Science Queeries

Fungi aren’t all bad. They’ve given us penicillin – one of the most important medicines ever discovered. But they can also rot our crops, threaten food security, and spread resistance to our best fungicides. Climate change is introducing fungal diseases where they previously didn’t exist. And as farmers use more fungicides to combat these threats, fungi develop resistance – creating a vicious cycle of increasing pesticide use, environmental pollution, and diminishing effectiveness. Dr Donovan Garcia-Ceron is on the case. He works at Victorian Strawberry Industry Certification Authority Research to ensure that we can all have good strawberry fields forever. He discusses why traditional fungicides are losing effectiveness, and how RNA-based fungicides can “silence” fungal infections – essentially telling fungi to turn off the genes they need to cause infection. Next generation fungicides could revolutionise sustainable agriculture. Originally aired 5th May, 2026. The post Mould Matters & Future Fungicides appeared first on Science Queeries.

Every day, we encounter tens of thousands of microbes. Our antibodies are our anti-buddies, protecting us from infection. The Day of Immunology is the perfect day to immune cell-ebrate this biology that keeps us alive. We also celebrate a literally life-saving change to blood donation eligibility rules. Gay and bisexual men, trans people, and other previously excluded communities can now donate blood. This week, we’re exploring blood types, blood donation, and the incredible B cells that make antibodies. We’ll talk about why you can’t receive just any blood type, and how vaccines train your B cells to protect you. B cell immunologist Dr Liam Kealy from Monash University is here to help us understand the microscopic heroes that circulate through our bodies, protecting us every single day. So let’s circulate some knowledge about immunity! Originally aired 28th April, 2026. The post B Positive: Immune Cell-ebrating Immunity appeared first on Science Queeries.

What do clitoral erections, lesbian co‑lactation and bimbo branding have in common? Dr Naomi Koh Belic. Bedazzled with hot‑pink and glam, Dr Naomi Koh Belic is rewriting what science education looks like. In this episode, the biracial, bisexual, bimbo biologist joins Dr Cat to unpack the inspiration behind her Bimbo Biology series. Along the way, Dr Naomi explains why visibility matters and how she balances playfulness with scientific rigour. We get into the history of clitoral science (including the fact that we used cows to understand the clitoris – totally the same as humans…right?), and the biology behind lactation without pregnancy for families of all types. Ever felt like your body was too queer or too complicated for the textbook? This is your reminder that every “weird” part of our bodies is a feature worth loving and putting in the spotlight. Originally aired 21st April, 2026. The post Clits, Tits and Science Bits appeared first on Science Queeries.

For so long, contraception has been a woman’s burden. The pill. The IUD. The implant. The patch. While condoms and vasectomies exist for people who produce sperm, the responsibility for preventing pregnancy has overwhelmingly fallen on those with ovaries. But what if that changed? Luke Baz at The University of Melbourne is working on a non-hormonal contraceptive that targets sperm. He is trying to block the specific proteins – molecular “on switches” – that sperm need to fertilise an egg. It’s about precision. It’s about reversibility. And it’s about finally shifting the load. This week, we’re swimming in the science of sperm, the biology of fertilisation, and the cutting-edge research that could revolutionise reproductive autonomy. The future of birth control could be more equitable than ever before. And it starts with understanding sperm. Originally aired 14th April, 2026. The post Sperm-ission Impossible: Male Contraceptives appeared first on Science Queeries.

Pathogens are everywhere. They’re invisible to our eyes, but they’re not invincible. This week, we’re diving deep into three very different infections: Talaromyces marneffei – a fungus that’s thriving in South-East Asia and emerging as a serious threat, tuberculosis – a bacterial infection that’s been coughing up trouble for centuries, and shingles – a viral infection that lies dormant in your nerves for years, waiting to reactivate when your immune system is down. Alyssa Sinaga Lacsina and Aanika Bray (L-R) make their research and radio debuts as Amgen Scholars who worked in labs at The University of Melbourne over the summer. They chat with Dr Cat about the infectious diseases that they’re tackling. When we understand the pathogens that cause disease, we can spread awareness and create prevention strategies. Knowledge is contagious in the best way. Originally aired 7th April, 2026. The post Infection Inspection appeared first on Science Queeries.

Seventy percent of Australians live within 50 kilometres of the Great Southern Reef. Yet many of us have never heard of it. This reef is home to species found nowhere else on Earth. It’s a place where cuttlefish perform spectacular mating displays, where giant spider crabs gather in their tens of thousands, and where nature’s mysteries are waiting to be uncovered. Every winter, giant spider crabs gather in massive aggregations to moult. But the timing and location of these gatherings change every year. They’re unpredictable, and we barely understand them. That’s where citizen science comes in. Dr Elodie Camprasse leads the Spider Crab Watch project – a groundbreaking initiative that turns everyday people into marine researchers with their crab-servations. Volunteers are helping scientists crack the code on these crabs. This week, we’re diving deep into the Great Southern Reef – exploring what makes it so special and how citizen science is reef-orming our understanding of this incredible ecosystem. Originally aired 24th March, 2026. The post Reef-ormation Through Crab-servation appeared first on Science Queeries.

In this well-seasoned conversation, we’re after a recipe for change. Food racism isn’t just about ingredients. It’s about whose knowledge counts as science, whose culture gets celebrated, and whose gets criminalised. Myths around the harms of MSG, the flavour enhancer, is a perfect case study. While it is found naturally in ingredients used around the world, these myths are specifically attached to Asian cuisine. That’s not science. That’s racism, baked into our beliefs. But food racism is just one symptom of a much bigger problem: systemic barriers that keep minority communities invisible and excluded. Dr Cat chats with Anastasia Le, a transgender woman who works to support inclusion for LGBTQIA+, migrant, and disability communities. She is launching a groundbreaking campaign on Trans Day of Visibility: “Count the Gaps: The Gaps Aren’t Empty”, because change starts with seeing what we’ve been missing. Dig into how food racism shows up in our science and our culture. Tuck into what it’s like to navigate STEM workplaces as a transgender person, as a migrant, as someone from a minority community. Unpack the power of making visible the people and communities that institutions have been ignoring. Originally aired 31st March, 2026. The post Baked In: how racism shows up in food & STEM appeared first on Science Queeries.

Around 1.7% of babies born in Australia have innate variations in sex characteristics. That’s roughly one in 60 babies. For decades…and to this day, intersex people have been treated as medical problems that need solving. Doctors make decisions about their bodies – often surgical decisions – before they are old enough to consent. Variations in sex characteristics exist on a spectrum, just like height or any other trait. Yet intersex people face unnecessary surgeries, secrecy, shame, and a medical system that treated their bodies as “other”. The World Health Organisation still lists innate variations of sex characteristics as medical conditions. But being intersex isn’t a pathology. It’s a natural variation. On Science Queeries, we’re talking about depathologisation; about recognising intersex as a natural part of human diversity, not a disease. Our guest is Paul Byrne-Moroney from The I in Us, the only show for intersex people by intersex people. He’s here to help us understand what it means to be intersex and why depathologisation matters. Last month, Victoria passed legislation that protects intersex children from unnecessary, irreversible medical procedures. It’s a landmark moment. And it’s time we all understood why. Originally aired 3rd March, 2026. The post Innately You: Depathologising Being Intersex appeared first on Science Queeries.

We are facing a triple planetary crisis. Climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution aren’t separate problems – they’re interconnected threats that are unravelling our world. This week, we’re exploring how these three crises collide through the lens of three seemingly different stories: frogs fighting for survival against chytrid fungus, sea ice melting in response to a warming planet, and air pollution suffocating ecosystems and human health alike. Nina Ross and Dylan Scott make their research and radio debuts as undergraduate students from Australia and New Zealand. Over the summer, they worked in labs at The University of Melbourne as Amgen Scholars, and now they share what they’ve been up to. We’ll explore the science behind each crisis, discover how they amplify each other, and ask: what can we actually do about it? Because frogs can’t hop away from these problems. Sea ice won’t freeze our solutions in place. And we can’t just blow off air pollution. Originally aired 17th February, 2026. The post One Planet, Three Crises appeared first on Science Queeries.

Let’s get into the marrow of bone structure and its link to osteoporosis, learn about some un-nerve-ing mutations that can spark brain tumours and epilepsy, and crown our conversation with cutting-edge dental solutions that are changing lives. Caitlyn Tan, Nuthara Manuwelge, and Majella Warpenius (L-R) make their research and radio debuts as undergraduate students from around Australia and New Zealand. Over the summer, they worked in labs at The University of Melbourne as Amgen Scholars, and now they share what they’ve been up to. So whether it’s understanding our bones as we age, rooting out better dental solutions, or firing up our understanding of brain mutations, the science is clear: when we stop fracturing our attention across overlooked health issues, we unlock solutions that can transform lives. Originally aired 10th February, 2026. The post Skull and Crossbones: Brains, Bones & Teeth appeared first on Science Queeries.

When frogs face a life-threatening disease, you’d expect them to hunker down and focus on survival. But nature sometimes has other plans. A deadly disease caused by a chytrid fungus has decimated 500+ amphibian species. Over 90 are already extinct because of it. The green and golden bell frog has an interesting response to it… Conservation biologist Venice Chan studies frog reproductive biology in response to chytrid fungus at the University of Melbourne. We’re chatting about the fact that infected frogs literally go all in on reproduction, putting all their eggs (or rather, sperm) in one basket. Male green and golden bell frogs exposed to chytrid fungus produce more sperm volume and more sperm cells. It’s nature’s way of saying: if you’re going down, you’re going down hard. This episode is toad-ally ribbiting! Originally aired 24th February, 2026. The post Toad-ally Thirsty: Going Out with a Bang 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.

Sydney Harbour is one of the most iconic waterways in the world — but beneath the postcard views lies a complex ecological story of sea-rious degradation, recovery, and renewal. In this episode of Science Queeries, we honour the late Professor Emma Johnston — marine ecologist, champion for equity in science, and a true tide-turner. She laid the scientific foundations for understanding and restoring Sydney Harbour’s ecosystems. Building on that legacy, Dr Cat chats to Dr Paco Martinez Baena from the Sydney Institute of Marine Science. He leads Project Restore — an initiative restoring and reconnecting habitats to boost biodiversity in Sydney Harbour. Because, when you restore the across habitats, the whole system can rise with the tide. Thanks to Emma Johnston’s enduring influence, Sydney Harbour isn’t just staying afloat — it’s current-ly rewriting its future. Shell yeah. Originally aired 10th February, 2026. The post Sea-ing Change in Sydney Harbour 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.

Penguins may live at the bottom of the world, but they’ve risen to the very top of our hearts. For Penguin Awareness Day, Dr Cat and archeologist Dr Wenjing Yu are sliding onto the Antarctic ice to celebrate these iconic birds. Having voyaged to Antartica as part of Homeward Bound, a leadership program for women and non-binary people in STEM, they encountered thousands of penguins in the wild. They chat about the penguins they met, what makes penguins such extreme overachievers, and why life in the cold demands clever adaptations. From first impressions to deep dives into penguin behaviour, survival, and sheer charisma, this episode proves that you don’t need to fly to be cool. Sometimes the best science comes with a tuxedo and a clumsy belly slide. Originally aired 20th January, 2026. The post Waddle We Know About Penguins? 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.

What if the key to Australia’s climate future is hidden in its past? When we talk about climate change, we often picture satellites, supercomputers, and graphs stretching into the future. But this week on Science Queeries, we’re turning back the clock, digging into dusty data, early thermometers and rain gauges, handwritten weather diaries, and historical records to understand what’s coming next. Dr Cat is joined by a climate scientist, Ruchit Kulkarni who’s part historian, part statistician, and part detective. Working at the University of Melbourne and ARC Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather, he uncovers how Australia’s past climates help us make sense of today’s extreme weather – especially heatwaves and bushfires. Explore how historical climate records reveal patterns we can’t see in modern data alone, and how looking back helps us plan for risk. When it comes to preparing for extreme weather, hindsight might just be our most powerful forecasting tool. *This podcast has been re-uploaded following an audio issue. As much as we want to be vocal about climate change, we don’t want you to have to listen to multiple voices at once. Originally aired 16th December, 2025. The post Past Weather, Future Problems 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.

HIV targets the very immune cells meant to protect us. But science – and community – keep fighting back. This World AIDS Day, Dr Cat and Dr Jen Juno chat about how HIV infects CD4 T cells and can lead to AIDS, and how ART and PrEP have transformed lives, empowering HIV+ people to thrive, to build relationships, to have sex and families without fear, and to know they are not a risk to the people they love. But there is still no cure for HIV. Dr Jen is an immunologist who explores the role of T cells in infectious diseases. She leads a research group at The University of Melbourne and the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. She is studying the lesser-known, unconventional or “hipster” T cells that could bring us closer to a cure. While there’s still a long way to go in terms of ensuring access to treatment for all who need it, and working towards a cure, there’s a lot to T cell-ebrate in terms of how far we’ve come. Originally aired 2nd December, 2025. The post T-cell-ebrating Progress: HIV, Immunity & Hope 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.

Ever wondered how much of you is floating around in the cloud? We dive into the world of big data: who gets counted, who gets mis-categorised, and who gets left buffering forever. From algorithmic bias to the very real land and water swallowed up by data centres, we’re unpacking the hidden costs of the digital world. When it comes to artificial intelligence and big data, the world is messy… and beautifully so. We’ve seen how technology can scale harm, scale hope, and sometimes scale chaos. Dr Cat and technologist Dr Sophia Frentz decode what machine learning algorithms get wrong about people, especially transgender and gender-diverse communities. We’re talking the cloud, the costs, and the marginalised communities who end up paying the most. We’re also talking about the beautiful opportunities that AI can provide. On LGBTQIA+ STEMM Day and in Transgender Awareness Week especially, Dr Cat is grateful for people like Dr Sophia, who remind us that science gets better – and more inclusive – when everyone gets to show up as their full self. Originally aired 18th November, 2025. The post Cloudy With a Chance of Bias appeared first on Science Queeries.

We’re getting very meta: communicating about science communication. Why do some people have more of a “head start” when it comes to pursuing STEM? Shanii Phillips teaches us how to make some serious capital gains – science capital gains that is – and boost your interest in STEM. Shanii is a PhD student at the Australian National University and based SciTech exploring the idea of “science capital” and how science centres and science communication can help everyone feel at home in STEM. We explore how science capital can make or break someone’s sense of scientific identity. Then, Dr Cat dives into the science behind the so-called “male” and “female” brain and how that myth that they’re different led to neurosexism. This episode all about belonging — in science centres, in STEM careers, and even inside your own head. Originally aired 11th November, 2025. The post Mind the gap: from science capital to “gendered” brains appeared first on Science Queeries.

Who you gonna call? Ghost Busters! For Halloween, the Ghost Buster is Dr Cat. She talks about the history of Halloween and Día de los Muertos, sheds some light on glowing will-o’-the-wisps, de-spookifies ghosts, and gets all tangled up in the fang-tastic science of spiders.From mysterious ghost lights to spider-powered robots, she’s proving that even the creepiest science stories can be illuminating…and even useful. Originally aired 28th October, 2025. The post Spooktacular Science appeared first on Science Queeries.

Around one third of the food on your plate is there thanks to the hard work of bees. We’re buzzing with excitement to chat about bees! Thanks to Clancy Lester, aka the Bee Man of “Bees and Blossoms”, for bee-ing on the show this week. Dr Cat chats with ecologist Clancy about his research with the Yolŋu people and their deep connection to bees, honey, and Country – and how these tiny pollinators are crucial for conservation of Australian ecosystem. From Arnhem Land to backyard bee hotels, we’re diving into the world of Australia’s incredible native bees. Plus, we explore how bees do arithmetic (yes, really!) and how building a simple bee hotel can help protect biodiversity. Originally aired 21st October, 2025. The post A Bee-nomenal Theorem appeared first on Science Queeries.

How does the immune system bite back against malaria? Malaria is caused by parasites that are transmitted to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes. The parasites travel to the liver and then infect red blood cells, leading to symptoms. Malaria has been bugging humanity for centuries. It’s hard to control the disease because the parasites can be resistant to drugs and current vaccines only offer partial protection. But thanks to immunologists like Dr Kristina Burrack, we have a fighting chance! Dr Kristina is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota and the Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute. Dr Cat chats to her about how her work and other vaccination approaches from the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity could give us a real shot at stopping malaria. Originally aired 14th October, 2025. The post First Rule of Bite Club: Buzz Off Malaria appeared first on Science Queeries.

What do you think of when you think “renewable energy”? What is one change we can make to drastically reduce our individual impact on the planet? What should we be planting in our gardens if we’re rooting for the planet? It’s a takeover! Dr Cat sits back from the microphones this week to let three science communication students take the reins. Dominique Bezzina, Daniel Nørkjær Badenskov, and Erin Koster turn up the geothermal heat, raise the steaks on sustainability, and dig deep into permaculture. From the ground beneath our feet to the food on our plates, they cover the whole ecosystem, thinking about how we can all be a bit more sustainable. Originally aired 7th October, 2025. The post Sussing out Sustainability appeared first on Science Queeries.

We’re bringing science back from the dead — almost literally! Dr Cat chats to Professor Andrew Pask, who is developing tools and resources to de-extinct the Tasmanian tiger (thylacine) – which could help save endangered marsupials before they vanish for good. They explore how gene editing, stem cells and assisted reproduction could give our lost and threatened marsupials a second life. Professor Andrew is a well-renowned geneticist and conservation biologist at The University of Melbourne. He leads the aptly named TIGRR (Thylacine Integrated Genomic Restoration Research) Lab, and his work will help the Tassie tiger thyla-shine again! This episode may give you some real paws for thought about extinction and conservation science! Originally aired 30th September, 2025. The post Thy of the tiger appeared first on Science Queeries.

We’re over the Moon about science, cultural stories, and celebration! Perhaps you caught the recent total lunar eclipse, or you’re looking forward to the next Full Moon, which is when we celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. Quoc Viet Tran, a volunteer for the Vietnamese Museum Australia, reminisces with Dr Cat about cultural stories of the Moon and the Vietnamese version of the festival: Tết Trung Thu. They discuss the science of the Moon and share the light of Tết Trung Thu. From folklore to Full Moons, from lanterns to lunar lore, explore how science and culture can orbit together in harmony without eclipsing the other. Originally aired 23rd September, 2025. The post Over the Moon appeared first on Science Queeries.

The early Earth was quite different to the world we know of today. What creatures lurked in the oceans 500 million years ago? Dr Cat describes the evolution of life on Earth from the very beginning. Then, palaeontologist Alyssa Fjeld comes onto the arthropod-cast to chat about ancient bugs that were around during the “Cambrian explosion”, when life got wilder and whackier. Dig deep into Earth’s ancient past with us. Originally aired 16th September, 2025 The post Alyssa to this appeared first on Science Queeries.

Want to be dam well-informed about floods and dams? How do we protect our homes and communities from disastrous floods? Why do insurance companies seem to know more about whether your house is at risk than you do? Water engineer Erin Hughes helps us wade through the world of floods and dams. Erin is a Senior Surface Water Engineer at Hydrology and Risk Consulting. She has led many projects around Australia and the world to help predict floods and assess dam safety. Growing up in the Torres Strait, Erin was surrounded by water and saw first-hand the impact engineering could have on local communities when trying to manage water challenges. Her chat with Dr Cat will give you plenty to soak up! Originally aired 9th September, 2025. The post This week’s guest makes a splash appeared first on Science Queeries.

Is all that talk of “quantum” in the movies legit? Dr Cat asks Professor Nick Menicucci about what quantum is, how close we are to getting quantum tech in our pockets, and whether its representation in movies is accurate. They collapse this complex topic of conversation into one very enlightening state. From quantum myths to cosmic time-travel dreams, they measure up some big ideas without any uncertainty. Prof Menicucci is a senior member of the QuRMIT group at RMIT University, and a Chief Investigator in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology. He will entangle you with his wisdom. This episode originally aired on 2nd September, 2025. The post Entanglement in conversation appeared first on Science Queeries.

No detail is spored in this episode with a really fun-gal. When we think of infectious diseases, we often think of bacterial infections like pneumonia and tuberculosis, or viral ones like flu and COVID. Fungi often don’t come to mind – yet collectively, fungal infections surpass any other infectious disease on the global death toll. There’s still mush-room for discovery to develop new treatments to tackle ever-adapting fungi that never stop moulding to suit their changing environment. Dr Cat chats to Dr Jane Usher at the University of Exeter, who investigates fungi that can infect us to ensure that they can’t. This episode originally aired 26th August, 2025. The post Take me to a Fungi Town appeared first on Science Queeries.

Bugs are more than just “creepy-crawlies” – they can be quite beetleful. Dr Cat chats to bugging entomologist Charlie Disher. What niche pockets of beetle species exist in the sky islands of the Australian Alpine mountains? How did empty beer stubbies once pose a threat to the golden Jewel beetles (spoiler: they were super sexy stimuli)? What can we learn from insects to better understand the natural world? Dr Cat and Charlie dig through leaf litter, scale the Aussie Alps, and discover just how speci-tacular beetles can be! Originally aired 19th August, 2025. The post An unbeetleble episode appeared first on Science Queeries.

Happy National Science Week! We’re celebrating the wild, weird, and wonderful side of Australian wildlife this Science Week with a national vote for Australia’s Most Underrated Native Animal. Dr Cat chats to her friend and colleague, A/Prof Jen Martin. An ecologist-turned-science communicator at The University of Melbourne, Jen is the perfect person to introduce you to ten Aussie animal underdogs. From the eel-lectrifying short-finned eel to the ink-redible giant cuttlefish, the dugong that’s truly sea-riously charming, and the mole-vellous marsupial mole – this week’s episode will give you a lot of animals to skink your teeth into. These quirky critters aren’t just hiding in the shadows – they’re bat-tling for your love. This episode originally aired 12th August, 2025. The post National Science Week appeared first on Science Queeries.

This Science Queeries episode goes deep – over a kilometre down below an old gold mine in an underground physics laboratory. Dr Cat chats to Dr Theresa Fruth, an astroparticle physicist at The University of Sydney who is helping to make elusive, undetectable dark matter detectable. We can’t observe dark matter at all – yet it makes up most of the universe. It takes international collaborations and sterile laboratories way deep, deep down to give us hope of ever being able to directly detect it. Originally aired 5th August, 2025. The post The Fruth of the matter appeared first on Science Queeries.

Celebrating World Hepatitis Day, we have an un-bile-liver-ably great episode of Science Queeries in store for you. The 2025 theme was “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down” – and that’s what Jon Kok and Dr Cat are going to do. According to the World Health Organization, around 354 million people worldwide live with hepatitis B or C, and most of them have no access to services for testing and treatment. Even in Australia. Jon Kok is a Workforce Development and Research Officer at LiverWELL and a host of JOY’s Hide and Seek. They break down the different kinds of hepatitis, who is most at risk, and treatment options. They and Dr Cat also chat about breaking down stigma and ongoing research towards a hepatitis B cure. Originally aired 29th July, 2025. The post Bile means appeared first on Science Queeries.

Pterosaurs once ruled the skies with flap-tastic flair. Palaeontologist Adele Pentland takes us into raptors (read: raptures), digging up the world of Australian pterosaurs. She and Dr Cat also discuss dino-diets, based on a recent news story on what an Australian sauropod (a diamantinasaurus) ate as its last meal. Adele is a final-year PhD candidate in the Western Australian Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre at Curtin University, has named two pterosaur species, and is an absolute Superstar of STEM. From demon pelicans to iron dragons, we soar through time and discover that the skies of ancient Australia were anything but empty. This episode originally aired 22nd July, 2025. The post Pterrific Flyers and Dino Diners appeared first on Science Queeries.

We’re talking about the animal “queendom”, because same-sex sexual behaviour is quite common among animals – in at least 1,500 species. For a crossover episode with Big Bi+ Questions, Dr Cat, and two of BBQ’s co-hosts Dave Samuels and Jason Turner, go on a wild ride through some of the animal kingdom’s queerest species. (Stay tuned for a future BBQ episode, on which they will discuss whether animals that display same-sex sexual behaviour are gay, bi+, or something else…) They also discuss how societal views have shaped this area of research, and why it’s important to have diverse voices in STEM research. At the beginning of last century, same-sex sexual behaviour was observed among different birds (including penguins), but was dismissed or swept under the carpet. But things are changing… This episode originally aired 15th July, 2025. The post Nature Bi Design appeared first on Science Queeries.

Science Queeries is officially a toddler – it’s now one year old! The whole team congregates around the mics for this birthday episode: Dr Cat as your ever-present host, Clayton Wimshurst, who helped kick the show off and continues to help behind the scenes, and Vaughan McCarthy, who turns each episode into a podcast and is the person we can thank for all the punny titles. They replay their greatest hits, confess their “science crushes”, and discuss “confidently incorrect” scientific ideas of the past to highlight that science is ever-evolving. Thanks for a whole year of curiosity, queerness, and questions that spiral like DNA’s double helix. Whether you’ve been listening from episode one or just dropped into the Petri dish recently, Science Queeries wouldn’t be the same without you. This episode originally aired 8th July, 2025. The post A Big Birthday Bash appeared first on Science Queeries.

Science meets feels on this Science Queeries episode. From cortisol chaos to serotonin slumps, Dr Cat and Jesse Crowe (aka the Travelling Scientist) take you through the science of stress and the complexities of our mental wellbeing. While anxiety and depression can weigh heavily, remember that support and solutions are well within reach. There’s no one-size-fits-all, but there is strength in numbers – in reaching out and connecting with your people. This episode originally aired on 1st July, 2025… Princess Diana’s birthday. The post Dr Cat depresses the (down in the) dump(s) button appeared first on Science Queeries.

Looking for a breath of fresh… science? Dr Rob Ryan, atmospheric chemist in the School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at The University of Melbourne, clears the air. He and Dr Cat discuss how the effects of air pollution can ripple all the way from humans to reefs. So how can we protect ourselves and keep our reefs coral-ful? This episode originally aired 24th June, 2025. The post A lot of hot air appeared first on Science Queeries.

We’re casting a net to reel in some knowledge. Dr Cat dives deep into the tangled world of ghost nets with marine conservation ecologist, Jess Leck. She is the GhostNets Australia Program Coordinator for OceanEarth Foundation, working with communities across Northern Australia, Asia and the Pacific to address fishing debris in our oceans at their source. Their work shows us that when communities come together, we really can turn the tide. This episode originally aired on 17th June, 2025. The post You’ll be hooked on this episode appeared first on Science Queeries.

Did you know that someone you know may have ceramics inside their body? Maybe it’s even you. Ceramics are used for so many things – including art and expression, medicine, space exploration, and more. Dr Cat chats to a ceramicist who is (not) straight up kiln-ing it: Rory Young. They get fired up, digging into the rocky geology of ceramics, glazing over its chemistry, and spinning through the tech that’s shaping the future of the industry. This episode originally aired on 10th June, 2025. The post A cracking good episode appeared first on Science Queeries.

Space is soooo gay. Let’s go star gay-zing. Dr Cat and Zofia Witkowski-Blake, presenter at Melbourne Planetarium at Scienceworks, orbited queer cosmic stories, launched into what happens when humans are in space, and reflected (or should we say refracted?) on rainbows. Queerness – like the universe – is vast, dazzling, and ever-expanding. This week, we’re going full galactic glam and reaching for the stars, bending light, and being our own rainbows. This episode originally aired on 3rd June, 2025. The post Somewhere over the rainbow there’s gay space appeared first on Science Queeries.

Dr Cat and Dilendra weave together the science of using silk from silkworms and spiders in medicine. Dilendra Wijesekara, a material scientist at Deakin University’s Institute of Frontier Materials, is developing a silk biomaterial for ear surgery. Dr Cat also shares some wild science involving getting goats to produce “spider silk milk”, and using a protein in spider silk as inspiration for cancer treatment. It’s a silky-smooth episode that showcases how strong, flexible, and fabulous nature can be. This episode originally aired on 27th May, 2025. The post Weave got this – we’re healing with silk appeared first on Science Queeries.

This seals the deal: seals are incredible animals. They’re the only mammal that can hear both through air and under water. Pint of Science speaker/Palaeontologist Dr James Rule and Dr Cat go on a fossil-filled adventure (literally – they talk about their search for fossils), dig deep into Australia’s ancient seas and unearth the evolution of seal hearing. This episode originally aired on 20th May, 2025. The post Seals’ flipperin’ good hearing appeared first on Science Queeries.

For a fabulously nerdy Radiothon special, Dr Cat goes full STEAM ahead with a science-packed extravaganza. She tests her history buff brother Sasha Kober’s knowledge of scientific discoveries and historical episodes of Science Queeries. She fields questions in an Ask Me Anything, runs a quiz showdown between her brother and Little Jase from Big Bi+ Questions, and belts out some science karaoke. It’s brains, banter, and belting for a brilliant cause: supporting JOY. This episode originally aired on 13th May, 2025. The post Science, Sass and Song: The Radiothon Riff-Off appeared first on Science Queeries.

Dr Cat and archaeologist Dr Wenjing Yu are digging up the past and brushing off the dust on history. Dr Wenjing has done fieldwork around the world, piecing together the story of our ancestors and their evolution to answer: when and where do we as humans come from? She excavates the fascinating story of the Taung Child skull, the oldest child in the world, and Dr Cat touches on the lessons we’ve learned from the icy archives in Antarctica. This episode originally aired on 6th May, 2025. The post Can you dig it? appeared first on Science Queeries.

Dr Cat cell-abrates the World Day of Immunology with Dr Keit Loi, Lecturer in immunology at The University of Melbourne. Together, they’ll infect you with an appreciation of the randomness and chaotic yet impressive coordination of the immune response so that it can help fight infections and cancer. Unless it goes wrong… This episode originally aired on 29th April, 2025. The post A cell of a day appeared first on Science Queeries.

Dr Cat chats to Dr Jamie Robertson AM about the tooth, the whole tooth, and nothing but the tooth. Dr Jamie is filling us in on the root causes of dental inequality – and reminding us that oral health isn’t just about a sparkling smile as it influences our overall health too. Whether you’re grinding through policy or just brushing up on the facts, remember: access to dental care should never be like pulling teeth. Here’s hoping for a fairer, healthier future. This episode originally aired on 22nd April, 2025. The post The fluoride of your life appeared first on Science Queeries.