The Science Show - Separate stories podcast

One of the most obvious challenges to our concept of reality, is the idea that there are many other universes coinciding with ours. But how? And can we prove it? Another quandary is Einstein’s theories of relativity mashing space and time together. Professor Geraint Lewis has a new book: The Shortest History of Reality ready to confound us. Now!

It was a full page in the Australian Financial Review last week and included top names in both energy and climate science. The signatories are calling for the federal government to tax exporters of Australian natural gas with the proceeds to directed to science research including Australia’s developing fire crisis. We hear from one signatory, David Bowman, Professor of Fire Studies at the University of Tasmania.

It has been more than 30 years since astronomers found the first exoplanet — a planet outside the Solar System — and now researchers from Chile think they may have detected the first exomoon.

These little spiders that live in the dark corner of your garage have a pretty crazy sex life. Researchers have known for a while that male redback spiders get eaten during sex — but not only that, they somersault themselves right onto the fangs of the female.Considering the ultimate aim of this process is to create more spiders , this seems pretty counterintuitive. So it begs the question: why do they do it?Jonathan Webb and Ellen Phiddian get caught up in the science of this act, discussing what researchers have uncovered in the genes of the redback spider and its relatives.You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science editor and presenter Jonathan Webb on the ABC Listen app (Australia). You'll find episodes on animal behaviour, human health, space exploration and so much more.Get in touch with us: [email protected]:Ellen Phiddian, science reporterFurther information:Male redback spider's dramatic death somersault during sex coded in its DNACrossing experiments suggest a simple genetic basis of complex male self-sacrifice phenotypes in widow spidersThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Back at the time of Charles Darwin in the 1800s, a pair of artists in Sydney were producing incredibly detailed and lifelike illustrations of insects and plants, some of which are still used by scientists today. These talented artists were the Scott sisters, Harriet and Helena, who managed to break into the male-dominated world of botany all those years ago.

Rapidly rushing rivers scour the land, washing huge amounts of soil and other material out to sea. Adam Rose at Central Queensland University is looking for ways to slow these massive torrents.

Right now, a high-stakes mission is underway to save NASA's Swift telescope before it falls back to Earth.There's just one problem… the rescue satellite has run into some issues. So who rescues the rescuer?Jonathan Webb and Dr Sara Webb launch into this issue to see what scientists are doing to get this satellite back on track, and whether it can save Swift in time.You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science editor and presenter Jonathan Webb on the ABC Listen app (Australia). You'll find episodes on animal behaviour, human health, space exploration and so much more.Editor's note: the day after this episode was published, Australian time, NASA announced that its plan to boost the Swift Observatory was being abandoned because of ongoing issues controlling the pointing of the LINK spacecraft. It will still test out "rendesvous and proximity operations" which might provide useful results for similar missions in the future, but will not attempt to grab and lift the telescope as planned.Get in touch with us: [email protected]:Dr Sara Webb, Swinburne University of TechnologyThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

Peter Raven’s industry was staggering. He did a massive survey of plants in China; he advised several US presidents and the Dalai Lama; he rescued the Missouri Botanical Garden from neglect, bringing it world renown. His former student, Peter Bernhardt, sings his praises — in the interests of encouraging young people to study the vital discipline of botany.

Some of the most beautiful Australian native plants have spring-loaded traps that move faster than the blink of an eye. Jo Birch, curator of the University of Melbourne Herbarium, shows Belinda Smith examples of plants with extremely quick-moving parts that target insects, some snarling them with sticky goo and others with vacuum-powered traps.

The last days of winter are here and already you may be seeing flowers blooming around you. Why is that? How do flowers know when to bloom, and is it always around springtime?Jonathan Webb digs into these questions with Dr Greg Moore to try and uncover the mechanisms behind flowering plants.You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science editor and presenter Jonathan Webb on the ABC Listen app (Australia). You'll find episodes on animal behaviour, human health, space exploration and so much more.Get in touch with us: [email protected]:Dr Greg Moore, The University of MelbourneFurther information:What is Australia's most amazing Wildflower? Vote nowDinosaur Died. No flowers at funeralThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Gadigal, Ngunnawal and Ngambri people.

How can a university spinout become a world leader in battery technology? Tom Maschmeyer is trying to get his quick-charging Gelion batteries manufactured, but pandemic and war have slowed investment and technology rollout.

Famed mathematician Pythagoras — he of the right-angled triangle theorem — discovered mathematical principles which J. S. Bach used in his compositions. Violinist and artistic director of Bach Akademie Australia Madeleine Easton, and composer and conductor Christopher Bowen describe how mathematical principles form the basis of western musical harmony and how J. S. Bach used mathematics in his compositions.