Science Friction
by ABC Australia
From mystery illnesses to flesh-eating bacteria and the looming threat of bird flu — outbreaks can push scientists, communities and health systems to their limits. For Science Friction on ABC Radio National, Belinda Smith looks back on some of the disease outbreaks that shaped Australia.Hear about the scientists racing to find answers, the unusual diseases they're hunting, and the everyday people caught in the middle.Outbreaks is a four-part series from Science Friction on ABC Radio National. Episode 1 is out Wednesday October 14th.Dead and Alive (Season 7) Quantum computers could be the next giant leap in technology — transforming how we heal people, how we grow food, how we get around our cities. So how close are we to the quantum future we've been promised? Science reporter Jacinta Bowler unpacks how the weird world of quantum physics could change everything.Artemis Explained (Season 6) In humanity's next giant leap, astronauts are heading back to the Moon for the first tim
Episodes
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04 | Outbreaks: The bird flu
It's the incursion we've been dreading. H5N1 bird flu has arrived in Australia. But this strain circulated the globe for decades before it landed on our shores. How has the risk to humans changed since the virus emerged? And what aren't we prepared for? Got feedback? Email us...
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03 | Outbreaks: The mozzie mystery
It starts as a mozzie bite ... but then it turns into something much worse. And the search for a cause stretches back decades. How did flesh-eating bacteria come to be in Melbourne's inner suburbs? And what do possums have to do with it? Got feedback? Email us [email protected] Guests:...
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02 | Outbreaks: The great mimicker
In 2021, four people across four different parts of the United States fall ill. They all have the same disease — a life-threatening bacterial infection. But the weird thing is they haven't travelled anywhere. And the bug that causes the infection isn't found in the US. So how did they get it?…
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01 | Outbreaks: The aquarium illness
In 2000, people who visited the Melbourne Aquarium started to get sick. Really sick. This outbreak would go on to become the largest of its kind in Australia. This story goes back 50 years to a mystery that stumped scientists in Philadelphia. How did they crack the case, and why are we still...
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INTRODUCING — Outbreaks
From mystery illnesses to flesh-eating bacteria and the looming threat of bird flu — outbreaks can push scientists, communities and health systems to their limits. For Science Friction on ABC Radio National, Belinda Smith looks back on some of the disease outbreaks that shaped Australia. Hear…
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04 | Dead and Alive: Hype train
When it comes to the often incomprehensible world of quantum, it can be hard to distinguish hype from reality. We might be on the verge of a breakthrough ... or tech start-ups might be trying to drum up momentum for the benefit of their stakeholders. Hype is important in science, but can it go…
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03 | Dead and Alive: Plucky country
You might not know it, but Australia is an unexpected frontrunner in the race to build a quantum computer. Despite our isolation, leading quantum experts have called Australia home for decades, chipping away at this massive challenge. What have we learnt, from our first digital computer CSIRAC…
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02 | Dead and Alive: Quantum attack
It's 1994, and a mathematical algorithm puts a spotlight on quantum computing for the first time. Defence departments, spy agencies and cybersecurity experts are on edge over the explosive Shor's algorithm. They spend decades and billions of dollars searching for a solution before something…
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01 | Dead and Alive: Battle for quantum supremacy
Google announces it has achieved something game changing — quantum supremacy. But not everybody agrees. The company claims its quantum computer called Sycamore has solved a problem that no classical computer could manage in hundreds of thousands of years. IBM wants this stricken from history. A…
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INTRODUCING — Dead and Alive
Quantum computers could be the next giant leap in technology — transforming how we heal people, how we grow food, how we get around our cities. So how close are we to the quantum future we've been promised? For Science Friction on ABC Radio National, Jacinta Bowler unpacks how the weird world of...
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12 | Artemis Explained: What a ride
The Integrity astronauts are back on Earth recovering from their journey, while NASA prepares for Artemis III. Belinda and Jacinta answer some of your questions in the wake of a successful moon orbit mission. To hear more podcast episodes from hosts Belinda Smith and Jacinta Bowler about the...
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11 | Artemis Explained: Mission accomplished
There wasn't a dry eye in mission control as the Artemis II astronauts safely returned in what NASA called a "perfect" splashdown. Belinda and Jacinta relive the historic re-entry, and dig into the wild physics associated with blasting through Earth's atmosphere and plopping into the ocean. To…
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10 | Artemis Explained: Countdown to splashdown
Nine days down … only one to go. The Artemis II mission is currently hurtling through space back to Earth, and is expected to land in the Pacific Ocean off the Californian coast tomorrow morning, Australia time. Belinda and Jacinta find out what the four astronauts on board have been doing as…
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09 | Artemis Explained: Next stop, Earth
With under two days to go, the Artemis II astronauts are making the most of their remaining time in space. Belinda and Jacinta take a look at what they've been up to in the lead up to re-entry, and what they can expect to feel as they return to Earth. And if you've ever wondered what urine looks...
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08 | Artemis Explained: Homeward bound
After the high of the lunar flyby, the four Artemis II astronauts are now on the return leg of their mission while scientists pore over the thousands of images sent back to Earth so far. Belinda and Jacinta delve into some surprising observations from the flyby, and answer more listener questions...
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07 | Artemis Explained: Moon flyby success
It’s been a big day for the Artemis II astronauts. They broke a 56-year record for the furthest distance humans have travelled from Earth, successfully looped around the Moon, and capped off the flyby with a solar eclipse. Belinda and Jacinta break down what the crew saw as they gazed upon the...
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06 | Artemis Explained: Moon joy
We’re at the pointy end of the Artemis II mission now: It’s the eve of the lunar flyby. With the four astronauts now looped into the Moon’s gravitational clutches, they’ll have an intense few hours observing the lunar surface, taking photos, and breaking Apollo 13’s record for humans furthest…
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05 | Artemis Explained: Science in space
Alongside taking snaps of Earth, chatting with mission control and fixing the toilet, the Artemis II astronauts are also taking part in all kinds of scientific research. So what experiments are running on the Orion capsule, and what do Australian lasers have to do with anything? Artemis Explained...
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04 | Artemis Explained: Halfway to the Moon
The Artemis II astronauts have passed the halfway point between Earth and the Moon, and still have around another day's travel time before they approach their lunar flyby. So what do they get up to while they’re hurtling through space? And how do astronauts go about their daily routine in a…
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03 | Artemis Explained: No turning back
Just over a day after blasting off, four astronauts encased in an Orion capsule have veered away from Earth and are now on course to fly around the Moon. Bel and Jacinta unpack what the "trans-lunar injection" manoeuvre involved, and take a look at some of the highly relatable challenges faced by...
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02 | Artemis Explained: Lift off
And we have lift off! Four astronauts successfully blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center and have started their journey to the Moon. But it wouldn't be a Moon launch without a couple of hiccups. We walk through what went down (and up!). Artemis Explained is a daily podcast from ABC Radio...
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01 | Artemis Explained: Before the launch
For the first time in 50 years, humanity is on the cusp of returning to the Moon, with the Artemis II lunar flyby mission set to launch in the coming days. But if we've already been to the Moon, why bother going back now? And who will be on board when the spacecraft blasts off? Welcome to the…
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BONUS | The Challenger Legacy: Q&A
What's the point of space exploration? Would you fly on a space shuttle? How did they fix the joints after the Challenger disaster? For this special bonus episode of The Challenger Legacy, hosts Dr Karl Kruszelnicki and Fiona Pepper answer your questions. To hear more podcast episodes from hosts...
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05 | The Challenger Legacy: Apollo on Steroids
NASA is gearing up for the Artemis II mission — where it will send astronauts around the moon for the first time in 50 years. While space exploration is never without risk, a retired astronaut is warning that NASA is "playing Russian roulette" with the lives of the crew. So have lessons been…
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04 | The Challenger Legacy: The Devil You Know
In the wake of twin disasters two decades apart, how do we make sense of why they happened? In episode four, we find out what happened on the very first flight after Columbia — and ask whether NASA changed at all. To hear more podcast episodes from hosts Fiona Pepper and Dr Karl Kruszelnicki…
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03 | The Challenger Legacy: Columbia
In 2003, close to two decades after the Challenger disaster, seven astronauts were killed in another space shuttle accident. History has repeated itself and NASA faces another reckoning — the parallels between the two disasters are undeniable. To hear more podcast episodes from hosts Fiona Pepper...
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02 | The Challenger Legacy: Five Lepers
In a conference room in Utah, space shuttle Challenger engineers watch in horror as it explodes live on TV. These engineers are more than 3,000 kilometres from the launch site - but they're about to become the centre of this story. Because they had tried to stop the launch from happening in the...
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01 | The Challenger Legacy: Launch Fever
It's the morning of January 28th, 1986. On board the space shuttle Challenger are seven astronauts, including teacher Christa McAuliffe. She is set to be the first ever teacher in space. But Christa never makes it to orbit. In the wake of an unprecedented disaster, questions start to be asked....
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INTRODUCING — The Challenger Legacy
Forty years ago this January, the Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrated on its way into orbit. All seven astronauts on board were killed. In the days after the tragedy, the world wanted answers. What really caused the shuttle to explode? And should the launch have been stopped altogether? For...
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05 | Artificial Evolution: Gene-Edited Babies
In 2018, a Chinese scientist made an announcement that shocked the world — and landed him years in prison. In a special episode of Artificial Evolution, Health Report reporter Shelby Traynor traces the story of He Jiankui, the researcher who helped to produce genetically edited babies. His…
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04 | Artificial Evolution: Pig Parts for People?
Timothy Andrews has lived with a pig kidney in his body for eight months. That makes him a record breaker — living longer with a gene-edited pig kidney than anyone else in the world so far. In the final episode of Artificial Evolution, he tells us about his journey, his hopes for making it a year...
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03 | Artificial Evolution: Yuck or Yum? Gene-Edited Meat
Gene-edited fish are on the market in Japan, and similar foods could soon be on Australian shelves. But will we want to eat them, how affordable will they be, and what do they even taste like? On this episode of Artificial Evolution, Pete looks at the future of gene editing for consumption…
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02 | Artificial Evolution: Genetically Modified Marsupials
Earlier this year, a US biotech company claimed it had brought back a long-extinct species - the dire wolf, which roamed ancient America thousands of years ago. And the same editing technology that remade dire wolves could also be used to stop Australian species from going extinct. In episode two...
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01 | Artificial Evolution: Cloning Goes Mainstream
Last year, 81-year-old rancher Arthur 'Jack' Schubarth was sentenced to six months in prison. His crime? An elaborate, multi-country conspiracy to smuggle in the tissue of a rare big horn sheep — clone it — and sell the offspring to hunters. But how did we get to the point where such a scheme…
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INTRODUCING — Artificial Evolution
In 1996, Dolly the Sheep became the first ever cloned animal. Nearly 30 years later, genetic technology has reshaped the world around us. What exactly has happened, where are we headed, and are we OK about it? In Artificial Evolution, our latest series of Science Friction, ABC environment…
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05 | Brain Rot: Meet the people who ditched their smartphones. Is it worth it?
We’ve all dreamt of lobbing our smartphone into the ocean and going off grid. So what happens when you follow through with it? For our final episode of Brain Rot, we speak to the people who decided they’d had enough. From a French village, to Gen Z ‘luddites’ in New York City and a group of…
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04 | Brain Rot: Is internet addiction real?
Plenty of people will say they are addicted to the internet. But how well-recognised, scientifically, is an addiction ... to your screen? In episode four of Brain Rot, we dig into how behavioural addictions work. And we hear from self-described internet addicts about the treatment programs that...
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03 | Brain Rot: Is tech making your memory better or worse?
We’re trusting tech with more tasks than ever — including the ones our brains once did.We’re Googling things we used to know, taking screenshots of things we’ll instantly forget, and hoarding all kinds of data we’ll never check again.On this episode of Brain Rot: is tech giving your brain a...
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02 | Brain Rot: Is AI turning us off human relationships?
Whether it’s social media, the omnipresent smartphone or AI companions, in recent decades the way we relate to each other has been completely up-ended. In episode two of Brain Rot, we explore the potential implications that tech poses to human relationships. Worldwide estimates suggest there are...
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01 | Brain Rot: Is there any proof your phone is destroying your attention span?
Everyone seems to have a hunch that their phone is destroying their attention span, but is there any science to back it up? In episode one of Brain Rot, we’re doing our best to focus on the topic of attention for a full 25 minutes — and find out what's actually happening in your brain every time...
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INTRODUCING — Brain Rot
For Science Friction, it's Brain Rot — a new series about the science of being chronically online and what it’s doing to our brains. What's really going on with our attention spans? Is data-dumping your entire life into ChatGPT helpful? And what's it like to be in love ... with an AI? National...
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06 | Cooked: Vitamin B3 ... and the media
For episode six of Cooked, we turn the lens on … science communication itself. We’re looking at how information travels from a scientific study to the world and what can go wrong along the way. This is the final episode in our Cooked series. We'll be back in May for another series of Science...
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05 | Cooked: Electrolytes — who needs them?
Over the past few years, you might have heard advertisements in your podcast feed or on social media for electrolyte supplements. If you haven’t seen them, they’re basically these little sachets or tubs that get mixed in with water as a drink. News media reports demand for such products is...
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04 | Cooked: A peculiar potato experiment
Why did a group of anonymous strangers on the internet try to eat almost nothing but potatoes for a month? On Cooked this week, an unusual experiment and the possibilities and perils of a mono-diet. Guests: Andrew Taylor Melbourne, Australia Slime Mold Time Mold Scientist collective Dr Jess…
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03 | Cooked: Mystery in the Mediterranean
It was one of the world's biggest nutrition trials. A study of thousands of people which found that following a Mediterranean diet could meaningfully reduce someone's risk of heart disease and stroke. But as data detectives began to comb through the results of the trial, something wasn't quite...
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02 | Cooked: All-meat eaters say they feel great - but why?
Diets like carnivore have been popping up all over the place. People who go carnivore aim to eat nothing but a select few animal products, like meat and eggs. So why are some people turning to an all-meat diet? And why do they say they feel good doing so? On this episode of Cooked, we sift…
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01 | Cooked: Could ice cream actually be good for you?
Two decades ago, nutritional epidemiologists made a startling finding – that people eating more ice cream were less likely to develop diabetes. In the years since, various groups have tried to account for this peculiar scientific signal — with limited success. In multiple studies the link between...
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00 | INTRODUCING — Cooked
For Science Friction, a new series — Cooked! On Cooked, we dig into the nuance of nutrition. Why are studies showing that ice cream could be good for you? Do we really need as many electrolytes as the internet says? And why are people feeling good on the carnivore diet? Nutrition and food…
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06 | Is super-intelligent AI around the corner?
Behind the rise of AI there's big questions about where this technology is going. Is it going to be super intelligent — and if that happens — is it going to kill us all? In our final episode, we're diving into the future and unpacking the full spectrum of expert predictions, from the idea that...
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05 | The year the world woke up to AI with a bang
2023 was the year powerful new AI technology went mainstream, with image generators and tools like ChatGPT. And people quickly started wondering where these advances were taking them. This is the story of 2023 in three chapters: the first contact, the backlash that followed, and the new reality....
About this show
From mystery illnesses to flesh-eating bacteria and the looming threat of bird flu — outbreaks can push scientists, communities and health systems to their limits. For Science Friction on ABC Radio National, Belinda Smith looks back on some of the disease outbreaks that shaped Australia.Hear about the scientists racing to find answers, the unusual diseases they're hunting, and the everyday people caught in the middle.Outbreaks is a four-part series from Science Friction on ABC Radio National. Episode 1 is out Wednesday October 14th.Dead and Alive (Season 7) Quantum computers could be the next giant leap in technology — transforming how we heal people, how we grow food, how we get around our cities. So how close are we to the quantum future we've been promised? Science reporter Jacinta Bowler unpacks how the weird world of quantum physics could change everything.Artemis Explained (Season 6) In humanity's next giant leap, astronauts are heading back to the Moon for the first tim
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ABC Australia