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.

A wire around the world

Paul Davies retraces one of the great engineering achievements of the 19th century – the construction of a telegraph wire from the UK to Australia.

12-21
53:39

Science Extra: More auroras in store?

More than 30 years ago, astronomers came up with the bold idea to build the world’s biggest radio telescopes.One is now taking shape in the Western Australian outback, where scientists and engineers are installing more than 130,000 Christmas-tree-shaped antennas onto the red earth.And those stunning auroras over the past year? There’s a good chance we’ll see more colourful displays in 2025.All that and more with ABC Science digital executive producer Genelle Weule and University of Sydney astronomer and 2024 ABC Science Top Fiver Dr Laura Driessen.

12-17
50:05

Science books for Christmas and a portrait of Matthew Bailes

Bianca Nogrady traces the scientific journey of astronomer and Prime Minister’s Science Prize winner Matthew Bailes.

12-14
51:51

Mysterious signal and a mysterious place

A signal that stumped seismologists for a year has finally been identified. And an author takes us to a distant location.

12-07
53:23

PM’s Innovation Prize for childhood cancer drug

Momelotinib, a drug to help treat myelofibrosis has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, a rare achievement for an all-Australian team.

11-30
53:58

Australia’s “Indiana Jones” and the lost Age of Mammals

Opalised fossils previously overlooked at the Australian Museum have overturned our understanding of the origin of mammals with the emergence of a whole new age of mammals: The Age of Monotremes.

11-23
54:04

Prime Minister’s teaching prizes, platypuses with high PFAS and house bricks from sugar cane waste

Platypuses in NSW are carrying PFAS chemicals many times over accepted levels indicate widespread contamination

11-16
54:06

Big astronomical flash imminent and gay behaviour across the animal world

Gay behaviour has been observed amongst at least 1,500 animal species.

11-09
52:20

Cheaper hydrogen, marine invertebrates and European wasps threaten biodiversity

Tianyi Ma at RMIT Melbourne has won the Prime Minister’s Physical Science Prize for his work producing cheaper hydrogen and using captured carbon dioxide for the green production of basic chemicals.

11-02
53:12

Stephen Hawking’s voice – and what he left behind!

Tim Mendham tells us about Alfred Russel Wallace who worked with Darwin establishing theories of evolution and natural selection but who is barely known.

10-26
53:50

Bryde’s whales prolific in east coast Australian waters

Bryde’s whale seen year-round in Australian east coast waters and reports from the British Science Festival.

10-19
53:33

Nobel Prizes, Prime Minister's Science Prizes, unis under pressure, and remembering Mawson

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

10-12
53:24

Surprise Hon Doc for Rose, but why did we forget Louise?

This week we look at some brilliant figures in science who after being allowed to fade from memory are now at last being recognised.

10-05
54:06

Dark energy – not necessarily constant

After more than twenty years of observations, Tamara Davis has revealed that dark energy, the mysterious force driving the expansion of the universe may not be constant.

09-28
54:06

The Extremely Large Telescope - under construction in Chile’s Atacama Desert.

It might be the largest telescope humans will ever build. We visit the site in Chile’s high dry Atacama Desert.

09-21
54:06

The Huxleys – a scientific dynasty

Richard Fidler speaks to author Alison Bashford who has written about a hundred years of modern science and culture, told through a one family history.

09-14
54:05

Seabirds have stomachs full of plastic

Plastic is being eaten by seabirds. Some migratory birds can no longer fly. And micro amounts are entering the cells of other creatures. Including us.

09-07
54:05

The Science Show celebrates 49 years

The first Science Show was broadcast on 30th August 1975. This week’s program takes a suitably cosmic view of Australia, its origins and its future.

08-31
51:43

New chemical reaction promises to slash price of some pharmaceuticals

A new chemical reaction eliminates 6 steps in the manufacture of some drugs promising big savings of time and money.

08-24
53:28

Merlin meets Dr Crispy

CRISPR is the most powerful means of gene editing ever developed. It led to Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier being awarded the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 2020. Jennifer Doudna speaks with Merlin Crossley about CRISPR, its capability, and the ethical questions which arise.

08-17
54:06

Doc Pip Thomas

What gives? Eight mins and then cut off mid sentence. This is the second pod that has been cut off half way.

06-06 Reply

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