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PODCAST

Shirtloads of Science

Dr Karl Kruszelnicki

Dr Karl"s a curious optimist. Join him as he explores the latest developments in science with leading researchers and communicators. And remember, it"s never too late for a happy childhood. Series Producer: Isabelle Benton Technical Producer: Maya Cook Contact: shirtloadspodcast@gmail.com

science physics

All Episodes

28:59

How Two Students Fixed the Focus of James Webb from...

Shirtloads of Science ·

2026/04/04

When a problem with the James Webb Space Telescope left its images frustratingly out of focus, the solution wasn't fixed in space... it was fixed from Earth. At the University of Sydney, PhD students Dr. Louis Desdoigts and Max Charles spent two years rewriting and refining code to recalibrate a critical instrument designed by Professor Peter Tuthill: the Aperture Masking Interferometer. Their breakthrough sharpened the telescope's infrared vision unlocking clearer views of distant worlds, including

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26:34

Forensic Science: Fact, Fiction, and Failure with Dr...

Shirtloads of Science ·

2026/03/28

This episode features Dr. Linzi Wilson-Wilde and Hannah Jarman discussing the realities of forensic science beyond shows like CSI. Through cases such as the Phantom of Heilbronn case and Lindy Chamberlain-Creighton, they explore how flawed evidence and forensic myths have contributed to wrongful convictions. They also examine common misconceptions around techniques like bite mark analysis, fire investigation, and glass evidence. The conversation emphasises the importance of approaching forensic

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30:52

The Wellness Woo Economy with Kate Thomas (466)

Shirtloads of Science ·

2026/03/21

Pharmacist and science communicator Kate Thomas shares how a viral debunking video launched her into the world of online health education. In this episode we explore the booming "wellness woo" economy and sift through the weeds on why misleading short-form content spreads so easily and the risks of unregulated wellness influencers. Kate breaks down the truth about supplements, the power of placebo, and why accessible, personalised health advice is so hard to find online. She also highlights the

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31:44

The Hidden Health Impact of Microplastics with Prof....

Shirtloads of Science ·

2026/03/14

***Prof Lucas would like to provide the following clarification in regards to comments relating to prenatal BPA exposure and male autism spectrum disorder: "A positive association between high prenatal BPA exposure and ASD diagnosis was only seen in male offspring with a genetic predisposition to low aromatase enzyme activity." Professor Michaela Lucas, an Immunologist and Immunopathologist researching the health impacts of plastics, joins me to explore what microplastics and plastic-associated

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33:18

Deepfakes Online and The Future of Truth with Dr....

Shirtloads of Science ·

2026/03/08

I'm joined by Dr. Anna Broinowski - Senior Lecturer and Director of the Master of Film and Screen Arts at Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney - to unpack the rise of deepfakes and synthetic media. We discuss the emergence of deepfake pornography in 2017, the fact that around 90% of deepfake content targets women and girls, and the growing use of AI in propaganda. From political manipulation to fake ads impersonating me (!), this episode explores how deepfakes are eroding trust, and what

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27:55

The Rise In Nitrous Misuse with Assoc. Prof. Angela...

Shirtloads of Science ·

2026/02/28

Nitrous oxide (better known as "laughing gas") is widely used in medicine as a safe anaesthetic and pain reliever. It's also found in whipped cream canisters and even used in car engines. But Angela Chiew, toxicologist and Associate Professor at UNSW, joins me to set the record straight: the growing recreational misuse of this easily accessible gas is causing serious long-term harm, including nerve damage, cognitive damage, weakening of the spinal cord and mobility impairments. Cases of misuse are

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28:44

Will AI Take Our Jobs? Part Three of the Great AI...

Shirtloads of Science ·

2026/02/21

In the final episode of the Great AI Safety Debrief series with Dr. Petr Lebedev, we discuss job eradication, AI alignment and the rise in cases of AI deceiving humans. Petr unpacks ideas like AI scheming, situation awareness, parasitic relationships between humans and machines, and even the possibility of AI developing belief systems of its own. We end by zooming out to existential risk, Alan Turing's early warnings, and why aligning AI with human values may be one of the most difficult (and

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23:54

Is AI Outsmarting Us? Part Two of the Great AI Safety...

Shirtloads of Science ·

2026/02/14

In part two, Dr. Petr Lebedev and I dive deeper into how modern AI systems are grown, not programmed, and the emergence of Shutdown Resistance. We explore AI performance in math and coding competitions, the rapid evolution of ChatGPT models, and why companies are already letting AI write the majority of their code. Petr explains how huge investements globally are pushing these systems forward faster than we can fully understand or control. The final episode in this 3 part series drops next week!

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24:10

The Great AI Safety Debrief with Dr. Petr Lebedev -...

Shirtloads of Science ·

2026/02/07

Intelligence is emerging from sand and less than 1% of the population seems to care! Physicist and science communicator Petr Lebedev joins the podcast following his SXSW talk to explore why AI is advancing so fast, and why that should make us pause. From completing a PhD in physics and writing for Veritasium to leading science communication at Palisade Research, Petr steps in to bring some clarity to the weird, wild, and worrying sides of AI. Did you know that no one truly understands how large

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32:28

The Milky Way's Mysterious Glow with Prof. Geraint...

Shirtloads of Science ·

2026/01/31

A mysterious glow from the centre of the Milky Way has scientists intrigued. Astrophysicist Geraint Lewis explains how this gamma-ray excess, first detected in 2009, could be evidence of dark matter particles interacting deep in our galaxy. With dark matter believed to make up a vast, invisible halo that holds galaxies together, uncovering the source of this glow may bring us closer to understanding what the universe is really made of. www.geraintflewis.com/ Linkedin: geraint-lewis-4a499b1

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30:01

Climate Overshoot: The World Beyond 1.5 Degrees with...

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/12/27

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Andy Reisinger, an internationally recognized expert in climate change science and policy, with a focus on mitigation and agricultural emissions. Together, we unpack the concept of climate overshoot - why the world is set to exceed the 1.5°C warming limit within the next five years, and what that means for people and the planet. Dr. Reisinger explores whether the damage already done is reversible, what it would take to get back on track, and, hypothetically, the

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17:40

More Everyday Consumer Good Facts Part 2 with Ashley...

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/12/20

Consumer technology expert Ashley Iredale returns for part two, bringing more surprising facts about everyday household appliances. We break down why your fridge actually contains more heaters than coolers, demystify the Energy Star rating system, and settle the debate on whether front-loading or top-loading washers are more efficient at cleaning clothes.

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18:35

Cooking Dinner In Your Dishwasher?! & Other Fun Facts...

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/12/13

This episode i'm joined by Ashley Iredale, a consumer technologist and content producer whose winding career through industrial design has armed him with a trove of quirky tips and practical wisdom. Ashley breaks down the real efficiency of hand-washing versus dishwashers, explains how a dishwasher can double as an oven, and settles the age-old question of how toilet paper should hang. We also dig into his non-linear career journey and how it led to his deep well of surprising insights. There was

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32:01

The Discovery That Changed Astrophysics with Prof....

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/12/06

In this episode, I'm joined by the legendary Dame Susan Jocelyn Bell Burnell - the pioneering astrophysicist who discovered pulsars, launching an entirely new field of astrophysics. She began her PhD searching for quasars, but soon noticed a strange, repetitive signal appearing night after night - so peculiar she jokingly labelled it LGM ("Little Green Men"). That signal would become one of the most important astronomical discoveries of the century, though the credit and Nobel Prize were

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24:29

Sunscreen Safety in Australia with John Staton (454)

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/11/29

This week I'm joined by John Staton, one of Australia's leading sunscreen-testing experts, to unpack the big headlines surrounding sunscreen safety. A recent Choice report revealed that 16 out of the 20 tested sunscreen products failed to meet their advertised SPF rating by a significant figure. John helps us to understand what is really going on. He breaks down how sunscreens actually work, the science behind SPF testing and why so many products fell short.

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28:59

What are Time Crystals? with Prof. Geraint Lewis (453)

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/11/22

In this episode, friend of the show and astrophysicist Professor Geraint Lewis returns to help me wrap my head around one of the strangest ideas in modern physics: Time Crystals. After stumbling across a Nature article that left my brain pleasantly scrambled, I called up Geraint for a deep-dive into what time crystals are and why physicists are so excited about them. We explore why Time Crystals don't have real-world applications yet, but how they could open entirely new frontiers in future

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31:08

Science in Oz: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly with...

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/11/15

In this episode, futurist and award-winning scientist Dr Catherine Ball dives into the state of science in Australia, uncovering the good, the bad, and the overlooked. From humanoid robotics and wearable exoskeletons transforming healthcare, to Australia's lagging space economy, Ball offers an unflinching look at where we stand. She also highlights world-class cancer detection research happening in Australia, like PROCAN and early ovarian cancer screening innovations that deserve far more

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28:27

Food Additives: What's Safe, What's Not? with Prof....

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/11/08

In this episode, I'm joined by Professor Clare Collins, Australian dietitian and Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Newcastle. Clare is my go-to expert when it comes to all things nutrition, and today she's here to unpack the often confusing world of processed and ultra-processed foods. We dive into what really separates the two, explore the role of additives, emulsifiers, and flavour enhancers, and discuss how some of these ingredients, designed to make foods more appealing,

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25:41

Innovative Nanotechnology for Cancer Detection with...

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/11/01

In this episode, we chat with Dr. Renee Goreham, a physicist and nanotechnologist at the University of Newcastle, and passionate science communicator. Renee is an experimental physicist exploring how our breath could hold the key to detecting lung cancer early—by identifying specific proteins as biomarkers. We also delve into her PhD student's exciting research into a new red-light laser diagnostic tool for breast cancer. Along the way, Renee breaks down the basics of cell biology and shares her

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33:16

Gene Therapy & Rare Diseases with Assoc. Prof Leszek...

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/10/25

In this episode, we speak with Associate Professor Leszek Lisowski, Head of the Translational Vectorology Unit at the Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI), about the cutting-edge world of gene therapy. He explains how viral vectors are engineered to deliver life-saving treatments for rare genetic diseases - many of which are so uncommon, they’re only known by the name of the affected gene. Despite being often overlooked, genetic diseases impact 10% of adults and 30% of children in hospitals

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