Boiling Point

Boiling Point
Boiling Point is Eastside Radio's 30-minute foray into the scientific world. The BP crew discuss obscure scientific facts, recent developments and play tunes with a tenuous connection to their topics of choice!

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Boiling Point Episodes

The role of memory in terrestrial ecosystems

01, December 2023

Did you know that plants and ecosystems have memory? Not the same memory as you or I, but a type of memory nonetheless. Join us in this episode as we chat to Postdoctoral researcher Jon Page, who uses observations to explore the carbon, water, and energy cycles of terrestrial ecosystems, and importantly, the memory of […]

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Zombification and Museum Collections: the Sci and Fi

09, November 2023

Sci fi movies make blockbuster hits. But how much are they Sci and how much are they fi? Find out in this episode. […]

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Spying on Kangaroos

01, November 2023

Kangaroos are iconic Australian animals that have interesting behavioural characteristics. They live in communities, and their environment plays a factor in their interactions. We are going to take a closer look at the environments kangaroos live in and how certain factors in their environment affect their behaviours. Daphne Willemsen will tell us about their research […]

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What’s in a song? How urban environments change animal behaviour

20, September 2023

Humans are affecting animals in multiple different ways. Our infrastructure is bleeding into forests and our way of life is changing how animals adapt to their environments. But are we aware of how we are impacting animals? In this episode of Boiling Point Anastasia is joined by Dr. Dominique Potvin, a Behavioural Ecologist, Evolutionary Biologist, […]

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By tooth and nail: Uncovering the ancient history of marsupials

06, September 2023

Join our host, Inna as she chats with Antonia Parker who explores the ancient history of Australian marsupials… By looking at their teeth!! […]

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Fungi Unearthed: Digging into the Myco-Mysteries of mushrooms!

26, August 2023

What is it about fungi that make them an exciting conversation piece in today’s media, movies, and video games? In this episode Anastasia chats Vanessa McPherson all about the natural history of fungi. Vanessa McPherson is a Research Assistant in the Environmental Microbiology and Molecular Analysis Laboratory in the School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University. […]

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What’s blind, buoyant, and brainless? Bluebottles!

16, August 2023

They’re small, they’re blue, and they’re stingy, but they’re not a jelly fish! What are they? They’re bluebottles of course. They’re a prominent feature of summers spent by the beach, but what brings them to Australian beaches remains a bit of a mystery. Join us in this episode as we chat to two ECRs, Kim […]

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What the hail is going on!?

11, August 2023

Hailstorms are some of the costliest natural disasters that occur in Australia. One of the most infamous examples is the Sydney hailstorm of 1999 which dumped hailstones over 11cm in diameter and caused $1.7 billion in insurance damages. It’s quite surprising therefore, that we don’t have great observations or understanding of hailstorm probability. In this […]

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The History of Machine Learning in Automation

02, August 2023

Some words we hear these days are “machine learning” and “automation”, but what do they actually mean, and where do they come from? In this episode, we take a closer look at the history of machine learning in automation. The origins of automation date back to the industrial revolution, and machine learning has played an […]

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Conserving Mars

26, July 2023

Dreams of visiting Mars have been part of human imagination for centuries. But now that these dreams are closer to realization than ever before, so are the concerns of how we will treat the planets we will visit. Join us, as we chat to Clare Fletcher. Clare studies the exciting and new field of the […]

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Ecosystems at risk

20, July 2023

Ecosystems are under threat of collapse from human stresses and climate change. Is your favourite ecosystem at risk? In this episode of Boiling Point, Sammy and Liz speak with Dr. Aniko Toth, a research fellow at UNSW Sydney who works in ecosystem conservation. Aniko uses modeling to combine satellite data with local species data to […]

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Understanding the secret language of plants

12, July 2023

Plants are signaling and communicating with their environment in unique and remarkable ways, we just don’t always know how to interpret their signals. But observing flowers and pollination is the easiest way to tap into their secret language. In this episode Inna and Hannah chat to Ruby E. Stephens about the weird and wonderful world […]

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Head in the skies: exploring the psychology of pilots

04, July 2023

A risk-taking pilot sounds like the last thing anyone would want on their flight. However, if we ever want the plane to take off, some risk taking is necessary and even crucial. In this episode of Boiling Point, Griff and Inna chat to Yassmin Ebrahim. Yassmin studies the risk behavior of pilots and how it […]

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Fire – Friend and Foe?

29, June 2023

It’s getting hot in here, but how do plants continue to thrive? In this episode of Boiling Point, Sammy and Inna chat with fire ecologist Sarah McInnes! Sarah is a researcher at UNSW Sydney who studies the impacts of fire regimes on plant re-establishment and how these may change with climate change.   Catch up […]

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Beneath the Waves: Unmasking the Coral Disease Maze

22, June 2023

Getting sick is no joke. Your noise gets stuffy, perhaps you get a sore throat, maybe you feel so bad you have to stay in bed for days! But what happens when coral get sick? Escalating temperatures and climate change are terms that are a part of a scientists daily vocabulary, but what does it […]

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Unlocking the Secrets of Intelligence

14, June 2023

There’s an argument among some evolutionary biologists that the reason why modern humans succeeded over other species of humans was because we are such social creatures. But were not the only social animals out there, so how do other animals compare? Do more social animals show higher intelligence? Find out on this episode of Boiling […]

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Talking Australia’s reefs with Dr John Turnbull

07, June 2023

Australia is universally renowned for its breathtaking underwater environments that are abundant with a diverse array of iconic marine species, such as the Great Barrier Reef. But as ocean temperatures continue to rise and population numbers continue to decline, the greater the need for thorough monitoring strategies to guide our efforts to conserve Australia’s unique […]

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Detecting lung diseases by breath analysis

29, May 2023

What if detecting lung diseases such as cancer would be as easy as taking a breath? Although this sounds like science fiction, a diseases breathalyser is already under development! Join Griff and Inna as they chat to Merryn Baker who develops methods of detecting diseases with just one breath. Follow Merryn on Twitter: @merryn_baker […]

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The Science behind diet and exercise

25, May 2023

Pilates, yoga, lifting weights. What is the right exercise for me? Find out on this episode of Boiling Point! In this episode, Sammy Burke and Anastasia Shavrova chat with exercise physiologist Karen Mackay from the Queensland University of Technology to talk about her work looking into human diet and movement.   […]

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Marine heatwaves explained

16, May 2023

You’ve probably heard of heatwaves over land before – maybe you’ve even experienced the effects of one firsthand – but did you know that heatwaves also occur in the ocean? Marine heatwaves, a term first coined as recently as 2011, can have devastating impacts on marine ecosystems and societies, yet they remain a relatively new […]

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A Freezing Dive: Hannah and the Antarctic Ocean Currents

08, May 2023

What do you think of when you hear about Antarctica? Maybe it’s the vast snow planes or the cute pinguins and seals. But one of the most important things about Antarctica, are the ocean currents around it. They transport everything from heat, to debris, to live organisms and affect our whole planet! In this episode […]

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Tash and the Sea Cucumbers!

02, May 2023

They look like short fat worms that lie motionless on the ocean floor. But sea cucumbers are so much more. They are a high-priced delicacy in many countries, can throw up their guts for self-defense, and sometimes have a parasitizing fish living in their bum. In this episode of Boiling Point Inna, Hannah and Cat […]

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Gentle Giants of the Ocean: Manta Rays

25, April 2023

Glorious gentle giants of the sea. These 700 pound creatures are highly intelligent as they collaborate together to gather food. Yet, these creatures are a threatened species. In this episode we chat about manta rays.   In this episode, Anastasia, Sammy, and Inna chat to Hannah Moloney. Hannah is a marine scientist and researcher at […]

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Sam, Vow, and the Future of Cell-Cultured Meat!

19, April 2023

What would you say if I told you that the answer to sustainable meat production may lie in the consumption of products made from exotic animals like alpacas, peacocks and even the extinct woolly mammoth? And that this meat would be made without harming any animals? You may say that this seems very far-fetched, but […]

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What poop can tell us about whales

12, April 2023

You are what you eat. And what you eat we can study. In this episode of Boiling Point, Anastasia, Hannah, and Sammy, chat with Aashi Parikh, a PhD Candidate from Macquarie University. Aashi looks at whale poop to find out how they live. Follow Aashi on twitter Dont forget to follow Boiling Point on: Twitter […]

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Evading predators with colour

05, April 2023

How do you signal “STAY AWAY”. Do you make a noise? Maybe show your teeth? Perhaps, yell? Have you every thought about wearing something bright? There is a rainbow of warning colours that animals present to fend of predators. On this episode of Boiling Point, Anastasia and new Boiling Point recruit Hannah, chat with Marilia […]

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What does a maritime archeologist do?

23, March 2023

Australia’s coastal waters harbour more than 8,000 ship wrecks. But only a quarter of those have been found. Our guest is a maritime archaeologist and will take us on a dive into her watery world. How is maritime archaeology different from the land-based version? How do you preserve a shipwreck and how do you handle […]

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Nora and the kangaroos

07, March 2023

One of the most iconic animals in Australia is the kangaroo. It’s on the Australian coat of arms and is one of the first animals most people think of when they think of Australia. Today we are going to take a closer look at one of the less-studied aspects of the kangaroos. Surprisingly, social aspects […]

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Liz and the blennies

06, March 2023

Most people would have heard of Darwin finches, the birds that gave Darwin the idea for the theory of evolution. In this episode, we are taking a closer look at a group of species, that may look less spectacular. But they are evolution in the making. Blennies are fish that have started making their way […]

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Griff and the importance of seagrass

28, February 2023

It’s green and it seems to be highly abundant. But this impression is treacherous. Sea grass is in decline worldwide. Not a big deal you might think but the truth is, it’s a huge problem, as seagrasses are essential ecosystem builders that numerous marine creatures depend on. Cat chats with UNSW Honours student Griff Brindley […]

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The sixth major extinction event and illegal wildlife trafficking

25, January 2023

Boiling Point host Cat chats with Charlotte Read. Charlotte has a degree in conservation and currently teaches children about wildlife and conservation at a zoo in Melbourne. Her interests in conservation are the human wildlife conflict, and in particular illegal wildlife trade. Since she is based in Melbourne, Cat talks to her to her via […]

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Sarah and the sea stars

19, January 2023

Did you know that sea stars can get sick, too? Dr Sarah Wahltinez researches the impacts of climate change on sea stars. Cat chats to her for the 2nd episode of the new podcast ‘Wildlife Health Talks’. Sarah is a PhD candidate at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida but is […]

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Rick and the Sydney rock oysters

05, January 2023

They are small, slimy and most people find them delicious. I am talking about oysters. Once the Sydney rock oyster inhabited large areas of Sydney Harbour. Those days are long gone which is pretty tragic. Rock oysters provide the habitat for a large number of other marine species. Our guest studies them all and will […]

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Hannah the jungle vet

15, December 2022

Have you ever been to a tropical rainforest with its endless greenery and wildlife everywhere? Our guest has and she never really left. A part of her stayed and upon her return home to Germany she decided she needed to do something to protect these unique habitats and its biodiversity. So, she founded an NGO […]

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Stressed?!

23, November 2022

During development all animals are vulnerable. So how does the experience one encounters while developing actually impact the adult life and can these effects be passed down to their grand-children? Can overstressing due to environmental change be detrimental to the survival of animal populations? Anastasia chats to post-doctoral research fellow Dr. Ondi Crino. Ondi studies […]

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Is social media bad for our kids?

09, November 2022

Technology is moving so fast that parents have a hard time keeping up. So what will social media do to our children? What are kids looking at on their phones when the parents aren’t watching? And most importantly, should you have “the talk” with your kids, about Santa? Find out here Dr Rachael Sharman joins […]

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Saving corals for a living – Prof David to the rescue

01, November 2022

The world’s coral reefs are dying. That’s probably not new to you. Let’s start on a slightly more positive note. My guest has committed his career to providing hope and saving our reefs. He has worked on corals all over the world and will tell us what the situation is really like and what he […]

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The infectious disease detective or how to keep infectious diseases at bay

30, October 2022

Having been so occupied with Covid, it’s easy to forget that there are many other infectious diseases lurking out there. A lot of countries still have to deal with cholera, typhoid fever and many others. How do you make sure such diseases don’t become an epidemic and kill thousands of people? This episode’s guest is […]

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Fleur’s journey or how everything in nature is connected

20, October 2022

How do you get a career in wildlife research? Is it magic? Most likely it’s rather strong determination, passion for the subject and a touch of idealism to make this world a better place. My guest is an early career researcher in veterinary science and toxicology. Her passion for wildlife research took her to some […]

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Can psychedelics be used to treat mental illness?

18, October 2022

Drugs are bad… but are all drugs bad? What is it that categorizes some drugs as bad or ok to use occasionally? Why do some drugs have a stigma against them, while others are commonly portrayed on the big screen as the cool thing to do? And can some drugs, in controlled and monitored doses, […]

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What is One Health and why does it matter?

18, September 2022

In the pandemic we learned many lessons, one of the most important was that the health of humans and animals are inseparably connected. After all, the corona virus jumped from wildlife to humans. But this is only part of the story that the term One Health teaches us. My guest is an expert on One […]

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Diving with the mother of sharks

09, September 2022

Do you need a holiday? You are in luck! We are taking you on a trip to the Bahamas. White sands, turquoise water and … lots of sharks. The Bahamas are a shark haven and they have a strong advocate here. Our guest has dived with sharks for more than 20 years and understands them […]

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Viral DNA, it’s in our genes

31, August 2022

Why do we keep getting more viruses? How do they keep up with our evolution? Are we actually providing the perfect breeding ground for viruses? How have viruses changed over time? In this weeks show, your host Anastasia is sitting down with paleovirologist Emma Harding. Did you know that viral DNA is in our genes? […]

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The Psychology behind Vision

24, August 2022

How do the things we see make us feel? Do we prefer busy, stimulating visuals like city lights or more calming visuals like the ocean? Will some visuals make us feel relaxed or tense, engaged or bored, refreshed or fatigued? In this week’s episode Anastasia is joined by UNSW PhD student Chelle Roberts. Chelle is […]

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From Science to Comedy to Marketing

17, August 2022

From serious to funny. From science to comedy. From biomedical degree to producing, marketing, acting, writing, and stand-up? How do you go from a bachelor of science to a successful career in Comedy? Anastasia sits down with Writer, Comedian, Presenter, and Actor AJ Lamarque. AJ started with a Bachelor of Science in Biological and Biomedical […]

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Chronic Wasting Disease – the slow death of deer

14, August 2022

Everyone old enough will remember the footage of confused ataxic cows that were not able to stand on their own anymore. The 1990s were the time of Mad Cow Disease, an illness caused by a misfolded protein, the prion. While mad cow disease in Europe is well under control by now, a similar illness is […]

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Solar Energy = Good Energy

03, August 2022

Reneweable energy can make a difference in todays changing climate. Moving from environmentally damaging energy sources to ones that use the environment for more sustainable energy sources is key. But how do we do this? In this weeks episode your hosts Chon and Anastasia will be chatting to Akasha Kaleem a PhD student at UNSW […]

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Varroa mite vs feral honey bees – Boiling Point Science interviews Associate Professor Patrick O’Connor

30, July 2022

This week on Boiling Point Science, Tim and Chantelle interview Associate Professor Patrick O’Connor from the University of Adelaide to discuss his recent article exploring the role varroa mite could play in managing feral honey bees, and help Australia’s environment Following the detection of varroa mites in sentinel hives in NSW, an emergency response is […]

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How we can support women in STEM

19, July 2022

Academia is hard, no doubt about it. But there are things that are out of your control that can make that journey even harder. We’ve spoken on Boiling Point about 1st generation academics, struggles of university, whether to do a PhD, and so much more! Today let’s look at another perspective.   Today Anastasia is sitting […]

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Shark nets kill – Help to ban shark nets!

14, July 2022

The NSW government introduced shark nets to Sydney’s beaches in 1937. They promised to protect swimmers and surfers from shark attacks. But that’s not what shark nets do. In fact, they are a serious case of false labelling. They don’t protect people. Instead, they entangle and kill sharks and other marine species like dolphins, whales […]

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Poopy Parasites

29, June 2022

What can we learn from looking at poopy parasites? That is poops of wild animals. We ask our Ass Pro: Michelle Power! Michelle Power is an Associate Professor at Macquarie university, AND she’s a comedian. Listen in as Anastasia and Caitlin chat all things poop, feces, and guano in this weeks episode.   Find Michelle […]

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Psychedelics – a new era in mental health treatment?

23, June 2022

46 percent of Australians experience a mental health disorder in their lives. One eighth of Australians are on anti-depressants. And 8 Australians take their own lives every day. You can tell, the mental health situation in this country is dire. However, you might have heard of a potential light at the end of the tunnel. […]

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PhDo or PhDont?

22, June 2022

Why do people choose to do a PhD? Is a PhD right for you? Is it best to go from Honours to PhD, without having done a masters? Listen to four different perspectives today and decide PhDo or PhDont? Welcome to Boiling Point. This week Anastasia is joined by three PhD students: Caitlin Creak, Jess […]

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Evolving out of Water

15, June 2022

Darwin saw evolution through beetles. Our guest today sees evolution through blennies. But why are they leaving the water behind? Welcome to Boiling Point in this weeks episode our guest is Elizabeth Surovic, a PhD Candidate at UNSW. Elizabeth studies evolution in real time. Blennies, are little fish that are transforming to land right in […]

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A parasite in an invader

08, June 2022

What happens when you’re stuck in the middle of nowhere for two years? Perhaps you awaken your passion for researching invasive parasites? Perhaps you discover a new species? This week’s episode is a show of adventure, mystery, surprise, and invasion. I, Anastasia, am sitting down with UNSW PhD Candidate Harry Eyck to chat about the […]

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How dinosaurs were first discovered

26, May 2022

Many of us loved them as a kid and still secretly love them today. I am talking about dinosaurs. What’s much less known is how they were first discovered, what consequences this huge discovery had for science and how dinosaurs inspired the myth of dragons. Let’s go back in time to answer these questions. In […]

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Pint of Science 2022 in Sydney: How do animals deal with climate change?

16, May 2022

Pint of Science brings scientists and non-scientists together and provides a platform for scientists to present their work in a jargon-free and easily accessible way. Pint of Science Australia is presented to you at 11 different locations around Australia this year. Grab a beer and listen to brilliant minds and how they are planning to […]

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Understanding Invasive Species

08, May 2022

Rats, pigeons, cockroaches and starlings, they all have in common to be extremely adaptable and resilient when it comes to adjusting to new environments. But how do they do it? Our guest strove to uncover the secrets in their genetic codes. And she got some answers. Cat and Anastasia chat with Kat Stuart, PhD candidate […]

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Making Science into Comedy

20, April 2022

Scientists are trying to communicate their research all the time to the general public, sometimes with great success, but sometimes the research can come across as difficult to understand, difficult to relate to, or difficult to convey its importance. But what if there was another way to not only communicate your research but also make […]

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Why do great white sharks attack people?

17, April 2022

‘I am surprised they don’t attack us more often’. Andrew Fox’ reply might seem surprising. But indeed, when we enter the ocean, we automatically become part of the sharks’ world and hence part of the marine food chain. Andrew Fox is the son of Australia’s famous champion spearfisherman and shark bite-victim Rodney Fox. Rodney invented […]

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No friends means no offspring – the tough life of male dolphins

09, April 2022

Being social is essential for dolphins in Shark Bay, WA. Especially the male dolphins form lifelong friendships. Our guest, the behavioural ecologist, Dr Livia Gerber, from the University of New South Wales Sydney, wondered why the male dolphins spend so much time nurturing their relationships. Eventually she found, reported in a freshly published paper, that […]

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Underwater weather reports – made in Sydney

29, March 2022

Sydney’s underwater world has a lot to offer. There are the sponge gardens, the very rare and yet docile grey nurse sharks and the playful and always hungry blue gropers, so basically a whole world to explore. Our guest helps Sydneysiders to do exactly that, to feel at home underwater and to always keep up […]

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PFAS and polar bears – chemical pollution in the Arctic

22, March 2022

PFAS or per- and polyfluorinated substances are everywhere, in rivers, the ocean and they have even made their way to the most remote places like the arctic. Polar bears show similar PFAS levels as people working at a PFAS production plant. The problem: PFAS are man-made chemicals that stay in the environment and our body […]

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Fighting creepy with crawly: Spider venom in drug discovery

18, March 2022

Are you afraid of spiders? Our guest, Dr Samantha Nixon, certainly was very afraid before she started studying spiders. By now, she is a venom scientist and regularly handles spiders to milk them for their venom. Spider venom has turned out to be very useful for a number of medical purposes. For instance, they appear […]

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Sniffer Dogs for Koala Conservation

08, March 2022

Cat interviews koala researcher and geneticist, Dr Katrin Hohweiler, about her work on population genetics of the popular Australian animal. On the east coast of Australia the population has been reduced by 80 % since the 1980s. One of the main reasons is habitat loss. Koalas have more and more only small pockets of gum […]

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Interview with Dr John C Mather about the James Webb Space Telescope

03, March 2022

On Boiling Point Science this week, Eastside Radio’s intern Brianna Raymond joins us to share her interview with Dr John C Mather from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre. We hear all about the James Webb Space Telescope plus some insights from Brianna on science and journalism. […]

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The 100 faces of Sydney’s magical underwater world

01, March 2022

Sponge gardens, kelp forest and sea urchin barrens. Sydney’s coastal habitats are as diverse as the creatures that live there. Join us on a trip into Sydney’s amazing underwater world professionally guided by our guest, UNSW marine scientist, Dr John Turnbull. Why do sea urchins sometimes wear shells and other small debris as hats? What […]

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A blast from the past or why we should care about extinct giant salamanders

21, February 2022

Dinosaurs steal all the limelight when it comes to mass extinctions. But there are plenty of others that deserve our attention. What can we learn from those species that are not among us anymore, what do they tell us about evolution and about Australia? Our guest studies what once was to answer questions about the […]

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Recording hope after megafire; Citizen Scientists invaluable contribution

08, February 2022

When the bushland surrounding their home burned, twice, Lise and Stephen were at a loss. Where to start looking for recovery? Where to find your green again? It all began for Stephen with a family of Australian Wood Ducks (?????????? ??????), with 17 babies! From there Lise and Stephen have become the Environment Recovery Projects […]

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Cheeky cockies, bin chickens and a brush turkey boom

20, January 2022

We often don’t think of cities as havens for diversity- but they can be- and you can help record it! Dr John Martin from Taronga Zoo leads a citizen science projects aimed at showing urban areas are home to more than bin chickens- and that these super adapters have some very innovative learning behaviours- like […]

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A wide and open land-Walking Sydney’s last Cumberland Plain

12, January 2022

In 2019 Peter Ridgeway took a walk- 180km to cross Sydney’s unique Cumberland Plain Woodland. We leave the studio to visit Pete in the last woodland pockets of western Sydney. We learn about history, ecology and geology, plus our human relationship with this country. The relationship of traditional custodians. And those who have gone after. […]

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Why researchers sometimes cheat and what to do about it

04, January 2022

Scientific research is essential. That’s one of the teachings of the pandemic. However, researchers are humans and as most humans they have flaws and sometimes go astray. It is a minority, but it happens that researchers fake their results and make things up. Luckily there are people who have devoted their lives to keeping science […]

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Boiling Point’s end-of-year review: The Top 5 Science Stories 2021

29, December 2021

2021 has been one tough year for everyone. But to round things up on a high note we figured we wanted to share our favourite science stories with our listeners. So tune in for the top 2021 science stories picked by your favourite Science Podcast, Boiling Point. It’s all of your favourite hosts in one […]

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Virgin birth in the animal kingdom explained

21, December 2021

Boiling Point’s Christmas Special! Insects do it, Komodo dragons and other lizards, there is even a snake species that has lived and reproduced without males for millions of years. But did you know that birds can do it, too? Recently, a team of researchers found two Californian condor chicks that came to be from parthenogenesis. […]

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The secret life of sea snakes

19, December 2021

Have you ever come across a sea snake? Chances are high that if you are not a diver or a fisherman on a prawn trawler you have never encountered one. You missed out! They are pretty cool. They adjusted perfectly from a life on land to their marine environment. They give birth to alive young […]

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A Step Towards Understanding Womens Health

08, December 2021

Women have been long ignored in scientific research. Many would argue that the reason for this is because of the hormonal cycle females experience that could vary the results. So I guess this means we should just ignore half of our population in scientific research? Welcome to Boiling Point, this week we are chatting Womens […]

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The frog pandemic

30, November 2021

You think it’s only humans being impacted by a pandemic these days? Think again! Over the past few months, frogs have dropped dead all over the east coast of Australia. They turn dark and shrivel up like dry leaves. Our guest was part of the researchers’ team working hard to find the cause. Now they […]

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The virtuous cycle: Good things happen, when people care about the ocean

24, November 2021

We have heard enough bad news about our oceans. Our guest Dr John Turnbull, marine ecologist and social scientist, has some good news to tell. He researched the ‘virtuous cycle’: how and why people get engaged with ocean conservation and how it really makes a difference. John went on a roadtrip from Port Stephens to […]

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Australia’s coral reefs and how they have been holding up

16, November 2021

Corals worldwide are under threat. What threatens them and how do corals deal with those threats? Our guest, Associate Professor Tracy Ainsworth, is a marine biologist and has 15 years of experience in coral research. She looks at the factors threatening coral reefs and the importance bacteria have for corals. In addition, Tracy is the […]

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HIV, smallpox and SARS and how they came to haunt humanity

09, November 2021

Did you know that HIV infected its very first human in the Kongo around 100 years ago, or that smallpox was the first virus people invented a vaccine for? And have you ever wondered why bats are so prone to hosting all kinds of nasty viruses? Our interview with best-selling author, David Quammen, will take […]

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Recreating migratory bird saltmarsh in industrial Sydney

03, November 2021

Imagine flying 11,000 km non stop from Alaska, only to find your home and usual mud flat food buffet replaced by buildings, boats and ports. It is little wonder migratory birds, like the Bar-tailed Godwit, have declined up to 90% in recent years. But there are projects to restore habitat in urban landscapes. Tim and […]

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Ruth Patterson on Top End science, research and piloting uncrewed surface vessels

29, October 2021

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to pilot oceangoing vessels from your dining room table? Are you curious about undertaking science and research in remote areas? This week on Boiling Point, Ben and Tim caught up with Ruth Patterson, a Darwin-based PhD candidate and oceanographer.  Tune in to find out about OCIUS […]

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Science of the Past

16, October 2021

What did ancient scientists and philosophers believe in the past? Were they as far off from modern science as we think? How has science changed over many centuries since Plato, Aristotle, or Carl Linnaeus? Let’s travel back in time and see what we can discover. In this weeks episode Anastasia chats with Dr Daryn Lehoux. […]

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Creationism vs Evolution

07, October 2021

We have long been interested in where we come from, many human civilization have created different myths and ideas about how the world came to be. But as technology advanced and scientific evidence became clear we accepted the theory of evolution, or did we? In this weeks episode Anastasia chats to two of four hosts […]

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Seahorses – The little ambassadors of ocean health

05, October 2021

Seahorses are everybody’s favorite. But despite our wide-spread devotion to seahorses in pop culture, what do we actually know about them? How did they get their unique shape, what’s their role in the ecosystem and how do the males manage to raise their young as single parents? Our guest, Dr David Harasti, is a seahorse […]

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Fun with bedbugs

29, September 2021

They breed faster than rabbits and survive without food for months. And it’s not uncommon that the male impales and kills his partner while mating. Bedbugs are fascinating creatures and yet, they are terribly unloved. Worldwide travel has turned them into cosmopolitans, feeling at home wherever a traveler is willing to donate their blood. Our […]

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The Adams Event or the time when the earth lost its protective coat

21, September 2021

The geomagnetic field of the earth is invisible, and yet it has a huge influence on all forms of life on the planet. If it was gone, our lives would look a lot different. Luckily, right now that’s unlikely to happen. But that wasn’t always the case. Our guest and her colleagues found evidence that […]

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Ban shark nets – Save Norman!

16, September 2021

One third of all shark and ray species are currently facing extinction. One of the threats to sharks in Australia are shark nets. Shark nets are different from so called barrier or stinger nets that enclose a small area for swimmers right at the beach. Shark nets are usually around 150 m long and 6 […]

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Misinformation and conspiracy – why people believe in them

12, September 2021

Fake news, conspiracy theories, misinformation. These days, we are just too familiar with these terms. But why do some people believe in stories that seem completely unbelievable and made up? Our guest will shed some light on intriguing questions like these. Listen to the story. Our hosts, Anastasia and Cat, chat with interview guest Dr […]

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Love and Sex in the digital world

01, September 2021

With social media on the rise, and the fear of AI taking over, we are constantly worried about the effects it may have on human relationships. Are we relying on technology too much to satisfy, not just our need for friendship, but perhaps something more? Have we become just shells of ourselves as we scroll […]

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Giant pink slugs- Is pink really camouflage?

29, August 2021

The Mt Kaputar Giant Pink Slug is a fleshy, moist, 20cm curiosity. It is super cool. When on a short walk Taylor Nodell found a Triboniophorus sp. “Kaputar”, he was surprised that it really was camouflaged- but how? Taylor’s discovery rocketed him to iNaturalist fame, proving this curious mollusc had survived catastrophic bushfires.  The sighting […]

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Clothing fibers everywhere – and what they do to the environment

25, August 2021

You put your clothes in the washing and you think this solves the issue. Far from it! It cleans the clothes, but also causes a whole new problem. Clothing fibers end up everywhere in our waterways, and eventually get washed into the ocean. Our guest did her research on the consequences of textile fibers in […]

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Evolution and human morality

18, August 2021

Love, Hate, Loyalty, Fear. Are these the characteristics that make us human? Why are we driven to separate each other by sex, the colour of our skin, or our social structure. Love, Hate, Loyalty, Fear. Are these the characteristics that make us human? Why are we driven to separate each other by sex, the colour […]

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Cuttlefish madness – Making Cuttlefest accessible for everyone

15, August 2021

It is a little-known fact that the cold, but nutrient-rich coastal waters of South Australia are teeming with marine life. One of those occasions is Cuttlefest, when thousands of giant cuttlefish congregate to breed and lay their eggs. The NGO ‘Experiencing Marine Sanctuaries’ (EMS) made it their mission to give people access to such events […]

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The nomads of the sea – Why do sharks migrate?

04, August 2021

Some fear them, some admire them. And some can’t decide between the two. We are talking sharks today, more precisely hammerhead and bull sharks. They are the nomads of the sea. They can travel thousands of kilometers within a few weeks. But why do they actually migrate such distances? Why not hang around in the […]

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Casey Kirchhoff & Environment Recovery Project

03, August 2021

How would you cope if your home was destroyed by fire? Australia’s Black Summer bushfire season impacted roughly 3 billion animals, excluding invertebrates. Millions of hectares of bushland were burnt. The impacts were too vast for professional scientists alone to record, and so the Environment Recovery Project was created. Chantelle and songwriter Zoe Elliot visit […]

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The Secrets of Scientific Writing

28, July 2021

Do you like writing? This question polarizes the world, well, at least the academic world. Being a scientist includes many hours spent in front of a computer writing research papers. But writing is an art form in itself. And like every other skill it needs lots of practice. Our guest teaches the art of science […]

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Paradise in trouble – Coral bleaching on Lord Howe Island

22, July 2021

Coral bleaching doesn’t even spare the most southern coral reef on the planet. In 2019, the summer heat was too much for the corals around Lord Howe Island, the tiny island in the Tasman Sea. Our guest was part of the first response team of researchers investigating what was happening in one of the most […]

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BPA – the chemical that messes with our hormones

14, July 2021

The plastic softener Bisphenol A or BPA is invisible, but it’s almost ubiquitously abundant in the environment. We regularly ingest it with our diet, as it is commonly used in water bottles and food packaging. BPA is also called an endocrine disrupter as it messes with our hormonal system. But how does it work and […]

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Into the ice – Studying krill in the Southern Ocean

07, July 2021

They are the biggest biomass on earth and they feed the marine world. No life in the oceans without krill. But how do those massive swarms of krill actually form and why? Are krill really as much in decline as some studies say? Anastasia and Cat chat to behavioural biologist Dr Alicia Burns about her […]

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Seaspiracy – An Australian perspective

02, July 2021

The oceans seem vast and endless. But for some time now we have known that their productivity is limited. The Netflix documentary Seaspiracy told us that a lot is going wrong in our oceans. Seaspiracy even says we shouldn’t eat any more fish at all. This episode’s guest is Iain Suthers, an expert on fish […]

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The Origin of Life

24, June 2021

How did life form on earth? Are we alone in the universe? Can you make life in the lab? Chantelle and Anastasia are asking some of the most fascinating questions of our guests Luke Steller.   Luke is an astrobiologist PhD at UNSW. In addition to his research trying to understand the origin of life, […]

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Discovering the Secrets of our Universe – Through Radio Waves!

16, June 2021

This week on Boiling Point Science we look to the sky above and beyond with our guide to the stars, Dr Vanessa Moss from CSIRO’s Space and Astronomy. Vanessa has worked in radio astronomy across the globe from a Qantas Lunar Eclipse chasing flight to automating radio telescope arrays in the most remote corners of our […]

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More than just money – What’s the Great Barrier Reef worth?

15, June 2021

What is a unique ecosystem with millions of rare species like the Great Barrier Reef worth? Why would you want to keep it if you are not into protecting the environment? You might be a successful business person in the oil industry and find it much more attractive to drill for oil than going snorkeling. […]

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Hanging with the penguins – Paige’s adventures in the Subantarctic

03, June 2021

https://wp.eastsidefm.org/episodes/boiling-point-600pm-1st-jun-2021/ A comfy and cozy lifestyle is just not for her. Our guest Paige Green loves a good challenge. She is a penguin researcher who lived in the most remote places to study her subjects. In this episode, we talk to her about the ups and downs of human life in the Subantarctic and the […]

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‘Operation Crayweed’ and the origins of Boiling Point

26, May 2021

Crayweed gives fish and rock lobsters a home and provides food for numerous marine species. Although it’s often overlooked cray weed is an essential part of marine ecosystems. Almost extinct, our guest Adriana Verges and her team brought crayweed back to Sydney’s shores. Adriana is an A/Prof at UNSW in Sydney and one of the […]

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Striving to be better scientists

20, May 2021

Science is commonly known as a rigorous and self-correcting process. But what if we can do better? What if we can make science more accessible, more reproducible, and more trustworthy. Realizing that science is not always quick to self-correct can be a hard lesson for young researchers. You might spend years going down one path […]

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The age longevity gap and having fun in the field with plants

14, May 2021

Men die younger than women. Is it the unhealthy lifestyle, the cigarettes, the alcohol, the higher suicide rate? Our guest found it’s all in the Y chromosome, an inferior chunk of DNA that’s just not up for the challenge. Also, our guest lived a researcher’s dream and traveled for nine months to collect samples of […]

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Blind in the mind’s eye – what it’s like to live with aphantasia

05, May 2021

Close your eyes and picture your favorite beach. What does the sand look like? What’s the colour of the sea? If you have a condition called aphantasia you might not be able to answer these questions or even picture the beach. People with aphantasia are blind in their mind’s eye. Our guest in this episode […]

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Learning Science through Video Games

28, April 2021

Video games are not just for adventure, action, and viral dances (I’m of course referring to flossing). Video games can teach us about science, how science is conducted, how experiments are developed, and most importantly, how science can be fun.  In this hilarious episode of Boiling Point tune into Anastasia, Cat, and UNSW professor Dr. […]

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More penguins than people – the Falkland Islands as a climate lab

21, April 2021

The trip of a lifetime. Dr Zoe Thomas went on a fieldtrip to the Falkland Islands to study past climates and to learn about the present. She met lots of lovely penguins and even more lovely humans. She found remnants of trees older than you can imagine and evidence of what our climate once looked […]

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Big brains in soft bodies – Why are cuttlefish so smart?

16, April 2021

Octopus, cuttlefish and squid are often called the closest to alien intelligence on earth. Now, they have even passed the marshmallow test. The hosts Anastasia and Cat chat with Dr Alexandra Schnell, comparative psychologist at Cambridge University, about the cognitive capability of cephalopods and why they are this smart at all. Liked this episode? Like […]

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‘Finding Nemo’ coming true

07, April 2021

Tropicalisation has reached NSW’s waters – fish communities and ecosystems are changing Close your eyes for a moment and picture yourself diving into the tropical world of corals and fish right off the coast of New South Wales. Sounds like a dream? Well, it’s not a dream anymore, climate change causes tropical fish to move […]

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The secrets of Australian tree rings

31, March 2021

Dendrochronology is the science of tree rings and a branch of science that researchers came up with for the trees in the northern hemisphere. Australian trees and their rings have long lived in the shadows of their northern cousins. But that ignorance is about to end. The tree rings of Australia are equally full of […]

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A long journey ahead – where do our recyclable plastics go?

26, March 2021

We throw it in the bin and it is gone. So we hope. But of course it is not. Recyclable plastics like milk bottles are only at the start of their long journey when we throw them away. Until recently, most of it was shipped to China. When China banned the plastic import it went […]

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Whale sharks and their invisible cloak

18, March 2021

Whale sharks are actually pretty well dressed. But their clothes are invisible. They consist of billions of microbes that protect the sharks’ skin. Tim and Cat chat with marine microbial ecologist and whale shark researcher, Dr Michael Doane, about one of his favorite study subjects. Wanna follow a tiger, bull or great white sharks on […]

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The fish whisperer and the miraculous brain of fishes

10, March 2021

Manta rays can recognize themselves in the mirror, sharks can learn from watching each other’s behaviour, some fish can remember the day of the week and all fish feel pain. Fish cognition specialist Culum Brown finds fish fascinating and in his many years of research, he learned quite a bit about their mental capacities that […]

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When Chantelle forgot to wear her pineapple hat

03, March 2021

Why do sharks attack? What motivates them? Do they sometimes play like a cat? How can we reduce the risk of shark attacks? These and more questions have been going through Chantelle’s head after she was attacked by a great white shark last year in August. Tim and Cat chat to Chantelle about her shark […]

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The alien within – Pregnancy and the immune system

26, February 2021

A creature grows inside its host’s belly and feeds on the hosts’ energy reserves until it finally breaks free to live on its own. What sounds like a scene from ‘Alien’ is actually an every-day scenario. I am talking about pregnancy. Pregnancy is a tricky situation for the immune system of the mother. The baby […]

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Throwing Some Shade – Heat Trees and Climate Change

10, February 2021

Our cities are getting hotter and our changing climate is framing all the future challenges ahead of us. This week on Boiling Point Tim and Ben talk to Alessandro Ossola, researcher coordinator from the Smart Green Cities Centre at Macquarie University. Alessandro tells us how through proper planning, policy making and through our day to […]

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So you have a Science Degree, what’s next?

05, February 2021

What do you do with a General Science Degree? Is Academia or teaching your only option? In today’s episode three of our presenters: Anastasia, Ben, and Tim talk about their experience working in the industry. We dive into how we got the job, what our day-to-day is like, what our experience taught us, and our […]

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Platypus, cicadas and lots of colour

27, January 2021

Almost everyone around the world knows about the most mysterious of mammals, the platypus. But how did it become what it is today? A new study from Denmark provides new insight into its genome. Also on the show, this is the summer of cicadas. They are everywhere and they are deafening. Why are there so […]

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Krill – the tiny shrimp that feeds the world

19, January 2021

They are small in size and yet, their impact is huge. Without them the world would be different. Well, at least the oceans would be different, as almost the entire marine ecosystem depends on them, as they are the food source of numerous predatory species. Learn more about krill, the crustaceans that mean the world. […]

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The secret life of blood

14, January 2021

Why do we have different blood types? And what do they actually mean? Our guest, Dr Bethany Pillay, is an immunologist and knows her blood types. They are tiny molecules on the surface of red blood cells and yet, they can mean the world. They can even influence our susceptibility to a range of diseases […]

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Flying with rhinos

22, December 2020

Rhinos have been hunted and killed for their horns for many decades. What is the situation like today and how do the African countries try to protect their charismatic megafauna? Our guest spent a lot of time in the South African bush on her mission to help the rhinos to survive. She even flew with […]

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Sex, Politics, and Evolution

17, December 2020

Most people have a pretty set attitude when it comes to topics like sex and marriage. Some value the traditional family, others live in polyamorous relationships and still others are somewhere in between. But how do we form our attitudes on such matters? And do we stick to them til we die? Our guest, Dr. […]

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First generation academics and studying on a budget – We need to talk!

10, December 2020

Uni life can be great fun. But what happens when you are the first in your family who goes to uni? What are the issues and pressures one has to face and overcome? And how do you manage to get through uni without the financial support of your family? The three eyewitnesses, Anastasia, Cat & […]

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The miraculous brush turkey and what else zoos are good for

03, December 2020

We all think we know how zoos work. There are animals in enclosures and zookeepers looking after them. The scientific side of a zoo is much less visible but nonetheless important. Our guest tonight, Dr Alicia Burns, works as a researcher at Taronga zoo in Sydney. Her work focuses on the wellbeing of zoo animals […]

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HIV special – An (almost) forgotten virus

25, November 2020

Corona virus is keeping the world on its toes. But what about HIV? The Human Immunodeficiency Virus, HIV, might not be in the headlines as much as in the 80s and 90s anymore but it’s still very much alive and kicking.

Cat chats with UNSW Specialist and Researcher Dr Nicholas Medland about the state of knowledge, research and treatment of this once deeply feared of all viruses. Get your update on HIV in Australia… […]

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All things sharky

20, November 2020

Have you ever come close to a great white shark? Our guest tonight, Sian Liddy, has and she loved it. After all, she does it for a living and in the name of science. Sian is a PhD candidate and shark microbial ecologist at the University of New South Wales and Sydney Uni. She studies […]

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The Importance of Science Communication

12, November 2020

We rely on science for many things: To understand how the world works, to make decisions in policy and law, to predict future outcomes of the world, and much, much more. As scientists, it is part of our job to relay information in a digestible manner. Find out on this weeks podcast how our guest, […]

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Ribbeting Frog Special

05, November 2020

When cities grow bigger, nature suffers – including very fragile animals such as frogs. It is estimated that almost one third of all frog species are listed as threatened or extinct and these are only the species that we know off! But why are frogs so susceptible to human impacted changes in the environment? How […]

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A Spooky Spider Special

29, October 2020

Venom, webs, and 8-legged creatures. Some of us, when we think of spiders, we think run the other way. But when we think of the Sydney-funnel web, we think, run away faster! However, our brave special guest Caitlin Creak would rather catch the deadly creature so she can explore everything from its potent venom to… […]

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Wolf special! This time in English!

21, October 2020

Let’s dive into the mysterious world of the German forest. For more than a century, it was only the rustling of the foliage and the chirping of the songbirds that interrupted the quiet peacefulness of the woods. But now they are back, the top predators and the protagonist of many stories and folk tales. The […]

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Napoleon’s undefeatable nemesis – Typhus

14, October 2020

In this week’s dose of Boiling Point Science, Tim catches up with Suzi Claflin and learns all about her latest project – a podcast called Direct Transmission. In this five part series, Suzi explores how tuberculosis became fashionable Romantic-era England, how disease shaped Lupin’s character in the Harry Potter series and how typhus helped destroy […]

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Robot Parrots – Biomimicry and Bio Inspired Design

06, October 2020

Why reinvent the wheel when you can look to nature for inspiration? Ben and Cat chat to robotics engineer Clyde Webster who is building climbing robots which are modeled after Australian Parrots. Clyde talks about studying the beautiful design and efficiency that exists in nature and the difficult process of trying to replicate this in […]

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01, October 2020

We all think we know what ageing is and what it looks like. But is this the whole story yet? What does ageing really mean? Do all animals age at the same speed and are there species out there that live forever? Anastasia and Cat chat with evolutionary biologist Dr Zac Wylde from UNSW Sydney […]

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The wolfs are back and they are here to stay!

24, September 2020

Boiling Point’s wolf’s special in German language! Catha spricht mit der Wolfsforscherin, Dr Ines Lesniak, ueber die Vor- und Nachteile, dass die Wölfe als Teil des Ökosystems Mitteleuropas nach Deutschland zurückgekehrt sind. Welche Risiken bergen die neuen/alten Mitbewohner und welche Chancen haben sie in petto?   […]

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Knives made out of human feces and crocodiles that can squeal

23, September 2020

Science that make you first laugh and then think, that’s the slogan of the annually awarded Ignoble Prizes. Tim and Cat discuss the work of some of this year’s winners. No tools at hand but desperate for a knife? Not a problem, your own feces fixes it, or does it? Researchers finally refuted a long […]

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Don’t lick the lichen!

16, September 2020

When we talk superheroes we usually think big and powerful. A small and rather unremarkably looking creature attached to a rock usually doesn’t come to mind. Maybe it’s time to change that perspective. Anastasia and Cat chat to lichenologist Max Mallen-Cooper about the little and big tricks lichens come up with to survive and to […]

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About career difficult academic choices and a new way to store solar energy

10, September 2020

Alex and Cat chat with new BP crew member Anastasia about difficult career choices. How do you decide what to study, how to find the research topic that really suits you and why the hell would you consider a PhD? Alex also presents a story on a newly developed molecule at a Swedish university that […]

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Electricity and our energy future – Boiling Point interviews Chris Davies

03, September 2020

Have you ever asked yourself, what is electricity? Where does it come from? And what is the future of electricity generation in Australia? In this week’s episode of Boiling Point, Tim and Chantelle caught up with Chris Davies from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) to talk all things energy. Learn more from AEMO’s learning […]

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A Nose for Conservation – Field Detection Dogs Sniffing Out Threatened Species

26, August 2020

There are thousands of very secretive rare species across Australia, who are very good at not being found. Olivia and her specially trained team of Springer Spaniels, Taz and Missy, use the power of smell to fight for conservation! Olivia tells us how she works with Missy and Taz to sniff out Koalas, Quolls and […]

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Invasive species special!

18, August 2020

Cane toads revisited – Evil and devastating for Australia’s ecosystems? Certainly. But useless? Certainly not! Alex and Cat chat to UNSW PhD student Kat Stuart about the lessons we can learn from cane toads and their evolution on steroids in the making. After all cane toads have been super successful in what they do. So, […]

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Tropical plants and climate change

13, August 2020

These days, we talk a lot about polar ice and glaciers when it comes to climate change. But what about the tropics? Is the green belt of our planet ready for what’s coming? Chantelle and Cat chat with Alex Sentinella about his new paper about tropical plants and their reaction to increasing temperatures and a […]

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Human Evolution special!

05, August 2020

Where do we come from, where do we go? Human evolution is full of secrets and mysteries and more than just one missing link is still heavily searched for. In this podcast, Ben and Cat chat to our special guest archaeologist Lian Ramage about the facts behind the mysteries. Listen in to the story: bit.ly/BoilingPointScience […]

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Chernobyl mould protects from radiation, petrichor and COVID reducing premature births

29, July 2020

What do melanin, the International Space Station and Chernobyl have in common? Mould. Tim shares how radiation eating fungi at Chernobyl may be used to shield future astronauts on voyages to Mars and beyond. Proof of concept research showing a 2% reduction in radiation levels on surfaces where mould was growing (and self-replicating, that means […]

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Australiana Pseudo-science; Water Dowsers, Snake Deterrants and Hail Cannons

23, July 2020

Water diviners or dowsers; can some people sense water in the each by turning into electromagnetic fields? A study conducted in 1980, with a $40,000 reward for success, wasn’t able to prove any dowsers could locate water buried in a specially designed trial. But maybe there is more to it? Is it really possible to […]

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‘Eat like the animals’

16, July 2020

30% of all Australians are heavily overweight. Why do we keep eating when we are already full? What drives our cravings and what can we learn from the way animals feed themselves? Ben and Cat chat with nutritional ecologist Prof David Raubenheimer of Sydney Uni who has studied animal and human nutrition for several decades. […]

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Mukupirna Australia’s newest megafauna wombat; Interview with Lian Ramage

09, July 2020

All things archeological and wombat-y tonight: Archeologist Lian Ramage talks about excavating animal remains of long forgotten times and about a surprise finding of a wombat witness of Australian megafauna at the Smithsonian museum (Lian was not associated with the excavation or identification of Mukupirna).   Check out Lian’s favorite archeology blog: https://www.johnhawks.net/ Listen in […]

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Toilet rolls, ancient platypus and nominative determinism

30, June 2020

Relevant science news! How should you roll your toilet paper, under or over? The age old science question answered, to best protect your bum/hands from germs (apparently) How likely is it your name predicts your career? Nominative determinism explains it all (apparently). Urologists more likely to have a name related to wee and poop (see: […]

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The Invisible World of Microbats – Dr Joanna Haddock

25, June 2020

What is a microbat anyway? Tim and Ben chat to an expert on all things dark and fluttery, Dr. Joanna Haddock! Our night sky from our cities to deepest forests are full of an invisible world teeming with microbats. Joanna talks to us about what these mysterious critters are doing up there every night and […]

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Spider silk special!

18, June 2020

Spider silk is one of the toughest materials on earth – it’s super light, durable and sustainable. Is it the raw material for clothes and protective gear of the future? Cat chats to Dr Sean Blamires whose research explores ways to harness the spider silk’s special features for human use.   Listen in to the […]

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The colour blue, total recall and brain plasticity (2018)

10, June 2020

Brain special- sight, plasticity and total recall (2018 replay)   Blue, the lost colour: Blue was long unknown in human languages. Does this mean our ancestors couldn’t see it?   Total recall! What it is like to live with the perfect memory?   Brain plasticity! How it works and how it changes our brain every […]

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Farming wildflowers; the future of resoration and native seed

04, June 2020

Latest lockdown podcast! Dr Paul Gibson-Roy talks a utopian future where farms could grow chocolate lilies and wildflowers instead of crops, and seed collectors no longer need to take seed from wild, fragmented, populations.  Native plants are used in restoration, road and minesite reveg. But where does all the seed come from? The ANPC Seed […]

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Microplastics And What To Do About It

27, May 2020

New Lock-down podcast episode! Chantelle and Cat chat to one of the pioneers of microplastics research, Dr Mark Browne from UNSW in Sydney. Our oceans and waterways are full of microplastics, especially of microfibers from our clothes. Mark talks about the current microplastics situation and his research trying to clean up microplastic pollution.     […]

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Electric cars – the good, the bad and the sustainable (Replay)

22, May 2020

Chantelle is chatting with Gail Broadband, electric car expert and PhD candidate at UNSW Sydney, about the presence and future of electric mobility. Gail and Chantelle will enlighten you on questions like: Are electric cars cheaper? Are they “greener?” Why does NZ have such high use? How can we make electric cars affordable? Sources: https://theconversation.com/australias-electric-car-revolution-wont-happen-automatically-90442?fbclid=IwAR3zRHlOV1NtCiLnMQPbGsFteGQjeJv_NVrPUdZT1PG3X2pbN6rCumuqhuw […]

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Bush fire aftermaths – How have Victoria’s threatened species coped since the fires?

13, May 2020

Tim and Cat interview mammal ecologist Jemma Cripps​  from the Arthur Rylah Institute in Melbourne and chat about some of the rarer critters that roam the Victorian forests and how they have been doing since the devastating fires in the summer of 2019/2020. Check out this video about the current situation in the East Gippsland […]

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Ben Ellis and the bat he forgot was in his pocket

06, May 2020

First iso zoom session;ecologist Ben Ellis tells us about bat he forgot was in his shirt pocket….. And about the fun and not so fun parts of a  life half lived “in the field”, working as an ecological consultant. As an ecologist he spends about half his working life in the field. Searching for threatened […]

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Takapō dark sky reserve (Feb 2020)

29, April 2020

Dark sky reserves and skin cream to combat mozzie virus We revisit as favourite intterivew of 2020 as Tim chats with Takapō Dark Sky Reserve guide, Holly McClelland, about what happens in a dark sky reserve and how optical telescopes work University of Canterbury And Chantelle reviews research University of Leeds into how skin cancer […]

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icow in Botswana (2019)

22, April 2020

A 2019 cow special favorite interview with Cam Radford @icow in Botswana How do you protect cattle from lions and mosquitos? Easy, you paint them! Put eyes on their bum and stripes on their body and they will be left in peace, most of the time at least. Nick and Cat are joined by carnivore […]

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Festivals; the price of waste & The Waste Collective (2019)

07, April 2020

Shout out the  social times of festival going!! We replay a favourite from Aug 2019 Alex chant with Gamran Green and Evie Preston , the founders of the Waste Collective  In collaboration with researchers, Waste Collective is working on finding green solutions for the tonnes of rubbish left behind at music festivals in Australia every year. […]

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Quolls and cane toad sausages (2019)

01, April 2020

Aussie’s tackle the cane toad onslaught with a sausage! Chantelle and Alex interview ecologist Chris Jackson. The cane toad onslaught reached the WA Kimberley two years ago – but researchers were just ahead. Trialling a crazy scheme to train quolls that cane toads were NOT a tasty snack they dropped 10,000 nausea-inducing cane toad sausages…did […]

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Orca menopause, war on waste and jellyfish lowdown (2018)

25, March 2020

Cryptic jellies: New facts you didn’t know about jellyfish. And is a Blue Bottle a jelly fish anyway? Menopause in orcas: Why the top predators of the oceans stop reproducing with age and why this is special War on waste: New ways to fight the daily loads of rubbish COVID-2019 Update: Unfortunately, BP is not […]

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Boiling Point’s new podcast is out: insect special!

18, March 2020

Bee colonies suffer from all kinds of pests. Pseudoscorpions might be the solution. UNSW PhD candidate Anastasia Shavrova studies arachnids, their potential use for the wellbeing of bees and sexual conflicts in the war between male and female arachnids. In the interview with Tim and Cat, Anastasia talks about all things spidery and how you […]

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CRISPR: What was the origin of this gene editing tech?

11, March 2020

Missed one of our best? Our CRISPR interview special is back! The pioneer of CRISPR: In conversation with Prof. Francisco mojica Chantelle and Tim interviewed Prof Francisco Mojica, as he gave a talk at the University of New South Wales in July 2018. Francisco discovered the mechanism, the repeating sequence of DNA in bacteria,  that […]

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Leopard mania: 2019 flashback

04, March 2020

Boiling Point is back with one of its most popular interviews from 2019: Leopard mania! Boiling Point crew interviews leopard expert and UNSW researcher, Ben Walker, who talks about the cryptic nature of these fascinating, but pretty aggressive large cats and explains why it is so hard to study them. Plug into the podcast here: […]

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Oxygen toxicity, moon changes earth hours and acoustics of the reef

25, February 2020

This week’s dose of Boiling Point Science is brought to you by Tim, Cat and Chantelle The moon is ruling – How the moon impacts the length of our days on earth and why dinosaurs had shorter days Oxygen, the double-edged sword – How Stevie Wonder’s blindness and oxygen toxicity is intertwined Singing reefs – […]

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Great Barrier Reef: Good news!

19, February 2020

The new Boiling Point podcast is out! Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. It is time for some good news. We have heard some pretty dire predictions about the state of the Barrier Reef, driven by bleach events, ocean acidification, runoffs, microplastics. But fresh from the water we have returning guest Associate Prof.  David Suggett (UTS) to […]

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Dark sky reserves and skin cream combats mosquito viruses

10, February 2020

The new Boiling Point podcast is out! Dark sky reserves and skin cream to combat mozzie virus Tim chats with Tekapō  Dark Sky project guide, Holly McClelland, about what happens in a dark sky reserve and how optical telescopes work And Chantelle reviews research into how skin cancer cream reduces risk of  mosquito-borne virus by […]

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2018 throwback – Microplastics, microbiome, cooking oil to clean up oil spills

04, February 2020

This week Boiling Point is brought to you by Nick, Cat, Chantelle and Alex, first aired in May 2018. Find out how to clean up an oil spill with a sponge made from sulfur and cooking oil; how microplastics affect our health; and the wonders of the gut microbiome. Subscribe to the podcast – bit.ly/BoilingPointScience […]

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Aerial firefighting and the novel coronavirus

30, January 2020

This week’s dose of Boiling Point Science is brought to you by Nick and Tim. We discuss current aerial fire fighting techniques and emerging technology as well as what we know so far about the novel coronavirus. Listen in to the story: bit.ly/BoilingPointScience Sources https://newatlas.com/good-thinking/high-altitude-drop-system-night-aerial-firefighting/ https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 […]

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Can Aussie plants really recover from bushfire?

21, January 2020

The Bushfire Special   Chantelle and Cat chat with plant and bushfire ecologist Dr Mark Ooi about what’s normal, what’s needed and what kills plants at a time when climate appears out of control.   Listen in to the story: bit.ly/BoilingPointScience Find out more about plant response post fire in this great Conversation article by […]

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Decompression sickness in whales and Aussie bushfire smoke circumnavigates globe

14, January 2020

The new Boiling Point podcast is out! Deep and dangerous – Why marine mammals usually don’t suffer from decompression sickness, unless anthropogenic (human induced) noise interferes Smoky and agile – How NASA is currently tracking the movement of Australia’s bushfire smoke around the globe Join Chantelle, Tim and Cat for 30 minute of fun science […]

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Interview with Nathan Hawkins, iGem & lab cultured psychoactive bacteria

07, January 2020

The first Boiling Point podcast of the year is out!! Making ‘magic mushrooms’ in a Petri dish, is it magic? No, it’s synthetic biology! Nick and Cat are chatting with Nathan Hawkins, a recent Sydney Uni science graduate, about iGEM, the international synthetic biology competition. Nathan and his team competed by coming up with a […]

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Life stages visible in a blood test and Alzheimers medicine treats brain damage

17, December 2019

Boiling Point’s new Podcast is out! Cat and Chantelle hang in the studio to get sciencey and find out; Can we predict biological age from a simple blood test? Researchers from Stanford University might have a result and;   Can alcohol induced brain damage, caused in adolescence, be reversed with Alzheimer’s medication? Possibly, but for […]

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Interview with Gail Broadbent on Electric Vehicles

11, December 2019

Join Chantelle and Cat for this week’s episode of Boiling Point. Are they cheaper? Are they “greener?” Why does NZ have such high use? How can we make electric vehicles affordable? EV expert UNSW Gail Broadbent answers all the questions Listen in:bit.ly/BoilingPointScience Sources: https://theconversation.com/dont-trust-the-environmental-hype-about-electric-vehicles-the-economic-benefits-might-convince-you-115225 https://theconversation.com/australias-electric-car-revolution-wont-happen-automatically-90442 […]

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Drake equation, Rhesus factor and Life on Mars

03, December 2019

This week Tim Cat and Alex ask: What is the likelihood of technologically advanced life on other planets? The Drake Equation has the answer…It is 52. Kidding. You need to listen to find out. Why is most of the human population Rhesus positive? Maybe it reduces the  likelihood of toxoplasmosis infection. Want to live on […]

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Deicing aeroplanes, aboriginal genome and zero alcohol

28, November 2019

Boiling Point’s new Podcast is out! This week, Nick, Tim and Chantelle ask: What is the safe level of alcohol consumption? How can ceramic be used to reduce use of chemical spray to de-ice planes? What has a latest study found about the Indigenous Australian’s genome? Listen in: bit.ly/BoilingPointScience | https://wp.eastsidefm.org/boilingpoint/# Links: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)31571-X/fulltext https://www.sciencenews.org/article/new-material-harnesses-light-deice-surfaces https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2016-09-22/world-first-study-reveals-rich-history-of-aboriginal-australians/7858376 […]

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Interview with mermaid-marine biologist Danni Washington

19, November 2019

This week’s dose of Boiling Point Science is brought to you by Tim and Jake. Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae ) population has bounced back to 93 percent of the population’s prehunt levels; And Jake interviews the delightful marine biologist-mermaid-science communicator-tv presenter, Danni Washington Listen in to the stories: bit.ly/BoilingPointScience | https://wp.eastsidefm.org/boilingpoint/# […]

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Over confidence, Piri reis and 11,000 scientists declare climate emergency

12, November 2019

The new Boiling Point Podcast is out; with Tim and Chantelle. Know what you don’t know? The Dunning-Kruger effect explains why we think we know more than we do! And why those that know the least often think they know the most! How was Antarctica mapped in 1513, before it was even “discovered” in 1820? […]

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WW1 inventions in common use today

05, November 2019

The new Boiling Point Podcast is out! Tim, Alex and Chantelle discuss WW1 inventions in popular use today Stainless steel; helped stop corrosion of tanks and now used in almost every kitchen and appliance, jewellery and manufacturing Sanitary pads; originally as a wound dressing that crafty nurses found a second use for – as a […]

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Autobrewery syndrome, giant bubbles and the fate of race horses

30, October 2019

The new Boiling Point Podcast is out!   Cat, Nick and Chantelle hang out to chat about a completely random suite of science news; Auto-brewery syndrome – Giant soap bubbles – the fate of Australian racehorses   Always drunk without drinking – A rare medical condition makes it possible,   As big as a classroom […]

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Director’s Cut: MS & MOOC interview with Dr Suzi Claflin

23, October 2019

Here’s the full Boiling Point interview on location in Launceston with Dr Suzi Claflin on Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and the University of Tasmania’s Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on MS. Find out about the March 2020 enrolment for the next MS MOOC here. Subscribe to Boiling Point Science’s podcast at bit.ly/BoilingPointScience […]

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Multiple Sclerosis special – interview with Dr Suzi Claflin

23, October 2019

This week’s episode of Boiling Point features Tim’s interview on location in Launceston with Dr Suzi Claflin on Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and the University of Tasmania’s Massive Open Online Course (MOOC ) on MS. The full interview is available here. Find out about the March 2020 enrolment for the next MS MOOC here. Subscribe to […]

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The lies in a cows eyes, and stripes!

17, October 2019

The new Boiling Point Podcast is out – cow special! Nick and Cat are joined by carnivore conservationist, Cam Radford who works on the i-cow project in Botswana. Segment 1 (Nick) – How do you reduce the amount of flies landing on a cow? Paint stripes on them!   Segment 2 (Cam Radford) – How […]

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Imposter syndrome, hobby/work blends and woolly mammoth extinction

09, October 2019

Boiling Point’s new Podcast is out! This week, Nick and Alex ask Should your hobbies mix with your work? How common is impostor syndrome? What really wiped out the woolly mammoths? Listen in: bit.ly/BoilingPointScience Links: https://digest.bps.org.uk/…/spending-more-time-on-your-hobb… https://edition.cnn.com/…/woolly-mammoths-death-…/index.html https://phys.org/news/2019-09-impostor-syndrome-common-thinkstudy-cope.html […]

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It’s a replay – the science of slippery ice, nanoparticles rescuing malnourished crops, and holding your breath underwater.

01, October 2019

This week Boiling Point Science  brings you a 2018 favourite featuring Chantelle, Tim and Alex. Why is ice slippery? How can nanoparticles used to fight cancer help rescue malnourished crops? And the human genome adaptation that gives  ‘Sea Nomads’ their undersea diving advantage.  […]

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Science artist in residence – Dr Sarah Jane Moore

24, September 2019

What is it like to be a science artist in residence?  Boiling Point chat with Dr Sarah Jane Moore to find out. Dr Sarah Jane is the Australian Network for Art and Technology On Country Artist in Residence and is hosted in the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES) UNSW. Her residency focuses […]

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Sydney’s body farm, wombat’s cubic stool, the micro-full-moon and fearing Friday the 13th

18, September 2019

This week’s dose of Boiling Point is brought to you by Cat, Chantelle and Tim. Moving corpses, cubic stool and the micro full moon Moving corpses and mummification – what research on a body farm looks like, Faeces come in cubes – at least when you are a wombat, and how the industry can benefit […]

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Aphantasia interview Prof. Joel Pearson UNSW

10, September 2019

Welcome to the world of aphantasia! What is it like when your mind can’t visualize your last holiday at the beach or last night’s delicious dinner? Cat talks to special guest UNSW Prof Joel Pearson about the world happening in our mind and those people whose mind’s eye is blind. What does it feels like […]

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Why we weigh more than we did in the 80s and why is snot green?

04, September 2019

Cat, Chantelle and Tim bring you this week’s installment of Boiling Point. White, yellow, green – ever wondered why your snot turns green when you have a really nasty cold?   More weight, similar diet – according to a new study, we weigh more than in the 1980s, although we eat about the same amount […]

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‘Total recall’ in snails and ethanol to fight cancer

27, August 2019

Tim, Alex and Nick  revisit a 2018 Boiling Point classic… Ethanol-Based cancer treatments ; Are they a  cost-effective option ? ‘Total recall’ in snails.  ‘Memory transplant’ achieved in these marine molluscs […]

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Uni = $ and Ebola = Cured ??

20, August 2019

On tonight’s episode of Boiling Point, Chantelle is back and joined by Tim. Does University education really mean a higher income? Perhaps if you are male and want work in a engineering, construction or electrical related field Is Ebola cured? Nope. But two trialled drugs are increasing survival rates Plug into our podcast here : […]

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Swarming spacecrafts with Dr Will Crowe, and his Top 5 Tips for Remaining Radiation Free.

15, August 2019

Dr Will Crowe joins Tim and Nick on Boiling Point (August 13) to talk all things space including his “Top 5 Tips for Remaining Radiation Free”. Will is an expert on asteroids, asteroid mining, spacecraft swarms, space mining and potentially hazardous asteroids. Will’s recent thesis focuses on using swarming spacecraft to characterize asteroids. This episode […]

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Cigarette butt pollution and introducing the Scientists Are People Too podcast

07, August 2019

This week on Boiling Point Science, Nick and Tim speak with special guest Zoe Ford, who’s podcast Scientists are people too launched on Monday 5 August. And Nick delves into the dire environmental consequences of cigarette litter. It’s Science Week in Sydney and National Science Week across Australia, with events and activities galore – Sydney […]

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Science and music festival waste – a Waste Collective special report

01, August 2019

In this week’s episode of Boiling Point, Alex is joined by Gamran Green and Evie Preston , the founders of the Waste Collective. In collaboration with researchers, Waste Collective is working on finding green solutions for the tonnes of rubbish left behind at music festivals in Australia every year. Plug into the podcast here: iTunes: https://goo.gl/YtzS83 […]

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Universal blood types, ADHD and gluten and listening flowers

24, July 2019

Join Boiling Point’s Chantelle, Nick and Cat on journey through three trending science stories. 1. The universal blood donation – Researchers identified an enzyme extracted from gut bacteria that strip off the sugar molecules of red blood cells. The results are red blood cells with the blood type O. And anyone can safely receive this […]

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Interview with leopard researcher, Ben Walker.

10, July 2019

On Boiling Point this week, Alex and Cat are joined by special guest Ben Walker. July is interview month on Boiling Point! Leopard expert and UNSW researcher, Ben Walker, talks about the cryptic nature of these fascinating, but pretty aggressive large cats and he explains why it is so hard to study them. […]

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Special guest engineers; Dr Peyman Mostaghemi and Naif Alqatani

03, July 2019

Special Guests Dr Peyman Mostaghemi and Naif Alqatani From UNSW, our two special guests get supercritical with a chat about petroleum engineering (yup coal, oil and gas) But we want to know more- How does extraction actually work? What are the new technologies (AI is one of them)!? How are researchers making it cleaner and less invasive? […]

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Stimulant Special

26, June 2019

One of Boiling Point’s Goldies is back; The stimulant special! What does the stimulant drug #Ritalin do to those who don’t have #ADHD? 30 % of college students in the US take it to be more efficient with their studying. What are the side effects? Zap your brain and you will become smarter and more […]

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Boiling Point 18 June 2019 Radiothon Episode

20, June 2019

Boiling Point 18 June 2019 Radiothon Episode. This week for our 2019 Radiothon Episodes we took to Facebook and our live phone lines to get questions from our listeners:  Why is there a Star Trek Chevron symbol on Mars?  Why don’t we see vaccines for Malaria and HIV?  Are there any concerns for CRISPR gene […]

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Platypus Research with Tahneal Hawke

12, June 2019

This week on Boiling Point, Cat and Jake are joined by UNSW PhD candidate Tahneal Hawke to talk about her research on Platypus. Once considered a hoax, platypus are truly unique. Their nocturnal and aquatic lifestyle make research difficult. Until recently it was unclear how stable platypus populations currently are. Tahneal found evidence for a […]

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Science History Mysteries; HeLa, Milkmaids and moudly oranges

04, June 2019

Science history mysteries! Fuzzy little helpers – How penicillin came into being. A cheer for the milkmaid – how the beauty of milkmaids helped to develop the very first vaccination in human history: the smallpox vaccine HeLa, the immortal cells from cervical cancer victim, Henrietta Slack- a cell line that just doesn’t want to die, […]

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Light triad, gender conformity and gold digging fungi

30, May 2019

This week’s dose of Boiling Point science brought to you by Nick, Jake and Chantelle. Gold-Digging Mushrooms found in Western Australia introduce a potential new method to identify hidden gold deposits The “Light Triad,“the three characteristics of  good natured people VS the “Dark Triad” traits of people who exhibit destructive social behaviour Gender Conformity found […]

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Boiling Point 21 May 2019

22, May 2019

  Tim, Alex and Cat discuss the options of alien life in space, microbial helpers and the issue with the rhesus factor Grumpy monkey? – the downside of having rhesus factor negative Alone in space? – the Drake equation knows the odds Friends on Mars? – tiny bacteria may help us colonize Mars Rhesus factor […]

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Boiling Point 14 May 2019

15, May 2019

  Nick, Jake and Cat are joined by special guest Kat Ross this week Massive mushroom clouds, Star Trek Spaceship Voyageur and women in STEM – astronomist Kathryn Ross is fascinated by space and its mysteries. She is a PhD student at Curtin University in Perth looking at radio galaxies and their black holes. Her […]

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Box jellyfish antidote and new human species

09, May 2019

Box jellyfish antidote and the jawbone of ancient human species , the Denisovans Excruciating pain and a quick death – A marvellous science journey led a University of Sydney research team to discover first antidote for box jellyfish venom and develop a handy topical ointment. Widely traveled with a sense for mountaineering – jawbone of […]

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Plaque busting micro-robots and the gender disadvantage of a female twin.

30, April 2019

Tonight’s dose of Boiling Point Science brought to you by Cat, Alex and our intern Francesca. Brushing teeth, a thing of the past? – micro-robots wiping out dental plaque may save your dental bill. Having a twin is fun? – Not if you are female with a male twin. Researchers found female twins highly disadvantaged. […]

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Reanimating pig brains, plastic bag bans, and the psychology of break ups!

23, April 2019

Chantelle, Tim and Nick had a chat about activity after “death” in pigs’ brains, the UK’s ban on plastic bags and questioned; is love the same as cocaine? Saving swine Tim started off with some ground-breaking research about apparently dead pigs’ brains showing signs of cellular life after being bathed in artificial fluid. 32 of […]

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Education and Poverty, Black holes and the Event Horizon Telescope

18, April 2019

Tonight, on Boiling Point, Nick, Jake and Tim stopped by the studio to talk about the educational impacts of poverty and the super exciting first imagine of a supermassive black hole. The correlation between poverty and a lack of education Despite Australia being one of the wealthiest countries in the world, the ACOSS Poverty in Australia report (2016)  found […]

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Coral spawning, David Suggett and a new GPS epoch

09, April 2019

Tim, Chantelle and Jake are joined by David Suggett in this week’s dose of Boiling Point. How resilient is the Great Barrier Reef? Radical drop in coral spawning concerns scientists, with special guest and coral expert David Suggett We just had daylights savings end but did you know we’re in a new GPS epoch too? […]

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Special Guest Manon Sabot; the role of vegetation in the climate equation

03, April 2019

How do plants deal with extremes in a changing climate? Our special guest, Manon Sabot, climate scientist from the University of New South Wales discusses her research, the challenges modelling climate/vegetation relationships and why plants may not be responding the way initially predicted…..   […]

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Fractal rice paddies, the EDGE list and mathematics to the rescue

26, March 2019

Chantelle, Alex and Danny are back with another dose of Boiling Point Science. Perfect greenery – What makes rice paddies so efficient? Endangered, but little known – unique and strange animals on the EDGE list Wobbly and unfixable? – Think again. Mathematicians teach us how to fix a wobbly chair.   […]

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Whale lice, genetic resistance to contraceptives and wolves vs dogs

19, March 2019

  Whales and their lice – they might be nasty and crawly, but they tell researchers the story of the whales’ social network Genes breaking down contraceptive hormones? A new hypothesis explores why the pill and other contraceptives might fail for a select few women Wolves versus dogs – can wolves collaborate with people like […]

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Brain stew, super recognizers, and a world built for men

12, March 2019

Another Boiling Point podcast is out! Brain stew – How many brain cells do we actually have? You can listen to a podcast on the topic here Super recognizer – Some people just have it in their genes A man’s world – how the world is built for men and how that puts women in […]

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Insect special: Giant bees, Bogong moths and mathematical bees

05, March 2019

This week on Boiling Point Chantelle, Jake and Nick are back for an amazing bug filled week. The six centimetre Megachile Pluto bee is back, having been spotted for first time in 37 years; the devastating consequences of the Bogong moth’s decline; and can bees really do maths? Sources: –https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2019-02-27/bogong-moth-decline-in-australian-alps/10850036 –https://theconversation.com/can-bees-do-maths-yes-new-research-shows-they-can-add-and-subtract-108074 –https://edition.cnn.com/2019/02/21/world/giant-bee-megachile-pluto-found-trnd/index.html […]

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Midday naps, horseshoe crab blood and Neptune’s new moon

27, February 2019

Midday naps, horseshoe crab blood and Neptune’s new moon Nick finds out what good lunch time nap on the other does to our brain Horseshoe crabs and the amazing medical uses of their blue blood, put it at risk from over exploitation What the moon? It’s tiny and probably pretty young, Nick gets the low […]

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Palaeontologist Liz Dowding and Horseshoe crabs

20, February 2019

Palaeontologist Liz Dowding and the living fossil; Horseshoe crabs  Special guest devonian palaeontologist and biogiographer, Elizabeth Dowding,  talks with Cat about the contentious fish dominated Devonian period , plus the even more contentious ‘new’ continent Zealandia. Alex talks about the wonderful Horseshoe Crab, technically an arachnid and unchanged for millions of years […]

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Fish pass the mirror test, upward lightning and teen tech use

13, February 2019

Reef fish; brighter than you think, upward lightning and teens vs screens Tim brought us the bright and flashy: Lightning research and its newest advances. Check out this Amazing upward lightning  on YouTube Jake saw something fishy: A fish that passes the classic mirror test of animal intelligence calls into question the traditional method of measuring […]

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Blue ringed octopus, insulin producing stem cells, chloroplasts vs pathogens

06, February 2019

Cat, Nick and Tim bring you this week’s serve of Boiling Point Science: Shy but deadly – the secrets behind the toxin that makes the blue ringed octopus so dangerous Blood sugar too high ? – how researchers turn stem cells into insulin-producing pancreas cells Green and aggressive – chloroplasts are capable of much more […]

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Groundwater microplastics, shark nets, the pope and the pill.

29, January 2019

This week on Boiling Point, Cat and Jake are joined by Tuesday Drive’s host, David Barr. Helpful or harmful – offshore shark nets on Sydney beaches. It is everywhere – microplastics found in groundwater for the first time. The pope and the pill – how the pope shaped the way women take the pill. #boilingpointFM […]

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The eavesdropping evening primrose, redback antivenom and apple cider vinegar

22, January 2019

This week on Boiling Point, Alex explores the extraordinary abilities of the evening primrose and how this species increases the sugar content of its nectar in response to the sounds of bees; Nick investigates the positive effects apple cider vinegar might have on your cholesterol as demonstrated in research conducted on rats; and Tim takes a […]

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Reef restoration with Assoc. Prof David Suggett and microbial resistant soil

15, January 2019

Coral matchmaking and antimicrobial dirt!! Interview with Associate Professor David Suggett from UTS: University of Technology Sydney Coral zooxanthellae matchmaker for the  Larval Restoration Project and coral restoration expert Need an infection treated? Rub it with some Streptomyces inhabited dirt from the town of West Fermanagh Scarplands (known locally as Boho!)     […]

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Slingshot ripples, yoghurt-based leukemia cure and robot-assisted reef rehabilitation

08, January 2019

This week on Boiling Point Cat, Chantelle and Alex look into the how a slingshot actually works, research into a cure for leukemia using bacteria within a yoghurt-like drink and how planting coral larvae using robots might help save the Great Barrier Reef. iTunes: https://goo.gl/YtzS83 | https://wp.eastsidefm.org/boilingpoint/# #boilingpointFM #eastsideradio Sources: https://physics.aps.org/articles/v11/136?fbclid=IwAR1y-TwUuBVN5RLo9vWlqn4LmodcWG–ObTAaKlPSosYPC1PBXF80kHhrO0 https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/dec/30/children-leukaemia-mel-greaves-microbes-protection-against-disease https://www.scu.edu.au/engage/news/2018/biggest-coral-reseeding-project-deployed-as-great-barrier-reef-spawns.php?fbclid=IwAR3OAQmUPfCkAEDhTEX5ZOWTiZ9BsEs7vhhDEqHsSVVOnVCxgKlZbx6tCn0 […]

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New Year Special; Resolutions, Fireworks and Albinism

01, January 2019

New Years Special, resolutions, fireworks and albinism The mechanics of fireworks – you can’t start the new year without it Albinism in Tanzania – A not so rare condition and its dire consequences for those who live with it reminds us to value kindness this 2019 How to make your diet resolutions last. Don’t worry […]

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Summer Special: Too many toys, Xmas beetles and the ubiquitous fly

25, December 2018

Boiling Point’s Christmas Summer Special! When is a fly not a fly? Listen to the 2007 Summer special repeat with special guest, Holly Richardson as she chats the ecology of the quintisential house guest; the fly. Plus we ask the question of the day; is there a benefit to limiting toys? It wouldn’t be an […]

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Physics of Santa and the science of frankincense and myrrh

18, December 2018

Physcis explains Santa and the botanic history of Franincense and Myrrh Cat and Chantelle chat Xmas science. The science of myrrh and frankincense – baby Jesus’ first ever presents! But what were they actually good for? Santa’s secret revealed! How the relativity theory enables him to visit every child on earth in one night!   […]

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Interview with Jake Krauss Ecologist

11, December 2018

Cat and Alex interivew PhD candidate  and ecologist, Jake Krauss  Have you ever camped with lemurs in the bush or watched the mating behaviour of an Andean Cock-of-the-Rock in South America? Well, our special guest and Centre for Ecosystem Sciences UNSW researcher, Jake Krauss has done and seen it all.     […]

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Inherited fear (epigenetics) and chronic inflammation

06, December 2018

Inherited fear and chronic inflammation Epigenetics at its best: Baby mice dislike a smell only their parents were conditioned to fear; cherries! The dire consequences of chronic inflammation on our body. How it is linked to numerous diseases, like macular degeneration, rheumatoid arthritis, some cancers and aging Those stories plus some tenuously connected tunes, on Boiling […]

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Origin of the female orgasm, choose your pup wisely and the IUCN Redlist 2018

27, November 2018

The origin of the female orgasm, choosing your Lab wisely and the IUCN redlist 2018 The evolutionary origin of female orgasm. What is it actually good for (other than fun)? Chocolate-coloured labradors die younger than their yellow counterparts. What’s behind this mystery? The new IUCN Red List is out: Mountain gorillas on the rise and […]

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Cat tongues, Planck’s Constant kilogram, and peanut allergies

20, November 2018

This week on Boiling Point, Alex returns to catch us up on cats and their combed tongues – what cool things can learn from felines? Nick brings up to speed on the recent redefinition of the kilogram last Friday. And Tim takes a look into a possible pathway to reducing the severity of peanut allergies. […]

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Monkey malaria, stealth moths and biomimicry

13, November 2018

This week on Boiling Point, Nick and Tim discuss the rise of monkey-borne malaria infections in humans, how hairy moths evading their bat predators and a few examples of biomimicry. […]

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In conversation with Dr Keith Leggett, Director of UNSW’s Fowlers Gap Research Station

06, November 2018

On Boiling Point tonight, Cat and Nick are joined by Dr Keith Leggett. What do we actually know about the critters of the outback like echidna and co? Surprisingly little! Our special guest, Dr Keith Leggett, is Director of the arid zone research station of the University of New South Wales and runs several research […]

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Nail tail wallabies, bilbies and crocs

30, October 2018

Cat and Chantelle interview special guest, Alexandra Ross. PhD student Aly Ross talks about her amazing research to help conserve some of Australia’s most unique creatures from extinction by minimising prey naiveté. Sources: https://www.bees.unsw.edu.au/alexandra-ross […]

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Pink Cauliflower Coral; Boys, Girls & STEM

23, October 2018

Cat and Tim are joined this week by special guest Rosie Steinberg. Pink cauliflower growing underwater? Soft corals are little understood creatures that provide habitat and food for numerous marine invertebrates and fish like seahorses. Marine biologist, Rosie talks about her research on the mysterious soft corals. Boys are better at maths and girls better […]

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Cancer combating venom, anti-avian airport tech, benefits of books on brains

16, October 2018

Tim investigates how Australian funnel-web spiders can help fight melanoma and Tasmanian Devil facial tumours. Chantelle explores the brain benefits of growing up surrounded by books. And Nick discusses new technology keeping birds away from airport runways. Sources: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/growing-surrounded-books-may-bolster-skills-later-life-180970523/#7pYqKcJLJHFJSpmy.99 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0204802 https://amp.abc.net.au/article/10344588 […]

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Science myth vs reality!

09, October 2018

Be quick: The 5 second-rule revisited. A subtle pointer: Digit ratios and what it tells us about our in utero life! This and not quite 99 other science myths on Boiling Point! Sources: https://www.nature.com/news/the-science-myths-that-will-not-die-1.19022 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/28208851/ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2672.2006.03171.x […]

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Jellyfish, orca menopause, e-waste microfactories

02, October 2018

We talk to Holly Richardson about jellyfish.   Cat explores menopause in orcas and why the top predators of the oceans stop reproducing with age.   And Tim digs into the war on waste with new techniques to process discarded consumer electronics Sources: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/01/study-suggests-surprising-reason-killer-whales-go-through-menopause https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2018-01-24/meet-the-pioneers-in-the-war-on-waste/9329038 https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/invertebrates/jellyfish-and-comb-jellies https://www.smithsonianmag.com/videos/category/wildlife/jellyfish-are-stirring-up-the-ocean/ […]

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Baby’s cry and adult vocals, noctilucent clouds, and antidepressant antibiotic resistance

25, September 2018

Chantelle discusses a study linking a baby’s cries with their adult vocal range. Tim has his head in the noctilucent clouds. And Nick explores the relationship between antidepressants and antibiotic resistance. Sources: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/babies-cries-may-predict-what-they-will-sound-adults-180969669 https://www.livescience.com/63656-glowing-blue-clouds-nasa.html https://www.space.com/5790-strange-clouds-spotted-edge-space.html?_ga=2.216286163.434774862.1537792562-1288216643.1537792561 […]

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Desert fireball network, Sydney Harbour fish and memory limits

18, September 2018

Enlightened: How to find #meteorites in the Outback. Poisoned: Why you shouldn’t eat fish from #SydneyHarbour. Forgetful: Why our brain can only remember 4 things at a time.   Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-30/meteorite-search-in-wa-underway/10179826 https://fireballsinthesky.com.au/frequently-asked-questions/ https://www.smh.com.au/environment/sustainability/the-poison-that-got-away-20101029-177i0.html https://news.mit.edu/2016/bursts-neural-activity-brain-working-memory-0317 […]

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Parasite Special

11, September 2018

It’s all about #parasites! We discuss endoparasites in kangaroo meat and how it can affect us. Toxoplasma and how it may make us more drawn to starting a business. And rat fleas – why they might have been innocent of spreading the Black Death. Sources: https://www.businessinsider.com.au/parasite-in-cat-poop-linked-to-entrepreneurial-behavior-2018-7?r=US&IR=T https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2018/01/09/1715640115.short https://academic.oup.com/af/article/4/4/38/4638811#112075224 […]

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Stimulant Special

04, September 2018

With 30 % of college students in the US taking Ritalin to be more efficient with their studying, we look into the stimulant drug #Ritalin for those who don’t have #ADHD? We discuss electro-stimulation of the brain can improve states of depression. Only humans react to stimulants? Wrong! Doping horses and dogs for racing has […]

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Super sense of smell, fruit & veg cultivation, city smog brain drain

28, August 2018

Super smellers – the human sense of smell is much more capable than we thought. Ancient fruit and veggies – how little they have in common with their modern counterparts. Pollution in our cities – how it affects our brain. Sources: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/aug/27/air-pollution-causes-huge-reduction-in-intelligence-study-reveals https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-05/are-you-a-super-smeller/8501018 https://www.businessinsider.com/what-foods-looked-like-before-genetic-modification/?r=AU&IR=T […]

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Genes, zombie genes, and soap anti-fog

21, August 2018

How many genes are expressed in a single cell at one single time? Researchers found out how to make that visible. Annoyed by your bathroom mirror getting fogged up every time you are having a shower? Why soap is the solution. Elephants are the biggest mammals on land and yet have one of the lowest […]

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Drakes equation, space-bound cyanobacteria, rhesus factor

14, August 2018

Alex talked about the likelihood of being the living on the only inhabited planet in space, Tim chatted about how the cyanobacterial species, Chroococcidiopsis, may help us colonise Mars, And Cat talked about the perks of having rhesus factor positive. #BoilingPointFM #eastsideradio #cyanobacteria Sources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20608477 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-15/hardy-bacteria-could-help-humans-breathe-on-mars/9871614 https://science.sciencemag.org/content/360/6394/1210.full […]

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Canine cancer detectors, massive Mars lake and the Parker Probe

07, August 2018

Dogs and their noses could provide early detection of lung cancer in people. Is there life on Mars after all? The chances are high that there is at least a huge lake that has just been discovered. The Parker Probe will be launched this Saturday. The probe will get closer to the sun than any […]

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The pioneer of CRISPR: In conversation with Francisco Mojica

31, July 2018

Our very own Chantelle and Tim interviewed Prof Francisco Mojica, as he gave a talk at the University of New South Wales in July. He had discovered the mechanism that was later used as the gene editing technique CRISPR. The scientific world is captivated by this revolutionary technology, since it is easier, cheaper and more […]

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Orca infanticide, green flash, wash your veggies.

24, July 2018

Cat delved into the depths of the killing of a neonate orca by an adult male killer whale and his mother in the North Pacific. Chantelle explored the myths and reality of the green flash – the optical phenomena mostly associated with the setting sun. And Tim sorted through various fruit and veggie washing techniques […]

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Mercury, mad hatters, electrons and fear of heights VR treatment

17, July 2018

In this week’s dose of Boiling Point Science Tim, Alex and Cat discuss Mercury’s role in making mad hatters crazy, the very first picture of electrons and how virtual reality as a treatment for the fear of heights. Source: https://actu.epfl.ch/news/can-ultrashort-electron-flashes-help-harvest-nucle/ https://www.sciencenews.org/article/scared-heights-new-vr-therapy-could-help https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/10/dress-hat-fashion-clothing-mercury-arsenic-poison-history/ […]

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Food poisoning susceptibility by blood type and will power vs fatigue

10, July 2018

On this episode of Boiling Point, Chantelle and Tim investigate how your blood group may increase your susceptibility to food poisoning, and discuss whether there is a link between mental exhaustion and diminished will power. Sources: https://www.jci.org/articles/view/97659 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23531420-400-dont-quit-now-why-you-have-more-willpower-than-you-think/ https://replicationindex.wordpress.com/2016/04/18/is-replicability-report-ego-depletionreplicability-report-of-165-ego-depletion-articles/ https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23531420-400-dont-quit-now-why-you-have-more-willpower-than-you-think/ […]

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UV and cataracts, armadillos and leprosy, Loch Ness and eDNA

03, July 2018

Cat, Chantelle and Tim bring you this week’s instalment of Boiling Point Science. You thought leprosy is extinct? Think again. Armadillos still carry the pathogen around which can infect humans. You thought Nessie was a myth? Well, researchers are currently testing Loch Ness for eDNA. If Nessie exists, they will find it. You thought only […]

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The colour blue, total recall and brain plasticity

26, June 2018

Tonight’s Boiling Point episode is brought to you by Alex, Cat and Chantelle. Blue, the lost colour: Blue was long unknown in human languages. Does this mean our ancestors couldn’t see it? Total recall! What it is like to live with the perfect memory? Brain plasticity! How it works and how it changes our brain […]

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Guevedoces, hydrating the brain and nocturnal

19, June 2018

This week’s episode of Boiling Point is brought to you by Cat and Alex. You think your puberty was tough? Hear the story of the ‘Guevedoces’ in the Dominican Republic where ‘girls turn into boys’. Half a litre of liquid is passing through our brain everyday. How does this water get in there? Humans are […]

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Tonsils, mouse models for ageing, the golden armed plasma donor

12, June 2018

This week’s Boiling Point brought to you by Alex, Cat and Nick. Removal of tonsils and no worries? A recent study shows the long-term health impacts. Skin cells of mice as a new model for the ageing processes in the human brain, and ‘the man with the golden arm‘ and how he saved the lives […]

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Brumby cull in the Snowy Mountains, microplastics and molars

05, June 2018

This week’s dose of Boiling Point Science brought to you by Cat and Alex. They were joined by special guest Casey Gibson. Casey Gibson, an alpine ecologist at the University of New South Wales talked to us about why the brumby cull in the Snowy Mountains should go ahead. And find out how microplastics may be […]

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Microplastics, microbiome, cooking oil to clean up oil spills

29, May 2018

This week Boiling Point is brought to you by Nick, Cat, Chantelle and Alex. Find out how to clean up an oil spill with a sponge made from sulfur and cooking oil; how microplastics affect our health; and the wonders of the gut microbiome. […]

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The science of slippery ice, nanoparticles rescuing malnourished crops, and holding your breath underwater.

22, May 2018

This week’s episode of Boiling Point Science brought to you by Chantelle, Tim and Alex. Why is ice slippery? How can nanoparticles used to fight cancer help rescue malnourished crops? And the human genome adaptation that gives  ‘Sea Nomads’ their undersea diving advantage.  […]

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Ethanol-Based Cancer Treatments and ‘Memory transplant’ achieved in snails

15, May 2018

Tim, Alex and Nick bring you this episode of Boiling Point. Could ethanol-Based cancer treatments provide a cost-effective option in the future? ‘Total recall’ of sci-fi….in snails – ‘Memory transplant’ achieved in these shelled-molluscs. […]

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