Fuzzy Logic Science Show

Last week, millions of people worldwide participated in Women's Marches to raise awareness, celebrate diversity, and demand equality. Eleanor and Mitchell decided to show their support by discussing their favourite women in science. Tune in to learn about the women who pioneered X-ray crystallography, mapped the ocean floor, and literally wrote the book on bone microstructures. 

These are stories of scientists who not only performed world-changing research, but did so when everything was stacked against them. 

Note: Eleanor incorrectly states that Sally Ride was the first woman in space. She was the first woman astronaut (1983), but cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova went into space (piloting the Vostok 6) 20 years earlier. My apologies for the mix-up.

 

 

Welcome to 2017!

In this week's episode of Fuzzy Logic, Eleanor and Mitchell talk about cycles. Whether it's the 365 day cycle around the sun, complex cycles of precession and tilt that alter Earth's climate, or the Sun's natural cycle through high and low activity periods, these kinds of patterns are all around us.

Tune in to hear Mitchell's "New Years Resolution" and Eleanor try to explain that the Gregorian Calendar was *not* invented by a guy called Gregor.

 

 

It's our thoroughly non-Christmassy Christmas episode, and the last Fuzzy for 2016, so we're talking about colour in nature. Why are animals colourful? How did yellow patterns come to mean "please don't eat me, I'm poisonous, I promise" and how did tricksters come to mimic those patterns for their own ends?

Eleanor is joined in the studio by Thomas, (a biochemistry PhD student with an encyclopedic knowledge of the natural world and a penchant for awful puns), and Mitchell, who was probably a dinosaur in a previous life.

Enjoy, and Happy New Year from Fuzzy!

 

Today we take a short break from science to bring you a christmas wish. Whatever your creed, this is for you.

A personal story recorded by Rod for the ABC in 2006. May peace be with us all in 2017.

 

 

We caught up with Australia's former Chief Scientist, Professor Penny Sackett, and asked her about how we're dealing with looming climate change. Is there hope?

Interview by Rod at the recent BZE electric vehicle launch.

What's it like to lose your hearing? Our two guests today share their experiences as they struggle with hearing loss.

Sue Daw is from Better Hearing Canberra, and today Rod is on the other side of the microphone.

Interview by Christine Daniel from radio 1RPH

It's easy to love a panda, a monkey, or an beautifully coloured bird, but spare a thought for the humble fly.  These tireless workers aren't just the ones  that buzz around your bbq sausage. There's a huge range of species that eat aphids and pollinate flowers.

And now Canberra startup Goterra is turning Black Soldier Fly larvae into stock feed. Turn garbage into food, build an industry in Canberra, and slow the dumping of waste into land fille.

Dr Bryan (the Fly Guy) Lessard's mission is to celebrate the true worth of the fly. Read his story in Fuzzy Logic's Fairfax column.

Olympia Yarger from Goterra joins Bryan and Rod for today's celebration of flies.

Why do we like stories about scary beasts, and why did the US just vote for a man who promotes fear and anti-science?

The Trump story we quote is here.

Read our Ask Fuzzy on cats.

 

Brought to you by Rod with Phil Hore from the National Dinosaur Museum.

 

At the Living Green Festival in Canberra, our eye was caught by a curvaceous white object. It was a Tesla Powerwall, on display by the Power Saving Centre Canberra.  Energy consultant Ben Luton tells us how you might use solar technology to save money, and do something good for the environment.

Interview by Rod

Australian wildlife has been hit from all directions. Loss of habitat, fire, pests, and cats. The Australian Wildlife Conservancy is one organisation trying to save our native animals.

Senior ecologist for the North West, Dr James Smith tells about how the AWC is helping to fight extinction.

Interview by Rod