Science Queeries

Australia’s iconic marsupials are going extinct at an alarming rate. But innovative science is offering hope. One in six human couples rely on assisted reproduction technologies like IVF…and marsupials may need to rely on these technologies too – it’s just that we can’t use the exact same tools across humans and marsupials. Understanding the unique biology of marsupial reproduction could revolutionise conservation. This week, we’re peeking inside the pouch. Dr Jen Hutchison from The University of Melbourne explores marsupial pregnancy, how assisted reproduction technologies like IVF could help preserve endangered species, and how the de-extinction of the Tasmanian Tiger could restore what we’ve lost. Originally aired 9th June, 2026. The post Hop to It: Saving Australian Marsupials appeared first on Science Queeries.

Chúc mừng năm mới! 恭喜发财! 새해 복 많이 받으세요! Happy New Year! Lunar New Year is celebrated by millions of people around the world. The celebration isn’t just cultural — it’s also astronomical. It’s tied to the night sky and is shaped by observations of celestial objects that stretch thousands of years. Explore the science behind Lunar New Year. Find out how the Moon became one of humanity’s oldest timekeepers. We meet the zodiac animals, unpacking why there are twelve of them and what Jupiter might have to do with it all. We look at the Moon’s real-world power — how it literally moves our oceans and shapes ecosystems. So, as this new lunar year begins, may your tides be high and your gravity strong, pulling all sorts of good things towards you. Originally aired 17th February, 2026. The post Good Moon Rising: The Science of Lunar New Year appeared first on Science Queeries.

Biological sex in nature is far from simple – and the animal queendom proves it. From fish that change sex, to intersex whales, to species that reproduce without males at all, this episode dives into the wonderfully non-binary reality of animal anatomy and reproduction. Some animals are born one sex and become another. Some respond to temperature, social structures, or hormones. Others simply opt out of sex altogether. Dr Cat is joined by Zoe Walder from Museums Victoria to explore how sex, anatomy and reproduction work across the animal kingdom – and why human ideas about “male” and “female” don’t always fit the science. This episode celebrates the diversity, flexibility and fabulousness of life on Earth. Because in nature, binaries are optional – and the queendom always reigns. Originally aired 3rd February, 2026. The post Slay the Binary: Inside the Animal Queendom appeared first on Science Queeries.

We spend over $20 billion a year on our dogs in Australia — but are our dogs actually happy, or just very well accessorised? This week on Science Queeries, Dr Cat is sniffing out the science of dog happiness with interdisciplinary researcher at the University of Melbourne, Dr Mia Cobb. While animal welfare science has focused on preventing negative experiences, she is finally asking the tail-wagging question: are working dogs and pet dogs having positive experiences? From behaviour and body language to hormones in saliva, Mia explains how researchers are working to create one of the first scientifically validated measures of dog happiness — and why humans are surprisingly bad at judging how our dogs are really feeling. Originally aired 13th January, 2026. The post Paws for Thought: Are Dogs Happy? appeared first on Science Queeries.

This week, we cell-ebrate how far biomedical science has come. We start with the basics: why scientists grow cells in labs, how they do it, and why sometimes a cell line is better than borrowing cells from a real human. Then, we sit with the story of Henrietta Lacks and the immortal HeLa cells that were taken from her cancer (without consent) that revolutionised medicine. We tackle the massive ethical reckoning they demand. To finish, a leap into the future with organoids and 3D bioprinting, where researchers are literally growing tiny organs and printing living tissues. Originally aired 9th December, 2025. The post Culture Shock appeared first on Science Queeries.

Before you check out at the Black Friday sales… check this Science Queeries episode out. Why do we fall into a festive food coma after a big Christmas or Thanksgiving feast? Is it the turkey, the carbs, or just the emotional aftermath of spending too many hours with relatives? Dr Cat is serving up a full Thanksgiving science spread. We’re carving into the psychology that makes Black Friday deals so irresistible. We’re turkey-ing (talking?) about whether your holiday roast really makes you sleepy and the delicious chemistry behind the Maillard reaction: the reason foods turn golden brown, smell incredible, and taste delicious. So, before you spend more money than you intended (or indulge in enough food to send you into a food coma)…spend a little time listening to this. Originally aired 25th November, 2025. The post Stuffed With Science appeared first on Science Queeries.