Beyond The Lab

It's arguably Australia's most sought after creature: an almost mythical beast responsible for driving those who seek it to the edge of fatigue and despair. Many thought it was a hopeless quest for an animal that no longer existed. That is, of course, until someone found one.

In 2012 Paul Gaylord was bitten by his pet cat. He had know idea that the small puncture would soon see him in intensive care fighting off a microscopic killer from the past.

Just over 40 years ago, the discovery of prehistoric remains in south west NSW would rocket the history of the First Australians back in time, as well as help unravel the story of human evolution and our journey across the globe. But, for the Aboriginal people who still belong to the land at Willandra Lakes these ancient bones are more than just a specimen; they're also an ancestor.

What kind of person volunteers to be locked inside a tin can for a seven month journey to another planet without any prospect of ever returning home? (Now with the correct audio!)

Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice. The question for humanity isn't really if our world is going to end it's when, how and, is there anything we can do about it anyway?

Humans are surprisingly well adapted to life in the ocean. Put us in water and our bodies start to change allowing us to dive and survive at amazing depths. The question is: how deep can we go?

When it comes to situations of life and death we all like to think we'd be the kind of person who would run towards the danger, save the day and be hailed as a hero. Trevor Burns is that person but, what makes him that way?

We have all got things about body we would like to change. But, how do you treat someone who wants to remove a body part altogether?

The polygraph is an icon of pulp detective stories and tabloid current affairs news programs. But, are lie detectors - even the next generation of hi-tech machines - really the oracles of truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth that they are often made out to be?

Amongst the enormous physical toll of war it can be easy to forget that the soldiers lucky enough to come home without a scratch often bear a different kind of scar.

The bright red skin of the fruit should be the first warning sign. A too liberal dose of chilli can cause anything from a gentle tingle on the tongue, to sweats, horrendous stomach cramps or even vomiting. All this begs a question: Why do we eat them?

Most of us feel like we could do with a bit of a mental boost from time to time. Thanks to new technologies and pharmaceuticals, getting that boost could soon be easier than ever. But, are we ready for a world where cognitive enhancement is as common as coffee?

The constant felling of Word Records is something athletes and armchair athletes alike come to expect from our elite performers. But, is this relentless march forward sustainable?

When Ian Waterman was 19 years old his immune system attacked and destroyed a small bunch of nerves in the base of his neck crucial for facilitating controlled movement. It was an extremely rare condition and while he wasn't paralysed doctors said he would never regain normal movement. Through sheer determination Ian proved everybody wrong.

Miles O'Brien is living with a phantom. After a crate of heavy TV gear toppled loose and landed on his arm during a reporting trip to Japan and the Philippines, doctor's were forced to amputate. However, in some ways his amputated arm is still very much there.

A strange allergy is popping up like a like a rash along Australia's east coast. For a long time there was little clue as to why previously happy carnivores were now facing the prospect of a semi-vegetarian existence after suddenly developing life threatening reactions to red mammalian meat. But, that's all changed and the finger is now pointed squarely at one of the country's smaller native critters.

There's an odd perception that the world of science and the world of the arts are about as far away from each other as two things can get. One is rigid and data based while the other creative and free associating. But is this always the case? In this Beyond the Lab we're uncovering the secret scientific life of one golden-era Hollywood superstar and demonstrate that science and the arts have a lot more in common than many people realise.

In this Beyond the Lab we're looking at the mind controlling potential of odours in both humans and elsewhere in the animal world.

Our relationship with pain can be a deeply personal thing with different people experiencing it in very different ways. In this Beyond the Lab come for a journey into the world of agony and suffering to explore just how "all in your heard" some pain can be.

When it comes to the Hall of Fame for feared food additives MSG sits above the rest as arguably the most loathed. Created by a Japanese chemist in 1908 it has been blamed for everything from headaches, to hives and even brain damage. Now, after more than 40 years of research investigating the effects of the salt described as 'the essence of taste' we might just owe Flavour Enhancer 621 an apology.