A blast of radio waves in our galaxy gives insight into mysterious 'fast radio bursts'; These monkeys have a ‘puberty switch’ they flip when the right male comes along; Extreme Astrophysics: new Nobel Laureate Andrea Ghez’s work on supermassive black holes; 'Forever chemicals' can have far-reaching consequences, need more regulation in Canada, scientists say.

The diabolical ironclad beetle’s super-tough shell can even resist being run over by a car; How birds and mammals got their evolutionary edge by getting their legs under them; How 'forever chemicals' have come to contaminate even the remotest parts of Canada; How a Canadian vet took on the challenge of saving the world's great apes.

The coronavirus could be messing with your pain perception — and that could help it spread; A NASA probe with Canadian content will touch an asteroid next week; Which forest fires spew out the most CO2? It's the soil that matters, not the trees; Female moles are intersex — they have testicle-like tissue that helps them grow big and tough; Angry Weather: the science of blaming droughts, hurricanes and wildfires on climate change; Which trees provide the most oxygen over the course of a year, deciduous or evergreen?

Jennifer Doudna on her Nobel win, the ethics of gene editing, and CRISPR’s full potential; Decoy sea turtle eggs with GPS crack illegal egg trafficking; An 'awakening' moment: a sleeping pill restores function to a brain-injured patient; A new class of 'forever chemicals' is an emerging threat to our health and environment.

Oil sands tailings ponds are toxic. Canadian-made nanotech could help fix that. Male baboons make friends with females for just one reason: a longer life. Less than a teaspoon of dirt could hold the history of an entire landscape. Tickling rats to improve animal - and scientists’ - welfare. Five ways the universe might die - including one that could happen at any time

Quirks & Quarks is on hiatus for the summer. Our podcast will resume with new programs in September. In the meantime, you can dig deep into the feed for programs you missed, or visit our website to listen to our archives online. Have a great summer

Another episode of the always fascinating, always fabulous, Quirks & Quarks listener Question Show. We're answering questions like: do viruses have predators? What do animals taste? How do you weigh the earth, and how do bacteria eat plastic?

Oumuamua could be a relic from giant clouds where stars are born (1:33). Female genetic superiority: when it comes to survival, two X chromosomes beat an X and a Y (9:55). Megadrought: will the southwest part of North America be parched for decades? (24:56) How scientists in Quebec are stepping up to fight a climate-related rise in Lyme disease (32:44). Web extras: A snake with a toxic surprise (54:17), the secrets of ambergris (1:01:59), and adapting coral to climate change (1:10:02).

What if we hadn’t locked down? Studies show we saved many millions of lives. (1:36) The return of race science — the quest to fortify racism with bad biology. (9:31) A dinosaur’s s last meal of fresh ferns fossilized in incredible detail. (30:13) Pathway to Mars — is it ethical to go to the Red Planet? (38:07)

The key to early detection of COVID-19 outbreaks might be in sewage. (1:42) SpaceX takes humans to orbit, but who loses in the new landscape of space launch? (9:05) Experiment shows dogs might be willing to help you in a crisis, but they probably aren’t able. (17:55) Machine learning helps archaeologists identify the source of ancient poop. (25:33) Can we avoid an insect apocalypse with a new appreciation for creepy-crawlies? (32:16)