zoology

Corals and Probiotics (Pint of Science Special) - Interview

Corals are incredible animals that support an estimated 25% of all marine life. But without the algae living inside them, coral reefs can’t survive. Scientists recently discovered that bacteria also live within these algae. Could the right bacteria help protect corals and their algae from rising global temperatures? In our second special episode for the Pint of Science Festival, we chat with Dr Justin Maire about his latest research.

You can learn more about Justin’s latest research in his latest scientific publication or in this article for Pursuit.

Pint of Science is an international festival which has been running in Australia for the last 7 years.

This not-for-profit science festival aims to bring local researchers out of the lab to speak with the public about their current science research. Find out more: https://pintofscience.com.au/festival/2021

Beautiful Beetles (Pint of Science Special) - Interview

 

Beetles are like little fashion icons. Some are as shiny and reflective as mirrors. Others change colour depending on their angle. In this special episode for the Pint of Science Festival, we ask Dr Amanda Franklin why. We also ask about Amanda’s experiences studying other animals, including mantis shrimp.

Follow Amanda on Twitter: https://twitter.com/neptsnecklace

Pint of Science is an international festival which has been running in Australia for the last 7 years.

This not-for-profit science festival aims to bring local researchers out of the lab to speak with the public about their current science research. Find out more: https://pintofscience.com.au/festival/2021

Werewolves, Vampires and Zombies

In this spooky Halloween special, Ashton Dickerson joins us to discuss werewolves, vampires and zombies of the animal kingdom. We even throw in a witch and some Frankenstein’s monsters.

We referenced some visual media during our recording; see what we were seeing below:

To learn more about Ashton’s research, you can find her on Twitter (@aScienceBird).

Isolation Animals: The Bad

In the third and final part in our Isolation Animals series, we look into the negative effects of COVID-19 on animals. In keeping with this episode’s “bad news” theme, this episode was much harder to record and took much longer to get out than the others - one challenge being keeping up with news in rapidly changing situations.

Here, we discuss how COVID-19 is changing attitudes towards some animals, how changing human behaviour is affecting wildlife conservation, and how certain wildlife protections are being weakened.

 

De-Extinction - Interview

The thylacine (or Tasmanian Tiger) was an Australian marsupial that looked a bit like a dog. In 1936, the last known thylacine died. But could we bring this species back?

In this episode, we chat with Dr Axel Newton about what made the thylacine dog-like, what made it unique, and how close we are to bringing this species - and others - back from extinction. We also ask the question: even if we could, should we?

 

My Favourite Parasite

Mind-controlling viruses, vampire fish and crab-castrating barnacles. Sound like science fiction? Welcome to the real and terrifying world of parasites. In this episode, Kaya Moore joins us to chat about some of the world’s most incredible parasites - and what they can do to their animal hosts. Will it give you nightmares? Possibly. Is it worth listening anyway? Definitely.

 

Conservation Special: Road Salts - Interview

 

Every winter, in the United States alone, more than 15 million tons of salt are spread over roads to remove ice. So what are the effects of all this extra salt on wildlife? In this episode, Dr Gareth Hopkins describes how increased salinity affects freshwater newts, and debunks a common myth about ‘environmentally-friendly’ de-icers.

Read more about Gareth’s research here: https://garethrhopkins.com/