Huh? Science Explained

Lunar lunacy, celestial water, but not enough cheese! Our Moon is a magnet for stories – Join Matt Agius as he looks at the science behind the superstitions.

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Today we're focussing on lightning – what exactly is that flash, where does it happen, what are the odds of it hitting me and can we untangle the shocking myths from the dazzling truths?

Clare Kenyon has her fingers in so many science pies, she’s running out of flavours. With a background in astrophysics and dabblings in maths, geology, music and criminology – just to name a few – she’s constantly distracted by the next new shiny thing – especially when it’s space-bound. An ex-high school teacher and Superstar of STEM, she’s particularly passionate about plain-speaking science and women in STEM.

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Today we will be wrapping our heads around the physics of temperature to work out why things get hot, and just how cold they can get. 

Evrim Yazgin is a Cosmos journalist with a Masters in Physics from the University of Melbourne. His love of science fiction has spurred an interest in all things flux capacitor to quantum-time-antimatter-inverters.

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Halloween is all about leaning into our fears and getting carried away with our superstitions. But is it possible to take things too far?

Cosmos science journalist Petra Stock investigates the fallout from Halloween fun.

Petra Stock has a Bachelor of Engineering and a Master of Journalism, both from the University of Melbourne. While she loves writing about new technologies (robots, digital platforms), Petra is nostalgic for the retro kind (letters, cassette tapes).

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With Halloween just around the corner, we're talking all things glow sticks! What makes glow sticks glow, and what does it have to do with ocean bacteria? Let's take a look at the science of chemiluminescence.

Ellen Phiddian is a science journalist at Cosmos. She has a BSc (Honours) in chemistry and science communication, and an MSc in science communication, both from the Australian National University.

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Birds make an incredible cacophony of sound early morning, but why do they do it? 

Imma Perfetto is a journalist at Cosmos Magazine and has an honours degree in Science Communication.

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Hiccups are bizarre. Why do we get them? And do any of the cures actually work?

Ellen Phiddian worked in science outreach before deciding to become, in her grandmother's words, "one of those whizz-bang science journalists". With a background in chemistry, she's particularly interested in renewable energy, catalysts, and deciphering the ingredients on food packages. Her favourite podcasts are Wardrobe Crisis, Friends at the Table, and just about any audiodrama.

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She’s the disco dolly that’s more than 60 years old, stands shorter than a ruler and who’s had more than 200 different careers. But this tiny doll has been troubling adults and researchers for decades.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the controversies and concerns about Barbie’s body shape, gender stereotyping, and ...spying on children?

Petra Stock has a Bachelor of Engineering and a Master of Journalism, both from the University of Melbourne. Like Barbie, she’s worked as a Renewable Energy Engineer, an Environmental Advocate and a Journalist. While she loves writing about new technologies (robots, digital platforms), Petra is nostalgic for the retro kind (letters, cassette tapes).

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This week we’re looking at heart disease’s arch nemesis – salt and sugar. But salt and sugar aren’t just delicious villains in a movie - they’ve got their own story to tell. In this episode we’ll find out whether our love of sugar and salt is hardwired into out brain, if MSG is actually bad for you, and why it is so hard to analyse the flavour of soy sauce.

Jacinta is an enthusiastic tourist in all things science, has a background in microbiology and spends most of their spare time making and eating baked goods.

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The Sun shines, your calculator works, your Tesla charges, and your house’s battery starts to fill up on stored energy. Meanwhile, up in space, the James Webb Space Telescope collects enough solar light to give it the power it needs to peer into space…  

Today, Clare Kenyon talks all things solar panels - how do they work and exactly what shiny new things are coming sometime to a rooftop near you?

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