Ian Woolf

Diffusion Science radio

Science EN ↓ 1102 episodes

If you like a good, broad mix of Science - new science, hard science, pop science, historical science and very silly science, listen to Diffusion. Broadcast from Sydney, Australia every Monday 6:30pm. Hosted by Ian Woolf. email: science@diffusionradio.com

Author

Ian Woolf

Category

Science

Podcast website

www.diffusionradio.com

Latest episode

Jul 5, 2026

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Episodes

The Science of Romance 31.01.2011

Matthew Hall and Melinda Hall King discuss the psychology of human courtship, Ian Woolf reports how women can unconsciously read an attractive man's face, Matthew and Melinda discuss the psychology of the first kiss and compliments. Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

Attention and Woolf-Pulfrich effect 24.01.2011

Ian Woolf reports on whistling caterpillars, carnivorous domestic entertainment robots, fluoridated water can hurt children's teeth, Profiling everybody at Gotham partners, Peer Review by the Peer Review Players, Paying attention can lose you weight and make you happy, The Woolf-Pulfrich effect - 3D and antidepressant! Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

Skin hunger and mouse Draculas 17.01.2011

Matthew Hall and Melinda Hall King explain to Ian Woolf why men in our culture suffer from skin hunger, Ian Woolf explores research rejuvenating old mice with the blood of young glowing mice, Professor Joe Silk talks to Ian Woolf about the search for Dark matter, and why invisible things are important. Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

Mating dance, Vitamin C and Coal 10.01.2011

Matthew Hall and Melinda Hall-King share their wisdom on the human mating dance, Ian Woolf revisits the link between vitamins and sexual behaviour, and revisits how the coal industry could be saved by solar power. Produced and presented by Ian Woolf

Lifelogging and fake meat 03.01.2011

Record your life with life-logging. Do you care about privacy on the internet? Would you eat fake meat? Discussion by Ollie Barrand, Catherine Beahag, Marc West and Aaron Cook. Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

Sperm Wars and Santa science 27.12.2010

Marc West and Bianca Nogrady revisit the Science of Santa from 2009, Ian Woolf discusses Robin Baker's Sperm Wars with Aaron Cooke and Daniel Keogh Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

Tsunami warning and Greentech awards 20.12.2010

Ian Woolf interviews Marianne Menictas about her tsunami warning modelling to save the most people for the least cost. Matt Clarke in 2006 talks about semen allergies with out-takes, Marc West in 2006 explains cricket psychology, Ian Woolf reports from the Consensus Greentech Awards Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

Younger mice and spider invasions 13.12.2010

Marc West speaks to Dr Cor Vink about the invasion of foreign spiders to New Zealand Ian Woolf reports on the reversal of aging in Harvard lab mice, News from MX read by Ian Woolf: - private company reaches orbit - Japanese spacecraft misses Venus, but will try again - stem cells repair spinal injury in small monkey - One flu jab for life - facebook page leads to brain surgery Presented and produc...

Neutron bombs, GM apples and Zanzibar 06.12.2010

Lachlan What more looks back over the history of neutron bombs, Victoria Bond reports on apples genetically modified to hide spoilage, discussion from Marc West, Peta Waller-Bryant, Ian Woolf, Phillipe Perez, Victoria Bond and Lachlan Whatmore. News by Phillipe Perez - more stars means less dark matter - US builds flying transformer trucks Presented by Marc West Produced by Ian Woolf, buttons pres...

Real Doctors eat Breakfast 29.11.2010

Victoria Bond checks in with some new evidence of a Universe before the Big Bang. Marc West interviews Kylie Smith on a recently published study which outlines possible long term risks involved in skipping your daily breakfast. Lachlan Whatmore spoke to Dr. Cassandra Meirs, and Dr. William Halford, on the trials and tribulations of obtaining a PhD.

Ethics of addict detention and enhanced children 22.11.2010

Ian Woolf summarises Robert Sparrow's talk "The Not-so-New Eugenics: The Harsh Logic of human enhancement", about the ethics of child enhancing technology, from the Singularity Summit, Australia, Victoria Bond interviews Dr Fisher from Nepean hospital about the ethics of psychiatrically detaining drug addicts, News by Victoria Bond and Ian Woolf - LHC makes antimatter - Bacterial glue heals buildi...

Healthy Old Age 15.11.2010

Ian Woolf reports from the Singularity Summit on Gregory Benford's Genescient research into preventing the diseases of old age using genomics and artifical intelligence to produce nutraceuticals that may allow a healthy old age, with discussion from Marc West and Charles Willock. News by Marc West, Ian Woolf, and Charles Willock - Gummi bear finger-print hack - weeds out-evolve Monsanto - Chatbot...

Herpes, Dengue fever and Marijuana 08.11.2010

Lachlan Whatmore interviews Bill Halford of Southern Illinois University about his cutting edge research on the upcoming Herpes vaccine. In a similar vein, Victoria Bond tracks Robert Booy down to discuss the ongoing development on the Dengue Fever vaccine, and the impact of this disease worldwide. Finally, Victoria Bond speaks to Maree Teesson of the National Drug and Alcohol Centre about the rel...

Amniotic eggs and SETI doomed by AI 01.11.2010

On this edition of Diffusion, Ian Woolf brings back grim tidings from the Singularity Summit in Melbourne, Australia. Newly uncle'd Lachlan Whatmore delves into the evolutionary marvel that are amniotic eggs. Hosted, paneled, and produced by Victoria Bond, with support from Patrick Rubie.

Of madness, love, and melted space ships 25.10.2010

Victoria Bond covers this week's news. Victoria Bond interviews Professor Anthony Harris on attachment theory and the development of healthy relationships. Marc West keeps slugging through Science Week questions, namely: how close does a space ship have to be to the sun to melt? Hosted and paneled by Marc West, produced by Victoria Bond.

Oxytocin, love and sex 18.10.2010

2010 Subscriber drive! Victoria Bond discusses oxytocin with Dr. Champion. Marc West trolls bars for opinions on love and sex. Ian Woolf voices in on antidepressant chemicals found in semen. Presented by Marc West. Panelled by Ian Woolf. Produced by Victoria Bond.

Ig Nobels 2010 and Artilects 3 11.10.2010

This is the pre-recorded version of Diffusion that was broadcast on the Community Radio Network. There is a second live 2SER subscriber drive edition for this date. Ian Woolf and Marc West discuss the Ig Nobels awarded by the Annals of Improbable Research, Ian Woolf concludes his interview with Hugo De Garis about his vision of the impending war between those who would build massively intelligent...

Plankton and the Artilect War 04.10.2010

Ian Woolf speaks to Hugo De Garis about the implications of being able to build god-like massively super-intelligent machines at the Singularity Summit Australia in Melbourne. Lachlan Whatmore explains the phytoplankton crisis. Presented and Produced by Ian Woolf

Gene modified salmon and Sexy dancing 27.09.2010

Victoria Bond reports on the legalisation of genetically modified salmon and its Frankenfish implications, leading a panel discussion with Marc West, Phillipe Perez and Ian Woolf. Ian Woolf describes the male dance moves that sexually attract women, and discusses the science with Melinda Hall King and Matthew Hall. Presented by Phillipe Perez, and produced by Ian Woolf.

BSD Sex and Beady-Eyed Agents 20.09.2010

Lachlan Whatmore reports on the chocolate genome Marc West and Darren Osborne discuss the science of sex in the pub, Ian Woolf interviews Dr Michael Georgeff about Rational agents, Presented by Bonnie Yiu, Produced by Ian Woolf

Sports at altitude and Jacob Bronowski 13.09.2010

Victoria Bond presents this week's news. Marc West interviews Chris Gore about why athletes train at high altitude. Lachlan Whatmore commemorates the late, great Jacob Bronowski. Hosted by Marc West, produced by Victoria Bond

Wave energy and the Coming Famine 06.09.2010

Victoria Bond coverâs this week's news: helium shortages, revolutionary tuberculosis testing and a suggestion to take a walk and leave the ipod at home. Joel Werner investigates the newest contender for green energy: wave power! Victoria Bond spoke to Julian Cribb about his newest book, the Coming Famine, and he explains why we are heading for major food crises within the next 50 years. Hosted and...

DIY EMP, Putin and Sunlight 30.08.2010

Ian Woolf speaks to Leigh Russell at Dorkbot. Leigh explodes a hydrogen filled condom to cause an Electromagnetic pulse that reboots a computer. He moves beads with sound and brings non-Newtonian fluids to life. Listener question: Is sunlight behind glass just as good as outside? answered by Ian Woolf News - President Putin's views on the science of whaling and climate change by Lachlan Whatmore -...

Photic sneezing and a naked scientist 23.08.2010

Victoria Bond and Ian Woolf cover this week's news. Marc West spoke to Dr. Louis Ptacek for even more about photic sneezing. Lachlan Whatmore gets down to the bottom of what a breed is, exactly. Bonnie Yu interviews Chris "The Naked Scientist" Smith about climate change and its impact on Australia. Hosted, paneled and produced by Victoria Bond.

2010 Science Festival special 16.08.2010

The Diffusion Science Week special, coming to you from the Ultimo Science Festival. We tackle the questions you have asked us over the last few weeks. Why do I sneeze at the Sun? What would something look like if it was travelling at the speed of light? Why do sportsmen train at altitude? Why do previously overweight people have trouble keeping the weight off? We ask the experts to get the real an...

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