everyone? For our second Sydney Ideas, Westmead we brought together a panel of leading Westmead researchers to discuss the latest science of this healthcare crisis. Listen to Professor Jacob George, Associate Professor Germaine Wong and Professor Ngai Wah Cheung in conversation with Professor Chris Liddle, as they discuss their research and take audience questions on chronic non-communicable diseases related to lifestyle. Co-presented with the Westmead Institute for Medical Research for Sydney Science Festival 2016.
The Grandmother Hypothesis aims to explain why increased longevity evolved in humans, while female fertility still ends at the same age it does in our closest evolutionary cousins, the great apes. Beginning with ethnographic surprises that drew us to pay attention to grandmothering in the first place, Kristen Hawkes will show how, in addition to human life history, grandmothering can help explain the precocious sociality of human infants and our distinctive appetite for mutual understanding as well as patterns of male competition and pair bonding. Crucial evidence about human evolution continues to come from the expanding fossil and archaeological records, paleoecology, and increasingly genomics. But comparisons between us and our primate cousins, coupled with formal modelling by Peter Kim and his mathematical biology group at the University of Sydney, are proving to be an especially valuable way to explore evolutionary connections between grandmothering and an array of distinctive human features. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Professor Kristen Hawkes is a Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at the University of Utah. Her principal research interests are evolutionary ecology of hunter-gatherers and human evolution. She is a member of the Scientific Executive Committee of the Leakey Foundation, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the US National Academy of Sciences.