Fuzzy Logic Science Show

This week on Fuzzy Logic Andy and Broderick discuss the world of insects from how it feels when they bite us, bite each other and when we bite them!

Want to peer into the depths of space? It's kinda handy if you don't have a bunch of atmosphere in the way but space telescopes are expensive. Cheaper to use a ballon. Ryan Ridden-Harper is researching this for his PhD at the ANU. And...why did Einstein get a paper rejected? Brought to you by Andy and Rod. @FuzzyLogicSci

On a windy Canberra day we grabbed a quick interview with speakers at the Canberra March for Science. Professor Frank Bowden, Dr Emma-Kate Potter and Dr Wendy Elford. Fuzzy Logic is an enthusiastic supporter of #MarchForScience.  Read about the march in the Canberra Times. #MarchForScienceCBR  @ScienceMarchAu   Interviews by Rod    @FuzzyLogicSci

What's science ever done for us? We could be here all day answering that question, but one place to start is your breakfast. Today we look at some of the good things science is doing, especially around our marine and coastal environments. Grab shell, dudes. Andrew Leach's qualifications include marine science as well as conversation programs to protect species such as turtles and fish. We celebrate science leading up to the March for Science. Look out for events near you (14 April in Canberra) #MarchForScience   @FuzzyLogicSci With Andy & Rod  

Some diseases get a lot of attention but it's easy to lose site of the big killers. Malaria has been around for at least 4,000 years and a Chinese medical document from 2700 BC describes the symptoms. The name mal-aria literally means 'bad song'. It has proven a tough customer with its ability to sidestep the body's immune system. Harry Sutton is researching ways to combat malaria as part of his PhD at the John Curtin School of Medical Research @JSCMR. You can read his account in our Ask Fuzzy. Brought to you by Andy Leach and Rod. @FuzzyLogicSci        

On the surface, Toby Hendy and Tom Body are working on wildly different fields...but both are interested in walls. Or barriers. To invade a plant cell, a pathogen has to punch its way through the cell's wall. One way they do that is by physical force. Toby studies how cells respond to something pushing on their surface. Hint: it involves needles. Very. Small. Needles. Tom is all so studying walls - but for him the walls are a fusion reactor. How do you put the Sun in a bottle? Hint: it's tricky and a bit like an air bag. Tom is about to head off to the presitgious Max Planck institute. So what's a day like on Fuzzy Logic? Keep an eye out for Toby's Youtube. Brought to you by Rod @FuzzyLogicSci with Andrew Leach.

On this weeks episode, Jill and Broderick talk about the science behind all those things that typically happen in summer. Why does sunburn peel? And how can going for a jog bring down the US military? Tune in to find out more!

Today's episode we discuss the hidden science on Australian coins covering Indigenous knowledge and native animals. Presented by Broderick and Rod.

The Earth's climate system is a vastly complicated lumbering beast, but what happens when humans prod it with a greenhouse stick? Surely humans are small and insignificant creatures but the planet is large. That may have been true once, but not any more. Professor Will Steffen is a Council of Australia councillor. Read his SMH article about Penrith swelters while Florida freezes. Inez Harker-Schuch is the creator of a game to teaches climate science. Inez describes how the Milankovitch Cycles affect climate. We play an extract of an interview with Clive Hamilton. You can hear the full interview with Clive here.   Interviews by Rod

You might think you'll eat anything, but wait until you hear what these animals, insects as people eat! Moths drinking tears, caterpillars eating plastic and people eating... well you'll just have to tune in to find out! This Michelin star episode presented to you by Chef Phoebe and Sous Chef Broderick.

How many legs do you have? Today the four legs of Jill and Broderick discuss creatures with two, four, six and eight legs! Tune in to hear some interesting new research on a range of interesting leggy creatures!

We have the technology to make you into the perfect human. Well, not yet, but there's been great strides towards changing our genetics. The question is, should we? Are far can we go, how far should we go? And what about that turkey? Dr Sebastian Kurscheid @GenomicsIo is a genomics researcher, and Michel Watson @MEWatson9 is researching public attitudes to genetic engineering at the ANU.  Participate in her survey which will influence how research proceeds. Interview by Rod @FuzzyLogicSci  

Stranger things don't only happen on Netflix- they happen in the real world too! Today Karina and Broderick explore strange things- some of which can be explained by science, while others still remain a mystery.

Well Fuzzy listeners, the wonderfully funny but thoughtful Ignobel Prizes have come around again this year. In this episode Maddy and Broderick discuss whether cats are liquid or solid and why old people have big ears. We also have a listen to a new podwalk from Madi entitled "Let's Talk About It" which you can find at www.letstalkaboutit.co

Coffee is the start of the day for many people around the world, but what's going on with this mysterious black liquid? Why does instant coffee taste different to espresso? Why do you need more and more coffee to stay awake? Is coffee good for you? This week Phoebe and Broderick take a sip and try and answer these questions and more for you.

This week Karina and Broderick put on their black ties and take a closer look at the winners of the Prime Ministers Prizes for Science. Hear about Professor Jenny Graves work studying kangaroos, wallabies and dragons and find out what Recaldent is and where you might find it.

Science is science, right? A collection of cold, miserable facts that live in a detatched ether. Well maybe, but what happens to them, what they mean, and how we interpret them is subject to human psychology. It's no small question because it affects our treatment of global warming. Plus in some cases genuine research that is closed because it's unpalatable to other scientists. Inez Harker-Schuch and (soon to be 'Dr') Jacqui Hoepner have both studied this effect. Make sure you check out their Kickstarter campaign: a game to explore global warming. Interview by Rod. @FuzzyLogicSci      

Food is not just nutrition, but one of the greatest sources of BS. The world is floating in a sea of myths, misconceptions, and straight rubbish. We kick off with an interview from our archive with Professor Robert Street. His contemporary Sir Mark Oliphant was associated with one of the most enduring food myths - carrots. Our guest today is Associate Professor Nenad Naumovski from the University of Canberra. And make sure you check out this week's Ask Fuzzy in Fairfax, can supplements ward off Alzheimer's. Brought to you by Madeleine Parker and Rod.

The environment: that thing that sits in the background, quietly do its job. It's not a shareholder, it's not a fund manager, and it's not a politician, but it is arguably the biggest single component in the economy. How then do we account for it, how do we give it voice? Professor Kate Auty shares her insights from from Ledbeater's Possum, to cows grazing near New York, and - the Columbian civil war. Kate Auty is ACT Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment, interviewed by Rod

Health! It's a bewildering field, so many diseases, so many health issues, and a vast array of established and emerging treatments. How do you navigate all this?  You could be looking for a cure, or you might be an innovator with an idea you want to establish. You could be a health practitioner, or an investor. Health Horizon is a hub where you can get in touch with the latest health developments. Hook into a network, see what's available, and track progress.  @HealthHorizon Dr Matthew McGann and Coco Ho are our guests today, interview by Rod. Fuzzy is on @FuzzyLogicSci