For this special edition of Lost in Science we speak to three women at different stages of their career in science and technology about their research, what drives them, and who inspires them. We hear from Mechantronics Engineering student Alex Ware about her experiences and why Ada Lovelace is inspiring a new generation of women in technology. Also Maddy Yewers, PhD candidate and advocate for mentoring in science talks to us all about her research on the Tawny Dragon Lizard (Ctenophorus decresii) in the Flinders Ranges. And we speak to Principal Investigator Dr Therésa Jones from the Behaviour and Evolution Group at the University of Melbourne about how artificial light could be effecting immune function in insects and her research into gender inequity in science and what Australia is doing to increase the number of women in senior research positions in science.

Everybody's excited about gravitational waves, but why? What do they mean? How were they found, with lasers? How can we possibly know they came from two black holes a billion years ago? How can a whole sun's worth of energy have been used up? How can gravity "wave", as it were? What do colliding black holes sound like? (Much more musical than you'd expect, it turns out.)Claire has some questions, and Chris has... Well, Chris has a chat with astrophysicist Katie Mack, of @AstroKatie fame, and she has the answers.

Flossing teeth: we all do it—or think we should do it—but is it scientific? Numerous scientific studies say flossing your teeth won't prevent tooth decay, and mouthwash may be just as good or better.Asexual organisms (that got your attention) are subject to the Meselson effect, in which genes on separate chromosomes evolve separately. And this could eventually cause Trypanosoma brucei gambiense—the parasite that causes African sleeping sickness—to go extinct.Speaking of diseases to worry about, we talk to virologist Ian Mackay about the mosquito-borne global health emergency, the Zika virus. Is it time to panic? Eh...

Maybe you have heard the buzz about a new planet in our solar system? This week Chris gets the scoop from Astronomer Dr Jonti Horner from the University of Southern Queensland about whether it exists, and importantly what will it be called.Exciting news on the fight against bacteria with British researchers publishing research looking at a new antibiotic developed from proteins isolated from human breast milk. Will this be the solution we need to solve the antibiotic crisis?And did you know that some of you may have formed in the big bang? We go way back in time to look at how each element in the solar system was created, and also welcome the four new elements to the periodic table.

Announcements of Spiders from Mars may have had Bowie fans pricking up their ears, but the spring time Martian phenomenon happens every Martian year, and has been photogrpahed by the Mars recconnaissance orbiter.The sun is a mass of incandescent gas, but actually that's not entirely accurate as you can hear here. The sun is the most important star to all life on earth, but do you know what colour it is?And if you have failed in the past to keep your New Year's resolutions, listen up for some research based ways to keep your will strong all year.

Our summer series comes to an end, with a final classic tale from the science storytelling event, the Laborastory.Museum conservator Dani Measday tells us all about the pioneer palaeontologists Othniel Charles Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope, whose bitter, competitive rivalry led to the Great Dinosaur Rush, aka "Bone Wars", of the 19th century.And for something different, we preview an extract from Chris's upcoming podcast with science communicator Michael Patterson on the science of superheroes. They speak to aspiring Mars astronaut Josh Richards about whether travelling to other planets could give you superpowers.

Summer continues, with our feature classic tales from the science storytelling event, the Laborastory.Pathologist and Doctor Blake's medical advisor Clare Hampson tells the story of Scottish anatomist and surgeon Robert Knox, and his connection to the notorious body-snatching murders of Burke and Hare.And actor, comedian, rogue nerd and ginger Ben Mckenzie talks about inventor and Hollywood actress Hedy Lamarr.

This summer (2016!) we're featuring classic tales from the science storytelling event, the Laborastory.Astrophysicist Katie Mack tells us what it was like to encounter the famous Stephen Hawking, but she also reveals her true science hero: her grandfather, Captain Sam Houston.Then, Lost in Science's own Chris Lassig speaks at the Laborastory's annual Halloween special of science villains, with the tale of the father of the hydrogen bomb, Edward Teller.

This summer we're featuring classic tales from the science storytelling event, the Laborastory.First up, science communicator Cobi Smith tells the story of American biologist Rachel Carson, whose writings about DDT—including the book Silent Spring—made her a villain to some and a hero to many.And then, mathematician Daniel Horsley explains how Georg Cantor's ideas about infinity, although eventually vindicated, made him unpopular in his time too.