Quirks and Quarks

The biting dynamics of the world’s deadliest mosquitoes: meet the researcher who rolled up her sleeves and endured more than 1,000 mosquito bites, all to understand how these deadly little creatures bite and guzzle our blood.Also today: Astronomers spot ghostly green starStubby-legged sled dogs pull loads betterInside the stinky, spooky, magical world of bogsHow a Zombie-like state lets cancer cells escape chemoFor more information about today’s episode, visit cbc.ca/quirks.

DNA samples from the oldest living land animal show how good genes and limited biochemical wear and tear have given a giant tortoise named Jonathan an extended lifespan. The genetic switches that control the genes for DNA repair and metabolism more closely matched his much younger relatives. Also today: What fossilized vomit reveals about ancient sea monstersMeet the Nobel-winning physicist who hunts for ghost particles at the South PoleWhat Jonathan, the 194-year-old tortoise, can teach us about defying deathNuclear clocks begin ticking — and could become the world’s most precise timekeepersFor more information about today’s episode, visit cbc.ca/quirks.

We talk to two of this year’s newest Nobel Laureates, Dr. Karl Deisseroth and Peter Hegemann, about their discoveries in optogenetics, a technique that has transformed what we know about the brain — all thanks to a light-detecting algal protein.Also today: Gut microbes can encourage fever after vaccinationWeather forecasters are less confident in their predictions these days. Here’s whyWhat raccoons and other wild brains can teach us about ourselvesQuirks & Quarks has been nominated for a Signal Award! You can vote for us here. For more information about today’s episode, visit cbc.ca/quirks.

Black holes are voracious eaters, but they’re also quite messy, and often after devouring a star, they’ll let out a big burp, launching jets of high energy particles through space. Now, in a recent study, a team of astrophysicists has figured out the formula behind the timing of these burps. Also today: Skiing, hiking and roads are taking a toll on wolverinesThe buzzy, chirpy sounds of the Jurassic forestA notorious invasive species has been here a lot longer than we thought. Does that matter?Anomalies suggest King Tut’s tomb may conceal hidden chambersQuirks & Quarks has been nominated for a Signal Award! You can vote for us here. For more information about today’s episode, visit cbc.ca/quirks. 

The El Niño underway in the Pacific Ocean is a natural climate phenomenon but its warming effects are being boosted by climate change. Researchers recently used corals growing around the Galapagos Islands to create a local temperature record of the ocean going back 1,000 years.Also today: Massive study redraws bat family tree and uncovers genetic odditiesHow the Surinam toad uses star-shaped fingertip lobes to ‘see’ its preyT. rex tooth enamel reveals these dinosaurs were warm-bloodedWhy great white sharks are converging on the East CoastQuirks & Quarks has been nominated for a Signal Award! You can vote for us here.  For more information about today’s episode, visit cbc.ca/quirks.