Fuzzy Logic Science Show

What creatures have we become? Clive Hamilton asks in this interview, contemplating how humanity has caused a rupture in the Earth system. We have triggered a new geological epoch, the Anthropocene.

The term Earth system is crucial to understanding what this means. At one level, this podcast is an oscillating sound wave. It's a simple physical phenomenon, but at another level, it's the words, ideas, and emotions of a conversation. These are things that can emerge from a system.

Clive Hamilton is the author of numerous books including Requiem for a Species and Earthmasters. In this interview we focus on his latest book, Defiant Earth: The Fate of Humans in the Anthropocene.

Read more about Clive and other stories from people in the environment in Ten Journeys on a Fragile Planet.

Interview by Rod

Margie Fitzpatrick's family has been on the land since the early-mid 1800s. The property near Collector NSW has been severly affected by erosion but with years of care it's returning to health.

The journey has been made possible with the support from a deep network of people bringing skills and commitment.  Rivers of Carbon were there to celebrate years of work at Australind.

Interview by Rod

In October 2014, plans for a 600 megawatt wind farm on the King Island were dumped. A major cause was a divided community.  Rebecca Colvin tells a compelling story about what went wrong, of how the islanders split into pro and anti groups.

Meanwhile in Canberra, SolarShare is rolling out a community-energy solar farm. Lawrence McIntosh describes how they succeeded in getting their project running.

Dr Rebecca Colvin is from the ANU Climate Change Institute. You can read her paper here.

Brought to you by Rod, with help from Marcus Anderson.

 

March 8th was International Women's Day, so Mitchell and Eleanor are shining the spotlight on some incredible women who deserve their places in science history.

Tune in to hear Mitchell's Mary-trifecta; one who used maths to get us to the moon, one who was doing alchemy before it was cool, and one who rocked Queensland.

Also featured are Eleanor's picks; a modern day scientist (and Dame) pioneering the technique of mass spectrometry, an astronomer who classified over 300,000 stars in her lifetime, and a quirky Australian botanist with a penchant for passive-agressive tree maintenance. 

Join us in celebrating the stories of some excellent scientists this International Women's Day.

 

In the scheme of things 230 years is a mere blink, but that's all it's taken for Europeans to utterly transform Australia. In another 230 years, what will we say?

Whatever the answer, the word sustainability is important. Dr Kate Auty is ACT Sustainability Commissioner. We talk about what that means for the ACT, and how we meet the forces that oppose it.

Dr Auty shares some life stories from the Kimberleys, and what happened when she held her ground as the Victorian Environment Commissioner.

Interview by Rod

 

Still waiting for the energy revolution? While the federal government wants to burn coal, the community voice grows.

We visited the Hepburn wind farm, and the Community Energy Congress in Melbourne. The Town Hall was a-buzz with excitement.

At Hepburn, James took a few moments away from his icecream. We talk smart energy systems with Hillary Platt, co-operatives with Anthony Taylor. Then we hear community energy groups from Seymour and Euroa plans for pumped hydro storage.

 

Rod talks pumped hydro with Prof Andrew Blakers on Radio National.

 

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February 12 is Darwin Day, celebrating the anniversary of the birth of evolutionary biologist Charles Darwin. This show, originally broadcast on Darwin Day, sees Dr Emma Sherratt join Broderick to discuss the life and science of Charles Darwin.

Emma is a postdoctoral researcher from the Research School of Biology at the Australian National Unviersity, Canberra

We are of course, talking about food! The immense pleasure of tucking into a good meal.

It's the taste, the texture, the shared social experience, and nutrition.

This a topic as rich as a fine meal. Today's conversation is with Dr Nenad Naumovski, Assistant Professor from the University of Canberra, and psychologist Jacqeline Naumovski. Interview by Rod.

 

You can read Dr Nemovski's Ask Fuzzy columns on tea and pectin.

@FuzzyLogicSci

Hepatitis is a tenacious disease, but with basic knowhow, it can be prevented.  And with new drugs it can be treated, but the cost is far higher.

Given the people at risk, it's as much a social issue as it is a health issue. It's one of the reasons that Hepatitis ACT Executive Director John Didlick has thrown his energy into the cause.

Interview by Rod at the Multicultural Festival in Canberra.

For more information, go to hepatitisact.com.au

At a time when we're facing so many dire threats, it's easy to give up and think we're powerless. In the face of such large forces, how can one person do anything?

It turns out there are lots of ways. Our guest today describes a few.

Simon Sheikh was driving force behind the Getup movement, and in 2013 was the Greens candidate in the ACT federal election. Now, he's founder and manager of Future Super.

Interview by Rod