The Cosmos Podcast

Welcome to a Cosmos Insights podcast, where we talk to scientists in Australia about the impact of their work.

With brownish feathers, distinctive fine white streaks, and a long cocked tail, the western grasswren (Amytornis textilis) is a charming but elusive native Australian songbird.

If you are lucky enough to spot one, you might find it darting between shrubs as it forages along the ground on Dirk Hartog Island in Western Australia – thanks to the first successful grasswren translocation effort last month.

It was to re-establish the population after the introduction of sheep, goats, and feral cats caused the birds, and 12 other species, to become extinct on the island.

Today Cosmos journalist Imma Perfetto talks to Dr Saul Cowen, Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, and Aline Gibson Vega, whose PhD project helped in the translocation.

Find the science of everything at the Cosmos Magazine website

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How beach signs are interpreted by locals and those hailing from overseas is a crucial aspect of beach safety. 

Today, Cosmos journalist Ellen Phiddian talks to Dr Masaki Shibata, a lecturer in the Japanese Department of Adelaide University's School of Social Sciences - and a competitive swimmer and former lifesaver – about research he’s been doing into this very subject.

Find the science of everything at the Cosmos Magazine website

Subscribe to Cosmos Magazine (print) or the Cosmos Weekly

Watch and listen to all our Cosmos Briefings

Special 10% discount on Cosmos magazine print subscriptions (1 or 2 year), or 1 year Cosmos Weekly subscriptions for Cosmos Briefing podcast listeners!  Use coupon code COSMOSPOD in our shop.

Welcome to 'Would You Rather' a podcast where Cosmos science journalists debate a topic and only one comes out the victor.

Today, Jacinta Bowler and Evrim Yasgin debate whether telescopes or microscopes are better!

Find the science of everything at the Cosmos Magazine website

Subscribe to Cosmos Magazine (print) or the Cosmos Weekly

Watch and listen to all our Cosmos Briefings

Special 10% discount on Cosmos magazine print subscriptions (1 or 2 year), or 1 year Cosmos Weekly subscriptions for Cosmos Briefing podcast listeners!  Use coupon code COSMOSPOD in our shop.

Welcome to a Cosmos Insights podcast, where we talk to scientists in Australia about the impact of their work.

In November 1987, 35 years ago, 266 scientists met at Monash University at what was the first meeting to consider the national scientific response to the greenhouse gas problem. At the time many were working on ridding the atmosphere of chlorofluorocarbons, closing the hole over the Antarctic. Many were sceptical of claims that carbon dioxide was an existential threat.

Today Cosmos editor Ian Mannix talks to Graeme Pearman from the CSIRO, who organised the meeting, and Neville Nicholls from the Bureau of Meteorology research centre, who attended. 

Find the science of everything at the Cosmos Magazine website

Subscribe to Cosmos Magazine (print) or the Cosmos Weekly

Watch and listen to all our Cosmos Briefings

Special 10% discount on Cosmos magazine print subscriptions (1 or 2 year), or 1 year Cosmos Weekly subscriptions for Cosmos Briefing podcast listeners!  Use coupon code COSMOSPOD in our shop.

Welcome to a Cosmos Insights podcast, where we talk to scientists in Australia about the impact of their work.

The risk of Hendra virus being passed from bats to horses – increasing the risk to humans – has escalated in Australia in recent decades.

When viruses spillover from animals to humans there can be serious consequences. SARS Cov-1, SARS Cov-2 (which causes COVID19) and Hendra viruses have all been linked to this kind of event.

A team of researchers, led by conservation biologist Dr Peggy Eby, from the University of New South Wales, and wildlife disease ecologist Dr Alison Peel from Griffith University, analysed 25 years of data on land use change, bat behaviour and Hendra virus spillover events in Australia. Their research is published in Nature.

Cosmos journalist Petra Stock talked to Dr Eby and Dr Peel to find out more.

Find the science of everything at the Cosmos Magazine website

Subscribe to Cosmos Magazine (print) or the Cosmos Weekly

Watch and listen to all our Cosmos Briefings

Special 10% discount on Cosmos magazine print subscriptions (1 or 2 year), or 1 year Cosmos Weekly subscriptions for Cosmos Briefing podcast listeners!  Use coupon code COSMOSPOD in our shop.

Welcome to 'Would You Rather' a podcast where Cosmos science journalists debate a topic and only one comes out the victor.

Today, Ellen Phiddian and Matt Agius debate whether you would rather give up alcohol or caffeine.

Find the science of everything at the Cosmos Magazine website

Subscribe to Cosmos Magazine (print) or the Cosmos Weekly

Watch and listen to all our Cosmos Briefings

Special 10% discount on Cosmos magazine print subscriptions (1 or 2 year), or 1 year Cosmos Weekly subscriptions for Cosmos Briefing podcast listeners!  Use coupon code COSMOSPOD in our shop.

Welcome to a Cosmos Insights podcast, where we talk to scientists in Australia about the impact of their work.

Cyber security experts have called for online safety and security fundamentals to be taught from early primary school, after a review of the national curriculum revealed key skills gaps.

A report led by Dr Nicola Johnson for the Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre, has mapped the cyber safety content in the new Australian Curriculum against skills recommended by the Centre, for individuals and families to protect against common cyber security threats.

Today Cosmos journalist Petra Stock talks to Dr Johnson, from the School of Education at Edith Cowan University, who says “we need to start early with five-year-olds … there is a need to educate people from a young age to protect themselves from common cybersecurity threats.”

Find the science of everything at the Cosmos Magazine website

Subscribe to Cosmos Magazine (print) or the Cosmos Weekly

Watch and listen to all our Cosmos Briefings

Special 10% discount on Cosmos magazine print subscriptions (1 or 2 year), or 1 year Cosmos Weekly subscriptions for Cosmos Briefing podcast listeners!  Use coupon code COSMOSPOD in our shop.

Welcome to 'Would You Rather', a podcast where Cosmos science journalists debate a topic and only one comes out the victor.

Today, Petra Stock and Evrim Yazgin debate whether a Tyrannosaurus rex or cute little Minmi paravertebral would be better as a dino-pet.

 Find the science of everything at the Cosmos Magazine website

Subscribe to Cosmos Magazine (print) or the Cosmos Weekly

Watch and listen to all our Cosmos Briefings

Special 10% discount on Cosmos magazine print subscriptions (1 or 2 year), or 1 year Cosmos Weekly subscriptions for Cosmos Briefing podcast listeners!  Use coupon code COSMOSPOD in our shop.

Welcome to a Cosmos Insights podcast, where we talk to scientists in Australia about the impact of their work.

Andrea Boyd knew she wanted to work in the space field since she first saw Star Trek as a kid. The South Australian has ended up in a career as close to space as possible without leaving the ground.

Boyd is the ‘EUROCOM’ flight controller at the European Space Agency (ESA), meaning she’s the person who gets to talk to the astronauts on the ISS.

Cosmos Science Journalist Jacinta Bowler talked to Andrea Boyd about how she feels about being the Aussie ‘voice to space’ and what it’s like hanging out with astronauts all day. and a great video with Andrea Boyd. 

Find the science of everything at the Cosmos Magazine website and a great video with Andrea Boyd.

Subscribe to Cosmos Magazine (print) or the Cosmos Weekly

Watch and listen to all our Cosmos Briefings

Special 10% discount on Cosmos magazine print subscriptions (1 or 2 year), or 1 year Cosmos Weekly subscriptions for Cosmos Briefing podcast listeners!  Use coupon code COSMOSPOD in our shop.

Welcome to a Cosmos Insight podcast, where we talk to scientists in Australia about the impact of their work.

The Adélies gave us the phrase “penguin suit” and are found on almost the entire coastline in the white continent. But recent research has identified a problem with massive reduction in the numbers of breeding Adélie Penguins in some places in Antarctica. In some places their population is expanding, in some places it’s contracting, and in one or two places, numbers are alarming.

Australian Antarctic Division seabird ecologists, Dr Louise Emmerson and Dr Colin Southwell have been monitoring Adélie penguins for two decades, and spoke to Cosmos Digital News Editor Ian Mannix about their recent research.

Find the science of everything at the Cosmos Magazine website

Subscribe to Cosmos Magazine (print) or the Cosmos Weekly

Watch and listen to all our Cosmos Briefings

Special 10% discount on Cosmos magazine print subscriptions (1 or 2 year), or 1 year Cosmos Weekly subscriptions for Cosmos Briefing podcast listeners!  Use coupon code COSMOSPOD in our shop.