Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchAre animals musical?
Can animals create, or even enjoy music?
Ann rips through the animal kingdom to check out the musical talent of some likely and unlikely performers.
Featuring:
Dr. Stuart Watson, University of Zurich.Dr…Published on 1 day, 1 hour ago
The trap is set: Webs, hypnosis, and mucus tubes
We'll all go to trouble to get a good meal, but some animals take it to the extreme.
Some build architectural masterpieces to entrap their prey, or use body parts as lures.
But what is your cat doing w…
Published on 1 week, 1 day ago
Mushrooms: Is the future fungi?
Fungi are already hard at work helping trees survive drought, recycling fallen logs, rotting away carcases, and helping human digestive systems, but could they do more?
Is our future made of fungi?
Res…
Published on 2 weeks, 2 days ago
Mushrooms: What are they, really?
Mushrooms were once lumped in with plants, and they stayed there well after science knew better.
But if a fungus is not a plant… is it a closer relative of yours than you might've thought?
With million…
Published on 3 weeks, 2 days ago
Mushrooms: Why do they kill?
As daily updates about the 'mushroom murders' monopolised newsfeeds around the country, the What the Duck?! team started questioning the motives. Not the human ones — the fungi ones.
Why would a mush…
Published on 4 weeks, 2 days ago
What the Duck?! serves mushrooms
Have you found yourself wondering why a simple brown mushroom would develop a toxin so strong that just a few grams could kill a human?
What the Duck?! is investigating the motives of toxic fungi and …
Published on 1 month, 1 week ago
Murder birds: The cuckoo's killer instinct
Cuckoo babies hatch in the nests of other bird species then quickly, often brutally, make sure they're the only baby to get fed…
So how does a cuckoo know how to be a cuckoo?
Well… that is a ducking go…
Published on 1 month, 1 week ago
Slug slime and frog glue: Get stuck into nature's stickiness
There are so many sticky things in nature, but what's the nature of their stickiness?
Could slug mucus or frog ooze be used in medical treatments?
Ann puts on her spider-woman gloves to find out.
Featur…
Published on 1 month, 2 weeks ago
What's brown and sticky?
If you ever wanted to be able to stick to walls like Spider-Man, then listen to this!
How do geckos and ants walk easily up walls and across the ceiling?
Is an insect foot sticky in the same way as a r…
Published on 1 month, 3 weeks ago
Mars on Earth: Salt lake life
This place is so extreme that NASA sends scientists to test equipment for Mars missions. And yet, Australia's salty lakes are full of life.
Featuring:
Bonnie Teece, Postgraduate Researcher at UNSWAngus…Published on 2 months ago