Shirtloads Of Science

Marine biologist, diver and author Dr Helen Scales takes Dr Karl deep beneath the waves to share her passion for the ocean. Helen talks about the secret life of molluscs (shellfish). Hear about ‘clacking’ oysters, the legend of the Golden Fleece (sea silk) and a creature resembling a pinecone crossbred with a slug. There’s maths in the spirals, slave trading in the cowrie and just imagine a Harry Potter golden snitch of the sea… it’s real and plays an incredibly important role.

  Dr Karl and Dr Alice put their heads together to discuss the latest research into hairy leaves and burning plants?  Dr Karl’s amazing fruit and veggie classification system. What do killer kangaroos have to do with sleeping in an unfamiliar bed? And, if you talk to dogs (like Dr Alice does) there’s an experiment you might just want to try. Listen up as two Doctors tackle these and more. (First Podcast in 2016)

Dr Michael has found some fascinating new applications and treatments using worms. From gut health, treating Coeliac disease and healing chronic wounds - there's relief to be found in our tubular friends. Join Dr Karl with Dr Michael Smout (from the Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine) at James Cook University. If words like bile, kilodaltons and cysts put you off - stick with this - it's an uplifting tale of research that could make us feel a lot better.

The people of Madagascar have fascinating stories. Did you know the first settlers came from South East Asia ?  That some of their traditions are almost 2,000 years old ? That 90% of Madagascan flora and fauna are found nowhere else on earth. Dr Karl and local guide Lala Harivelo takes us on a cultural tour of the world's 4th largest island.

Bill Nye is a household name in the United States. Former Engineer for Boeing, he has a real knack of explaining things. On the panel are Peter Lebedev (investigating how YouTube videos could be made better) and Tom Gordon from Sydney University (resident science communicator at the School of Physics).  Clear and accurate communication is fundamental to Science. In 2017, how do you counter beliefs that are ultimately harmful to others and the world at large ? Fascinating discussion.  

Edwin Hubble is world famous for his discoveries. Henrietta Swan Leavitt is not. Henrietta was on a team that found a way to measure and classify the universe. They were employed as "human computers" (before the machines existed). Dava's book "The Glass Universe" refers to the half million glass slides Henrietta and other women used to document both the northern and southern skies. An inspiring story of collaboration and discovery.

How do you repel Cyber Espionage ? Architecture says Dr. Barry - The carefully designed structure of things like networks, software and the organisations around them. The latest wave of attacks is Ransom-ware. Dr Karl finds out how to avoid being held hostage. Dr Barry also gives Karl a bunch of tips for keeping your files secure at home and atwork. How often should you update your operating system software? Data backups - how many and where ? Wifi security, Script Kiddies and more. 

 Jules Faber, Illustrator and Cartoonist, talks with Dr Karl about the creative process using "Karl, The Universe & Everything" as a case study​​.  They talk the science of illustration - and the illustration of science. Why do some images speak louder ? Do cartoonists talk a primal language ? Jules is president of Australian Cartoonists' Association and Karl will also give you a preview of some of the hot stories in his latest book ""Karl, The Universe & Everything". Shameless self publicity ? You be the judge.    Jules is a prominent Australian book illustrator, but this is his first adventure with Dr. Karl. His passion for science illustration stems from the late 90s when, while studying animation, Jules was leafing through one of Karl's earlier books. Thinking aloud that he could illustrate like the ones inside, and having never considered illustrating books before, this planted a seed. Years later, when asked to illustrate the first of the WeirDo series with Anh Do, Jules recalled that moment. T

How do stock exchanges, nuclear power plants or the military check their computer security ? They hire penetration testers - Cyber security experts who secretly test both IT and organisational security. Dr Karl gets the low-down from Chris Gatford, director of a company called Hacklabs. You will not believe how some places make it easy to get inside.

We rarely get to hear "insider" stories of extraterrestrial discovery. Doctor Karl meets Warwick Holmes - Australian Avionics Systems Engineer on Rosetta. He worked on the Philae mission (the one that  orbited the comet) seeking the chemical signatures of life. He gives us a blow by blow account of extraterrestrial exploration in the 21st Century. How do you test hardware to fly by the sun and withstand comet dust? How does a lad from South Australia land the best job on earth ? Beam us up Warwick ! First Podcast in 2016

Self-described ‘professional space history nerd’ Amy Shira Teitel and Dr Karl talk about spaceflight before NASA.  Her book ‘Breaking the Chains of Gravity' covers cutting edge rocket planes like the X-15 (and its surprising link with tractor seats), the team of seamstresses making high-altitude balloons to send to the edge of space, and how paper plates inspired the engineering of early spacecraft. Extraordinary, intimate stories from a time almost lost from in space-age literature. First podcast in 2016.

From 2009 to 2013, the Kepler Space telescope looked for exoplanets. It stared unblinkingly at a patch of sky which Dr Batalha had selected hoping to find potential life supporting planets in the Goldilocks zone. Then something bad happened. Find out what can go wrong and how Dr Karl’s mind was blown to astronomical proportions.

From 2009 to 2013, the Kepler Space telescope looked for exoplanets – planets outside our solar system. It stared unblinkingly at a patch of sky which Dr Batalha had selected hoping to find not just exoplanets, but exoplanets in the Goldilocks zone. Find out what happened, what can go wrong and how Dr Karl’s mind was blown to astronomical proportions.

SOFIA is the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy. Some German astronomers have made a one hundred inch telescope that picks up infrared. They bent it and shrunk it so that it fits into a NASA provided 747 Jumbo Jet. Dr Karl was lucky enough to be taken up for a ride. He spoke with Oliver Zeile about the engineering that keeps the telescope focused and on-target, and with Melanie Chavance who is studying the birth of stars in our nearest galaxy.

Team Shirtload confesses all when they chat about how they got into science. Was it the nifty lab coats? Being able to use big words with authority? For Karl it has something to do with coathangers in the long grass. But for all it was about the beauty of the logic inherent in the scientific method. Great book recommendations as well.

On the 15 September, 2017, after a long and happy life, the spacecraft Cassini will do (or did, depending on when you listen to this) a suicide plunge into the atmosphere of Saturn, the ringed planet. This episode is a repeat, originally released in March 2017.  Dr Linda Spilker has been with NASA's Jet propulsion Lab since 1977. Her work spans Voyager missions and the current Cassini mission. With 40 years of exploration experience, enjoy our extended edition of Shirtloads. Also find out how Australia may play a vital role in decoding Saturn's rings. (Warning: Contains Physics, Chemistry, inter-planetary exploration and traces of Biology). 

Of all hot beverages, Coffee may be the healthiest. It is loaded with antioxidants and beneficial nutrients and it may even lower the risk of some nasty diseases. Dietitician Prof Clare Collins & Dr Karl go through the mounting Scientific evidence. Importantly Professor Collins also goes through the risk factors for some and who should avoid it altogether. Shirtloads of Espresso Science this week.  

Dr Alice has a look at possible life but not as we know it on Titan. Close to but not quite, Dr Jessica on Australia's place the future shape of Space Agencies. And Dr Karl on how hungry can make you angry and irrational.

Dr Lucie Green is a Solar Researcher. She studies our natural power source – that Great Nuclear Reactor in the Sky, the  Sun. Come along for the ride with me, Dr Karl, as Dr Lucie helps discover how fusion works, why the light we see is ancient (as old as we are), how to tell if there's an astronomer in your car, and the best place to view planet alignments and magellenic clouds. Shirtloads with Dr. Karl is Out Of This World  - with added physics.

To celebrate National Science Week in Australia, we all got together under the umbrella of the Sydney Science Festival to have a fun night called SquizCo – in other words, Science Plus Quiz = Comedy. We had two teams of top-notch scientists battling it out in an Arena of Knowledge and Wits under the watchful eye of host and fellow Sleek Geek Adam Spencer, with Dr Karl as the Brains Trust.