The Science Show

Fossil graveyards an archive of past climate and ecology 18.07.2026 52min

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

Lab Notes: What's it like to be in a clinical trial? 15.07.2026 10min

Before any new therapy or medicine is placed on the shelves of a pharmacy, it needs to be tested in humans first. What does that process look like? And who are the people testing these new drugs? Jonathan Webb goes behind the curtain of clinical trials with health reporter Lauren Roberts to take a look at what happens in Australia. You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science editor and presenter Jonathan Webb on the ABC Listen app (Australia). You'll find episodes on animal behaviour, human health, space exploration and so much more. Get in touch with us: labnotes@abc.net.au Featuring: Lauren Roberts, health reporter Further information: Richard Scolyer encouraged Australians to enrol in research. Here's how to get involved Australian Clinical Trials This episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Monitoring Antarctic glaciers and the science of gluten-free baking 11.07.2026 54min

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

Lab Notes: Is AI taking over mathematics? 08.07.2026 10min

AI chatbots are helping to crack long-standing mathematical problems, including some of the famous Paul Erdős conjectures that have remained unsolved for nearly 80 years. It's not just researchers finding these solutions, either: it's also amateur mathematicians armed with off-the-shelf ChatGPT. Jonathan Webb wheels out the chalkboard with Dr Melissa Lee to discuss how AI is shaping the field of mathematics, and if anyone can be a mathematician these days. You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science editor and presenter Jonathan Webb on the ABC Listen app (Australia). You'll find episodes on animal behaviour, human health, space exploration and so much more. Get in touch with us: labnotes@abc.net.au Featuring: Dr Melissa Lee, Senior Lecturer Monash University Further information: An AI solution to an 80‑year‑old problem has shocked mathematicians Leiden Declaration on Artificial Intelligence and Mathematics This episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

As bird flu arrives in Australia, an endangered species is being quarantined 04.07.2026 53min

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

Lab Notes: Is space junk destroying the ozone layer? 01.07.2026 10min

Old satellites and bits of space junk regularly fall back to Earth, burning up as they pass through the atmosphere. All this burning metal causes a chain reaction and ultimately destroys ozone molecules, which keep us safe from most of the Sun's harmful UVB rays. Could a new era of satellite "megaconstellations", like the one run by SpaceX's internet company Starlink, undo humanity's hard work repairing the ozone layer? ‌Jonathan Webb launches into this issue with Dr Alice Gorman (AKA Dr Space Junk), taking stock of just how many satellites are burning up and what can be done to solve the problem. You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science editor and presenter Jonathan Webb on the ABC Listen app (Australia). You'll find episodes on animal behaviour, human health, space exploration and so much more. Get in touch with us: labnotes@abc.net.au Featuring: Dr Alice Gorman, Flinders University This episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

How bird brains help us understand human brains, and how eugenics had as much hand in the birth control movement as did feminism 27.06.2026 54min

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

Lab Notes: The bird flu risk for Aussie wildlife 24.06.2026 13min

A deadly variant of H5N1 avian influenza has finally reached mainland Australia: the last continent without it. Although the risk to human health remains low, this virus has spread through many different species overseas — and not just birds. So are our animals vulnerable? Jonathan Webb speaks with Dr Tiggy Grillo about which animals could be at risk, and what is being done to protect them. You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science editor and presenter Jonathan Webb on the ABC Listen app (Australia). You'll find episodes on animal behaviour, human health, space exploration and so much more. Get in touch with us: labnotes@abc.net.au Featuring: Dr Tiggy Grillo, Chief Operating Officer of Wildlife Health Australia Further information: Animal disease hotline: 1800 675 888 What we know about how H5N1 bird flu got here and where it may appear next Why bird flu poses a high risk to many Australian native mammals For more on avian influenza and humans, have a listen to the latest Health Report bonus episode. This episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Insects and pain and The Selfish Gene turns 50 20.06.2026 54min

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

Lab Notes: What happens when a whale dies? 17.06.2026 10min

The largest, deepest and oldest whale graveyard has been found off the coast of Western Australia: teeming with life. Jonathan Webb takes a deep dive with environment reporter, Peter de Kruijff, into the science behind whale falls and their importance to underwater ecosystems. You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science editor and presenter Jonathan Webb on the ABC Listen app (Australia). You'll find episodes on animal behaviour, human health, space exploration and so much more. Get in touch with us: labnotes@abc.net.au Featuring: Peter de Kruijff, environment reporter Further information: World's biggest whale graveyard found in Indian Ocean off Australia A 5.3-million-year-old deep-sea whale necropolis in the Diamantina Zone This episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Kris sword with an intriguing history, echidnas, tropical forests and Australia’s energy potential 13.06.2026 54min

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

Lab Notes: Tallest tree in East Asia 11.06.2026 10min

On an island full of trees, there can only be one that is the tallest. How did researchers in Taiwan manage to find the tallest tree in East Asia? This week, Jonathan Webb finds this out by speaking to Dr Rebecca Hsu, the lead researcher behind the project to find The Heaven Sword. You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science editor and presenter Jonathan Webb on the ABC Listen app (Australia). You'll find episodes on animal behaviour, human health, space exploration and so much more. Get in touch with us: labnotes@abc.net.au Featuring: Dr Rebecca Hsu, Taiwan Institute of Forestry Further information: The journey of finding the tallest tree in Formosa Taiwan Finding and saving the world's biggest trees before they disappear This episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

The First Inventors 06.06.2026 54min

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

Lab Notes: Plants can hear you 03.06.2026 10min

Plants are more aware of their surroundings then we give them credit for. A growing body of work is showing that plants can change themselves in response to different sounds. Dr Samarth Kulshrestha, a molecular biologist from the University of Canterbury, is one of these researchers, looking at the mechanisms behind plant senses. You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science editor and presenter Jonathan Webb on the ABC Listen app (Australia). You'll find episodes on animal behaviour, human health, space exploration and so much more. Get in touch with us: labnotes@abc.net.au Featuring: Dr Kulshrestha, University of Canterbury Further information: The secret sensory life of plants: researchers are discovering how they see, hear, feel – and even remember Plants respond to leaf vibrations caused by insect herbivore chewing Tuned in: plant roots use sound to locate water This episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

AI tools in ocean research and a tribute to Dame Bridget Ogilvie 30.05.2026 53min

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

Lab Notes: Lead may be hiding in your clothing 28.05.2026 10min

Ever wondered how your sweater became bright orange, or how your leather shoes were made? Chances are, at some point in the process, hazardous chemicals like lead or azo dyes were used. Jonathan Webb speaks to Ellen Phiddian, science reporter with Radio National, about whether these chemicals are dangerous to us, and if we should be worried about them. You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science editor and presenter Jonathan Webb on the ABC Listen app (Australia). You'll find episodes on animal behaviour, human health, space exploration and so much more. Get in touch with us: labnotes@abc.net.au Featuring: Ellen Phiddian, science reporter Further information: Lead may contaminate our clothes but there's no requirement to test for it This episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Sex testing at the Olympics: beware the exceptions 23.05.2026 54min

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

Lab Notes: Giant dino discovery fulfils a childhood dream 21.05.2026 10min

A new giant dinosaur has been uncovered in Thailand: the largest ever found in South-East Asia. More than 100 million years ago, Nagatitan towered over the Earth — and has now been described by a team of researchers from the UK and Thailand. Jonathan Webb speaks with Thitiwoot Sethapanichsakul, a PhD student at University College London who was part of the team that discovered and named this prehistoric behemoth. You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science editor and presenter Jonathan Webb on the ABC Listen app (Australia). You'll find episodes on animal behaviour, human health, space exploration and so much more. Get in touch with us: labnotes@abc.net.au Featuring: Thitiwoot Sethapanichsakul, PhD student University College London Further information: The first sauropod dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous Khok Kruat Formation of Thailand enriches the diversity of somphospondylan titanosauriforms in southeast Asia This episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Science and the budget, bird flu closer to Australia and a guide to pollination 16.05.2026 54min

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

Lab Notes: Can AI chatbots make you delusional? 14.05.2026 10min

Stories of AI chatbot users drifting from our shared reality are increasingly common, often described as cases of AI delusions, delusional spirals, or AI psychosis. New research from Stanford University and the Human Line Project investigates the mechanisms behind these delusions, asking whether AI is making people more delusional or whether these chatbots are simply agreeing with delusional thinking. You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science editor and presenter Jonathan Webb on the ABC Listen app (Australia). You'll find episodes on animal behaviour, human health, space exploration and so much more. Get in touch with us: labnotes@abc.net.au Featuring: James Purtill, technology reporter Further information: The Dynamics of Delusion: Modeling Bidirectional False Belief Amplification in Human-Chatbot Dialogue Characterizing Delusional Spirals through Human-LLM Chat Logs This episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.