Lost in Science

This week, Linden and Stu get ornithological with two guests to celebrate the Aussie Bird Count. Dr Sara Ryding shares an update on the bird flu situation in Australia, and Dr Jacinta Humphrey explains why this year's Aussie Bird Count really counts. 

Stu, Linden and Chris break down this years science Nobel Prizes: the Physics Prize for the IceCube neutrino observatory; the Physiology & Medicine Prize for controlling nerve cells with light via optogenetics; and the Chemistry Prize for figuring out how biological molecules are only right- or left-handed.

This week we welcome three students from the University of Melbourne's Science Communication program. Meredith, Maeve and Annisa share the science stories they've gotten lost in recently: the power of periods, bioplastics loved by worms, and the impact of light exposure on our heart.

The team discuss the use of AI technology in education, whether its use is making students less able to complete their studies, whether it's harder to assess that when they use it, whether the technology is making us less intelligent, and whether its output is any good. Linden also discusses with the team changes to butterfly wings linked to climate change and temperature in their natural habitat....

This week, Chris digs into a curious signal in the hunt for dark matter that may be a sign of a new particle responsible for 85% of the matter of the universe; and Linden and Kate breeze through the current record-breaking El Niño event, and what it may or may not mean for global and local climate and weather.

Chris, Stu and Linden discuss the winners of this year's Ig Nobel prizes, from simultaneously soiled underpants to milky cockroaches. This is the 36th year of the awards celebrating science that make you laugh, then make you think. 

Stu talks to Nicola Sockhill about her research into urban vegetation, and how only planting grass and trees might not be the best use of space as far as planting for people; and biodiversity and we discuss some of the stand-out winners of the 2026 Eureka prizes awarded earlier this month. 

This week, Chris talks to Dr Julia Henning from Adelaide University about how bad humans are at understanding cat behaviour, particularly knowing the difference between play-fighting and wanting to be left alone; and Naina talks to the team about a new observation of bottlenose dolphins in Queensland using shells as tools to catch fish.

Lost in Science is made at the studios of 3CR in Melbourne who turn 50 this year. We uncovered archival material of the station covering an eclipse of the sun in 1976 from the Grampians in Victoria. Kate Bongiovanni tells us about some amazing volcano history, including some inventions that are not immediately obvious connected to eruptions. 

Was Soundgarden on the money when they predicted black hole suns? Can Coke fix an upset stomach? Join Stu, Chris and Linden to find out on this week's episode of Lost in Science. 

This week Linden interviews two guests who have undertaken grand adventures in the name of research. Science communicator and trainer Emma Donnelly followed her fascination with the science of champagne all the way to France, while climate scientist and communicator Kate Bongiovanni undertook an expedition to Indonesia to uncover the regions most vulnerable to sea level rise. You can learn more ab...

Stu catches up with research scientist Associate Professor Claire von Mollendorf from the Murdoch Children's Research Centre to find out about ongoing research into the effectiveness and protection offered by COVID-19 vaccination programs in Australia and in less developed nations. 

Chris discusses the latest insights from 3I-Atlas, the interstellar comet that has been careening through our solar system. Linden chats to Dr Kathryn Gurner, a clinical research embryologist from Melbourne IVF, about a recent pilot study exploring a non-invasive way to check for abnormalities in embryos. 

Linden explores the science behind reading on a screen vs reading on paper, while Stu discusses "organic" chemicals found in space, including a recent discovery of a type of sugar. Screens and sugar: this week's episode is a toddler's dream!

Stu talks to Dr. Sapphire McMullan-Fisher from the University of New England school of environmental and rural science about the weird world of Australian fungi which is also the topic of a book called Fungi for Land which she has co-authored with Roz Hart a fungi expert from Western Australia

This week, Chris checks out the sensation of human-made SpudCells, which are not exactly alive but can do many of the things living cells can, as announced recently in press releases rather than peer review; and Stu checks in on carbon capture and storage for removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, and how it’s unlikely to deliver on its promise.

This week, Stu investigates whether there’s any science behind the use of pickle juice for muscle cramps, as observed in use in the World Cup; while Chris reveals some recent research by physicists on how Venus flytraps are able to snap shut so quickly.

Another step back in time to an earlier iteration of the show where former hosts present a range of stories on biodiversity and strange animal discoveries. 

This week on Lost in Science, Chris gets stuck into the science of quicksand, exploring how this famous movie menace is actually a fascinating non-Newtonian fluid. Meanwhile, Claire investigates surprising new research into DEET, the world's most popular insect repellent, revealing that mosquitoes may be able to learn to associate it with a tasty meal, and even become attracted to it.

In honour of our home stations 3CR's 50th anniversary we are delving deep into the archives for a show full of former presenter's stories 

Linden chats to Ben Francischelli about the birth and life of Prehistoric Bayside, a museum in Melbourne's southeast dedicated to marine fossils found in the area. In this extended chat, Ben explores how his career has led to building his own museum collection, what that involves, and the incredible fossils you can find in Melbourne's blue backyard.

Stu catches up with Dr. John Wentworth from the Royal Melbourne Hospital to talk about Type1Screen, a nationwide project aiming to identify people at risk of developing Type 1 diabetes in order to develop treatments to prevent progression of the illness. See https://type1screen.org/ for more details

This week on Lost in Science, Stu explores new research into how animals perceive time differently — and how that perception is tied to the pace of their lives. Why does a fly seem to react in slow motion compared to us, and what does that reveal about survival, metabolism and evolution? Also on the show, we celebrate the 100th birthday of David Attenborough by taking a tour through some of the re...

Chris follows the trail of research trying to answer the question of why sharp things in nature like teeth and stingers all have a similar shape, and whether it’s due to evolution or physics; and Linden latches onto leaches, how they’re still used in medicine but are also inspiring robots and weather prediction.

Linden chats to Dr Mia Cobb, Chaser Innovation and John McKenzie Research Fellow at The University of Melbourne. Mia shares her career journey that led her to be a canine welfare researcher. Dogs do so much for us, but how can we use science to make sure we are giving them their best lives?