Fuzzy Logic Science Show

What would it be like to find your vision was suddenly infected by strange apparitions?  Lines, shapes, whole buildings, faces, and lizards crawling up the wall. All inventions of the condition called Charles Bonnet Syndrome. No, you're not going mad, these are tricks that the visual system sometimes plays. Rod interviews Scot Muirden, director of the Charles Bonnet Syndrome Foundation, and Ian Lawther who shares some remarkable stories of his experience with CBS. Charles Bonnet Syndrome is much more common than you might think. If you have vision loss, or know somebody who has, a simple question can make a huge difference. Too many people live in fear that their mind is going, and don't want to talk about it. Even the medical profession are generally not well informed. We also recommend Scot Muirden's Ask Fuzzy column on CBS Oliver Sacks TED talk. An excellent Damn Interesting article Twitter #FuzzyLogicSci

The third week of May is National Archaeology Week, and to celebrate, Mitchell and Eleanor talk about the art and science of archaeology. We chat about the media hubbub surrounding the Curse of Tutankhamun's Tomb, the grim details of the buried city of Pompeii, and the geothermal vents that the Romans exploited at bath-time. Also features curse tablets and local axes.

It's an obsession, it's a pollutant and it's a problem. On this weeks episode, Broderick looks at the problem with plastic. Featuring interviews with Heidi Taylor from the Australian Marine Debris Initiative, PhD candidate from the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security Karen Raubenheimer and Principal Doug Reckord from the Bournda Environmental Education Centre.  Each of these scientists shares their passion and the story about plastic. These scientists will be joined by others when they speak at the Sapphire Coast Marine Discovery Centre Marine Science Forum which is titled "Turning the Tide on Trash". For more information on the forum, or to purchase tickets, head to http://www.sapphirecoastdiscovery.com.au/

The ground has shifted, renewables are taking the wind out of fossil fuels. It's now cheaper to generate power with solar and wind. But is it an anti capitalist dream, only for when the sun is shining? Our guest today is a prominent pioneer of solar power technology, and an advocate for renewable energy. Professor Andrew Blakers is Director of the ANU Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems. Hosted by Rod. ........................................... Community radio has been hit with a budget cut of $1.4m. Show your support keepcommunityradio.org.au #keepcommunityradio

Science isn't just pretty pictures of cells and stars; it's a thing people do, and you can too. In this episode of Fuzzy, Siân, Mitchell and Eleanor talk about the scientific method and how we can apply scientific thinking to our own everyday lives.  Features porridge alchemy, the Saturn Hexagon, and a ride on the dinosaur train. This episode originally aired on the 17th April 2016.

Are machines taking over? Or are they just plotting to ruin all our board game nights and become undefeatable Trivial Pursuit champions?  Phoebe and Broderick answer these hard-hitting questions and more as they explore the science, technology and ethics of artificial intelligence. This episode was originally broadcast on 16 March, 2016.

This episode Broderick takes a look at the worrying levels of coral bleaching and what it means for our Great Barrier Reef.  We also take a look at the latest in dinosaur news, allergy treatments and fingerprints in your skull.

Today we step outside our usual science to meet a rising figure in the Australian Labor party.  Why would someone subject themelves to the brutal world of politics? We dicuss social capital, and the limits to growth. Is growth really what we need, and at what point to we say 'enough'? Dr Andrew Leigh is Shadow Assistant Treasurer and Federal Member for Fraser in the ACT. Interview by Rod, who discloses personal affiliations at the start of this interview.

In this pun-filled episode, Mitchell and Eleanor talk eggs. What are they? Where do they come from? Why are they egg-shaped? Does anyone truly know the answers to these questions??  Yes, they do, and you will too if you tune in. Features echidna custard, broody octopuses, and the funkiest podcast outro ever conceived. 

Today's Fuzzy Logic is dedicated to Mary Anning, the remarkable woman who made a deep contribution to the emerging science of paleontology during the early 1800s.  In spite of the bias of her time, Anning was widely respected and consulted by the great thinkers, and her work helped shape our modern understanding of evolution. Brought to you by Rod, and Phil Hore from the National Dinosaur Museum. Twitter us @FuzzyLogicSci

....down down. So goes the lyrics in today's Jimi Hendrix music break. It's hard to imagine what an aweful sight it would be to see your house burning. And spare a thought for the fireys. They take risks to save you and your property. To protect themselves, they wear 23 kg of gear. Add hoses and other equipment, and they could be carrying 50 kg. They're phsyically active. It's hot. There's a fire. Our expert guest today is Dr Anthony Walker, thermal phsyiologist University of Canberra, and a member of ACT Fire & Rescue. His research looks into managing heat stress among fire fighters.  We also talk about long term chronic effects, including PTSD. Interview by Rod Twitter: @FuzzyLogicSci AskFuzzy [at] Zoho.com

What makes us think? What makes us aware? What makes us alive?  They say "cogito ergo sum"; I think, therefore I am.  But is it that simple? In this weeks episode, Phoebe and Broderick are joined by Alyce to get deep and mix a little philosophy with science as they discuss consciousness.

Why is pain good for you? This week Broderick and Phoebe are joined by special guest paramedic Liam to discuss the good, bad and ugly sides of pain. There's even an ice bucket challenge between Broderick and Phoebe to see who can withstand the most pain.  Listen in to see who is the ultimate pain master! Don't forgot Fuzzy Logic is also on Twitter!  Tweet us @FuzzyLogicSci with any follow-up questions you might have or topics you'd like us to cover.

Rod spent the morning spreading ant poison in his brand new shed and got to wondering about the chemicals killing his crawling critters. Could they be doing him some harm too? Luckily, we had Associate Professor Colin Jackson from the Research School of Chemistry at ANU in the studio to answer his questions.  Tune in to learn about Colin's research into neurotransmitter sensors and insecticide resistance. Hosted by Eleanor, who sometimes dreams about hedgehogs. (It's relevant, I promise.) Twitter: @FuzzyLogicSci

It's hard to describe just how appealing the wombat is. They amazingly playful, affectionate animals. That's at least while they're young, but then they grow up, they get grumpy, so don't get too close. But that's all part of what makes them special. These are tough creatures that can survive in the Australian bush. Then, there are humans. Also the mange. Our handlers at Sleepy Burrows have dedicated their lives to caring for wombats. And, as we discovered, even their home! Interview by Rod, with help from Katie, and impromptu appearance from Elliot, who skitters across the floor while we're talking! We're publishing this interview to coincide with Katie's feature article in today's Canberra Times. Fuzzy Logic is on Twitter: @FuzzyLogicSci

Last week, we talked about smart (and naughty) monkeys, and today we look more closely at what 'smart' means.  Intelligent? According to our astrobiologist guest today, it's a human-centric notion. We sit at the top of the evolutionary tree. Or at least, that's we want to believe. And what of little green men, with sparkling intelligence? Then we look at alternative an theory on the origin of cancer. Dr Charley Linweaver and his colleague, Prof Paul Davies bring an outside perspective. Brought to you by Eleanor and Rod. We're now on Twitter:  FuzzyLogicSci.  You can tweet during shows, Sundays 11-12am Canberra time. Next week: chemistry with Dr Colin Jackson

If humans are supposed to be the clever ape, why do we keep eliminating other life on our planet? There's a long list of victims including the dodo, the moa, and the passenger pigeon. These are fairly well known examples, but what's this thing called Silphium?  And why does it matter anyway? Our guest today has been seen recently around Canberra...with a dodo. Phil Hore is from the National Dinosaur Museum. Also Eleanor, and Rod.

What's it like to be near deaf for most of your life, and then be given a cochlear implant? The transformation is profound, and our guest today describes what that journey is like. Pete Halsey is CEO of the Deafness Resource Centre in Canberra, helping people with hearing problems. We live in a time and a place where this technology is available. It's made possible by pioneers such as Graeme Clark, and Peter Blamey who we interviewed recently. If you need practical assistance with hearing in the workplace, check the government Job Access program. We also recommend the support group Better Hearing Australia. Interview by Rod

As we enter the silly season, Phoebe and Broderick explore whether there's any science behind the post-Christmas lunch nap and if scientists are studying hangovers just as an excuse to drink more.  All the science and more on this episode of Fuzzy Logic.

Space is big. Really big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist, but that's just peanuts to space. Actually, the number as far as we can tell is about 13.8 billion light years. Or at least, that's the bit we can see. Trouble is, most of it's Dark. Today we hitchhike through the galaxy with Associate Professor Paul Francis from the Mount Stromolo Observatory.  Listen to the wondrous sounds he generated from spectrographs. In this episode of Fuzzy Logic, the universe sings for us. Brought to you by Eleanor and Rod