The Fact Detectives

What IS an allergy? What’s the difference between an allergy and an intolerance or a sensitivity? Even though there's no cure for allergies, find out how Australian researchers are helping people.   Esther and Anika find out all the interesting facts about allergies with Dr Catriona Nguyen-Robertson who is an immunologist at Scienceworks. This episode of The Fact Detectives is a Kinderling co-prod...

What are planets made of? 🌏  What makes a planet a dwarf planet? And why isn’t Pluto a planet anymore? If we could live on one of the other planets in our solar system, what would it be like? 🪐   Anika and Esther find out all the amazing facts about planets with Dr Tanya Hill who is astronomer at the Melbourne Planetarium at Scienceworks. This episode of The Fact Detectives is a Kinderling co-pr...

Why are bubbles rainbow colours? What does a bubbleologist do? Find out which animals use bubbles and how to make the best bubbles at home?   Anika and Esther find out all the bouncy facts about bubbles with Mei Liu from Scienceworks. This episode of The Fact Detectives is a Kinderling co-production with Scienceworks. To find out more about the world around you, head to museumsvictoria.com.au    G...

How does a rocketship actually work? Did you know that getting a spacecraft 🚀 to the international space station, is a bit like throwing a ball to your team-mate on the basketball court. 🏀    Anika and Esther find out all the riveting facts about rocketships with Douglas Bair from Scienceworks. This episode of The Fact Detectives is a Kinderling co-production with Scienceworks. To find out more...

Did you know that kids have more bones than adults? What are skeletons for anyway? And what are bones made of?    Anika and Esther find out all the bone-tastic facts about skeletons with Dr Hazel Richards who is a paleontologist at Melbourne Museum. This episode of The Fact Detectives is a Kinderling co-production with Melbourne Museum. To find out more about the world around you, head to museumsv...

Did you know that crabs don't just live in rock pools or in sand at the beach, they can also live in deserts, rainforests and in the depths of the oceans!  Anika and Esther find out all the incredible crab facts with Jo Taylor from the Museums Victoria Research Institute. This episode of The Fact Detectives is a Kinderling co-production with Melbourne Museum. To find out more about the world aroun...

Billy and the Fact Detectives have teamed up with some of his favourite podcasting friends to create The Kids Holiday Quiz.  Can you find all the answers? Need to study up?  Search for: Fun Fables: Bedtime Stories With a Twist The Fact Detectives Untrue: An (un)true crime podcast for kids Busy Bodies: With Mr Snot Bottom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Billy and the Fact Detectives have teamed up with some of his favourite podcasting friends to create The Kids Holiday Quiz.  Can you find all the answers? Need to study up?  Search for: Fun Fables: Bedtime Stories With a Twist The Fact Detectives Untrue: An (un)true crime podcast for kids Busy Bodies: With Mr Snot Bottom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Billy and the Fact Detectives have teamed up with some of his favourite podcasting friends to create The Kids Holiday Quiz.  Can you find all the answers? Need to study up?  Search for: Fun Fables: Bedtime Stories With a Twist The Fact Detectives Untrue: An (un)true crime podcast for kids Busy Bodies: With Mr Snot Bottom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Billy and the Fact Detectives have teamed up with some of his favourite podcasting friends to create The Kids Holiday Quiz.  Can you find all the answers? Need to study up?  Search for: Fun Fables: Bedtime Stories With a Twist The Fact Detectives Untrue: An (un)true crime podcast for kids Busy Bodies: With Mr Snot Bottom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When did Halloween start? Why do we dress up, carve pumpkins and go trick or treating? Anika and Esther find out all the ancient, spooky facts about Halloween with Michelle Smith who studies fairytales and children's literature at Monash University.  Guest: Michelle Smith who researches fairytales and children’s literature at Monash University in Melbourne.    Hosts: Anika and Esther    Production...

In this episode we answer questions from our fans, Detective Rocco and Detective Olive. We find out why we burp and how cocoons are made. Host: Billy and The Super Computer Production and Sound Design: Josh Newth  Executive Producer: Lorna Clarkson   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s the difference between a glow-worm and a firefly? How and why do glow-worms glow? And where can we see them?     In this episode, Anika and Esther catch up with author, Cathie Plowman, who illuminates all the glimmering facts about glow-worms. Find out why they’re the Australian Cave Animal of the Year in 2023  https://www.caveanimaloftheyear.org.au/     Guest: Cathie Plowman, caver and aut...

What was music first recorded onto? How does a microphone work? What's the difference between analogue and digital music? Anika and Esther find out all the amazing facts with Simon Pampena who is a mathematician, a stand-up comedian, and a science communicator at Scienceworks. This episode of The Fact Detectives is a Kinderling co-production with Scienceworks. To find out more about the world arou...

Did you know that dragonflies are the fastest insect in the world? Just how fast can they fly? Why are their wings so special?  Anika and Esther find out all the amazing dragonfly facts with Dr Claire Keely from Melbourne Museum.    This episode of The Fact Detectives is a Kinderling co-production with Melbourne Museum. To find out more about the world around you, head to museumsvictoria.com.au  G...

How many stars are there? How do we count them? Why do stars twinkle?   Anika and Esther find out all the celestial facts about stars with Dr Tanya Hill who is an astronomer at the Melbourne Planetarium at Scienceworks.     Guest: Dr Tanya Hill who is an astronomer at the Melbourne Planetarium at Scienceworks.  Hosts: Anika and Esther   Production: Cinnamon Nippard   Sound design: Josh Newth   Exe...

How big were Megalodon sharks? What did they eat for lunch? Were humans alive when Megalodon sharks roamed the oceans? Anika and Esther find out all the fantastic facts about Megalodon with Tim Ziegler who is a palaeontologist and geologist at Melbourne Museum  This episode of The Fact Detectives is a Kinderling co-production with Melbourne Museum. To find out more about the world around you, head...

Did you know that not all animals fart?! What is a fart and why do we do them? How do our bodies make poo?  Anika and Esther investigate poo with Douglas Bair from Scienceworks who gives them all the stinky facts!    This episode of The Fact Detectives is a Kinderling co-production with Scienceworks. To find out more about the world around you, head to museumsvictoria.com.au  Guest: Douglas Bair f...

In this episode we answer a question from our fan, Detective Zach. We find out why some animals survived the dinosaur extinction. Host: Billy and The Super Computer Production and Sound Design: Josh Newth  Executive Producer: Lorna Clarkson     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s the difference between an alligator and a crocodile? Are crocodiles really living dinosaurs? And do they actually cry?     In this episode, Anika and Esther find out all the snap-tastic facts about crocodiles with Dr Matthew Brien who is a program coordinator with the Department of Environment and Science in Queensland       Guest: Dr Matthew Brien who is a program coordinator with the Depa...

What is La Niña and El Niño? How often do they happen? And are they good or bad?  In this episode, Anika and Esther find out all about La Niña and El Niño with Jonathan How who is a senior meteorologist at Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology.  Our thoughts are with all the communities across the world who have been - and are being - affected by the flooding and drought that can result from the La Ni...

What is space junk? Where does it come from, how much is there? Why is it a problem? And most importantly, what can we do about it? In this episode, Anika and Esther (our brand new Fact Detective!) catch up with Steven Freeland, a Director of the International Institute of Space Law, who fills them in on all the interesting facts about space junk! Enjoy a new episode every fortnight, and if YOU ha...

Did you know that without flies there would be no chocolate?!     Join Anika and Dexter as they find out all the fascinating facts about flies with Dr Bry the Fly Guy like: Why do flies annoy us? Why do flies hang around poo? How do flies help us?    Guest: Dr Bry the Fly Guy aka Dr Bryan Lessard, an award-winning Australian entomologist and science communicator.  Hosts: Anika and Dexter   Product...

What’s the difference between a mushroom and a toadstool? What are fungi and what do they do? Are all fungi edible?  Join Anika and Dexter as they find out all the fantastic facts about fungi with Brett Summerell, Chief Scientist at the Sydney Botanic Gardens.  Guest: Brett Summerell, Chief Scientist at the Sydney Botanic Gardens.  Hosts: Anika and Dexter   Production: Cinnamon Nippard   Sound Des...

Are they called ladybirds, ladybugs or ladybeetles?? Why do farmers think ladybeetles are lucky? And why are ladybeetles brightly coloured? Anika and Dexter find out all the amazing facts about tiny colourful ladybeetles with Dr Ken Walker who is Senior Curator of Entomology at the Museums Victoria Research Institute. This episode of The Fact Detectives is a Kinderling co-production with Melbourne...