Shirtloads of Science

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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30:55

The Brain’s Energy Bill: From Childhood to Old Age...

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/10/18

In this episode, we’re joined by Associate Professor Sharna Jamadar, a cognitive neuroscientist at Monash University, to explore how the brain uses energy, and how that changes across the lifespan. Did you know that a 10-year-old’s brain uses over 50% of the body’s total energy, compared to just 20% in adults? We dive into why younger brains work harder, the role of synaptic pruning and proliferation, and how the brain’s organisation impacts cognitive efficiency. We also touch on the importance of

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29:15

Onionlike Layers of Exploding Stars with Prof....

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/10/11

My go-to guy for all cosmic things Prof. Geraint Lewis, astrophysicist at the University of Sydney, returns to unpack a fascinating New York Times article on a newly observed “onionlike” space explosion that may reveal a new type of supernova. We dive into what actually happens when a star dies, the onion-layer buildup of elements through nuclear fusion, and how these cataclysmic blasts forge the building blocks of life on Earth. Plus, we explore what this might mean for the ultimate fate of our own

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27:19

The Aftermath of Cosmic Collisions with Prof. Geriant...

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/10/04

In this episode, friend of the show Geriant Lewis, Professor of Astrophysics at the Sydney Institute for Astronomy within the University of Sydney, joins us to unpack a fascinating New Scientist article theorising on how a strange line of dwarf galaxies may have formed. We explore how high-speed collisions between dwarf galaxies can scatter gas and stars across space, sometimes giving rise to entirely new tidal galaxies. Geraint explains the latest thinking on where these dwarf galaxies come from,

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25:53

The Human Side of Misinformation Part 2 with Assoc....

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/09/27

In part two, Associate Professor Marian-Andrei Rizoiu from the University of Technology Sydney explains how misinformation and toxic online cultures spread. We dive into the “manosphere pipeline” targeting boys as young as 10, its real-world impacts on schools and families, and how it can escalate into radicalisation. Rizoiu outlines his team’s six-stage pipeline - from passive curiosity to active involvement - and why simply giving people facts doesn’t solve the problem. Instead, this is a human

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31:23

The Human Side of Misinformation Part 1 with Assoc....

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/09/20

In this episode, I sit down with Marian-Andrei Rizoiu, Associate Professor and head of the Behavioral Data Science Lab at the University of Technology Sydney. Drawing on a three-year research project into the misinformation ecosystem, he reveals that online conspiracies aren’t just about false facts. Instead, they meet deep human needs for belonging and identity. We explore the idea that misinformation is less a content problem and more a human problem, fueled by the attention economy. Rizoiu also

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32:46

Science Under Siege with Prof. Michael Mann & Prof....

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/09/13

In this episode, we sit down with two of today’s most prominent defenders of science: Professor Michael Mann, world-renowned climate scientist, and Professor Peter Hotez, vaccine researcher and advocate for global health equity. Together, they’ve co-authored Science Under Siege, a powerful new book exposing the forces behind the global anti-science movement. We explore the surprising parallels between climate denial and vaccine misinformation, and how both Mann and Hotez have faced personal attacks

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24:54

From DNA to Policy: Protecting Threatened Species...

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/09/06

In part two of our conversation with Professor Carolyn Hogg, Research Manager of the Australasian Wildlife Genomics Group at the University of Sydney, we dive deeper into the science and strategy behind threatened species management. Carolyn shares how her team is developing crucial genetic data to guide conservation, including breed-and-release programs with species like the Tasmanian devil. We discuss the vital role of biodiversity in sustaining planetary health, and the ambitious Earth Biogenome

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27:29

Whales, Wildlife, and Conserving Threatened Species...

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/08/30

From collecting urine samples in Antarctica to sampling whale snot to study reproduction, Dr. Carolyn Hogg’s career is anything but ordinary. In this episode, she shares how her passion for protecting threatened species led her down some unexpected paths, including earning the nickname ‘Dr. Snot’. We chat about her PhD on whale behaviour, wild whale facts, and the creative ways scientists gather data in the field. There was so much to cover, we had to split it into two! Part 2 dives into her

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29:53

Lightning, Fertiliser, and the Future of Green...

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/08/23

In this episode, Professor PJ Cullen, Chemical Engineering expert from the University of Sydney, breaks down the global nitrogen challenge. We explore why nitrogen is essential for life, the history of fertiliser - from the Guano Wars to the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process - and how today's nitrogen production is harming the planet. Cullen introduces Plasma Leap, his startup using non-thermal plasma to mimic lightning and fix nitrogen sustainably. We also dive into the risks of nitrogen

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27:01

Staying Safe Online Part 2 with Troy Hunt (440)

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/08/16

In part two with Online Safety Consultant Troy Hunt (Have I Been Pwned), we unpack the risks of online age verification in light of Australia’s social media ban, including the personal data (often times photos or government documents) sites may demand, and how these security practices can be questionable. Troy explains why we should be thinking more about data minimisation and the dangers of unnecessary data retention. We go through the safest multi-factor authentication methods, from SMS to

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26:49

Have I been Pwned? With Troy Hunt (438)

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/08/10

In this episode, we’re joined by Troy Hunt, Australian online security consultant, creator of Have I Been Pwned, and one of the world’s leading voices on data breaches. He breaks down the key differences between encryption and hashing, and what they mean for keeping your data safe. We dive into infamous data breaches, including the Ashley Madison case, and explore the often hidden, long-term impacts these leaks can have on people’s lives. With online scams and breaches costing Australians over $3

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26:38

Climate After Net Zero with Prof. Sarah...

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/08/02

In this episode, we sit down with Australian climate scientist Professor Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick to explore the story of climate science, how we first discovered the planet was warming, and what we now know about the forces driving it. Sarah breaks down the role of carbon dioxide in trapping heat like a planetary blanket and shares insights from her cutting-edge research on long-term climate modelling. What would happen if we stopped emitting CO₂ today? The answers are sobering, yet they also

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26:11

A Conversation with Nobel Laureate Dr. Donna...

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/07/26

I had the honor of sitting down with Dr. Donna Strickland, Nobel Prize-winning physicist and only the third woman in history to receive the prestigious award in physics. In our conversation, we discuss her groundbreaking work in laser physics and the journey that led her there. From her early academic interests to the moment she received the life-changing call from the Royal Swedish Academcy at 5AM (?!), Donna shares insights into her discovery of chirped pulse amplification (CPA), a revolutionary

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24:54

Part 2 with Prof. Carolyn Hogg (442)

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/07/08

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25:44

Wikipedia Part Two with Dr. Heather Ford

Shirtloads of Science ·

2025/07/05

In part two of our chat with Dr. Heather Ford, we delve deeper into the hidden dynamics of Wikipedia — the world’s largest encyclopedia and 8th most visited website, run largely by volunteers. We explore how pages are updated in real time, yet controversial topics like Indigenous place names often face delays and heated edit wars. Dr. Ford explains how this can lead editors to walk away, raising concerns about who gets to shape history. We also unpack the platform's lack of diversity and the growing

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