Science Queeries

We are facing a triple planetary crisis. Climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution aren’t separate problems – they’re interconnected threats that are unravelling our world.

This week, we’re exploring how these three crises collide through the lens of three seemingly different stories: frogs fighting for survival against chytrid fungus, sea ice melting in response to a warming planet, and air pollution suffocating ecosystems and human health alike.

Nina Ross and Dylan Scott make their research and radio debuts as undergraduate students from Australia and New Zealand. Over the summer, they worked in labs at The University of Melbourne as Amgen Scholars, and now they share what they’ve been up to.

We’ll explore the science behind each crisis, discover how they amplify each other, and ask: what can we actually do about it? Because frogs can’t hop away from these problems. Sea ice won’t freeze our solutions in place. And we can’t just blow off air pollution.

Originally aired 17th February, 2026.

The post One Planet, Three Crises appeared first on Science Queeries.

Let’s get into the marrow of bone structure and its link to osteoporosis, learn about some un-nerve-ing mutations that can spark brain tumours and epilepsy, and crown our conversation with cutting-edge dental solutions that are changing lives.

Caitlyn Tan, Nuthara Manuwelge, and Majella Warpenius (L-R) make their research and radio debuts as undergraduate students from around Australia and New Zealand. Over the summer, they worked in labs at The University of Melbourne as Amgen Scholars, and now they share what they’ve been up to.

So whether it’s understanding our bones as we age, rooting out better dental solutions, or firing up our understanding of brain mutations, the science is clear: when we stop fracturing our attention across overlooked health issues, we unlock solutions that can transform lives.

Originally aired 10th February, 2026.

The post Skull and Crossbones: Brains, Bones & Teeth appeared first on Science Queeries.

When frogs face a life-threatening disease, you’d expect them to hunker down and focus on survival. But nature sometimes has other plans.

A deadly disease caused by a chytrid fungus has decimated 500+ amphibian species. Over 90 are already extinct because of it. The green and golden bell frog has an interesting response to it…

Conservation biologist Venice Chan studies frog reproductive biology in response to chytrid fungus at the University of Melbourne. We’re chatting about the fact that infected frogs literally go all in on reproduction, putting all their eggs (or rather, sperm) in one basket. Male green and golden bell frogs exposed to chytrid fungus produce more sperm volume and more sperm cells. It’s nature’s way of saying: if you’re going down, you’re going down hard.

This episode is toad-ally ribbiting!

Originally aired 24th February, 2026.

The post Toad-ally Thirsty: Going Out with a Bang appeared first on Science Queeries.

Chúc mừng năm mới! 恭喜发财! 새해 복 많이 받으세요! Happy New Year!

Lunar New Year is celebrated by millions of people around the world.

The celebration isn’t just cultural — it’s also astronomical. It’s tied to the night sky and is shaped by observations of celestial objects that stretch thousands of years.

Explore the science behind Lunar New Year. Find out how the Moon became one of humanity’s oldest timekeepers. We meet the zodiac animals, unpacking why there are twelve of them and what Jupiter might have to do with it all. We look at the Moon’s real-world power — how it literally moves our oceans and shapes ecosystems.

So, as this new lunar year begins, may your tides be high and your gravity strong, pulling all sorts of good things towards you.

Originally aired 17th February, 2026.

The post Good Moon Rising: The Science of Lunar New Year appeared first on Science Queeries.

Sydney Harbour is one of the most iconic waterways in the world — but beneath the postcard views lies a complex ecological story of sea-rious degradation, recovery, and renewal.

In this episode of Science Queeries, we honour the late Professor Emma Johnston — marine ecologist, champion for equity in science, and a true tide-turner. She laid the scientific foundations for understanding and restoring Sydney Harbour’s ecosystems.

Building on that legacy, Dr Cat chats to Dr Paco Martinez Baena from the Sydney Institute of Marine Science. He leads Project Restore — an initiative restoring and reconnecting habitats to boost biodiversity in Sydney Harbour.

Because, when you restore the across habitats, the whole system can rise with the tide. Thanks to Emma Johnston’s enduring influence, Sydney Harbour isn’t just staying afloat — it’s current-ly rewriting its future.

Shell yeah.

Originally aired 10th February, 2026.

The post Sea-ing Change in Sydney Harbour appeared first on Science Queeries.

Biological sex in nature is far from simple – and the animal queendom proves it.

From fish that change sex, to intersex whales, to species that reproduce without males at all, this episode dives into the wonderfully non-binary reality of animal anatomy and reproduction. Some animals are born one sex and become another. Some respond to temperature, social structures, or hormones. Others simply opt out of sex altogether.

Dr Cat is joined by Zoe Walder from Museums Victoria to explore how sex, anatomy and reproduction work across the animal kingdom – and why human ideas about “male” and “female” don’t always fit the science. This episode celebrates the diversity, flexibility and fabulousness of life on Earth. Because in nature, binaries are optional – and the queendom always reigns.

Originally aired 3rd February, 2026.

The post Slay the Binary: Inside the Animal Queendom appeared first on Science Queeries.

Penguins may live at the bottom of the world, but they’ve risen to the very top of our hearts.

For Penguin Awareness Day, Dr Cat and archeologist Dr Wenjing Yu are sliding onto the Antarctic ice to celebrate these iconic birds. Having voyaged to Antartica as part of Homeward Bound, a leadership program for women and non-binary people in STEM, they encountered thousands of penguins in the wild. They chat about the penguins they met, what makes penguins such extreme overachievers, and why life in the cold demands clever adaptations.

From first impressions to deep dives into penguin behaviour, survival, and sheer charisma, this episode proves that you don’t need to fly to be cool. Sometimes the best science comes with a tuxedo and a clumsy belly slide.

Originally aired 20th January, 2026.

The post Waddle We Know About Penguins? appeared first on Science Queeries.

We spend over $20 billion a year on our dogs in Australia — but are our dogs actually happy, or just very well accessorised?

This week on Science Queeries, Dr Cat is sniffing out the science of dog happiness with interdisciplinary researcher at the University of Melbourne, Dr Mia Cobb. While animal welfare science has focused on preventing negative experiences, she is finally asking the tail-wagging question: are working dogs and pet dogs having positive experiences?

From behaviour and body language to hormones in saliva, Mia explains how researchers are working to create one of the first scientifically validated measures of dog happiness — and why humans are surprisingly bad at judging how our dogs are really feeling.

Originally aired 13th January, 2026.

The post Paws for Thought: Are Dogs Happy? appeared first on Science Queeries.

What if the key to Australia’s climate future is hidden in its past?

When we talk about climate change, we often picture satellites, supercomputers, and graphs stretching into the future. But this week on Science Queeries, we’re turning back the clock, digging into dusty data, early thermometers and rain gauges, handwritten weather diaries, and historical records to understand what’s coming next.

Dr Cat is joined by a climate scientist, Ruchit Kulkarni who’s part historian, part statistician, and part detective. Working at the University of Melbourne and ARC Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather, he uncovers how Australia’s past climates help us make sense of today’s extreme weather – especially heatwaves and bushfires.

Explore how historical climate records reveal patterns we can’t see in modern data alone, and how looking back helps us plan for risk. When it comes to preparing for extreme weather, hindsight might just be our most powerful forecasting tool.

*This podcast has been re-uploaded following an audio issue. As much as we want to be vocal about climate change, we don’t want you to have to listen to multiple voices at once. Originally aired 16th December, 2025.

The post Past Weather, Future Problems appeared first on Science Queeries.

The key to Australia’s climate future may be hidden in its past.

When we talk about climate change, we often picture satellites, weather maps, and graphs stretching into the future. But this week on Science Queeries, we’re turning back the clock instead. We will dig into dusty data, early thermometers and rain gauges, handwritten weather diaries, and historical records to understand what’s coming next.

Dr Cat is joined by a climate scientist, Ruchit Kulkarni, who’s part historian, part statistician, and part detective. Working at the University of Melbourne and ARC Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather, he uncovers Australia’s past climates to help us make sense of today’s extreme weather – especially heatwaves and bushfires.

Explore how historical climate records reveal patterns we can’t see in modern data alone. When it comes to preparing for extreme weather, hindsight might just be our most powerful forecasting tool.

Originally aired 16th December, 2025.

The post Past Weather, Future Problems appeared first on Science Queeries.