That's What I Call Science!

Research pushes the boundaries of medicine and biology. Bioethics safeguards the participants that take part in experiments to test new technologies or medicines. This week we interviewed three guests passionate about the role of ethics in research; Dr. Rebekah McWhiter, Dr. Lisa Eckstein and Dr. Frederic Gilbert.  A jam-packed episode covering the ethical considerations for printing organs, genet...

Today’s episode is all about the M in STEM, mathematics.  We’re talking about why maths is more than just equations and numbers, that it surrounds us in nature and why it has such a bad stigma attached to it.  To help us explain this topic we’re joined by Barbara Holland, an associate professor and mathematician. Barbara works within the Theoretical Phylogenetics research group in the School of Na...

Killer whales: highly intelligent, social and elusive. Surely this is the perfect challenge for a marine scientist? Especially when killer whales spend a mere 2% of their lives on the surface of the ocean! Tune in this week as we chat killer whales with Ben Sellers, PhD researcher from the Institute for Marine & Antarctic Science at the University of Tasmania. Ben is a passionate researcher &a...

This week we are unpacking the importance of just pooing it. Co-host Allanna Russell caught up with Dr Dan Owens at MONA, Tasmania. Dan is keen advocate of the importance of returning your free bowel cancer screening kit. Tune in to learn more. 

Dr Sarah Lyden and Niamh Chapman cover why human-centered engineering is crucial for designing solutions and the work of Engineers Without Borders with special guests Andrew Koolhof and David Pointing. We also caught up with some first-year engineering students who have just taken part in a project to put people at the heart of engineering solutions. The first team was MArtin Croall, Joe Bailey, M...

Global strikes for action on climate change occurred this Friday 20th September so this week we bring you a show that unpacks the impact of climate change in Tassie waters. Dr Cayne Layton from the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies is a marine ecologist who studies the kelp forests that are the foundation of the spectacular, but often overlooked, Great Southern Reef. Kelp plays a vital ro...

Join us this week as we delve into what it takes to get to Mars... and what happens from there? Special guest Josh Richards, a top-100 candidate for the Mars One mission, discusses his motivations for signing up for a one-way trip to the red planet, the selection process and what's next! A physicist and engineer, Josh has diverse skills from his background in STEM, and more recently has estab...

Tune in this week for an exclusive show with the University of Tasmania's 3-minute thesis finalists. From lizard lovemaking to the influence of periods on ultra-endurance performance, we span 4 different projects in this feature episode. Guests included Brianna Atto, Thomas (Tom) Botterill-James, Tess Nikitenko and Kate Edwards giving us the inside scoop on their exciting research.  Cover ima...

What should you do about that apple with an unknown disease in your garden? How are problematic pests and diseases from Mainland Australia being stopped at the border? In this week's episode Niamh and Tessa interviewed Dr Ryan Wilkinson about the work of Biosecurity Tasmania to protect Tassie's environment and industries from introduced pests and diseases, and some of the science that in...

In this week's episode, we spoke to some amazing budding scientists from the University of Tasmania, Elizabeth College and St Mary's College. Our guests ranged from inspiring engineers, astrophysicists and chemists who spoke about what inspires them and what they're doing to follow their passion. Tune in to hear from Jess Priest, Luzie Gillard, Daniel Searle and Lucy Eade.

This week we caught up with Liam Burt, Silvia Vincenzi, Dr Cayne Layton and Laura Sutton to tell you all about the Young Tassie Scientist program that takes place throughout the month of August as part of Science Week.  Since its inception in 2003, the YTS program has involved more than 250 young scientists giving presentations in countless classrooms all over Tasmania. These scientists have also...

Prepare to be entranced by live music, zoological oddities, wandering scientists, and amazing food and drink as the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery comes alive after dark on Friday 16th and Saturday 17th August in Hobart. For this 2019 Science Week special we chatted to some of the people that help bring this captivating event alive, including Dr Margo Adler, the founder of Beaker Street; two sci...

The Festival of Bright Ideas 2019 (aka FoBI) hits Hobart on August 9th &10th! A celebration of all things science, this is a not-to-be-missed event for all ages, with over 40 exhibitors showcasing why Tasmania is a hub for science & innovation, plus demonstrations on the big stage & workshops! This episode we caught up with three special guests that will be on hand at FoBI 2019, includ...

We have an absolute treat for you this week as we interviewed Hobart born, Nobel Laureate, Prof. Elizabeth Blackburn. Prof. Blackburn is the first Australian Woman and only Tasmanian to receive the Nobel Prize and we interviewed her about her ground-breaking work, the impact of her work for human health, the role Tasmania played in her love for science and her experience as a woman in STEM. This e...

What happens when you mix crazy good skills with creativity and technology?  Paranormal investigations, microwave kilns, a wonderful safe space in the community to gain life skills and a place for children to realise their insane ideas. We’re talking about the Hobart Hackerspace.  We have special guest Dr Tanya Mclahlan-Troup joining us on-air and clips from Hobart Hackerspace Committee members -...

Whether you're the hardest beauty around, a diamond in the rough, or perhaps a girl's best friend, there's no doubting the reputation of the most sought after mineral on earth. But how do diamonds come to exist, where do they travel from, and are there any in Tasmania? These are some of the core questions that we cover in this week's episode when we're joined by special gu...

This week we're talking about a risk factor for developing dementia-related diseases; traumatic brain injuries. We hear from two current PhD candidates from the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre; Ross Langley and Olivia Holloway. Get in touch with the team with questions, feedback or future topic suggestions: Twitter: @nowscienceTAS Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nowscienceTA...

This week we cut through the jargon about bioplastics. We interviewed Councillor Bill Harvey about the impending plastics crisis, the processes occurring in the Hobart City Council to remedy these issues and Hobart's green waste future. 

Gamers are only those that sit on their computers delving into a virtual world for hours on end right? Nope! Gamers includes a wide variety of people and the potential of gaming to enhance a multitude of tasks by making them more fun applies broadly. This week we are looking at using technology based games for health from helping to motivate people to do their stroke rehab recovery to supporting p...

Although recreational marijuana is illegal in Australia, medical marijuana has been legalised here since 2016. But what’s the difference? And why can’t you just go ask your doctor for a script right now? Join us as we puff on about the science behind medical marijuana and the ground-breaking research on it happening right here in Tassie! This week we hear from Dr Sandra Garland, an agricultural re...

The blood coursing through your body carries so much information that can tell a story about your health. Today, we are talking about blood pressure. Have you ever wondered how fast your blood flows and how much pressure it is putting on your heart and arteries? We will be covering what we measured when we look at blood pressure, how people develop high blood pressure and the problems that can lea...

This week we have a special co-host Nicole Hellessey from the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies. Nicole’s work has focused on Antarctic krill oils and the krill fishery. For more information about Nicole follow her on Twitter (@PolarNicole). We interviewed Professor Stephen Nicol to ask the important questions, the krill fishery is sustainable? Here’s a link to more information on krill f...

What’s happening in your body when you’re getting down and dirty? Why does it feel so good when you do your favourite bedroom moves? During this week’s explicit episode, we discuss the science behind sexual pleasure with excellent insights from a Tasmanian sexologist, Richelle Menzies from Sensual Potential. Acknowledgements: Episode cover image: Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash Intro music:...

Join us as we explore the plastic polluting our oceans, from local shores to the deep blue sea. We met with Tasmanian based researchers, Catarina Serra Goncalves, Megan Grant and Peter Puskic from Institute for Marine and Antartic Studies UTAS and Adrift Lab - Save Our Seabirds.  We'll be talking about how seabirds help us uncover the scale of plastic pollution in the sea as the fill us in on...

Most of us know that there are bacteria and other bugs breaking down food in our gut, but did you know these bacteria can affect everything from inflammation to your mental health? We discuss how the digestion of fibre in the gut can lead to changes elsewhere in the body, and how the bacteria in your gut can change across your lifetime. And how could we discuss gut bacteria without touching on the...