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The Science Show

The Science Show gives Australians unique insights into the latest scientific research and debate, from the physics of cricket to prime ministerial biorhythms.

ABC Australia

And genetics reveals further details of a great friendship story – humans and dogs.

Paul Nurse and assessing the health of Australian trees

Your phone battery doesn't like being fully charged or discharged. This is why it's sometimes advised that to extend its life, you shouldn't charge your phone beyond 80 per cent, or let it drop below 20 per cent.But what's actually happening inside a lithium-ion battery to cause this effect, and what does it mean for battery engineering — and the life of the battery in your phone, or your electric car?Jonathan Webb powers through the chemistry of batteries with Professor Neeraj Sharma.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:Professor Neeraj Sharma, University of New South WalesThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Lab Notes: Why you shouldn't leave your phone charging

Millions, perhaps billions of sharks teeth lie on the ocean floor. Valuable mineral deposits collect on their fossilised remains. Now they are viewed as a resource and if exploited devastation will come to an little known ecosystem.

Deep sea nodules, ideas in ecology, and three brilliant scientists not always on the money

Deep in an old gold mine in South Dakota, scientists witnessed a flash of energy in a giant pool of xenon. Some in the astronomical community are pretty excited, saying this is our best hint yet at what dark matter is. How do we know, why does it matter — and what happens next?Jonathan Webb shines a light on dark matter with Dr Theresa Fruth, who was involved in the potential discovery.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 Theresa Fruth, University of SydneyFurther information:'Exciting hint' of dark matter spotted by LUX-ZEPLIN detector, physicists reportSearch for dark matter particle interactions in an extended nuclear recoil energy window with the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experimentThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Lab Notes: Have we found dark matter?

Plus the tree bark which hosts a whole world of methane-absorbing microbes.

The big cats that stalked early humans and why ancient concrete outlasts the modern stuff

AI is getting so good at maths that it is now tackling, and apparently solving, some of the hardest mathematical problems that exist. But as huge companies like OpenAI and Anthropic race to outdo each other, human mathematicians are getting caught in the crossfire... and their field is changing forever. Jonathan Webb speaks to ABC AI Technology Reporter Cam Wilson about the furore over the Navier-Stokes equations and the million-dollar Millennium Prize.Featuring:Cam Wilson, AI Reporter at ABC.Professor Tristan Buckmaster, Mathematician at New York University.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.auThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal and Kaurna people.

Lab Notes: The AI maths wars

And botanists intervene to save a plant that may have become sterile

AI boost for people with dyslexia and how algorithms shape what we read

It's been three months since the first case of bird flu was found on the Australian continent.Many cases have been found in birds since then, along with other mammals. So where has it spread? And what can we expect to see as spring and summer arrive?Jonathan Webb speaks with Peter de Kruijff, who's been following bird flu since the very beginning.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:Peter de Kruijff, environment reporterThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Lab Notes: Where could bird flu go next?

The Science Show gives Australians unique insights into the latest scientific research and debate.

As fire ravages the Northern Hemisphere, is Australia ready for a record-breaking El Niño? And why optimists live longer than pessimists

Most people know the feeling of ticklishness, whether it's the tickle attacks that bring about uncontrollable laughter or the feather-like touch from something brushing against your skin.But why do we feel ticklish? Can we stop it? And why did we — and all our ape cousins — evolve this sensation?Jonathan Webb speaks to Dr Anina Rich to explore the science of this everyday experience.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 Anina Rich, Macquarie UniversityFurther information:Human ticklishness is a widespread, culturally shared and bodily organized sensory experienceThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Lab Notes: Why are we ticklish?

Dust storms on Mars make the biggest on Earth seem like a gentle breeze. Chelsea Huang describes the Martian conditions which produce humungous dust storms that cover the entire planet. 

A moon beyond our Solar System, dust storms on Mars and questioning of reality

These little spiders that live in the dark corner of your garage have a pretty crazy sex life. Researchers have known for a while that male redback spiders get eaten during sex — but not only that, they somersault themselves right onto the fangs of the female.Considering the ultimate aim of this process is to create more spiders , this seems pretty counterintuitive. So it begs the question: why do they do it?Jonathan Webb and Ellen Phiddian get caught up in the science of this act, discussing what researchers have uncovered in the genes of the redback spider and its relatives.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:Male redback spider's dramatic death somersault during sex coded in its DNACrossing experiments suggest a simple genetic basis of complex male self-sacrifice phenotypes in widow spidersThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Lab Notes: The redback sex-death somersault

Plus hope for corals, and the story of a museum thief who liked butterflies.

The debate over who should be in the genus Homo, and the trailblazing botanical illustrators, Harriet and Helena Scott

Right now, a high-stakes mission is underway to save NASA's Swift telescope before it falls back to Earth.There's just one problem… the rescue satellite has run into some issues. So who rescues the rescuer?Jonathan Webb and Dr Sara Webb launch into this issue to see what scientists are doing to get this satellite back on track, and whether it can save Swift in time.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.Editor's note: the day after this episode was published, Australian time, NASA announced that its plan to boost the Swift Observatory was being abandoned because of ongoing issues controlling the pointing of the LINK spacecraft. It will still test out "rendesvous and proximity operations" which might provide useful results for similar missions in the future, but will not attempt to grab and lift the telescope as planned.Get in touch with us: labnotes@abc.net.auFeaturing:Dr Sara Webb, Swinburne University of TechnologyThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Lab Notes: The 'Hail Mary' effort to rescue a telescope

* The attraction of smelly feet * Plants that trap insects* Pollen grains reveal Australia's first flowering plants* Vale botanist Peter Raven* Australians smashing it at CERN

How nematodes love smelly feet, plants that trap insects, Australians at CERN and vale Peter Raven

The last days of winter are here and already you may be seeing flowers blooming around you. Why is that? How do flowers know when to bloom, and is it always around springtime?Jonathan Webb digs into these questions with Dr Greg Moore to try and uncover the mechanisms behind flowering plants.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 Greg Moore, The University of MelbourneFurther information:What is Australia's most amazing Wildflower? Vote nowDinosaur Died. No flowers at funeralThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Lab Notes: How do flowers know when to bloom?

* Mathematics as the basis of western musical harmony and how J. S. Bach loved numbers* Victoria's first dark matter detector fires up* Hurdles for new battery technology* Vale Bill Oddie

Dark Matter search from inner Melbourne, Gelion update, Bach and maths and vale Bill Oddie

It's census time, which means lots of us are about to submit personal information via the Internet.Whether it's the ABS or your favourite online shop — how safe is our data in an era when AI models have shown they can hack companies without even being asked to?Jonathan Webb opens a back door to this new normal of cybersecurity with Professor Toby Murray.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:Professor Toby Murray, The University of MelbourneThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Lab Notes: In an era of AI hacking, how safe is the census?

* Fluorescent sensors bring cell contents to life* Plotting the Oceans: Stories of Powerful Maps and Their Makers* Animal senses that work as well in water as on land* Mushroom Day: A Story of 24 Hours and 24 Fungal Lives* Descend two kilometres underground to the cleanest lab on Earth

Looking inside cells, and how seals hear so well underwater

The longest survey of our southern skies — The Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) — has just begun from the Vera Rubin Observatory in the Chilean Atacama Desert.Over the next 10 years, the largest digital camera on Earth will look at the same patches of sky time and again, aiming to record exploding stars, new asteroids, and maybe find what's behind dark energy.Jonathan Webb gets sucked into grand cosmic questions with Dr Anais Möller, as they discuss how astronomers are getting a head start on their research from the survey.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 Anais Möller, Senior Research Fellow Swinburne UniversityFurther information:Rubin's Ocean of StarsFink brokerThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Lab Notes: What will we see in a 10-year movie of the universe?

* Celebrating Charles Todd, father of the overland telegraph* Diverse background ideal for leader in pioneering science* Mirror life risks catastrophe* Future Right Now reveals concerns of young people* Botany courses becoming an endangered species

Pioneers past and present, and fiddling with life brings a heavy caution

This year has been one of the worst starts to the snow season since records began. And it's a trend that researchers say will only continue in the years to come. But what's causing this change? What's the outlook for the rest of this ski season, and should we all just be booking a holiday to Japan? Jonathan Webb goes off-piste with climate reporter Romy Stephens about what this all means. 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:Romy Stephens, climate reporterFurther information:How snow machines have become the key ingredient for ski seasonsThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Lab Notes: How do we predict the snow season?

* Gillard tribute to Ogilvie* The future of sleep* Fossil graveyards an archive of climate and ecology* How bacteria behave in the body* White possums in peril

Fossil graveyards an archive of past climate and ecology

Before any new therapy or medicine is placed on the shelves of a pharmacy, it needs to be tested in humans first.What does that process look like? And who are the people testing these new drugs?Jonathan Webb goes behind the curtain of clinical trials with health reporter Lauren Roberts to take a look at what happens in 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:Lauren Roberts, health reporterFurther information:Richard Scolyer encouraged Australians to enrol in research. Here's how to get involvedAustralian Clinical TrialsThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Lab Notes: What's it like to be in a clinical trial?

A team from Caltech is using ultrasound to reveal processes at work one kilometre under Antarctic ice. 

Monitoring Antarctic glaciers and the science of gluten-free baking

AI chatbots are helping to crack long-standing mathematical problems, including some of the famous Paul Erdős conjectures that have remained unsolved for nearly 80 years. It's not just researchers finding these solutions, either: it's also amateur mathematicians armed with off-the-shelf ChatGPT.Jonathan Webb wheels out the chalkboard with Dr Melissa Lee to discuss how AI is shaping the field of mathematics, and if anyone can be a mathematician these days.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 Melissa Lee, Senior Lecturer Monash UniversityFurther information:An AI solution to an 80‑year‑old problem has shocked mathematiciansLeiden Declaration on Artificial Intelligence and MathematicsThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Lab Notes: Is AI taking over mathematics?

We visit a wildlife sanctuary north of Canberra where enclosures are being built to quarantine the eastern quoll, a species already endangered. Will it work and is this a long-term solution?

As bird flu arrives in Australia, an endangered species is being quarantined

Old satellites and bits of space junk regularly fall back to Earth, burning up as they pass through the atmosphere.All this burning metal causes a chain reaction and ultimately destroys ozone molecules, which keep us safe from most of the Sun's harmful UVB rays. Could a new era of satellite "megaconstellations", like the one run by SpaceX's internet company Starlink, undo humanity's hard work repairing the ozone layer?‌Jonathan Webb launches into this issue with Dr Alice Gorman (AKA Dr Space Junk), taking stock of just how many satellites are burning up and what can be done to solve the problem.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 Alice Gorman, Flinders UniversityThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Lab Notes: Is space junk destroying the ozone layer?

We also celebrate mathematician Terence Tao’s King’s birthday honour, and go in search of subatomic particles, 2Km underground.

How bird brains help us understand human brains, and how eugenics had as much hand in the birth control movement as did feminism

A deadly variant of H5N1 avian influenza has finally reached mainland Australia: the last continent without it. Although the risk to human health remains low, this virus has spread through many different species overseas — and not just birds. So are our animals vulnerable? Jonathan Webb speaks with Dr Tiggy Grillo about which animals could be at risk, and what is being done to protect 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:Dr Tiggy Grillo, Chief Operating Officer of Wildlife Health AustraliaFurther information:Animal disease hotline: 1800 675 888What we know about how H5N1 bird flu got here and where it may appear nextWhy bird flu poses a high risk to many Australian native mammalsFor more on avian influenza and humans, have a listen to the latest Health Report bonus episode.This episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Lab Notes: The bird flu risk for Aussie wildlife

If insects feel pain, do they deserve animal rights as apply to mammals?

Insects and pain and The Selfish Gene turns 50

The largest, deepest and oldest whale graveyard has been found off the coast of Western Australia: teeming with life. Jonathan Webb takes a deep dive with environment reporter, Peter de Kruijff, into the science behind whale falls and their importance to underwater ecosystems.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:Peter de Kruijff, environment reporterFurther information:World's biggest whale graveyard found in Indian Ocean off AustraliaA 5.3-million-year-old deep-sea whale necropolis in the Diamantina ZoneThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Lab Notes: What happens when a whale dies?

What might be the biggest threat to tropical forests? Climate change? Illegal loggers? Invasive species? None of the above. It’s roads. Bill Laurance explains.

Kris sword with an intriguing history, echidnas, tropical forests and Australia’s energy potential

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.

Lab Notes: Tallest tree in East Asia

Evidence is mounting that Indigenous people were in Australia early than the 65,000 date most now know. And there are suggestions the continent supported a population of at least 2 million people. Authors Sean Ulm, Billy Griffiths and Larissa Behrendt explore these ideas in their book The First Inventors.

The First Inventors

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.

Lab Notes: Plants can hear you

AI offers instant translations between human languages. So will we one day communicate with whales? And while we marvel at the possibilities, the challenge today is preventing collisions between sea creatures and ships, or whales and turtles becoming tangled in nets.

AI tools in ocean research and a tribute to Dame Bridget Ogilvie

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.

Lab Notes: Lead may be hiding in your clothing

The IOC will test athletes for a sex gene. But as Jenny Graves explains, human genomics is diverse. Some athletes may be genetic exceptions and will need to be handled with care and sensitivity.

Sex testing at the Olympics: beware the exceptions

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.

Lab Notes: Giant dino discovery fulfils a childhood dream

Belinda Smith reports on the winners and losers in science following the federal budget brought down this week by treasurer Jim Chalmers.

Science and the budget, bird flu closer to Australia and a guide to pollination

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.

Lab Notes: Can AI chatbots make you delusional?

The much-loved naturalist David Attenborough is 100. And still working!

Celebrating David Attenborough’s 100th birthday and a new way of making vaccines

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.

Lab Notes: What happens if a major ocean current … stops?

Australia’s research potential is not matched by funding. Belinda Smith speaks to scientists impacted and science minister Tim Ayres responds.

Australian science under strain

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.

Lab Notes: AI data centres are coming to remote Australia

Despite the many benefits from a multi-country collaboration on a major astronomy project, Australia will not be part of the European Southern Observatory after 2027.

Response to Australia’s ESO rejection

Secretions from hookworms are being used to develop treatments for autoimmune diseases which include food allergies.

Getting more from fertiliser, viral DNA's vital role and help from hookworms!

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?

Lab Notes: Is measles back?

The biggest science infrastructure requires collaboration. Australia has said no to joining the European Southern Observatory and will not share in the discovery, the experience and many benefits.

Australia says no to European Southern Observatory collaboration, applications of quantum mechanics and testing trees’ response to rising carbon dioxide

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.

Lab Notes: What can we grow on the Moon?

Carl Smith reports from Falling Walls 2025 and speaks to presenters from Australia and New Zealand who were there sharing their research with the world.

Australian and New Zealand research presented at Falling Walls Berlin

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.

Lab Notes: Can we replace lab animals?

Paul Davies explains some of the weirdness that is quantum physics

Saving Australia’s R&D, robot for cleaning up oil, and quantum physics with Paul Davies

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.

Lab Notes: NASA's mission to the Moon

Two ancient Australian possums, thought to be extinct, are now known to survive in Indonesian Papua

Possums thought to be extinct found in Papua, early Indigenous ingenuity, and how we adjust to ultra-processed food

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.

Lab Notes: Super-K flu is here … but it's not our biggest problem

Conventional explanations for how humans became ‘the language animal’ focus on our need to cooperate to hunt, fight or make tools. Now, evolutionary biologist Madeleine Beekman suggests a new idea for origin of language: the need to share childcare.

New idea for the origin of language

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.

Lab Notes: Slip! Slop! Slap! SUCCESS!

When raised lead levels were noticed in Los Angeles last year, a chemist — who usually examines asteroids — quickly saw that the fires that ravaged the region in January 2025 were to blame. 

Astronomy and toxicology converge at Caltech

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.

Lab Notes: Why air traffic won’t return to normal for months

Robyn Williams reports from the 2026 annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

How the US came close to losing half its science funding

Backyard sprinklers have transformed the Aussie urban landscape. But their path to domination of our suburbs was haphazard — and hinged on the inventions of several knockabout tinkerers. Meanwhile with a rapidly drying climate, we may need to re-consider our reliance on this invention.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 reporter Extra information:How the garden sprinkler conquered AustraliaThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal and Menang Noongar people.

Lab Notes: The surprising history of the backyard sprinkler

An ancient human may be a new species, and extinct giant kangaroos - could they hop? 

Stories told by feet

A quick online search reveals multiple paid services for naming stars as commemorative gifts. You'll be provided with a certificate and a map for finding your star in the sky. But these names are not official and are not used by astronomers — or anyone else, for that matter. So what's going on, and how do stars really get their names?  ‌Featuring:  Laura Driessen, radio astronomer at the University of Sydney 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.auThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal and Menang Noongar people.

Lab Notes: Why buying a star name is nonsense

A cave in Sulawesi was home to our ancestors for tens of thousands of years. Archaeologists are piecing together the story.

Ancient humans lived in an Indonesian cave until Homo sapiens arrived

Retinoids are big business for reducing wrinkles and treating acne — but there's conflicting advice on their safety for pregnant women.Should manufacturers of these skincare products be providing warnings? Or are the risks not that great?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:Caitlyn Davey, health reporterExtra information:Retinoids are booming in the beauty industry, but are they safe to use during pregnancy?This episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal and Menang Noongar people.

Lab Notes: Skincare, pregnancy and a minefield of mixed messages

Australia’s social media ban aims to protect young people from online threats, but it may also restrict their access to discussion of democracy and political systems.

Social media ban impacts political knowledge of young Australians

AI seems to be absolutely everywhere at the moment. While we're still waiting for the productivity revolution — or the jobs apocalypse — the energy costs of AI are already staggering.So how should we think about those environmental impacts of AI? And what can we learn from previous turns of the great technological wheel?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 Niraj Lal, renewables expert at the Australian National University Extra information: Data centres are vital for the future and AI but their environmental footprint can be a problemThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal and Menang Noongar people.

Lab Notes: Can we tap the brakes on energy-hungry AI?

How did life begin? It may not have been on Earth, with asteroids carrying a range of organic molecules

Humpbacks threat, green cities and EVs, and origins of life

Fire, insects and disease all pose a threat to Australia's forests but scientists are now seeing a rise in natural tree deaths right across the country. New research links this background mortality to higher average temperatures.So what do these higher temperatures mean for our forests and the future of Australia's ecosystems? 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: Professor Belinda Medlyn, plant ecologist from Western Sydney UniversityExtra information: Pervasive increase in tree mortality across the Australian continentRising tree death rates in all types of Australian forest tied to climate changeThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal and Menang Noongar people.

Lab Notes: What's behind the rising tree death rates?

Natasha Hurley-Walker considers what might explain a mysterious stellar object which shines every 18 minutes.

Mysterious stellar object discovered

A faint orange hand stencil on the wall of a cave in Indonesia just became the oldest art known to science.   The art, made by splattering ochre over a hand, had been painted over by subsequent generations and was only preserved because moisture combined with the limestone of the cave to form a protective layer on top. The finding strengthens the picture that humans migrated via Borneo, Sulawesi and Papua to reach Australia at least 65,000 years ago. 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 reporter Extra information: Hand stencils discovered in an Indonesian cave are oldest-known rock artRock art from at least 67,800 years ago in SulawesiThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal and Menang Noongar people.

Lab Notes: The oldest rock art in the world…that we know of

In the Swedish city of Kiruna, an entire community is being relocated to accommodate the expansion of the world's largest underground iron ore mine.

Kiruna: The city that moved to make way for a mine

Australia's summer UV levels are high enough to cause sunburn in as little as 11 minutes.Yet the summer sun in the Northern Hemisphere rarely feels that full on.So why does our sunlight have that extra "bite"?Spoiler: it's not the hole in the ozone layer.You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science journalist and presenter Belinda Smith 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: David Whiteman, medical epidemiologist and Cancer Control group leader at QIMR BerghoferMore information:Why is UV so high during Australia's summer? The ozone hole is not to blameCancer Council — UV RadiationWorld Health Organization — Radiation: The ultraviolet (UV) indexCSIRO — The future of the ozone holeThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri and Menang Noongar people.

Lab Notes: Why UV levels are so high in Australia

She became an expert on fleas and despite no formal education received honorary doctorates from both Oxford and Cambridge was elected a fellow of The Royal Society.

A portrait of Dame Miriam Rothschild

The next time you pick up a bag of spuds from the supermarket or fill up the car with petrol, you can thank the Treaty of the Metre for the metric system that underpins daily life. The treaty was signed exactly 150 years ago, when delegates from 17 countries gathered in Paris to establish a new and standardised way of measuring the world around us. But the metre's inception predates the treaty that bears its name by nearly 100 years. So how did it come about, and how has its definition changed over the centuries? This episode was first broadcast in May 2025. You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science journalist and presenter Belinda Smith 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:Bruce Warrington, CEO and chief metrologist of the National Measurement Institute More information:The metre originated in the French Revolution, but its definition has changed many times sinceThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri and Menang Noongar people.

Lab Notes: The Treaty of the Metre: how the metre came to be

She could only read and write from age 10. She reared children and had a first unsupportive husband. But Mary Somerville was able to correct the work of Isaac Newton, help discover Neptune, and write a science book which became a university text.

Mary Somerville — Brilliant polymath, scientific genius

Every now and again, dozens or even hundreds of perfectly healthy looking whales strand themselves on a beach. And despite people's best efforts, many — if not all of them — will die. So why do whales strand themselves, and why do they seem to do it at the same locations? This episode was first broadcast in August 2025. You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science journalist and presenter Belinda Smith 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:Kate Sprogis, marine mammal ecologist at University of Western Australia More information: Cause of mass pilot whale stranding at Cheynes Beach still no clearer one year onThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri and Menang Noongar people.

Lab Notes: Why do whales strand en masse?

Norman Swan, Fiona Stanley and Lorin Clarke describe their involvement with Robyn Williams and The Science Show with MC Richard Glover at a party celebrating 50 years of broadcasting.

Celebrating 50 years of The Science Show

It's impossible to escape microplastics. They're in our food and water, and the air around us is teeming with them. So considering they're all around us, how can we minimise our exposure to tiny plastic fragments without resorting to living in a cave? This episode was first broadcast in August 2025. You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science journalist and presenter Belinda Smith 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:Cassandra Rauert, microplastics researcher at the University of Queensland More information:Microplastics are in our food, water and air. How can we minimise our exposure to them?Human exposure to PM10 microplastics in indoor airAverage household dishwasher releases 33 million nano and microplastic particles per year, research findsLaundry is a top source of microplastic pollution — but you can clean your clothes more sustainablyThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri and Menang Noongar people.

Lab Notes: Tips to reduce microplastics exposure

She battled rigidities of 18th century Europe. But with writer and philosopher Voltaire, Émilie du Châtelet led the Enlightenment.

Émilie du Châtelet - portrait of a leader of the Enlightenment

Australia's known for having some of the world's toughest sunscreen standards, but in June, that reputation was rocked.Independent testing of 20 sunscreens found 16 did not meet their advertised SPF50 rating, including three children's sunscreens and three sold by the Cancer Council.So how are sunscreens tested, and what can we learn from these recent SPF revelations?This episode was first broadcast in September 2025.You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science journalist and presenter Belinda Smith 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:John Staton, scientific director at SciPharmMore information:What is SPF, and how is sunscreen's sun protection factor tested in the laboratory?Choice report finds popular Australian sunscreens fail to meet SPF claims on labelThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri and Menang Noongar people.

Lab Notes: How is sunscreen SPF tested?

Retiring Vice Chancellor of the University of South Australia David Lloyd awarded Pratchett two honorary degrees. In exchange, the author honoured the university with a special scholarship – to be offered every year forever. This week David Lloyd explains his enthusiasms for the Discworld author in front of a packed audience at the Hawke Centre in Adelaide.

Author Terry Pratchett’s links to science and Adelaide

A huge cold blob of air above Antarctica and bushfires spreading along ridgelines don't appear to have anything in common, yet the strange behaviour of these natural phenomena — and many others — can be understood and explained by mathematics. You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science journalist and presenter Belinda Smith 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:Chantelle Blachut, mathematician at UNSW Canberra

Lab Notes: How maths explains nature's weirdness

In her book Prove It! Elizabeth Finkel presents the evidence showing no link between pain relief drugs and autism

Evidence shows no link between pain relief drugs and autism

Step into the supermarket and there's plastic around just about everything, even mangoes — and not all that packaging will be properly disposed of.So with around 20 million tonnes of plastic polluting the environment each year, not to mention the potential health effects of microplastics, is there a better, more environmentally friendly alternative?You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science journalist and presenter Belinda Smith 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:Edward Attenborough, chemical engineer and chemist at Monash UniversityMore information:Bacterial species-structure-property relationships of polyhydroxyalkanoate biopolymers produced on simple sugars for thin film applicationsThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri and Taungurung people.

Lab Notes: Are bioplastics the future of packaging?

The International Astronautical Congress held in Sydney showed how space science is vital to our modern world.

3 young high achievers in science, and Sydney hosts space conference

Astrophotographers have had another great month, with the aurora australis lighting up night skies as far north as southern Queensland.And while you might've heard that the best of this bunch of auroras is behind us, don't put your camera away just yet. There's good reason to think the southern lights will illuminate the sky well into 2026.It all depends on what the Sun shoots in our direction … and we might find ourselves in the firing line more often over the next few months.You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science journalist and presenter Belinda Smith 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:Brett Carter, space weather researcher at RMIT UniversityMore information:The Sun Reversed Its Decades-long Weakening Trend in 2008When the southern lights are seen further northThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri and Taungurung people.

Lab Notes: Why aurora season isn't over yet

University departments of geology and geophysics are getting smaller or closing. So how will we find new mineral deposits?

Rare earth minerals – we’ll need geologists to find them

It looks like most of Australia is in for a warmer-than-usual summer this year.That's according to the Bureau of Meteorology's long-range forecast, which was released in October.So — without a crystal ball — how do meteorologists make weather predictions so far out, how accurate are they, and how is climate change affecting them?You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science journalist and presenter Belinda Smith 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:Karl Braganza, National Manager of Climate Services at the Bureau of MeteorologyMore information:BOM's first long-range summer forecast shows increased chance of extreme heatThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri and Taungurung people.

Lab Notes: How are long-range weather forecasts made?

In just 75 years the Earth’s average temperature is predicted to be close to 3 degrees above pre-industrial levels. We are in the fast lane to a different world, one that will not be friendly to the current range of plants and animals, including humans. The race is on to cool our overheating planet.

Bragg winners for science writing, more from the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science and water droplets used for geoengineering

Thanks in part to 18th-century nuns, we now know that having children and breastfeeding reduces a mum's risk of developing breast cancer for years, even until her kid is well into primary school.Now Australian scientists have discovered how breastfeeding specifically enlists the immune system to protect against an aggressive and hard-to-treat type of breast cancer.You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science journalist and presenter Belinda Smith 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:Sherene Loi, medical oncologist at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre Extra information:Parity and lactation induce T cell mediated breast cancer protectionHaving children and breastfeeding reduces breast cancer risk by triggering immune system, study findsThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri and Menang Noongar people.

Lab Notes: How breastfeeding can protect against cancer

Robyn Williams reports from the 2025 Prime Minister's Prizes for Science ceremony in Parliament House Canberra.

The Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science and a dilemma over the appropriate use of artefacts from a Roman shipwreck

It's mid-afternoon and time for a treat! Do you choose a healthy piece of fruit, or do you head straight for the chocolate? It turns out that well before we consciously decide what we're going to eat, our brain has already weighed up our choices — and in a fraction of a second. Now a new study shows which food attributes are processed by our brain faster than others, and how this might influence our dietary decisions. You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science journalist and presenter Belinda Smith 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:Violet Chae, PhD student at the University of Melbourne More information:Characterising the neural time-courses of food attribute representationsThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri and Menang Noongar people.

Lab Notes: How your brain chooses your next snack

We’ve built a picture of the evolution of biodiversity based on a few accessible fossils. But the real story may be very different.

The history of life on Earth may be very different to what we think

We have a mysterious visitor to our little patch of the cosmos this week: A comet called 3I/ATLAS. This icy, rocky ball is only the third interstellar object we've discovered zooming past our Sun. There are scientists who think the comet may be alien technology sent from another solar system to invade Earth, but space agencies poured cold water on this idea. So how will we know if we truly find evidence of extraterrestrial life? You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science journalist and presenter Belinda Smith 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:Laura Driessen, radio astronomer at the University of Sydney Astronomers discover 3I/ATLAS — third interstellar object to visit our Solar SystemThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri and Menang Noongar people.

Lab Notes: Times we thought we found aliens

An additive in paint converts ultraviolet light into red light allowing plants to grow more producing higher yields, a boon for greenhouse agriculture.

Paint additive boosts plant growth in greenhouses

Around 1.5 million years ago, in what's now Kenya, a human-like figure walked across the savannah. He was probably quite short by our standards, no taller than Danny DeVito. But unlike Danny DeVito, this ancient figure was not human. He was a long-extinct relative of ours called Paranthropus boisei. And now his fossilised hand bones are giving us never-before-seen insights into how he and his species lived. You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science journalist and presenter Belinda Smith 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: Carrie Mongle, palaeoanthropologist at Stony Brook University and the Turkana Basin Institute More information: New fossils reveal the hand of Paranthropus boiseiFossil hand bones hint that ancient human relative Paranthropus made tools 1.5 million years agoThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri and Menang Noongar people.