Science & Medicine Archives - Science Queeries

T-cell-ebrating Progress: HIV, Immunity & Hope

catriona.nguyen-robertson — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 07:01:49 +0000

HIV targets the very immune cells meant to protect us. But science – and community – keep fighting back. This World AIDS Day, Dr Cat and Dr Jen Juno chat about how HIV infects CD4 T cells and can lead to AIDS, and how ART and PrEP have transformed lives, empowering HIV+ people to thrive, to build relationships, to have sex and families without fear, and to know they are not a risk to the people they love.

But there is still no cure for HIV. Dr Jen is an immunologist who explores the role of T cells in infectious diseases. She leads a research group at The University of Melbourne and the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. She is studying the lesser-known, unconventional or “hipster” T cells that could bring us closer to a cure.

While there’s still a long way to go in terms of ensuring access to treatment for all who need it, and working towards a cure, there’s a lot to T cell-ebrate in terms of how far we’ve come.

Originally aired 2nd December, 2025.

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Stuffed With Science

catriona.nguyen-robertson — Sat, 29 Nov 2025 05:55:13 +0000

Before you check out at the Black Friday sales… check this Science Queeries episode out.

Why do we fall into a festive food coma after a big Christmas or Thanksgiving feast? Is it the turkey, the carbs, or just the emotional aftermath of spending too many hours with relatives?

Dr Cat is serving up a full Thanksgiving science spread. We’re carving into the psychology that makes Black Friday deals so irresistible. We’re turkey-ing (talking?) about whether your holiday roast really makes you sleepy and the delicious chemistry behind the Maillard reaction: the reason foods turn golden brown, smell incredible, and taste delicious.

So, before you spend more money than you intended (or indulge in enough food to send you into a food coma)…spend a little time listening to this.

Originally aired 25th November, 2025.

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Cloudy With a Chance of Bias

catriona.nguyen-robertson — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 06:38:57 +0000

Ever wondered how much of you is floating around in the cloud? We dive into the world of big data: who gets counted, who gets mis-categorised, and who gets left buffering forever. From algorithmic bias to the very real land and water swallowed up by data centres, we’re unpacking the hidden costs of the digital world.

When it comes to artificial intelligence and big data, the world is messy… and beautifully so. We’ve seen how technology can scale harm, scale hope, and sometimes scale chaos.

Dr Cat and technologist Dr Sophia Frentz decode what machine learning algorithms get wrong about people, especially transgender and gender-diverse communities. We’re talking the cloud, the costs, and the marginalised communities who end up paying the most. We’re also talking about the beautiful opportunities that AI can provide.

On LGBTQIA+ STEMM Day and in Transgender Awareness Week especially, Dr Cat is grateful for people like Dr Sophia, who remind us that science gets better – and more inclusive – when everyone gets to show up as their full self.

Originally aired 18th November, 2025.

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Mind the gap: from science capital to “gendered” brains

catriona.nguyen-robertson — Sun, 16 Nov 2025 09:01:32 +0000

We’re getting very meta: communicating about science communication.

Why do some people have more of a “head start” when it comes to pursuing STEM? Shanii Phillips teaches us how to make some serious capital gains – science capital gains that is – and boost your interest in STEM.

Shanii is a PhD student at the Australian National University and based SciTech exploring the idea of “science capital” and how science centres and science communication can help everyone feel at home in STEM. We explore how science capital can make or break someone’s sense of scientific identity.

Then, Dr Cat dives into the science behind the so-called “male” and “female” brain and how that myth that they’re different led to neurosexism. This episode all about belonging — in science centres, in STEM careers, and even inside your own head.

Originally aired 11th November, 2025.

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Spooktacular Science

catriona.nguyen-robertson — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 07:49:00 +0000

Who you gonna call? Ghost Busters!

For Halloween, the Ghost Buster is Dr Cat. She talks about the history of Halloween and Día de los Muertos, sheds some light on glowing will-o’-the-wisps, de-spookifies ghosts, and gets all tangled up in the fang-tastic science of spiders.From mysterious ghost lights to spider-powered robots, she’s proving that even the creepiest science stories can be illuminating…and even useful.

Originally aired 28th October, 2025.

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A Bee-nomenal Theorem

catriona.nguyen-robertson — Sun, 26 Oct 2025 06:16:55 +0000

Around one third of the food on your plate is there thanks to the hard work of bees. We’re buzzing with excitement to chat about bees! Thanks to Clancy Lester, aka the Bee Man of “Bees and Blossoms”, for bee-ing on the show this week.

Dr Cat chats with ecologist Clancy about his research with the Yolŋu people and their deep connection to bees, honey, and Country – and how these tiny pollinators are crucial for conservation of Australian ecosystem. From Arnhem Land to backyard bee hotels, we’re diving into the world of Australia’s incredible native bees. Plus, we explore how bees do arithmetic (yes, really!) and how building a simple bee hotel can help protect biodiversity.

Originally aired 21st October, 2025.

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First Rule of Bite Club: Buzz Off Malaria

catriona.nguyen-robertson — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 11:09:39 +0000

How does the immune system bite back against malaria?

Malaria is caused by parasites that are transmitted to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes. The parasites travel to the liver and then infect red blood cells, leading to symptoms.
Malaria has been bugging humanity for centuries. It’s hard to control the disease because the parasites can be resistant to drugs and current vaccines only offer partial protection.

But thanks to immunologists like Dr Kristina Burrack, we have a fighting chance!

Dr Kristina is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota and the Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute. Dr Cat chats to her about how her work and other vaccination approaches from the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity could give us a real shot at stopping malaria.

Originally aired 14th October, 2025.

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Sussing out Sustainability

catriona.nguyen-robertson — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 05:53:49 +0000

What do you think of when you think “renewable energy”? What is one change we can make to drastically reduce our individual impact on the planet? What should we be planting in our gardens if we’re rooting for the planet?

It’s a takeover! Dr Cat sits back from the microphones this week to let three science communication students take the reins.

Dominique Bezzina, Daniel Nørkjær Badenskov, and Erin Koster turn up the geothermal heat, raise the steaks on sustainability, and dig deep into permaculture. From the ground beneath our feet to the food on our plates, they cover the whole ecosystem, thinking about how we can all be a bit more sustainable.

Originally aired 7th October, 2025.

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Thy of the tiger

vaughan.mccarthy — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 07:18:54 +0000

We’re bringing science back from the dead — almost literally! Dr Cat chats to Professor Andrew Pask, who is developing tools and resources to de-extinct the Tasmanian tiger (thylacine) – which could help save endangered marsupials before they vanish for good. They explore how gene editing, stem cells and assisted reproduction could give our lost and threatened marsupials a second life.

Professor Andrew is a well-renowned geneticist and conservation biologist at The University of Melbourne. He leads the aptly named TIGRR (Thylacine Integrated Genomic Restoration Research) Lab, and his work will help the Tassie tiger thyla-shine again! This episode may give you some real paws for thought about extinction and conservation science!

Originally aired 30th September, 2025.

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Over the Moon

catriona.nguyen-robertson — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 13:09:32 +0000

We’re over the Moon about science, cultural stories, and celebration!

Perhaps you caught the recent total lunar eclipse, or you’re looking forward to the next Full Moon, which is when we celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Quoc Viet Tran, a volunteer for the Vietnamese Museum Australia, reminisces with Dr Cat about cultural stories of the Moon and the Vietnamese version of the festival: Tết Trung Thu.

They discuss the science of the Moon and share the light of Tết Trung Thu. From folklore to Full Moons, from lanterns to lunar lore, explore how science and culture can orbit together in harmony without eclipsing the other.

Originally aired 23rd September, 2025.

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Alyssa to this

vaughan.mccarthy — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 10:55:22 +0000

The early Earth was quite different to the world we know of today. What creatures lurked in the oceans 500 million years ago?

Dr Cat describes the evolution of life on Earth from the very beginning. Then, palaeontologist Alyssa Fjeld comes onto the arthropod-cast to chat about ancient bugs that were around during the “Cambrian explosion”, when life got wilder and whackier. Dig deep into Earth’s ancient past with us.

Originally aired 16th September, 2025

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This week’s guest makes a splash

vaughan.mccarthy — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 07:21:59 +0000

Want to be dam well-informed about floods and dams? How do we protect our homes and communities from disastrous floods? Why do insurance companies seem to know more about whether your house is at risk than you do?

Water engineer Erin Hughes helps us wade through the world of floods and dams. Erin is a Senior Surface Water Engineer at Hydrology and Risk Consulting. She has led many projects around Australia and the world to help predict floods and assess dam safety. Growing up in the Torres Strait, Erin was surrounded by water and saw first-hand the impact engineering could have on local communities when trying to manage water challenges. Her chat with Dr Cat will give you plenty to soak up!

Originally aired 9th September, 2025.

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Entanglement in conversation

vaughan.mccarthy — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 09:36:28 +0000

Is all that talk of “quantum” in the movies legit?

Dr Cat asks Professor Nick Menicucci about what quantum is, how close we are to getting quantum tech in our pockets, and whether its representation in movies is accurate. They collapse this complex topic of conversation into one very enlightening state. From quantum myths to cosmic time-travel dreams, they measure up some big ideas without any uncertainty.

Prof Menicucci is a senior member of the QuRMIT group at RMIT University, and a Chief Investigator in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology. He will entangle you with his wisdom.

This episode originally aired on 2nd September, 2025.

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Take me to a Fungi Town

vaughan.mccarthy — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:45:48 +0000

No detail is spored in this episode with a really fun-gal. When we think of infectious diseases, we often think of bacterial infections like pneumonia and tuberculosis, or viral ones like flu and COVID. Fungi often don’t come to mind – yet collectively, fungal infections surpass any other infectious disease on the global death toll.

There’s still mush-room for discovery to develop new treatments to tackle ever-adapting fungi that never stop moulding to suit their changing environment. Dr Cat chats to Dr Jane Usher at the University of Exeter, who investigates fungi that can infect us to ensure that they can’t.

This episode originally aired 26th August, 2025.

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An unbeetleble episode

vaughan.mccarthy — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 09:00:20 +0000

Bugs are more than just “creepy-crawlies” – they can be quite beetleful. Dr Cat chats to bugging entomologist Charlie Disher.

What niche pockets of beetle species exist in the sky islands of the Australian Alpine mountains? How did empty beer stubbies once pose a threat to the golden Jewel beetles (spoiler: they were super sexy stimuli)? What can we learn from insects to better understand the natural world? Dr Cat and Charlie dig through leaf litter, scale the Aussie Alps, and discover just how speci-tacular beetles can be!

Originally aired 19th August, 2025.

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National Science Week

vaughan.mccarthy — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 18:53:37 +0000

Happy National Science Week! We’re celebrating the wild, weird, and wonderful side of Australian wildlife this Science Week with a national vote for Australia’s Most Underrated Native Animal.

Dr Cat chats to her friend and colleague, A/Prof Jen Martin. An ecologist-turned-science communicator at The University of Melbourne, Jen is the perfect person to introduce you to ten Aussie animal underdogs.

From the eel-lectrifying short-finned eel to the ink-redible giant cuttlefish, the dugong that’s truly sea-riously charming, and the mole-vellous marsupial mole – this week’s episode will give you a lot of animals to skink your teeth into. These quirky critters aren’t just hiding in the shadows – they’re bat-tling for your love.

This episode originally aired 12th August, 2025.

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The Fruth of the matter

vaughan.mccarthy — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 10:22:57 +0000

This Science Queeries episode goes deep – over a kilometre down below an old gold mine in an underground physics laboratory. Dr Cat chats to Dr Theresa Fruth, an astroparticle physicist at The University of Sydney who is helping to make elusive, undetectable dark matter detectable. We can’t observe dark matter at all – yet it makes up most of the universe. It takes international collaborations and sterile laboratories way deep, deep down to give us hope of ever being able to directly detect it.

Originally aired 5th August, 2025.

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Bile means

vaughan.mccarthy — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 08:47:55 +0000

Celebrating World Hepatitis Day, we have an un-bile-liver-ably great episode of Science Queeries in store for you. The 2025 theme was “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down” – and that’s what Jon Kok and Dr Cat are going to do.

According to the World Health Organization, around 354 million people worldwide live with hepatitis B or C, and most of them have no access to services for testing and treatment. Even in Australia.

Jon Kok is a Workforce Development and Research Officer at LiverWELL and a host of JOY’s Hide and Seek. They break down the different kinds of hepatitis, who is most at risk, and treatment options. They and Dr Cat also chat about breaking down stigma and ongoing research towards a hepatitis B cure.

Originally aired 29th July, 2025.

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Pterrific Flyers and Dino Diners

catriona.nguyen-robertson — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 07:35:11 +0000

Pterosaurs once ruled the skies with flap-tastic flair. Palaeontologist Adele Pentland takes us into raptors (read: raptures), digging up the world of Australian pterosaurs. She and Dr Cat also discuss dino-diets, based on a recent news story on what an Australian sauropod (a diamantinasaurus) ate as its last meal.

Adele is a final-year PhD candidate in the Western Australian Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre at Curtin University, has named two pterosaur species, and is an absolute Superstar of STEM. From demon pelicans to iron dragons, we soar through time and discover that the skies of ancient Australia were anything but empty.

This episode originally aired 22nd July, 2025.

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Nature Bi Design

catriona.nguyen-robertson — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 23:41:07 +0000

We’re talking about the animal “queendom”, because same-sex sexual behaviour is quite common among animals – in at least 1,500 species. For a crossover episode with Big Bi+ Questions, Dr Cat, and two of BBQ’s co-hosts Dave Samuels and Jason Turner, go on a wild ride through some of the animal kingdom’s queerest species. (Stay tuned for a future BBQ episode, on which they will discuss whether animals that display same-sex sexual behaviour are gay, bi+, or something else…)

They also discuss how societal views have shaped this area of research, and why it’s important to have diverse voices in STEM research. At the beginning of last century, same-sex sexual behaviour was observed among different birds (including penguins), but was dismissed or swept under the carpet. But things are changing…

This episode originally aired 15th July, 2025.

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A Big Birthday Bash

catriona.nguyen-robertson — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 11:57:21 +0000

Science Queeries is officially a toddler – it’s now one year old! The whole team congregates around the mics for this birthday episode: Dr Cat as your ever-present host, Clayton Wimshurst, who helped kick the show off and continues to help behind the scenes, and Vaughan McCarthy, who turns each episode into a podcast and is the person we can thank for all the punny titles. They replay their greatest hits, confess their “science crushes”, and discuss “confidently incorrect” scientific ideas of the past to highlight that science is ever-evolving.

Thanks for a whole year of curiosity, queerness, and questions that spiral like DNA’s double helix. Whether you’ve been listening from episode one or just dropped into the Petri dish recently, Science Queeries wouldn’t be the same without you.

This episode originally aired 8th July, 2025.

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Dr Cat depresses the (down in the) dump(s) button

vaughan.mccarthy — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 05:02:16 +0000

Science meets feels on this Science Queeries episode. From cortisol chaos to serotonin slumps, Dr Cat and Jesse Crowe (aka the Travelling Scientist) take you through the science of stress and the complexities of our mental wellbeing.

While anxiety and depression can weigh heavily, remember that support and solutions are well within reach. There’s no one-size-fits-all, but there is strength in numbers – in reaching out and connecting with your people.

This episode originally aired on 1st July, 2025… Princess Diana’s birthday.

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A lot of hot air

vaughan.mccarthy — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 04:09:44 +0000

Looking for a breath of fresh… science? Dr Rob Ryan, atmospheric chemist in the School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at The University of Melbourne, clears the air. He and Dr Cat discuss how the effects of air pollution can ripple all the way from humans to reefs. So how can we protect ourselves and keep our reefs coral-ful?

This episode originally aired 24th June, 2025.

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You’ll be hooked on this episode

vaughan.mccarthy — Sat, 21 Jun 2025 02:10:30 +0000

We’re casting a net to reel in some knowledge. Dr Cat dives deep into the tangled world of ghost nets with marine conservation ecologist, Jess Leck. She is the GhostNets Australia Program Coordinator for OceanEarth Foundation, working with communities across Northern Australia, Asia and the Pacific to address fishing debris in our oceans at their source. Their work shows us that when communities come together, we really can turn the tide.

This episode originally aired on 17th June, 2025.

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A cracking good episode

vaughan.mccarthy — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 05:02:35 +0000

Did you know that someone you know may have ceramics inside their body? Maybe it’s even you. Ceramics are used for so many things – including art and expression, medicine, space exploration, and more. Dr Cat chats to a ceramicist who is (not) straight up kiln-ing it: Rory Young. They get fired up, digging into the rocky geology of ceramics, glazing over its chemistry, and spinning through the tech that’s shaping the future of the industry.

This episode originally aired on 10th June, 2025.

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Somewhere over the rainbow there’s gay space

catriona.nguyen-robertson — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 05:59:54 +0000

Space is soooo gay. Let’s go star gay-zing. Dr Cat and Zofia Witkowski-Blake, presenter at Melbourne Planetarium at Scienceworks, orbited queer cosmic stories, launched into what happens when humans are in space, and reflected (or should we say refracted?) on rainbows. Queerness – like the universe – is vast, dazzling, and ever-expanding. This week, we’re going full galactic glam and reaching for the stars, bending light, and being our own rainbows.

This episode originally aired on 3rd June, 2025.

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Weave got this – we’re healing with silk

catriona.nguyen-robertson — Wed, 28 May 2025 00:49:14 +0000

Dr Cat and Dilendra weave together the science of using silk from silkworms and spiders in medicine. Dilendra Wijesekara, a material scientist at Deakin University’s Institute of Frontier Materials, is developing a silk biomaterial for ear surgery. Dr Cat also shares some wild science involving getting goats to produce “spider silk milk”, and using a protein in spider silk as inspiration for cancer treatment. It’s a silky-smooth episode that showcases how strong, flexible, and fabulous nature can be.

This episode originally aired on 27th May, 2025.

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Seals’ flipperin’ good hearing

catriona.nguyen-robertson — Sun, 25 May 2025 06:28:33 +0000

This seals the deal: seals are incredible animals. They’re the only mammal that can hear both through air and under water. Pint of Science speaker/Palaeontologist Dr James Rule and Dr Cat go on a fossil-filled adventure (literally – they talk about their search for fossils), dig deep into Australia’s ancient seas and unearth the evolution of seal hearing.

This episode originally aired on 20th May, 2025.

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Science, Sass and Song: The Radiothon Riff-Off

catriona.nguyen-robertson — Tue, 20 May 2025 09:26:18 +0000

For a fabulously nerdy Radiothon special, Dr Cat goes full STEAM ahead with a science-packed extravaganza. She tests her history buff brother Sasha Kober’s knowledge of scientific discoveries and historical episodes of Science Queeries. She fields questions in an Ask Me Anything, runs a quiz showdown between her brother and Little Jase from Big Bi+ Questions, and belts out some science karaoke. It’s brains, banter, and belting for a brilliant cause: supporting JOY.

This episode originally aired on 13th May, 2025.

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Can you dig it?

vaughan.mccarthy — Thu, 08 May 2025 11:01:02 +0000

Dr Cat and archaeologist Dr Wenjing Yu are digging up the past and brushing off the dust on history. Dr Wenjing has done fieldwork around the world, piecing together the story of our ancestors and their evolution to answer: when and where do we as humans come from? She excavates the fascinating story of the Taung Child skull, the oldest child in the world, and Dr Cat touches on the lessons we’ve learned from the icy archives in Antarctica.

This episode originally aired on 6th May, 2025.

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A cell of a day

vaughan.mccarthy — Fri, 02 May 2025 08:13:24 +0000

Dr Cat cell-abrates the World Day of Immunology with Dr Keit Loi, Lecturer in immunology at The University of Melbourne. Together, they’ll infect you with an appreciation of the randomness and chaotic yet impressive coordination of the immune response so that it can help fight infections and cancer. Unless it goes wrong…

This episode originally aired on 29th April, 2025.

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The fluoride of your life

vaughan.mccarthy — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 10:35:27 +0000

Dr Cat chats to Dr Jamie Robertson AM about the tooth, the whole tooth, and nothing but the tooth. Dr Jamie is filling us in on the root causes of dental inequality – and reminding us that oral health isn’t just about a sparkling smile as it influences our overall health too. Whether you’re grinding through policy or just brushing up on the facts, remember: access to dental care should never be like pulling teeth. Here’s hoping for a fairer, healthier future.

This episode originally aired on 22nd April, 2025.

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Water’ll we do?

vaughan.mccarthy — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 10:29:22 +0000

Dr Cat and Amber Craig splashy deep dive into water — where it goes, who gets it, and what happens when there’s way too much… or not nearly enough. From drenched cities to parched paddocks, they wade through the ripple effects of floods, droughts, and the under-appreciated world of sewerage systems.

This episode originally aired on 15th April, 2025.

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I lichen like that!

vaughan.mccarthy — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 03:26:07 +0000

It’s an episode lichen you’ve never heard before! Dr Cat and science educator Finn McHenry literally queer-ied lichens – those curious little lifeforms that are part fungus, part algae, and 100% symbiotic slay. They ask some big questions about how science sees nature, and how queerness helps us see it differently.

This episode originally aired on 8th April, 2025.

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Science Faction

vaughan.mccarthy — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 03:19:44 +0000

On April Fools’ Day, Dr Cat talks to science communicator/comedian/entertainer Owen Collins. They dive into the trickiest side of science: the legendary pranks that fooled the world, the real scientific facts that sound like total nonsense, and shenanigans that you can try out yourself. They experiment with the fine line between fact and fiction, and teach us that curiosity and a healthy dose of skepticism go hand in hand.

This episode originally aired on 1st April, 2025… yes, really.

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Bias binding

vaughan.mccarthy — Sat, 29 Mar 2025 01:48:53 +0000

This episode is trending – it’s about data trends and biases. Dr Cat chats to the wonderful Tamzyn of JOY Breakfast, Big Bi+ Questions, and Geeks Out about how bias sneaks into data and they decode its real-world impact. From Tamzyn’s binary code tattoo to where to buy the best BBQ chicken, there’s data everywhere we look. But are things always as they seem?

This episode originally aired 25th March, 2025.

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So many holes in these theories

vaughan.mccarthy — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 23:23:26 +0000

Dr Cat has a stellar conversation with superstar astrophysicist Dr Shanika Galaudage. They ripple through spacetime and chat about black holes and neutron stars, which Dr Shanika studies at the...

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A meating of minds

vaughan.mccarthy — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 22:54:39 +0000

Dr Cat chats about agriculture with Ainslie Macdonald. They plow through the impact of greenhouse emissions in agriculture, and explored how methane suppression and cell agriculture could be rare… medium… well done solutions for the future. With researchers like Ainslie on the case, we just might farm a better future—without the hefty carbon footprint.

This episode originally aired 11th March, 2025.

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Science is colden

vaughan.mccarthy — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 08:08:31 +0000

Two immunologists walk onto a boat – to take them to Antarctica. Dr Cat and A/Prof Helen McGuire. Helen is a lecturer in immunology at the University of Sydney and researches the role our immune system plays across chronic diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. They have a cool conversation about the immune system, their adventures in the Antarctic Peninsula, and how the cold environment can impact humans.

Originally aired 4th March, 2025.

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Breaking the ice on a polarising land

vaughan.mccarthy — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 23:29:39 +0000

Dr Cat is joined by two incredibly cool ecologists who she had the pleasure of travelling around Argentina and Antarctica with: Georgia Watson and Jess Leck. Georgia is the Project Coordinator at iAccelerate, where she empowers women with backgrounds in STEM to become entrepreneurs. Jess is a marine ecologist who works with the OceanEarth Foundation, working with communities to increase their capacity to build and contribute to sustainable ecosystems and communities. The three reunite after returning to Australia and have a pretty chill conversation about their un-brr-lievable Antarctic adventure, featuring orca, the two flowering plants of Antarctica, and icebergs.

This episode originally aired 25th February, 2025.

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The joy of six

vaughan.mccarthy — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 03:41:21 +0000

Sometimes we just wing things. Dr Cat is buzzing with excitement to talk to Zofia Witkowski-Blake about the lives of different bugs. If you’re looking for a swarm of new knowledge, look no further. From the metamorphosis of butterflies to the industrious nature of bees, there’s a whole hive of activity in the insect world.

Originally aired 18th February, 2025.

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On a wing and a prarie

vaughan.mccarthy — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 03:20:36 +0000

It’s coming up to Valentine’s Day, and Dr Cat falls head over heels with the science of love. She tests out the “36 questions that lead to love” with science educator Mia Sharman, and tried to understand what goes on in the brain when we get warm and fuzzy feelings for people – especially with the help of our fuzzy, furry friends, prarie voles.

This episode originally aired 11th February, 2025.

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The tooth of the matter

vaughan.mccarthy — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 02:24:06 +0000

Need some science to sink your teeth into? Dr Cat drills dentist Dr Jenny Liu with questions about our oral health. From tackling cavities to the microbes that happily live...

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Culture shock!

vaughan.mccarthy — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 07:12:59 +0000

It’s a culture-packed episode of Science Queeries – bacterial cultures that is. Dr Cat chats to microbiologist Maddie Wemyss about the sneaky ways salmonella and E.coli bacteria germ-inate illness and evade our immune systems. These microbes are no small matter, but Dr Cat and Maddie’s enthusiasm for them is certainly infectious.

This episode originally aired 28th January, 2025.

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Serving up a smash hit!

vaughan.mccarthy — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 02:58:01 +0000

Science and tennis? A perfect match. To celebrate the Australian Open, Science Queeries crosses-over with Hit Me Up. Demetra Giannakopoulos serves up the maths behind working out players’ rankings and who will play who in a tournament, and chats about whether AI will take over humans when it comes to judging and coaching tennis. Dr Cat also investigates the physics of nailing an ace spin.

This episode originally aired on 21st January, 2025.

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Lest we frog-et

vaughan.mccarthy — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 04:24:34 +0000

Dr Cat has a ribbiting conversation with Clarisse Sawyer about a pandemic that is decimating the amphibian world: chytrid fungus. Synthetic biology could be the solution – and she is researching ways to use alpacas to al-pack-a punch in the fight against this fungal infection. They also discuss how gene drives (a way of spreading manipulated versions of genes through an animal population) can tackle public health and other conservation challenges…and who should have a say in the use and control of this technology.

This episode originally aired 7th January, 2025.

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Happy new queer!

vaughan.mccarthy — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 00:04:51 +0000

As Dr Cat counts down to midnight on New Year’s Eve, she breaks down the science behind fireworks, sparklers, and glow sticks. It is science that may SPARK joy or GLOW your mind. She’s also thinking about making New Year’s resolutions, and if you’re the kind of person to make them too, she talks about why they can be a good thing psychologically and how to make the most of it. Happy New Year from Science Queeries!

This episode originally aired 31st December, 2024.

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Sci-lent night

vaughan.mccarthy — Fri, 27 Dec 2024 01:32:46 +0000

It’s Christmas Eve, 2024. Dr Cat explains how Father Christmas makes his way to all 396,000,000 households he visits around the world in just 30 hours. We also learn about his somewhat old-fashioned, yet extremely reliable motive power; Reindeer!

This episode originally aired on 24th December, 2024.

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Animal lover

vaughan.mccarthy — Fri, 27 Dec 2024 01:00:46 +0000

Dr Jarrod “man-splains” menstruation to Dr Cat. Reproductive biologist, turned zookeeper, turned science communicator, Dr Jarrod knows a lot about animals. Together, they discuss reproduction and menstruation in the animal kingdom, the first ever witnessed whale sex (which was gay sex!), and other egg-cellent strategies nature ovary-achieves to ensures the next generation survives.

This episode originally aired 17th December, 2024.

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Keep on lovin Shu

vaughan.mccarthy — Sat, 14 Dec 2024 00:41:40 +0000

We love love. Dr Naomi Koh Belic, the brilliant, biracial, bisexual, bimbo, biologist, joins Dr Cat for a heartfelt episode about the science of love and a chat about her science communication career. Science communicator Shu Ezackial also drops by to discuss The Love Lab, which they co-created with Dr Naomi. Can science play matchmaker? Maybe your immune system can.

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This shore is interesting

vaughan.mccarthy — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 05:47:52 +0000

Dr Cat dives with Laura Geißler into the sea. They shed some light on life in the ocean: from sea creatures, to coral and their microbial allies, and the glow of bioluminescence in an episode that is both illuminating and mind-glowing. Laura investigates the diversity of microbes that live with corals in the hopes of understanding how to better support coral in a changing climate – is some form of kombucha or probiotics the answer?

This episode originally aired on 26th November, 2024.

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A STEMulating history lesson

vaughan.mccarthy — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 02:26:27 +0000

Dr Cat and JOY’s very own Clayton Wimshurst celebrate the International Day of LGBTQIA+ people in STEM. They share the amazing contributions of legendary LGBTQIA+ scientists who’ve made history and are shaping the future.

Hear the stories of Ben Barres, a neuroscientist and fierce gender equality advocate, having experienced many hurdles in academia as a female before transitioning; Alan Turing, famous for his work developing the first modern computers, who was only pardoned for being gay after his death; and Alan Hart, one of the first trans men in the US to undergo a hysterectomy and a physician who saved countless lives by developing a screen for tuberculosis.

This episode originally aired 19th November, 2024.

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More science coming a-choo.

vaughan.mccarthy — Sun, 17 Nov 2024 06:10:57 +0000

It’s allergy season. Dr Cat and Kira Hughes clear the air about what causes those sneezes, wheezes, and itchy reactions. A researcher at the NeuroAllergy Research Laboratory at Deakin University, Kira breezes through the science behind hay fever and thunderstorm asthma. Pollen may turn you into a sneeze machine, thunderstorm asthma may catch you off guard, or mosquitoes may turn your blood into their personal snack…these may bug you, but Dr Cat and Kira will help put a spring in your step as you go about spring.

This episode originally aired 12th November, 2024.

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My cup runneth over

vaughan.mccarthy — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 02:14:25 +0000

On Melbourne Cup Day, Dr Cat and zoologist & science communicator Ingrid Crossing chat about the racehorses. As people bred faster and lighter horses that win races, the horses are actually becoming less and less healthy. It comes down to genetics. Whether it’s keeping the reigns on royal pedigrees, helping horses maintain stable genetics, or protecting biodiversity in species under threat, it’s clear that a healthy gene pool is key to a strong future. Dr Cat also talks about “the cup”…menstrual cups – and new research that is a game changer when it comes to preventing spillage and infections when it’s that time of the month.

Originally aired 5th November, 2024.

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The coral of the story

vaughan.mccarthy — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 01:37:56 +0000

Dr Cat is joined by Aida Zjakić for a very hot topic: climate change. They discuss how Earth’s climate shifts over millions of years, what’s driving climate change now, and what these changes mean for coral reefs. These vibrant, complex ecosystems that help keep our oceans and planet healthy are facing some tide-turning challenges. Coral might be tough, but they’re in hot water as temperatures rise. It’s sea-riously important to discuss, because climate change is a shore thing if we don’t act!

This episode originally aired 29th October, 2024.

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Soooo bandi-cute!

vaughan.mccarthy — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 01:33:30 +0000

Dr Cat chats to Eilish Roberts about bandicoots. Eilish is the Southern Brown Bandicoot Outreach Officer at Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, working to engage communities around creating bandicoot-friendly suburbs. Jump on the bandi-wagon as they dig deep into these cuties, what’s threatening their survival, and their groundbreaking impact on the environment – literally.

This episode originally aired on 22nd October, 2024.

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Breaking out of childhood

vaughan.mccarthy — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 08:10:34 +0000

When it comes to puberty, there’s no “one size fits all”. Whether you’re cisgender, transgender, non-binary, or intersex. Dr Cat and Neve Tually grow through the science of puberty. They chat about the changes of the body and brain associated with puberty, and about puberty blockers and what the science says about their benefits (spoiler alert: they’re a game changer for transgender and non-binary people!).

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Jupiter have a coffee break

vaughan.mccarthy — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 07:52:10 +0000

Are you keen for some spicy, science ginger tea? Or if not tea, perhaps coffee is your beverage of choice? Dr Cat chats with Anshul Phaugat about the health benefits of ginger and coffee. Plants have a lot to offer – and they’re only getting better as we explore new ways to grow them. Anshul also shares some of his work with the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plants For Space, optimising the growth of medicinal plants and food crops in changing environments here on Earth… and beyond!

This episode originally aired on 8th October, 2024.

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For the crater good

vaughan.mccarthy — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 21:42:07 +0000

In a stellar episode of Science Queeries, Dr Cat chats with a superstar guest, astronomer Stephanie Bernard. Their chat is astronomically insightful as they gravitate to galaxies far away that reveal what the early universe was like. And they come back to the temporary moons Earth picks up and the stars we see in our local neighbourhood of the Milky Way Galaxy.

This episode originally aired 1st October, 2024.

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Voltaic you there

vaughan.mccarthy — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 06:16:01 +0000

Dr Cat and Dr Mohammad Taha conduct a conversation about different materials for more sustainable buildings. Did you know that around 60% of energy used in buildings is used to control the temperature? Or that over three-quarters of Melbourne city’s energy demand could be supplied by solar if we were smarter about the placement and design of solar panels? Strap in for some pulsing, high energy discussion. It’s a gas… but not the greenhouse-type.

Dr Mohammad Taha is a multidisciplinary researcher at the University of Melbourne, bridging materials science, sustainability, and electronic engineering.

This episode originally aired 24th September, 2024.

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Star-tling discoveries with univers-al appeal.

vaughan.mccarthy — Sat, 21 Sep 2024 09:26:25 +0000

Dr Cat chats to a bright, stellar astronomer, A/Prof Deanne Fisher. We are all made of stardust. Based at Swinburne University, Deanne looks through telescopes to answer questions like: “how do galaxies form?” and “what happens when a star dies?”. She is even perhaps redefining what a “galaxy” is. There’s always something star-tling to discover when you look at the cosmos.

Originally aired 17th September, 2024.

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Planting some vine ideas

vaughan.mccarthy — Sat, 14 Sep 2024 06:13:59 +0000

Dr Cat has an out-of-this-world conversation with Lee Conneely from the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space. Lee studies how we can insert the genetic instructions for plant-based medicines into other plants so that they can grow the medicines for us. Can we grow tomatoes in space for astronauts to eat the tomatoes and harvest medicine from the leaves? Can we use industrial hemp to produce big yields of different medicines? The idea seems light years ahead or like science fiction, but it is a reality…and a pretty vine idea.

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Running up that hill

vaughan.mccarthy — Sun, 08 Sep 2024 02:33:25 +0000

Dr Cat and Kade Huckstep talk about athletes and sex. They sprint through the facts, hurdle over the controversies, and dive into the heart of the discriminatory practice of sex...

LEARN MORE

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Noggin’ ourselves out

vaughan.mccarthy — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 04:18:27 +0000

Dr Cat and Dr Elyas Arvell discuss the basics of communication in the brain; when things go wrong in Parkinson’s Disease; the link between queerness and neurodiversity; and what’s going on in the brain with rituals.

Dr Elyas Arvell completed their PhD in neuroscience at the Florey Institute. Now they are the Laboratory Manager at GTAC, one of the six science and mathematics specialist centres that provides educational programs to students across Victoria.

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Electrifying material facts

vaughan.mccarthy — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 04:42:51 +0000

Dr Cat has a solid chat with Dr Mike Wilson about the building blocks of our world. She’s a Material Girl, and they’re a material scientist-turned-educator. Can fabric generate electricity from our body heat? Can we make DNA-like nano-particles to deliver drugs to tumors? Is everything actually “plastic”? Life IS plastic, and it’s fantastic.

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Good things come in trees

vaughan.mccarthy — Sat, 17 Aug 2024 07:17:22 +0000

How can we help Australian flora “Survive and Thrive”? For a special National Science Week episode, Dr Cat has a blooming great conversation with Dr Meg Hirst and Russell Larke from the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. They rooted themselves in some science and planted seeds of inspiration to appreciate and care for Victoria’s unique plant species.

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The gene-ius of (Wol)bach(ia)

vaughan.mccarthy — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 00:51:39 +0000

Dr Cat chats to geneticist Dr Haylo Roberts, who studies the DNA traces that animals shed into the environment or leave behind. These tiny traces of genetic material can tell us big stories about our ecosystems – you might gain a (DN)Appreciation for how it helps us monitor biodiversity. There’s also some paw-some conservation work going on to seek out endangered animals with the help of detection dogs.

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Why we should Excel in the field

vaughan.mccarthy — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 09:38:06 +0000

Dr Cat chats to data scientist and educator, Dr Linda McIver. What is data science and why do we need to be data literate? (Spoiler: because we’re generating so much data and generative AI will straight up just make things up, and it’s important to be able to think critically and filter it yourself.) Listen to Dr Cat and Dr Linda’s data-lightful conversation about data and byte-sized wonders.

Science Queeries is hosted by Dr. Cat Nguyen-Robertson on JOY Media. This episode originally aired on 23rd July, 2024. This podcast episode was edited by Vaughan McCarthy.

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Gettin’ diggy with it

vaughan.mccarthy — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 08:38:54 +0000

Dr. Cat chats with palaeontologist, Astrid O’Connor. They dig deep into the past, unearthing a bone-anza of facts about the ancient plants and creatures that once roamed our planet – from dinosaurs with features and giant wombats, to fossilised pollen that reveals climate. It’s a trex-cellent exploration of palaeontology.

Science Queeries is hosted by Dr. Cat Nguyen-Robertson on JOY Media. This episode originally aired on 23rd July, 2024. This podcast episode was edited by Vaughan McCarthy.

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Shooting the breeze about the weather

vaughan.mccarthy — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 13:56:41 +0000

Dr Cat chats to Clayton Wimshurst, a science teacher who sparks joy in their students. Join their whirlwind tour through wild weather and whacky ways we can harness it. Can we generate electricity from humidity in the air? Can we harness the power of lightning? They make science a breeze!

Science Queeries is hosted by Dr. Cat Nguyen-Robertson on JOY Media. This episode originally aired on 16th July, 2024. This podcast episode was edited by Vaughan McCarthy.

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The hoppy world of marsupial reproduction

vaughan.mccarthy — Sun, 14 Jul 2024 04:17:30 +0000

Dr Cat chats to animal lover, Ingrid Crossing, about marsupial reproduction. From the male yapok that has a pouch to tuck his testes in before he goes swimming, to the kangaroos that have not one, but three vaginas and two uteri! Dr Cat and Ingrid hop through the way marsupials bring life into the world. It’s a real joey-ride with pouchfuls of interesting facts.

Science Queeries is hosted by Dr. Cat Nguyen-Robertson on JOY Media. This episode originally aired on 9th July, 2024. This podcast episode was edited by Vaughan McCarthy.

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