The Science Show - Full Program Podcast

It has been just over three decades since warnings were first raised about global warming. The 20 hottest years on record have all occurred in the last quarter century. So why aren’t we serious about climate change? Richard Aedy goes looking for answers in a 4-part series on RN - Sunday mornings at 8am from 3rd May and podcast.

How can Jane Goodall have hope for the future, especially for the animals she loves, when the news about extinctions is so bleak? As The Hope, a 2-hour film about Jane and her life, is launched this week by National Geographic Jane joins Robyn on The Science Show to discuss the film, her work and her hope.

Patrick Webster was head boy at Albany Senior High and became deeply involved with the waters of SW Australia. Which led him to think about climate (yes, we are obsessed by the virus, but this is even bigger). Hear Patrick’s speech to a packed hall in Albany and realise there is hope.

A large asteroid carrying plenty of water will be worth millions of dollars we’re told. But it’s not sloshing around. Instead, the water is carried in chemical form within the rocks themselves. Now Dr Katarina Miljkovic from Curtin University has analysed gases coming off asteroids when they are bombarded as they fly through space. She has found there will be enough water to support human explorers when they venture through the galaxy. 

Despite shutdowns caused by that virus, we are gaining little benefit in emissions reduction. Rebecca Ford, age 16, who’s at The Senior High School in Albany WA tells The Science Show  why she is so concerned and how much young people need our support. Yes, we are distracted, but climate change won’t go away and could make corona seem like a mere passing sniffle if we’re not careful. 

Besides the virus, what’s bothering people in offices and cabs around the world? Well, it’s freezing. Especially for women. Tom Chang at the University of Southern California did the tests and found there’s a marked drop in productivity if people are uncomfortable because the air-conditioning is berserk. He published his findings and was astounded to find there were millions of responses. Is there a gender difference? Do men in suits really not feel the freeze? Can we afford to waste the energy on unwanted ice boxes to work in? 

White dwarfs reveal composition of gobbled planets How light pollution impacts animals Plan to create advertising messages in the sky using satellites Tragedy of the commons now being played out in space The arts and sciences dance together with inspiring results Curiosity the cornerstone for artists and scientists

The first image of a black hole, Apollo 11 celebrations, and the successes and failures of 2019's satellite missions. Plus what to expect from the Mars-bound missions in 2020.

Droughts, fires, and discussions around climate change intensified in 2019. A recap of the year in environment news, and a glimpse of what's to come in 2020.

3. The importance of Antarctica for the Earth’s climate