Totally Cooked: The Climate & Weather Podcast

In this episode of Totally Cooked: The Climate & Weather Podcast, hosts Iain Strachan and Professor Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick sit down with one of the world’s most recognisable climate communicators: Professor Ed Hawkins from the University of Reading. Ed is the climate scientist behind the now-iconic Climate Stripes, a deceptively simple graphic made of blue and red bars that tells the story of global warming at a glance. First published in 2018, the stripes visualise more than a century of rising global temperatures, with each stripe representing the average temperature for a single year and shifting from cooler blues to warmer reds as the planet heats up. The Climate Stripes have travelled far beyond academic journals. Downloaded more than a million times within days of their public release, they’ve appeared everywhere from social media campaigns and fashion to projections on famous landmarks, helping people around the world understand climate change without needing a single axis label or number. In this conversation, Ed explains how the idea emerged from a desire to communicate climate data more clearly, why the stripes resonated so strongly with the public, and how visualisations like the climate spiral (another of his widely shared creations) can make complex science instantly understandable. But this episode goes beyond the stripes. Ed also discusses his research into climate variability and extreme weather, his work with the UK’s National Centre for Atmospheric Science, and the Weather Rescue citizen science project, which recruits volunteers to digitise historical weather records from handwritten archives. Together, these efforts help scientists extend the climate record further into the past, giving us a clearer picture of how quickly our climate is changing, and why communicating that change effectively matters more than ever. Iain records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation. Sarah records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and recognise their unique and continuing connection to the land, skies, waters, plants and animals.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cities are where so many of us really experience climate change. They’re where heatwaves keep us awake at night, where flash floods turn streets into rivers, and where concrete, glass and asphalt can reshape the weather around us. As more than half of humanity now lives in urban areas, the story of climate change is increasingly a story about cities - how they amplify extremes, how they trap heat, and how smart planning might help protect the people who call them home. In this episode of Totally Cooked, Sarah and Iain are joined by Associate Professor Negin Nazarian, and PhD student Ressy Fitria. They're hitting the streets to explore the science of urban climate. What exactly is an urban heat island? Do cities just experience climate change, or do they actually modify the climate themselves? And how well are our climate models capturing the complexity of real neighbourhoods? We’ll also head to Indonesia, where a brand new capital city is rising in tropical Borneo. As Jakarta sinks and sea levels rise, Nusantara is being billed as a 'smart forest city' built for the future. But what happens to heat, humidity and extreme weather when you replace tropical forest with high-density urban development? And can we truly design cities that work with the climate, rather than against it? Iain records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation. Sarah records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and recognise their unique and continuing connection to the land, skies, waters, plants and animals.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this very special episode of Totally Cooked, Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick and Iain Strachan sit down with one of Australia's most beloved science communicators: Dr Karl Kruszelnicki. With his signature mix of curiosity, clarity and charisma, Dr Karl has spent decades explaining the universe, one radio segment, podcast, and bestselling book at a time. He joins hosts Iain Strachan and Prof Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick for a conversation about climate change, misinformation, science storytelling, and why making facts fun still matters. We trace the arc of his science communication career from the 1980s to today’s social media battlegrounds, ask whether you really need to ‘dumb things down’ to reach an audience, and discuss what it takes to talk about global warming in a world that sometimes seems to prefer fiction over fact. For listeners around the world, Dr Karl is Australia’s answer to Brian Cox, Bill Nye and Neil deGrasse Tyson rolled into one, an icon of scientific clarity in chaotic times.Iain records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation. Sarah records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. We pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging and recognise their unqieu and continuing connection to the land, skies, waters, plants and animals. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most extraordinary natural wonders on Earth, a vast, living ecosystem visible from space and home to thousands of species. But it is also one of the most vulnerable. As ocean temperatures rise and marine heatwaves intensify, this Australian icon faces an uncertain future. In this episode of Totally Cooked, recorded in Cairns, we ask a confronting question - can we save the Great Barrier Reef? Your hosts Professor Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick and Iain Strachan are joined by Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, marine biologist, climate advocate, and one of the world’s leading experts on coral reefs. Ove has spent decades at the forefront of reef science, from uncovering the mechanisms of coral bleaching to shaping global climate policy through the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). He brings both deep scientific knowledge and an unwavering sense of both hope and realism to a conversation that spans reef resilience, climate tipping points, and what Australia must do next. Whether you’ve snorkelled the Reef, seen it on screen, or simply care about our planet’s future, this episode is for you. We explore the science behind what’s happening to the Reef, the efforts to protect it, and why Ove still believes, despite the odds, that we can turn things around. A minor correction for the sharp-eared among you. Around 35m7sec, Ove meant to say carbonate ions rather than calcium ions - Iain To find out more about Totally Cooked, go to: https://www.21centuryweather.org.au/engage/totally-cooked-the-weather-climate-podcast/ Iain records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation. Sarah records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and recognise their unique and continuing connection to the land, skies, waters, plants and animals.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s economy, lifestyle, and ecosystems are powered by the weather, but climate change is reshaping this vital resource. In this episode, we dive into the science behind rainfall, sunshine, and wind as natural assets that fuel agriculture, energy, tourism, and daily life. Climate scientist Associate Professor Ailie Gallant joins your co-hosts Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick and Iain Strachan to unpack how drought, shifting rainfall patterns, and solar variability are transforming Australia’s weather resources, and what it means for our future resilience. Whether you’re curious about climate models, renewable energy, or the hidden value of everyday weather, this episode will change how you think about weather. To find out more, go to: https://www.21centuryweather.org.au/engage/totally-cooked-the-weather-climate-podcast/ Iain records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation. Sarah records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and recognise their unique and continuing connection to the land, skies, waters, plants and animals.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we explore what happens if (or when) the Arctic becomes ice-free during the northern summer - from global weather disruptions to sea level changes, ecosystem collapse, and the geopolitical scramble it’s triggering. Our special guest, Dr Zoé Koenig from University of Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway, joins us to unpack the science, share her frontline experience in polar research, and explain that what happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay in the Arctic. Pack your survival suit and a rifle, but let’s try not to shoot the bear. Iain records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation. Sarah records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and recognise their unique and continuing connection to the land, skies, waters, plants and animals. To find out more, go to: https://www.21centuryweather.org.au/engage/totally-cooked-the-weather-climate-podcast/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cyclones, hurricanes, typhoons - whatever the name, these major storms are being reshaped by climate change. Warmer oceans and shifting atmospheric patterns are fuelling storms that are stronger, wetter, and potentially more destructive than ever before. In this episode of Totally Cooked, hosts Professor Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick and Iain Strachan are joined by cyclone expert Professor Liz Ritchie-Tyo of Monash University and 21st Century Weather to explore the science behind these powerful systems. They unpack how cyclones form, why forecasting is so complex, and whether climate change is altering their frequency, intensity, or both. The conversation also looks at the human side of the story - how vulnerable communities can prepare, and how planning and communication can reduce the risks of future storms. With the right knowledge and action, there’s hope for weathering the next cyclone season in a rapidly changing climate. To find out more, go to: https://www.21centuryweather.org.au/engage/totally-cooked-the-weather-climate-podcast/ Iain records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation. Sarah records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and recognise their unique and continuing connection to the land, skies, waters, plants and animals.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s climate and weather researchers have grown up with the escalating climate crisis as a defining feature of their lives. Their education unfolded against culture wars about science, energy, and climate policy, with many inspired by voices like Greta Thunberg and movements such as the School Strike for Climate. This episode explores how those experiences are shaping the next generation of scientists. Hosts Prof. Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick and Iain Strachan sit down with three emerging researchers: Bethan White, Rachael Isphording, and Wil Laura. Together they talk about the motivations that drew them into climate science, from childhood experiences of hurricanes in Alabama to growing up in the Peruvian Andes. They share how their backgrounds, curiosity, and resilience are helping them carve out research careers in a rapidly changing world. The conversation dives into the challenges and joys of early research life, from pushing climate models to their limits to investigating “compound events” like heatwaves and wildfires, to benchmarking weather resources for renewable energy. Alongside science, the guests reflect on cultural influences, personal motivations, and the global networks that support their work. To find out more, go to: https://www.21centuryweather.org.au/engage/totally-cooked-the-weather-climate-podcast/ Iain records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation. Sarah records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and recognise their unique and continuing connection to the land, skies, waters, plants and animals.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Antarctica is one of the fastest-changing places on Earth. In this chilly episode of Totally Cooked, hosts Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick, a Professor of Climate Science at the Australian National University, and Iain Strachan, a former journalist turned science communicator, are joined by Professor Nerilie Abram to explore how global warming is transforming the icy continent.   We unpack what makes Antarctica unique, why its melting glaciers and ice shelves matter for sea level rise, and how changes in the Southern Ocean and atmosphere are reshaping weather patterns, including in Australia. We also discuss krill, penguins, tipping points and why scientists say “what happens in Antarctica doesn’t stay in Antarctica. Whether you're curious about Antarctic science, concerned about climate impacts, or just want to understand how our coldest continent is connected to your daily weather, this episode will leave you better informed and ready to tackle the climate crisis. To find out more, go to: https://www.21centuryweather.org.au/engage/totally-cooked-the-weather-climate-podcast/ Iain records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation. Sarah records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and recognise their unique and continuing connection to the land, skies, waters, plants and animals.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.