Fuzzy Logic Science Show

Geoscience Saving the World

From melting ice sheets to endless floods and extreme storms, the news lately has been a bit bleak. But science is fighting back and giving us hope for better world. 

From up in space to deep beneath the Earth’s surface, scientists at Geoscience Australia in Canberra are working to make our planet more sustainable - through satellites whizzing above our heads to uncovering the low-emission fuels of the future underneath our feet.  

Dr Andrew Feitz and Dr Aleks Kalinowski are part of a team of hydrogen and low carbon gurus at Geoscience Australia, while Dr David Hudson is the Director, Satellite Programs at Geoscience Australia. Tune in to this episode to hear these amazing geoscientists talk to Broderick about how they're helping to save the world!

National Science Week 2022

This week Broderick discusses the many events happening across the ACT for National Science Week 2022. He's joined in the studio by Heidi from Kids Securiday, Peter from FungiCo and Prof Lara Malins from the Australian National University who each share some of the interesting science being showcased at their events.

National Science Week is from August 13 to 21 and event details can be found at www.scienceweek.net.au

Climate change and hope vs despair

Is the climate crisis a science problem? Not according to our speaker. Climate change is caused by people - us - and must be resolved by people. We have the tools if only we can use them.

In this talk with the Canberra Jung Society, Fuzzy Logic's Rod Taylor discusses the psychology of climate change and the other environmental problems.

What does it mean to have 'hope' and how do we convert despair into action?

These stories are inspired by his book Ten Journeys on a Fragile Planet.

With thanks to our friends at the Canberra Jung Society.

Banning Nuclear Weapons - Tilman Ruff

Tilman Ruff is one of the founders of the movement that has led to the creation of the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.  Here he speaks about how the world's nuclear weapons have the continuation of our civilisation balancing on a knifes edge and the treaty trying to bring an end to these weapons.

Recorded on 17 June

Interviewed by Tom

Science and comics with Stuart McMillen

This week Broderick talks to local Canberra cartoonist Stuart McMillen. Stuart uses intriguing real-life historical events, such as published science experiments, as the basis of his non-fiction comics.

This episode talks about comics as a form of science communication and explores "Rat Park" and Stuart's newest release "The Town Without Television". Find all of Stuart's work at www.stuartmcmillen.com

Archaeology in PNG - Ben Shaw

Ben Shaw is an archaeologist and  senior lecturer in the School of Culture History and Language at the ANU (Australian National University).  We talk about his work in Papua New Guinea.

Interviewed by Tom

Dangers of nuclear power - Tony Irwin

Tony Irwin is an Engineer that spent 30 years building nuclear power plants in the UK.  He now runs Australia's nuclear research reactor which he was in charge of building.  He also lecturers in nuclear science at the ANU.  I question him about my fears of nuclear power based on my very fuzzy understanding of the topic.  We also touch on the economics of nuclear power in a world moving away carbon dioxide polluting power generation.  

Interview by Tom

Links shared by Tony 

https://app.electricitymap.org/ Interactive map of countries worldwide and Australian States. See emissions/source of generation by technology/imports & exports. Carbon intensity/origin/cost for last 24 hrs. Good for comparing the approach of different countries to reducing emissions.

https://opennem.org.au/energy/nem/?range=3d&interval=30m Chart and data for the east coast National Electricity Market (NEM). Can see individual States over time intervals from 1 day to 1 year, output of different technologies and prices. Good for looking at maximum and minimum renewables generation and how much support is needed when the wind is not blowing and the sun not shining.

www.smrnuclear.com.au My company website. Some useful papers including The Case for SMRs in Australia and  A Just Transition to Low-Emissions Technology – Repowering Coal-fired Power Stations in Australia with SMRs

Contact Fuzzy Logic

To contact us about anything or If you have any questions for Tony that you would like us to air in a future episode please message us at our facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/FuzzyLogicSci/

Good cells , bad cells

Your body's immune system is a finely tuned and immensely complicated system to hunt down and destroy bad cells. No wonder it gets wrong sometimes! And when it does, you might end up with a condition like rheumatoid arthritis.

While exactly how it works, is still not known, it is clear that your lifestyle - diet, exercise etc plays a part. A healthy body seems less likely to attack itself.

Honours student Shweta Venkataraman and her supervisor Dr Chloe Goldsmith are investigating the link between diet, the immune system's T-cells and rheumatoid arthritis. In this conversation we learn how they're doing that, and the role of epigenetics.

If you want a look at how a lab study works, plus things about your own diet, you can be part of their research. Email:
Shweta Venkataraman   Shweta.Venkataraman@canberra.edu.au
Chloe Goldsmith   Chloe.Goldsmith@canberra.edu.au

Learn more here www.canberra.edu.au/about-uc/faculties/health/research/participate-in-a-research-study

 

Interview by Rod.

 

Tim Hollo - Australian Green Party

Tim Hollo is veteran climate campaigner and running as a Green for the seat of Canberra in the Australian Federal Election.  Tom discusses with Tim some aspects of Greens Party policy related to science and tech.  Amongst other things we talk about funding for scientific research, Australia's clean energy transition, nuclear energy, GMOs and patenting of living things.   

Rethinking economics and the limits to growth

Traditional economics treats our planet as an infinitely exploitable resource. Clearly that is impossible and already there are disturbing signs of a planet in distress.

But even if we ignore that, is endless growth really good for us? Where does it end?

When we talk briefly about MMT (Modern Monetary Theory), we refer to 'monetary sovereign' nations - for a definition, see Wikipedia.

 

Philip Lawn is Adjunct Professor at Torrens University, a Research Scholar at the Global Institute for Sustainable Prosperity, and a member of the Wakefield Futures Group (South Australia).

Interview by Rod as part of the series with authors in our book Sustainability and the New Economics.