Pokemon thrips, and Night at the disease museum

download MP3
Ian Woolf reports on plasma jets and migraine shock therapy.
Therese Chen reports on developments Nano-medicine to treat Cerebral Palsy.
Julie-Anne Popple speaks to Dr James Gilbert about 'pokemon' thrips and David Cutting about making modern day mummies.
Finally, Julie-Anne Popple reports on her night at the Museum of Human Disease.

Hot locusts and digital contact lenses
Patrick Rubie reports the news:
- left handed sports
- zebra fish heart stem cells
- adventurers matched with scientists
Ian Woolf reports on Augmented Reality contact lenses and the EyeRing,
Julie-Anne Popple interviews Dr Fiona Clissold about temperature and metabolism in insects
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Digging for Cicadas, Glow-worms and Life on Mars
Therese Chen reports on the intelligence gene and life on mars.
On "Creature Features" Julie-Anne Popple talks about glow-worms and their brightly glowing bottoms.
For this weeks "In the name of science" Julie-Anne Popple interviews Dr Lindsay Popple about Digging for Cicadas.

Smart Sand, Video Glasses, Electric Universe
Larissa Savvas reports on Smart sand and breast cancer detection.
Julie-Anne Popple reports on the Royal Society's Science and the Media Forum.
Ian Woolf reports on the emergence of wearable cameras and computers from science fiction to reality,
Ian Woolf spoke with Wallace Thornhill about his Electric Universe paradigm.
Produced and presented by Ian Woolf

Starfish and talking corn
Therese Chen reports on zooplankton resistance, talking corn,
Ian Woolf reports on fracking versus carbon capture.
Ian Woolf speaks with Max Ott from NICTA about mobile video,
Julie-Anne Popple speaks with Dave McElroy about sea star sperm and climate change.
Presented and Produced by Ian Woolf
"Gravity" written and sung by Derek Muller,
"I am the very model of a Singularitarian" written and sung by Charlie Kam

Dave McElroy
Derek Muller
Charlie Kam
Super Vaccines, Meat Ice-cream & Bees!
Victoria Bond reports on a super vaccine against cancer.
Julie-Anne Popple reports on meat ice-cream and Free-loving Flipper.
On this weeks 'In the name of science', Julie-Anne Popple interviews Dr Trevor Wilson about staring at plant genitals.
Julie-Anne Popple speaks with Dr Jerome Buhl of the University of Sydney about the plight of the humble bee.
MMORPGs, fattening air & prostates
Therese Chen reports on fattening air,and deep voices,
Ian Woolf reports on baldness, prostate protection, and hard games.
Ian Woolf speaks with Geoff Batty of NICTA about peer to peer research into Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games.
Produced and presented by Ian Woolf

Trusted computing and ant beauticians
Julie-Anne Popple reports on new humans, Dr Frog, and Lego bones.
Ian Woolf interviews Kevin Elphinstone and Gerwin Klein from the Validated computing
project at NICTA,
Julie-Anne Popple speaks with Jerome Buhl of the University of Sydney about ants and make-up.
Produced and presented by Ian Woolf

Coral Art Life Science TV Eyes
Julie-Anne Popple visits the Coral Art Life Science Exhibition at he University of Sydney and speaks with:
science inspired artist Carmel Wallance, and
Dr Adrienne Grant about her research into copper and corals.
Ian Woolf continues his series from the NICTA research group, speaking with:
Nick Grant about software for the Bionic Eye that shows what's important,
Geoff Wang about the N.TV social television project that will bring the shows you like to your TV.
Music: A Little Bit by MJ Hibbert and the Validators
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

Phone fears, eco-kids and DNA nanopores
Larissa Savvas reports on nerve regeneration,
Ian Woolf speaks with Dr Maia Sauren about mobile phone safety,
Julie-Anne Popple asks Melissa Slarp about teaching kindergarten science,
Ian Woolf spoke with Geoff MacIntyre about DNA reading chips at the NICTA techfest.
A Little Bit, by MJ Hibbert and the Validators
Produced and Presented by Ian Woolf,
with technical support from Julie-Anne Popple

Kind meat, ant war and Techfest2012
Julie-Anne Popple talks about when ants go to war,
Larissa Savass vtalks about kindly cultured burgers,
Ian Woolf reports on the NICTA Techfest 2012, interviewing:
James Laird about electronic pain management,
Leif Hamlen about health data mining,
Leonid Ryzhyk about software writing software to control hardware
Julie-Anne Popple interviews Rick Shine about snake fishing.
Presented by Larissa Savvas,
Produced by Ian Woolf with technical support from Julie-Anne Popple

Freeze, wait, reanimate!
In this Cryonics special edition Ian Woolf speaks with immortalist Matt Fisher about freezing people after death for future resuscitation, and the state of Cryonics in Australia.
"Our Cryonic World" written and sung by Charlie Kam.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Stasis Systems Australia
Cryonics Association of Australasia

Matt Fisher

Charlie Kam




E-Cat, bionic bugs and 3 parents
Larissa Savvas reports on the prospect of having 3 parents,
Therese Chen reports on the suggestion of introducing megafauna to Australia,
Julie-Anne Popple reports on Cybernetics in the service of insect spies and augmenting people,
Ian Woolf interviews Ian Bryce about his Skeptical inquiries into Rossi's E-Cat power generator.
Produced and presented by Ian Woolf
Australian Skeptics
Boycotts, Tricorders and Everything
Larrissa Savas reports on Rett's Sydnrome,
Ian Woolf reports on the Tricorder X Prize,
Victoria Bond and Marc West discuss the History of Nearly Everything,
and the scientific boycott of Elsevier publications.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Pigs in Cyberspace!
Ian Woolf and Therese Chen discuss:
Pigs and humans collaborating in the virtual world,
Birds eaving illusions,
Robot farmers,
Google memory disorders,
Chocolate nuteceuticals,
Solar storms blow a good wind,
Pills to give you the benefits of strict diets.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

Pigs in Cyberspace!
Ian Woolf and Therese Chen discuss:
Pigs and humans collaborating in the virtual world,
Birds eaving illusions,
Robot farmers,
Google memory disorders,
Chocolate nuteceuticals,
Solar storms blow a good wind,
Pills to give you the benefits of strict diets.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

Exercise, censorship and mobiles

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Ian Woolf , Julie-Anne Popple and Therese Chen discuss: Hormones that give the weight-loss benefits of exercise, the internet blackout protest, what is the youngest age for owning a mobile phone? presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Polarity, courtrooms, chilli and weirdness
From the dusty vaults of 2003:
Christine Baker interviews Kip Williams from Macquarie University about courtroom psychology,
Keir Smith looks at retinal displays, and finds his Uncle John's sense of direction,
Adam Mark explains why pain can be a good thing,
Chris Stewart explores the weirdness of Physicists.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

Polarity, courtrooms, chilli and weirdness
From the dusty vaults of 2003:
Christine Baker interviews Kip Williams from Macquarie University about courtroom psychology,
Keir Smith looks at retinal displays, and finds his Uncle John's sense of direction,
Adam Mark explains why pain can be a good thing,
Chris Stewart explores the weirdness of Physicists.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

Brain magnets, junk DNA and nyphomania
Tim Baynes speaks to Eva Ferados about using brain magnets to switch off HIS brain functions, during the interview,
Amanda Hamilton interviews Dr Malcom Simons about patenting junk DNA,
Adam Mark investigates what happens when people become addicted to sex,
Chris Stewart explains the psychology of MP3s.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

Grave chemistry, anti-gravity, attractive armpits and rising sap!
Memory pill research from 2011 by Ian Woolf
Unearthed from 2003 are:
Tim Baynes reporting on the strange tale of Anti-gravity and the disappearing researchers,
an interview by Tim Baynes with Dr Boyd Dent about his 2003 PhD into the geochemistry of cemeteries,
An investigation from Marian Curruthers on the role of the male armpit in human sexual attraction,
Keir Smith explores the mystery of how sap reaches the tops of trees.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

The 2005 science trivia special fresh from Alaska
The ghost of Diffusions Xmas past! Listen to a classic from the vaults: the 2005 Christmas special!
It was an eventful time - we were served a "Cease and Desist order" from using the name "Discovery", and we discovered we had an audience in an Alaskan community radio station.
Quiz-master Chris Stewart plays the Schroedinger Cats against the Pavlov's dogs, with everything to win in a game of science trivia.
Playing are: Ian Woolf, Noel Hannah, Natalie Staib, Matt Clarke, Phil Dooley, Jacqui Hayes, Jacqui Pfeffer, Matt Francis and Adam Richardson.

People puppets and molecular synthesis
Ian Woolf asks Dr Andrew McDonagh about making molecules,
Ian Woolf reports on the latest presentation of people doing strange things with electricity,
Therese Chen describes abusive boobies,
Ian Woolf reports on hacking your brain with light.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
title="Michaela Davies - Subsoma by iwoolf, on Flickr">
width="500" height="375" alt="Michaela Davies - Subsoma ">
Cricket balls and Climate Fix Flicks
Julie-Anne Popple speaks with Dr James Gilbert about cricket testicles,
Ian Woolf speaks with Professor Ann Henderson-Sellers about the Climate Fix Flicks competition,
News by Larissa Savvas and Julie-Anne Popple:
- Solar paint
- Wasp to know
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

Corpse power and blood pressure genes
Brigid Mullane interviews Professor Brian Morris about the genes for Hypertension,
Larissa Savvas explores human corpses as renewable energy,
Julie-Anne Popple talks timed turtles,
Ian Woolf reports on printed bones and wireless sperm.
Produced and presented by Ian Woolf

Cockroaches, crabs and kindness
Larissa Savvas reports on how we detect people with the kindness gene, and how crabs sense danger despite being only able to see blobs,
Patrick Rubie reports on how promiscuous sparrows have less fit chicks,
Julie-Anne Popple reports on Orb weaver pest control.
Wendy Zukcer tells a story about cockroaches at home.
Presented by Victoria Bond,
Produced by Ian Woolf

Meat, and 200 million year old art
Victoria Bond, Ian Woolf and Therese Chen discuss:
How much meat can an Eco-citizen eat?
The LHC may explain why there is more matter than ant-matter,
200 hundred million year old art may be from a 30 metre squid,
The human genome may be smaller than we thought,
The Fukushima nuclear disaster not as bad as feared.
Presented by Victoria Bond,
Produced by Ian Woolf
Sexy Smells and parasite overlords
Martin Faccini reports on the dopamine brain control mechanisms of our parasite overlords,
Patrick Rubie reports on the science of sexy perfumes,
News by Ian Woolf:
- test tube artificial brain passes quiz
- Airdrop brings water from thin air
- aging in cells of children suffering Progeria is reversed
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

Sunstones, chocolate and rain-making
Patrick Rubie reports on the ancient crystal navigation technology of the Vikings,
Ian Woolf reports on anti-cancer and chocolate therapies for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,
Mic Cavazzini interviews Scott Peak from Australian Rain Technologies.
Discussion from Therese Chen.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Disgusting politics and drought resistance
Ian Woolf explains the neuropolitics of left and right wing brains,
Mic Cavazzini interviews Professor Jim Hasselof about the consequences of genetically engineering drought resistant crops,
News by Ian Woolf:
- red plumage vanishing from Chernobyl
- Global Handwashing Day
- Backup crows
- mushrooms opening minds
- nice patients hurt less
- Tasmanian tigers didn't eat sheep
- Immigration delay disorder
- OCD romance
- Roller coaster therapy
- Muzak kills the cold
- Dog fleas jump higher
- Onion power
- Dandelion rubber
Presented by Dr Julie-Anne Popple.
Produced by Ian Woolf
Malaria vaccine and photosynthesis
Dr Victoria Bond reports on the new Malaria vaccine,
Dr Julie-Anne Popple speaks with Dr Min Chen about photosynthesis,
News by Dr Patrick Rubie and Ian Woolf
- parrot's names
- IQ changes in adolescence
- Your brain doesn't tell you everything it knows
- temperature targets in trouble
- fork size matters when you eat out
- Denmark taxes rich food
- snails travel by being eaten
Presented by Marc West,
Produced by Dr Victoria Bond, with technical support from Ian Woolf.
Dr Min Chen
Protein, penicillin and parasites

download MP3
The Ignobel prizes reported by Ian Woolf, discussion from Therese Chen and Julie-Anne Popple.
Victoria Bond talks penicillin shortages with Professor Robert Bhoy,
Julie-Anne Popple interviews Professor Steve Simpson and Dr Alsion Gosby about the protein hypothesis for obesity,
Jams Bourne introduces mind altering parasites, and Ian Woolf explains the brain pathways they use to manipulate their hosts,
Hosted LIVE by Dr Julie-Anne Popple,
Produced by Ian Woolf
Labile languages and remembering Steve Jobs
Patrick Rubie discusses an immunological breakthrough in organ transplant technology. Victoria Bond commemorates Steve Jobs.
Patrick Rubie and Victoria Bond speak to John Olstad, of the University of Newcastle, about his work in the fields of linguistics and cognitive anthropology in Papua New Guinea, and the mathematical models used to better understand them.
Hosted, paneled, and produced by Victoria Bond

Stelarc and Artificial Brains
Therese Chen reports on Faster Than Light Neutrinos, and cats that shine in nightclubs.
From the Singularity Summit Australia, Ian Woolf speaks to Artifical Brain builder Colin Hales,
and the amazing transhuman performance artist Stelarc.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Performance Artist Stelarc
Axis of eating and Secrets of Chocolate
Lindsey Gray reports on the Axis of Internal Well-being,
Julie-Anne Popple reports on being locked up with plants,
Ian Woolf interviews Galit Segev about the Secrets of Chocolate,
Victoria Bond interviews Dorothee Bond about managing Heath care in the Republic of Congo
Presented by Julie-Anne Popple,
Produced by Ian Woolf with technical support by Therese Chen

Galit Segev
Artificial Intelligence and windy assassins
Dr Julie-Anne Popple reports on the assassin bug's windy tricks,
Ian Woolf discusses a 13 year old boy's solar invention with Victoria Bond,
and the release of genetically modified mosquitoes with Dr Julie-Anne Popple
Ian Woolf interviews Dr Ben Goertzal at the Singularity Summit Australia about his research into Artificial Intelligence and the Singularity,
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf with technical support by Therese Chen

Singularity Institute Australia
Ben Goertzal
Synthetic organisms and cloud-busting
Ian Woolf and Victoria Bond discuss this week's news: infectious disease and IQ variations, laser cloud busting, and electronic temporary tattoos.
Dr. Mic Cavazzini is back, and he asks Prof. Haslehof of Cambridge University about designing synthetic organisms.
Paneled by Therese Chen, hosted and produced by Victoria Bond

Seagrasses, Art and Maggots
No manned space craft for the International Space station rescue by Victoria Bond
Art meets Science at the Powerhouse Museum by Ian Woolf,
Professor Pinas talks about maggot therapy with Victoria Bond,
Eureka prize nominee Dr Peter Macreadie explains the importance of seagrasses,
Presented by Dr Julie-Anne Popple,
Produced by Ian Woolf

Seagrass Inc
Hormoned beef and fracked farming
Patrick Rubie chimes in with this week's news: bacteria as a solution to dengue fever, and harnessing kinetic energy to power up your mobile phone.
Victoria Bond and Martin Facini discuss the potential and hazards in coal seam gas mining.
Finally, Brigid Mullane interviews Ian Lean about hormones in beef: why do we use them?
Hosted, paneled, and produced by Victoria Bond

A Social Experiment
Mic Cavazzini chats with Professor Simon Gaechter from the University of Nottingham about why we humans just can't co-operate with one another- before putting our panelists through Gaechter's Public Goods Game to see just how selfish we all are.
Dr Julie-Anne Popple brings you the latest on morphing moths.
Presented by Victoria Bond
Produced by James Bourne

Bones, Devils and Mind Control
Ian Woolf talks to Professor Bruce Milthorpe about tissue engineering using coral,
Mic Cavazzini chats with Dr Janine Deakin about immunity in Tasmanian devils, and James Bourne takes a look at the latest news on the mind controlling parastie, Toxoplasma gondii.
Presented by Dr Julianne Popple
Produced by James Bourne

Lizard babies and exploding stars
Dr Julie-Anne Popple interviews Brigid Murphy about her discovery that lizards live births illuminate the evolution of cancer,
Ian Woolf speaks to Dr Martin van Kerkwijk about his research in new types of supernovas and neutron stars,
News by Therese Chen, Victoria Bond, Mic Cavazzini and Ian Woolf
Glassing research for better forsensics,
Gasland film showing in Sydney,
Synthetic Biology lecture in Sydney,
Live Futures Festival in Sydney,
Robot Wars in Sydney
Presented by Mic Cavazzini,
Produced by Ian Woolf
Enquiry based learning and Hendra
Associate Professor Les Kirkup spoke to Ian Woolf about how to make lab classes more interesting,
James Bourne, Mic Cavazzini and Ian Woolf discuss the Hendra virus news.
Presented by James Bourne,
Produced by Ian Woolf

Inquiry-oriented learning in science: transforming practice through forging new partnerships and perspectives
I love that word, Meltdown
Ian Woolf tells us about the latest and greatest in stem cell organ transplant.
Victoria Bond, Ian Woolf, and Martin Faccini speak to to Matt Dawson, the amateur astronomer who named the recently discovered planetoid "255073: victoriabond".
Martin Faccini gives us an update on the Fukushima meltdown.
Hosted, paneled, and produced by Victoria Bond.
Minor Planet Ephemeris Service: Query Results
Below are the results of your request from the Minor Planet Center's Minor Planet Ephemeris Service. Ephemerides are for the geocenter.
(255073) Victoriabond
Display all designations for this object / Show naming citation / # of variant orbits available = 3
Perturbed ephemeris below is based on 6-opp elements from MPO 184828. Last observed on 2010 Dec. 13.
Discovery date : 2005 10 30
Discovery site : Cote de Meuse
Discoverer(s) : Dawson, M.
Citation for (255073)
The following citation is from MPC 75550:
(255073) Victoriabond = 2005 UR8
Victoria Bond is the popular Australian science radio presenter of
"Diffusion Science Radio". Her catchphrase "Planetoid! I love that
word!" and accurate astronomy coverage have endeared her to listeners
worldwide.

Lactating insects and handy fish
Dr Julie-Anne Popple interviews Dr James Gilbert about insects that look after their young,
News by Therese Chen
- tool use by fish
- magpies kill other magpies chicks
- warm blooded dinosaurs
Presented by Victoria Bond,
Produced by Ian Woolf

Expanding Universe, Zombie ladybugs
Professor Robert Kirshner speaks to Ian Woolf about supernovas and the accelerating expanding universe,
News by Dr Popple and Therese Chan:
- Greenhouse wallabies
- giant wombats
- horny bugs are loud
- zombie ladybugs
Presented by Therese Chan,
Produced by Ian Woolf
/zombie_ladybug.jpg>
Anatomical anomalies and Cane toads
Ian Woolf speaks with Dr Robert Quinby about his discovery of a third type of supernova,
Victoria Bond speaks with Dr Adam Freeman about Anatomical variations,
Julie-Anne Popple speaks with Professor Rick Shine about cane toad research,
News by Victoria Bond and Julie-Anne Popple:
- Ocean acidification report released
- Surge in QLD turtle deaths
- Tau day?
- Pig Poo Pond Power
Presented by Victoria Bond
Produced by Ian Woolf

Birds and the bees and mint
Julie-Anne Popple, Victoria Bond and Ian Woolf speak with Botanist Dr Trevor Wilson about pollenation and mint,
Julie-Anne Popple reports the news:
- Cervical cancer vaccination
- Greenhouse data shared by CSIRO online
- new CSIRO solar hot air power station opened
- sensory hairs help bats fly more precisely
Presented by Victoria Bond,
Produced by Ian Woolf

Let's talk about X... and exits
Victoria Bond speaks to Dr. Jacqui McPhee about her experiences in ICU and palliative care, and end of life care,
Ian Woolf and Julianne Popple discuss Terry Pratchet's endorsement of euthanasia,
Mic Cavazzini speaks to Professor Jenny Graves of the Australian National University about marsupials, and what they can tell us about our own genome.
Hosted by Ian Woolf, paneled and produced by Victoria Bond

Terminal Decline and Zero Emissions
Victoria Bond spoke to Prof. Mohammed Khadra about his latest book, Terminal Decline. They also spoke about end of life care, and the strained Australian health budget.
Ian Woolf and Julianne Popple discuss their thoughts on end of life care and euthanasia.
Marc West interviews Beyond Zero Emissions Australia, about climate change, science, and policy.
Presented and produced by Victoria Bond

Picture: The Gemasolar baseload solar power tower in Spain.
Phone cancer and giant cuttlefish
Ian Woolf, Julianne Popple, and Victoria Bond discuss mobile phones' upgrade in carcinogenicity category by the WHO.
Ian Woolf and Patrick Rubie talk about all the threats against giant cuttlefish.
Panelled, hosted, and produced by Victoria Bond

Darwinius and Zombie Fish
Everyone on the team was either sick or away this week, so we bring you the May 25th show from 2009:
Ian Woolf interviews Associate Professor Graham Nicholson about Ciguatera zombie fish poison,
Darwinius, science and the media by Victoria Bond, with discussion from Kalvin Ng and Ian Woolf,
News by Kalvin Ng
- territory disputes over underwater minerals
- tortured mocking birds
- showering ducks
News by Victoria Bond
- Getting Down with cancer
- asthma can be caused by eczema
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Fear pathways and vampire allergies
Mic Cavazzini interviews Dr Tim Bredy from the Queensland Brain Institute about post traumatic stress disorder,
Patrick Rubie reports:
- Peanuts eaten by donors can hurt blood transfusion recipients,
- Planets without stars observed by gravitational micro-lensing,
- Coal seam gas drilling for residential Sydney,
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

HIV vaccine, Sponge music, casual sex
Victoria Bond reports on the latest HIV Vaccines,
Ian Woolf interviews Martin Marier about his sponge musical instrument at Dorkbot,
Ian Woolf and Patrick Rubie discuss research into casual sex,
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf


Circadian rhythms and sperm teasing
Victoria Bond interviews Professor Ian Hickie about circadian rhythms and depression,
Patrick Rubie reports on:
- Sperm teasing
- big tobacco cures starvation
- asteroid dust and the origins of life
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

Bionic Eyes and Synthetic Biology
Associate Professor Gregg Suaning shares his Bionic Vision with Ian Woolf,
Ian Woolf explores Synthetic Biology, and would he would do with access to a wet printer.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

Driver Fatigue and Ury's Night

MP3 download
Victoria Bond celebrates 50 years of human space travel,
Ian Woolf interviews Dr Sara Lal and Diarmuid Kavanagh about stopping tiredness killing people,
News by Patrick Rubie:
- safe injecting cuts overdoses
- premature pregnancy evolves
- NASA finds medicines stored in space become inactive
Presented by Victoria Bond,
produced by Victoria Bond and Ian Woolf
Protect Research Rally and 3 blind mice
Ian Woolf visits the protest rally against proposed medical research budget cuts, and interviews:
Bettina Arndt, Bill Ferris, Judy Black, and Andrea MacFarland.
Patrick Rubie with the latest medical research news: Blindness, Schizophrenia and Depression.
Produced and presented by Ian Woolf
Fukushima special!
Victoria Bond asks Ian Woolf to explain what radiation is, anyway.
Martin Faccini cuts through the spook to get down to the bottom of health risks surrounding the meltdown.
Finally, a Diffusion panel discussion about levels of exposure and radiation hormesis.
Paneled by Ian Woolf, produced by Victoria Bond.

Handwashing, meltdown and nanocooling
Victoria Bond gets the scoop from Ian Woolf on the nuclear reactor situation in Japan and asks, what is a meltdown, exactly?
Victoria Bond speaks to Adam Freeman about why surgeons get so passionate about hand hygiene.
Ian Woolf speaks to Geoff Smith about nanophotonics, and cooling.
Presented and produced by Victoria Bond,
with technical support from Ian Woolf

Smart Windows and Morton's Demon
Peter Bowditch, of ratbags.com, discusses "Confirmation bias, denialism and
Morton's Demon".
Professor Geoff Smith spoke to Ian Woolf about how nano-photonics
can be used for smart clothes and smart windows.
Presented by Ian Woolf,
Produced by Victoria Bond
Geoff Smith

TB Day and CSIRO Vacations
Kate Barnard speaks to students in the CSIRO Vacation Scholarship Program,
Victoria Bond talks about World Tuberculosis Day,
Ian Woolf interviews Professor Geoff Smith about the importance of Nanophotonics to environmental energy flows,
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf



Bryan Huang (pics at http://www.scienceimage.csiro.au/mediarelease/mr11-08.html):
Follow that blimp! Bryan Huang has built a doughnut shaped blimp to guide people from reception to meeting rooms in the CSIRO building in Pullenvale, Queensland. Check out this YouTube video to see how it works.

Nice to tweet you! Cassie Hill has been working on finding communities within groups of Twitter users.
Tarek Elgindy is working on a computer program that automatically analyses mammogram images to classify breast density; women with higher density breasts are at a higher risk of breast cancer and are also more prone to misdiagnosis.

Some of the Sydney-based CSIRO vacation students can’t contain their enthusiasm for all things technological, astronomical and mathematical
First computers and Radio mashups
Peter Bowditch describes Australia's first computer science,
Smooth by Derek Muller,
Ian Woolf talks with Balint Seeber about radio-frequency mashups,
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Balint's main website: http://spench.net/
Balint's Radio-frequency map: http://maps.spench.net/rf/

Smart Bras and cheesey pickup lines
Smart Bras and cheesey pickup lines
Phillipe Perez interviews Dr Timothy C. Nielsen about the Smart Bra
News by Ian Woolf
-BBC saved by Bit Torrent,
-Electro-shock body armour,
-Mulchable PC cases,
-Solar roads,
-Singularity Summit Australia 2011,
-Jurassic Lounge,
-Cheesey pickup lines have a purpose
Gravity by Derek Muller,
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

Nuclear medicine and the Singularity
What is the technological Singularity?
I'm Atoms by Derek Muller
Can medical radioisotopes be made without reactors and without Uranium?
Singularitarian by Charlie Cam
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Unfair reporting and DNA Poetry
Free internet for everyone by Ian Woolf
Electronic glasses by Ian Woolf
DNA poetry by Ian Woolf,
How not to be fair and balanced, and why never to debate, by Peter Bowditch
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Fire and Transhumanism
Invisibility - all done with mirrors by Ian Woolf,
Kate Grimwood talks with Ian Woolf about her science of Fire Investigation PhD,
An introduction to Transhumanism by Ian Woolf,
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Death by Chocolate!
What is the lethal dose of chocolate?
Prayer and the neurology of scepticism,
Seduction while you sleep,
Caffeine makes you suggestible,
DNA altered by the mind,
Elderly made young by accident,
Does a duck's quack echo?
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Science of Romance special
Matthew Hall and Melinda Hall King discuss the psychology of human courtship,
Ian Woolf reports how women can unconsciously read an attractive man's face,
Matthew and Melinda discuss the psychology of the first kiss and compliments.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Full attention and half-sunglasses
Whistling caterpillars,
bug zappers powered by the bugs they zap,
fluoridated water can hurt children's teeth,
Gotham partners announce they will profile EVERYBODY,
Peer Review by the Peer Review Players,
Paying attention can lose you weight and make you happy,
The Woolf-Pulfrich effect - 3D and antidepressant!
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

Skin hunger and mouse Draculas
Matthew Hall and Melinda Hall King explain to Ian Woolf why men in our culture suffer from skin hunger,
Ian Woolf explores research rejuvenating old mice with the blood of young glowing mice,
Professor Joe Silk talks to Ian Woolf about the search for Dark matter, and why invisible things are important.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

(image via Life, craftiness and everything else)
Mating dance, Vitamin C and Coal
Matthew Hall and Melinda Hall-King share their wisdom on the human mating dance,
Ian Woolf revisits the link between vitamins and sexual behaviour,
and revisits how the coal industry could be saved by solar power.
Produced and presented by Ian Woolf
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Lifelogging and fake meat
Record your life with life-logging. Do you care about privacy on the
internet? Would you eat fake meat?
Discussion by Ollie Barrand, Catherine Beahag, Marc West and Aaron Cook.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Sperm Wars and Santa Science
Marc West and Bianca Nogrady revisit the Science of Santa from 2009,
Ian Woolf discusses Robin Baker's Sperm Wars with Aaron Cooke and Daniel Keogh
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Tsunami warning and Greentech awards
Ian Woolf interviews Marianne Menictas about her tsunami warning modelling to save the most people for the least cost.
from 2006 Matt Clarke talks about semen allergies with out-takes,
from 2006 Marc West explains cricket psychology,
Ian Woolf reports from the Consensus Greentech Awards
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

Younger mice and spider invasions
Marc West speaks to Dr Cor Vink about the invasion of foreign spiders to New Zealand
Ian Woolf reports on the reversal of aging in Harvard lab mice,
News from MX read by Ian Woolf:
- private company reaches orbit
- Japanese spacecraft misses Venus, but will try again
- stem cells repair spinal injury in small monkey
- One flu jab for life
- facebook page leads to brain surgery
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

Neutron bombs, GM apples and Zanzibar
Lachlan Whatmore looks back over the history of neutron bombs,
Victoria Bond reports on apples genetically modified to hide spoilage,
discussion from Marc West, Peta Waller-Bryant, Ian Woolf, Phillipe Perez, Victoria Bond and Lachlan Whatmore.
News by Phillipe Perez
- more stars means less dark matter
- US builds flying transformer trucks
Presented by Marc West
Produced by Ian Woolf,
buttons pressed by Victoria Bond
Real Doctors eat Breakfast
Victoria Bond checks in with some new evidence of a Universe before
the Big Bang.
Marc West interviews Kylie Smith on a recently published study which
outlines possible long term risks involved in skipping your daily
breakfast.
Lachlan Whatmore spoke to Dr. Cassandra Meirs, and Dr. William
Halford, on the trials and tribulations of obtaining a PhD.

Addict detention and child enhancement
Ian Woolf summarises Robert Sparrow's talk "The Not-so-New Eugenics: The Harsh Logic of human enhancement", about the ethics of child enhancing technology, from the Singularity Summit, Australia,
Victoria Bond interviews Dr Fisher from Nepean hospital about the ethics of psychiatrically detaining drug addicts,
News by Victoria Bond and Ian Woolf
- LHC makes antimatter
- Bacterial glue heals buildings
Presented by Phillipe Perez
Produced by Ian Woolf,
with technical support from Victoria Bond

Genescient Healthy old age
Ian Woolf reports from the Singularity Summit on Gregory Benford's Genescient research into preventing the diseases of old age using genomics and artificial intelligence to produce evolutionary nutrigenomics that may allow a healthy old age, with discussion from Marc West and Charles Willock.
News by Ian Woolf
- Gummi bear hacking,
- Chatbots argue on twitter,
- evolving weeds beat Monsanto
Presented by Marc West,
Produced by Ian Woolf
Ian's photos of his presentation as a slideshow
Herpes, Dengue fever and Marijuana
Lachlan Whatmore interviews Bill Halford of
Southern Illinois University about his cutting edge research on the
upcoming Herpes vaccine.
In a similar vein, Victoria Bond tracks Robert Booy down to discuss
the ongoing development on the Dengue Fever vaccine, and the impact of
this disease worldwide.
Finally, Victoria Bond speaks to Maree Teesson of the National Drug and
Alcohol Centre about the relationship between cannabis and
schizophrenia.

Hosted by Lachlan Whatmore. <br/>Paneled and produced by Victoria Bond.
Amniotic eggs and Surpizing technologies

MP3 download
On this edition of Diffusion, Ian Woolf brings back surprizing tidings from
the Singularity Summit in Melbourne, Australia.
Newly uncle'd Lachlan Whatmore delves into the evolutionary marvel
that are amniotic eggs.
Hosted, paneled, and produced by Victoria Bond, with support from
Patrick Rubie.

Of madness, love, and melted space ships

MP3 download

Victoria Bond covers this week's news.
Victoria Bond interviews Professor Anthony Harris on attachment theory
and the development of healthy relationships.
Marc West keeps slugging through Science Week questions, namely: how
close does a space ship have to be to the sun to melt?
Hosted and paneled by Marc West, produced by Victoria Bond.
SETI: Our friends in space
You get two Diffusion shows for the price of one this week!
Marc West discusses Gliese 581 and its prospects for life, and the text messages sent last year from Earth, with Victoria Bond and Ian Woolf.
Ian Woolf explains James Benford's way of rethinking the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence based on thinking about how an alien would build a beacon and what it would look like, 50 years after we started looking. Discussion with Victoria and Marc.
Presented by Marc West. Panelled by Ian Woolf. Produced by Victoria Bond.
SETI Live Subscriber Drive
You get two Diffusion shows for the price of one this week! This is the live 2SER subscriber drive edition, where we ask listeners to kick in a few dollars to help 2SER keep broadcasting.
Marc West discusses Gliese 581 and its prospects for life, and the text messages sent last year from Earth, with Victoria Bond and Ian Woolf.
Ian Woolf explains James Benford's way of rethinking the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence based on thinking about how an alien would build a beacon and what it would look like, 50 years after we started looking. Discussion with Victoria and Marc.
Presented by Marc West. Panelled by Ian Woolf. Produced by Victoria Bond.
Ig Nobels 2010 and Artilects 3
This is the pre-recorded version of Diffusion that was broadcast on the Community Radio Network. There is a second live subscriber drive edition for this date.
Ian Woolf and Marc West discuss the Ig Nobels awarded by the Annals of Improbable Research,
Ian Woolf concludes his interview with Hugo De Garis about his vision of the impending war between those who would build massively intelligent machines and those who would stop them at all costs, at the Singularity Summit Australia, in Melbourne. Discussion with Marc West.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Plankton and the Artilect War
Ian Woolf speaks to Hugo De Garis about the implications of being able to build god-like massively super-intelligent machines at the Singularity Summit Australia in Melbourne.
Lachlan Whatmore explains the phytoplankton crisis.
Presented and Produced by Ian Woolf
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Gene modified salmon and Sexy dancing
Victoria Bond reports on the legalisation of genetically modified salmon and its Frankenfish implications, leading a panel discussion with Marc West, Phillipe Perez and Ian Woolf.
Ian Woolf describes the male dance moves that sexually attract women, and discusses the science with Melinda Hall King and Matthew Hall.
Presented by Phillipe Perez, and produced by Ian Woolf.
Vote in our genetically modified fish poll
BSD Sex and Beady-Eyed Agents
Lachlan Whatmore reports on the chocolate genome
Marc West and Darren Osborne discuss the science of sex in the pub,
Ian Woolf interviews Dr Michael Georgeff about Rational Artificial Intelligence, at the Singularity Summit Australia
Presented by Bonnie Yiu
Produced by Ian Woolf

Sports at altitude and Jacob Bronowski
Victoria Bond presents this week's news.
Marc West interviews Chris Gore about why athletes train at high altitude.
Lachlan Whatmore commemorates the late, great Jacob Bronowski.
Hosted by Marc West, produced by Victoria Bond

Wave energy and the Coming Famine
Victoria Bond covers this week's news: helium shortages, revolutionary tuberculosis testing and a suggestion to take a walk and leave the ipod at home.
Joel Werner investigates the newest contender for green energy: wave power!
Victoria Bond spoke to Julian Cribb about his newest book, the Coming Famine, and he explains why we are heading for major food crises within the next 50 years.
Hosted and produced by Victoria Bond, paneled by Jesus Tarbay.
DIY EMP, Putin and Sunlight
Ian Woolf speaks to Leigh Russell at Dorkbot. Leigh explodes a hydrogen filled condom to cause an Electromagnetic pulse that reboots a computer. He moves beads with sound and brings non-Newtonian fluids to life.
Listener question: Is sunlight behind glass just as good as outside? answered by Ian Woolf
News
- President Putin's views on the science of whaling and climate change by Lachlan Whatmore
- How Grapefruit could make you pregnant by Ian Woolf
Presented by Lachlan Whatmore,
Produced by Ian Woolf
Photic sneezing and a naked scientist
Victoria Bond and Ian Woolf cover this week's news.
Marc West spoke to Dr. Louis Ptacek for even more about photic sneezing.
Lachlan Whatmore gets down to the bottom of what a breed is, exactly.
Bonnie Yu interviews Chris "The Naked Scientist" Smith about climate
change and its impact on Australia.
Hosted, paneled and produced by Victoria Bond.

Science Week special 2010

MP3 download
The Diffusion Science Week special, coming to you from the Ultimo Science Festival. We tackle the questions you have asked us over the last few weeks.
Why do I sneeze at the Sun?
What would something look like if it was travelling at the speed of light?
Why do sportsmen train at altitude?
Why do previously overweight people have trouble keeping the weight off?
We ask the experts to get the real answers to these questions and more
Questions answered by Victoria Bond and Ian Woolf
Produced and hosted by Marc West
Brown science, Solar cells, horse tale
Aaron Cook presents this weekâs juicy news.
Lachlan Whatmore finishes off his trilogy tribute to horse evolution. Marc West grills Senator Bob Brown, leader of the Green Party, about his partyâs stand on science in the upcoming election, and Brigid Mullane interviews Rod Seares about the cost effectiveness of solar pannels in Australia.
Panneled, presented and produced by Victoria Bond in the studios of 2SER in Sydney.

Power tool orchestra, self attraction?
Ian Woolf speaks to Fred Rodrigues with his power tools orchestra at Dorkbot Sydney,
Lachlan Whatmore brings us part 2 of the evolution of the horse,
News by Victoria Bond
- Dogs can't help imitating people
- Social networks help you live longer
- are people most attracted to those that look like themselves?
Presented by Lachlan Whatmore,
Produced by Ian Woolf with technical support from Victoria Bond




Rare Earth, Horses, Nano-wires
Brigid Mullane interviews Dr Matthew James about rare earth minerals from mines to electronics,
Lachlan Whatmore begins part 1 of the evolution of the horse,
Ian Woolf interviews Professor Matthew Phillips about nano-wires and LEDs
Presented and panelled by Marc West,
Produced by Ian Woolf
2My Old & New World Equus
\ | /
\ | /
4My Hippidion Equus Stylohipparion
| | Neohipparion Hipparion Cormohipparion
| | Astrohippus | | |
| | Pliohippus ---------------------------
12My Dinohippus Calippus \ | /
| | Pseudhipparion \ | /
| | | |
------------------------------------------- Sinohippus
15My \ | / |
\ | / Megahippus |
17My Merychippus | |
| Anchitherium Hypohippus
| | |
23My Parahippus Anchitherium Archeohippus
| | |
(Kalobatippus?)-----------------------------------------
25My \ | /
\ | /
|
35My |
Miohippus Mesohippus
| |
40My Mesohippus
|
|
|
45My Paleotherium |
| Epihippus
| |
Propalaeotherium | Haplohippus
| | |
50My Pachynolophus | Orohippus
| | |
| | |
------------------------------
\ | /
\ | /
55My Hyracotherium

Female physicists and belly button dynamics
Victoria Bond spoke to Aileen Woo about gender equity at the University of NSW's physics department,
Lachlan Whatmore explores the underwater Hudson Canyon,
Victoria Bond spoke to Robert Booy about the importance of vaccine compliance, and the downfall of the AVN.
News by Ian Woolf, Marc West, and Victoria Bond
Produced, panelled and presented by Victoria Bond

Beauty and the Geek, and Homeopathy
Victoria Bond and Lachlan Whatmore speak to the Australian Beauty and the Geek reality TV show,
Victoria Bond and Ian Woolf discuss the UK de-funding of Homeopathic hospitals,
News By Victoria Bond
- bird brains are like ours
- cold, cold antimatter
- addictive romantic rejection
Presented by Ian Woolf
Produced by Lachlan Whatmore and Ian Woolf
Panelled by Marc West
Sexual selection and the bionic eye
Marc West continues his interview with Professor Rob Brook about sexual selection in evolution,
The latest Bionic Eye development is explained to Ian Woolf by Nianjun Liu and Paullette Lieby of NICTA
Presented and panelled by Ian Woolf
Produced by Marc West

The output of the bionic eye which can be seen on the screen on the top right corner. The output is a 32x32 grid with the intensity of each pixel giving depth, ie, closer is brighter.
(Credit: Chris Duckett/ZDNet.com.au)
Sex Evolution and Technological Art
Marc West interviews Professor Rob Brook about sexual selection in evolution.
Ian Woolf participates in a technological art workshop to build an interactive sculpture with artist Ian Burns, and talks with participants Neil McGann, Bharti Patel, Liz O'Reilly and Julie Ashcroft.
Cognitive Bias song by Brad Wray
Presented and panelled by Marc West,
Produced by Ian Woolf
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Cognitive Load and Vision Revolution

MP3 download
Ian Woolf speaks with Dr Bo Yin about how your voice can betray to software how hard you are concentrating,
The Vision Revolution by Mark Changizi reviewed by Ian Woolf with commentary by Aaron Cooke and Daniel Keogh,
News by Marc West
- Obesity ruins your sexual health
- Whales are carbon negative
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Solar racing and toxoplasma
Alexandra Bulgakov talks with Ian Woolf about the UNSW Solar powered racing car,
Victoria Bond talk about Toxoplasmosis Gondii,
News by Victoria Bond,
Presented by Marc West,
Produced by Victoria Bond
find out more about the SunSwift UNSW Solar Racing team
Trigeneration and Sports networks
Aaron Cooke reports on Sydney Council's plan for 85% efficient gas trigeneration power plants for Sydney,
Ian Woolf speaks with Lief Hamlin about sports networks from NICTA,
News by Marc West
- Pacific Islands unihabitable but above water in 100 years
- Caffeine alertness is an illusion of addiction
- soil bacteria makes you temporarily smarter
- ultrasound blast to the testicles for contraception
Presented and Produced by Ian Woolf
R.I.P. Martin Gardner and Rover Phoenix
Diffusion remembers the wondrous Martin Gardner and his contribution to science education.
Aaron Cook commemorates Rover Phoenix after a long slog on Mars.
News by Aaron Cook, Marc West, and Victoria Bond.
Presented by Sarah Bartlett, produced by Victoria Bond.

Sexy Greys and Super-planes
Ian Woolf, Dan Keogh and Aaron Cook examine:
- super planes that use 50% less fuel
- how male antelopes fake predator warnings to keep females nearby,
- the $100 tablet computer,
- choosing sexually attractive grey human body shapes for science at the UNSW online http://bodylab.biz
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

Rising seas and the oil crises
Ian Woolf interviews Melissa Neighbour about Project Survival Pacific and disappearing landmass in the Pacific islands
Aaron Cook talks about the link between singing and cricket balls
Jon Bale breathes new life in the science of sighs
Victoria Bond discusses the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and peak oil
Presented and produced by Victoria Bond

Electric spaceships and domesticating dogs
Marc West interviews Alan Wilton about the history of dog domestification.
Aaron Cooke reports
- how dementia caring puts carers at risk of dementia,
- how some countries will be uninhabitable by humans in 2100.
Jon Bale tells us about
- NASA's electric spaceships,
- how HIV immunity works,
- killer whales are actually three different species
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Pill's 50th twitter box office hits
Jon Bale covers the news with water-recycling cacti
Marc West interviews Sitaram Asur about predicting box office hits on Twitter
Victoria Bond celebrates the Pill's very special 50th birthday
Produced and presented by Victoria Bond

Quolls, laser planes, anosmic flies
Jon Bale discusses glow in the dark sperm (because who doesn't love glow in the dark sperm?), Victoria Bond talks geriatric dieting fruit flies, and Ian Woolf gets excited about laser-propelled paper planes.
Marc West gets to the bottom of why anyone would train quolls to avoid eating cane toads, with an interview with Jonathan Webb.
Presented and produced by Victoria Bond

Dwarf planets and cooperating rats
Pluto demoted again? It's been some fall from grace for Pluto. This week sees a possible new definition of dwarf-planet, and it seems Pluto is hardly special at all. interview by Marc West
Ian Woolf tackles grey hair and baldness, and rats solving the long-standing mathematical conundrum, the prisoners' dilemma.
Produced and presented by Victoria Bond
Doc Oc, Element 117, and Nikola Tesla
Aaron Cook reports on Element 117-- Ununseptium
Marc West speaks with "Doctor Boob" about villain Doc Oc
Victoria Bond and Ian Woolf discuss the life and legend of Nikola Tesla
Presented by Ian Woolf,
Produced by Victoria Bond,
with technical support by Ian Woolf

Australian Pirate Party, and LHC restarted
The Australian Pirate Party's Simon Frew explains how the party is for online civil liberties to Ian Woolf. Victoria Bond reports that the Large Hadron Collider didn't destroy the world, the brain has a moral centre that can be switched off with giant magnets, and the courts rule that human genes can't be patented. Presented and produced by Ian Woolf.

Glowing sperm and syphilis handshakes
Aaron Cook talks glow in the dark sperm with Scott Pitnick
Marc West and Victoria Bond demonstrate how to check for syphilis
Iam Woolf discusses Man Flu
Presented and produced by Victoria Bond,
with technical help from Ian Woolf

Inside the Earth, pharmacogenomics
Aaron Cooke asks Geophysicist Hrvoje Tkalcic whats happening inside the Earth,
Ollie Barrand, Marc West and Ian Woolf discuss Pharmacogenomics and Gattaca,
Ian Woolf and Aaron Cooke discuss forbidden words and the healing powers of marmite.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Solar Gem, and Wolverine bones
Ian Woolf interviews Khimji Vaghjiani of Solar Gem about saving the world with affordable solar powered lighting,
Marc West interviews Dr Chris Pettigrew about splicing metal to Wolverine's bones,
and Marc's correlation of the week: are aetheists and liberals smarter than everyone else?
Hosted and produced by Marc Wes
GAY MUMS, TELOMERES, TRANSSEXUAL CLOWNFISH
Special International Women's Day edition!
Victoria Bond talks about transsexuality in clownfish
Catherine Beehag explains the science behind nobel-prize winning telomeres
News by Victoria Bond and Catherine Beehag
Presented by Catherine Beehag;
Produced by Victoria Bond
G-spot, wealth and nanotechnology
Can we vaccinate cows against producing methane?
Is the G-spot a myth? by Ollie Barrand.
The correlation between wealth and orgasms By Marc West.
Nanotechnology hypothetical reported by Ian Woolf and discussed by Marc West and Ollie Barrand.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Luna Park, ant martyrs, drugged bees rave

Marc West and Dr Chris Pettigrew bring us part 2 of Wolverine science,
Ant martyrs by Victoria Bond
Hot stuff at the RHIC with Olli Barrand
King Tut's diagnosis by Catherine Beehag
CSIRO's fleck nano tags your stuff by Catherine Beehag
Bees dance to bee dopamine in lab raves by Ollie Barrand
Lunar reserve created to protect the lunar landing site by Ollie Barrand
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Dr Rachie vs anti-vax, and DSM psycho
Dr Rachael Dunlop tells Ian Woolf about her battle with the Australian Vaccination Network. Victoria Bond explains the new DSM descriptions of mental illness.
News by Victoria Bond
- Coma patients may be conscious and communicate by brain scan,
- Boredom kills,
- Beetles music saves trees,
- stuttering is linked to genetic mutation.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

Safflower insulin, and sperm spit protons
Sperm fire proton torpedoes by Aaron Cooke
News by Victoria Bond
- SIDS and serotonin,
- Iran launches animals to space
- Primordial soup challenged a
- spray-on on liquid glass,
- insulin from safflower seeds,
- the last link between vaccination and autism is withdrawn,
and the author is charged with unethical behaviour

Earworms and cultured meat
ver had a song that you just can't get out of your head? Patrick Rubie explains Earworms,
News by Ian Woolf
- Cultured meat
- 2 million years without sex
- Cola powered phones
Presented by Aaron Cooke,
Produced by Ian Woolf
Wolverine, snails of steel, and you
Marc West and Dr Chris Pettigrew try to recreate Wolverine in the lab.
Marc West, Aaron Cooke and Ian Woolf discuss the science of superheroes.
Ian Woolf challenges you to read his mind in a Diffusion listener experiment!
Be ready to email your result to diffusion@2ser.com
News by Aaron Cooke;
- Snails of steel
- sun disinfection
- sticky cookware
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Housework, sex and comedy
Marc West examines the correlation between sex and housework,
Victoria Bond walks into a bar with science comedian Brian Malow,
News by. Aaron Cooke
- starquakes,
- stroking rats,
- mosquito attraction,
- how green tea fights cancer.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Drinking with Aliens
The Ordinary Guy (from the Brains Matter podcast) talks to Dr Ali Ford from Monash University , Australia about life in space,
Patrick Rubie talks to Joe Duncan, co-owner of the Bowral Brewing Company and Pigs Fly Beer, and Graduate in Wine Science from Charles Sturt University , Australia about the science of beer and wine
News by Patrick Rubie
- Oldest DNA
- Recreating light
- Sneaky plant viruses
Presented by Ian Woolf
Produced by Patrick Rubie
Brains Matter Podcast: http://www.brainsmatter.com
Cancer alternative and Santa's role
Alternative Cancer by John August,
Santa sets a bad role model by Patrick Rubie
News by Ian Woolf
- kanagaroo cream to prevent skin cancer
- testosterone does not produce aggression in humans
- Methuselah Foundation's top 5 longevity discoveries for 2009
Presented by Patric Rubie
Produced by Ian Woolf
The ghost of Diffusion past - Xmas 2000
The ghost of Diffusion past - the Xmas show from 2000 sampled at 20kbps:
Myths and facts of the great Aussie Beer Gut by Nick Perkins
Anthropomorphisation by Lachlan Whatmore
Weird science by Gina Sartore
- GM Potato glows when it needs water
- why penguins waddle
- Santa suits banned in Mexico
News by Nick Perkins
- I'm Not Dead Yet gene doubles lifespan
- Cell phones don't cause brain cancer
- Big backside print may prove Big Foot?
Presented by Adam Mark
Produced by Lachlan Whatmore
Panelled by Ian Woolf
Lung flutes, leg growing and Science circuses
Pahia Cooper picks her favourite inventions of 2009: the Lung flute, greensulate mushroom packaging, and the Mindflex;
Aaron Cook interviews Pahia Cooper about her experiences travelling in the Questacon Science Circus;
News by Aaron Cook
- how to grow a new leg,
- an 8 legged handy-man,
- What is the scientific speed to pull off band-aids?
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
ET, choice mathematics and farts on Mars
'ET won't go home' by Marc West and Darren Osborne, 'the beer drinking scientists'
'Science of Choice' Ian Woolf interviews Dr Stephen Bush of the Centre for the Study of Choice, the University of Technology, Sydney.
News by Aaron Cook
- More Hadron Collider
- Massive Iceberg heads for Oz
- Whoâs been farting on Mars?
Presented by Ian Woolf
Panelled and produced by Patrick Rubie
Portable forensics, and ET in the pub
Portable forensics, sexual revolutions and ET in the pub! Dr Alsion Beavis talks to Ian Woolf about portable crime scene investigation labs.
Marc West and Darren Osborne talk to pub-goers about Extra-Terrestrials. Aaron Cook reports on Kiwis in space, crustaceans combat climate change, and contraceptive hormones for men.

Global Warming's Evil Twin
Global warming's evil twin! Dr Ross Hill explains to Ian Woolf how the acidification of the oceans is causing osteoporosis in tropical reefs.
Lachlan Whatmore reports on Apple's lemon, and the mangrove invasion of fresh-water wetlands. Ian Woolf reports on Locked-in syndrome
and facilitated communication, chemical sensors and microscope attachments for phones.
Rad Cooling, SETI and Augmented Reality
Use the cold of space to cool your home with Angus Gentle and Ian Woolf. Search for alien life and Extraterrestrial Intelligence with Carol Oliver and Marc West.
Visits Bondi Beach with Ian Woolf, to explore the futuristic cybernetic world of Augmented Reality with pioneers Rob Manson and Chris Betcha.
Presented by Marc West,
Produced by Ian Woolf.
Mars, Myopia, Mesoglea, Mildred Cohn
achlan Whatmore gets squishy on ya with immortal jellyfish.
Victoria Bond eulogises the Mars rovers,
Patrick Rubie and Ian Woolf discuss new understandings about short-sightedness,
Ian Woolf and Pat Rubie collide with bread and hadrons
Lachlan Whatmore eulogises mighty biochemist Mildred Cohn.
Presented by Patrick Rubie,
Produced by Lachlan Whatmore,
and panelled by Patrick Rubie
Hot Maths and Disintermediation
Brigid Mullane interviews Dr Michael Cavanagh about new software to help teach Maths at school,
Ian Woolf talks with Futurist Janine Cahill about the paradigm shift from Traditional to New Media, Mobile Banking, Serious Games and Disintermediation. The future will be challenging!
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

Mystique, pill ills, sin distribution
Marc West asks Dr Chris Pettigrew how X-men character Mystique's super-powers might really work,
Charles Willock reports on the distribution of sin in the USA,
Ian Woolf and Patrick Rubie discuss the lesser known side effects of the contraceptive pill
News by Victoria Bond
- protons re-introduced to the LHC
- Swine flu is nothing to sneeze at
- rebuilding glaciers
- electric field therapy kills cancer
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Primes, codes and entanglement
Prime numbers, secret messages and quantum teleportation!
Marc West explore prime numbers and speaks to Terrance Tao.
Ian Woolf and Marc West discuss Quantum technology - quantum entanglement, quantum cryptography and quantum teleportation.
News by Marc West
-Mobile phones make you vague,
-relax for IVF,
-why we like drinks that fizz,
-batteries made from salty paper.
Hosted and produced by Ian Woolf.
Deadly worms and pig orgasms
"Worms worms worms" by Lachlan Whatmore
"Science Trivia" hosted by Victoria Bond. Contributors are Lachlan Whatmore, Ian Woolf and Patrick Rubie
"The number 30" by Patrick Rubie
News by Victoria Bond and Ian Woolf
-Evolutionary Leap
-Hadron Collider
-Placebo Effects
-Global Melting
Music:
Tom Glazer - "What makes the weather
"It's a Scientific Fact"
Presented by Lachlan Whatmore
Panelled by Ian Woolf
Produced by Patrick Rubie
Vaccination special!
All you need to know about vaccinations!
Marc West, Victoria Bond and Ian Woolf talk about how
vaccines are made, how they work, the biochemistry behind
vaccines, the controversies, and even a little maths!
Hosted by Ian Woolf
Produced by Marc West
Vaccine expert Victoria Bond
Dating science, brains and bacterial art
What are the seven secrets of successful online dating? Patrick Rubie and Ian Woolf unravel the mysteries;
'Brain spindles that minds are made of' Nija Dalal talks to Charles Siebert about our brains;
And Patrick Rubie reveals bacterial artists that draw our attention in the latest science news
Presented by Ian Woolf
Co-produced by Patrick Rubie and Ian Woolf
Dust, smart dogs and rats on twitter
Marc West explains the new dust storms that have hit Australia,
Marc and Ian Woolf discuss whether the internet is addictive,
and just how smart are dogs really?
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Dark Energy, Vacuum and Casimir forces
Ian Woolf reports on Lawrence Karuss's talk on Dark Energy at the Powerhouse Museum, Marc West and Ian Woolf discuss the expansion of the Universe, and harnessing Casimir forces from quantum vacuum energy.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Music and Viruses
Fighting HIV' Patrick Rubie interviews Andrew Low from the Centre for Excellence in Medical Research, the University of British Columbia about the newest weapons to fight HIV.
Lachlan Whatmore presents Part 2 of his tribute to Les Paul, honouring a man of musical genius
News by Patrick Rubie
- Faster Brains
- Bushwalking Invasion
Presented by Lachlan Whatmore
Produced by Patrick Rubie
Coffee and Guitar science
We get you up with the science of coffee, take you on a journey of musical genius with guitarist Les Paul, and generally squeeze so much science out of your stomach that you'll need a gastric bi-pass.
Lachlan Whatmore talks about the musical genius of Les Paul,
Marc West tackles the science of coffee,
Hosted by Victoria Bond, Panelled and Produced by Marc West.
The final song is "Dark Mathematics" by Emergency Calls (used with permission on podcast)
Power, art and cocktails
Marc West talks with Jon Lomberg about sending art to aliens on the Voyager space probe,
Ian Woolf speaks with Brian Lennon about smal, cheap and locally owned Geothermal Power plants and the Emissions Trading Scheme,
Marc West drinks to the science of cocktails with celebrity chef Manuel Terron.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
10daysofscience and marijuana science
Caitlin Howlett interviews Kate Hennessy, editor of www.10daysofscience.com about the Ultimo Science Festival,
Victoria Bond celebrates 400 years of Galilean astronomy,
Dan Keogh and Caitlin Howlett lead a discussion on the science of marijuana with Celine Steinfield, Victoria Bond, Kate Hennessy and Ian Woolf - is Marijuana addictive?
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Emailing aliens, and Future Festivals
Marc West talks with Jacqui Hayes about the HelloFromEarth.net project,
From the Live Futures Festival, Dr Zheng asks us about what it should be like to live in cities in the future,
Natalie Rowland talks to Ian Woolf about the Live Local project at Live Futures,
News by Caitlin Howlett,
- face reading differs across cultures
- why people need different amounts of sleep
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
The Diffusion Science Show Trivia Special!
Join Marc West, Victoria Bond and Ian Woolf as we tackle questions in mathematics, biology, popular science and chemistry. Can you do better than the team?
Produced and Panelled by Marc West
Also starring Victoria Bond and Ian Woolf
Karaoke science, stock superstitions
Australian uranium, the weapons makers who own it, and the new weapons in our region by Ian Woolf,
Karaoke therapy to help sufferers of mild aphasia regain their voice by Ian Woolf,
Superstition and the stock market by Marc West.
News by Kalvin Ng,
- sea levels to rise by up to 79 centimtres
- Touvalu goes for 100% green electricity
- Saturn has a longer day
- are women more detail oriented than men?
- swinging is more efficient
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Designer thinking and coral reefs 101

Ian Woolf speaks to Deborah Kneeshaw about using Design thinking to solve the world's problems,
Lachaln Whatmore explains the nature of coral reefs to Marc West,
News by Ian Woolf
- unseen giant object crashes into Jupiter
- circumcising men doesn't protect women from HIV
Presented by Lachlan Whatmore,
Produced by Ian Woolf
Moon landings and Whalesong
Ian Woolf informs us on 10 Apollo 11 facts that will surprise you, Ian and Marc West chat the science and politics of moon landings, and we feature some out-of-this-world music.
And just for balance, we come back to Earth and under the ocean to talk to Scott Portelli about whales!
Produced by Marc West
Contributors: Marc West, Ian Woolf
Newly possible futures
Futurist Janine Cahill interviewed by Ian Woolf about how we are living in an era where the impossible is becoming possible,
News by Ian Woolf
- Photographic memory pills,
- Caffeine may reverse Alzheimers
- zapping brains
- Urine powered cars
Presented by Patrick Rubie,
Produced by Ian Woolf
Wildlife, sperm, cricket and elections
Caitlin Howlett explores wildlife corridors,
Marc West looks for the correlations between cricket and weather,
Ian Woolf investigates a lack of randomness in the Iranian election statistics,
News by Caitlin Howlett
- Eco race,
- shrinking sheep,
- pulsars,
- black holes
- improving sperm
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Ritzian physics and imaginary friends
Did you have an imaginary friend? Do you think the scientific establishment is suppressing alternative theories? Caitlin Howlett discusses giraffe evolution and Saturn's moons, and the benefits of imaginary conversations. John August debates the Ritzian alternative to Einstein's relativity with Ian Woolf. Marc West looks at the correlation between zombies, vampires and elections. Produced and hosted by Ian Woolf.
Space colonies, sustainable science and giant sperm
Ian Woolf and Patrick Rubie discuss the recent Foresight Innovation Sustainability Hothouse (FISH@6) forum on renewable energy and waste management. John August talks about the concept of space colonies and social escapism. Plus the news from sun spots to giant sperm.
Produced and Presented by Patrick Rubie
Blindsight, deja vu, and male contraception
Ian Woolf and Patrick Rubie discuss Using blindSight to find your keys, deja Vu, bacteria taught to count, male contraception in China, deja vu and a new element for the table. Produced and hosted by Ian Woolf.
Spiders save lives and going to Mars
Ian Woolf interviews Associate Professor Graham Nicholson about his research into how poisons from spiders can stop insects spreading disease and eating our food,
and talks with Dr Pascal Lee about the NASA mission to send humans to Mars.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf.
Old dust, biometrics and can you really recycle condoms?
Darren Osborne talks to Dr Henner Busemann from the University of
Manchester about dust older than the solar system.
Marc West talks to Associate Professor Stephanie Schuckers from Clarkson University talks to Marc West about identifying people through their biometrics.
Marc West and Victoria Bond tackle the modern topic of recycling condoms - can it be
done?
News by Victoria Bond
- fluorescent primates
- wooden plastic
Presented and produced by Marc West
Zombie fish and evolving Darwinius
Ian Woolf interviews Associate Professor Graham Nicholson about Ciguatera zombie fish poison,
Darwinius, science and the media by Victoria Bond, with discussion from Kalvin Ng and Ian Woolf,
News by Kalvin Ng
- territory disputes over underwater minerals
- tortured mocking birds
- showering ducks
News by Victoria Bond
- Getting Down with cancer
- asthma can be caused by eczema
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Economics and lithium in our water
'Bad Economic Science' Marc West talks to Nick Davis from the World Economics Forum about what went wrong in the current Global Economic Crisis,
Panel Discussion: Lithium in drinking water, man-made swine flu and exciting electronics by Ian Woolf, Marc West, Lachlan Whatmore and Patrick Rubie,
News by Patrick Rubie
- office work a pain in the neck
- sea cucumbers mop up CO2
Presented by Lachlan Whatmore
Produced by Patrick Rubie
Designer Genes, Musical Intelligence and Tornadoes
Marc West joins Dr Luke Hunter for a beer and a chat about designing
organic molecules,
John August gets swept away by tornadoes,
Marc West asks, is there really a link between music preference and intelligence?
Produced by Marc West, presented and panelled by Ian Woolf.
Vaccination consternation, alien genes
Martin Faccinni talks about why you should vaccinate,
and how to protect yourself against all flu infections with Marc West and Ian Woolf,
Marc West interviews Dr Katerina Mickac about the invasion of alien species,
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf.
CSIRO Wi-Fi win and Dunbar's number
Marc West interviews Dr Ben McNeil about alternative Energy and Australia,
News by Ian Woolf, with discussion from Marc West and John August
- CSIRO win their patent battle against 14 US Giants,
- A hard limit on your social network size proved with Xmas cards and the Church of England?
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
GFC economics and climate policy
Ian Woolf interviews economist Joffre Bolce about the Global Financial Crisis,
Marc West speaks with Dr Ben McNeil about Climate change policy,
News by Victoria Bond
- solar power from space for Fresno,
- National Ignition Facility tries laser fusion
- Earthquakes predicted by clouds, for Iran
- sponges without biofilms fight disease
Presented by Patrick Rubie,
Produced by Ian Woolf
Salk, Sabin and Twitter
Lachlan Whatmore decribes the history of the Polio vaccine,
Lachlan, Marc West and Ian Woolf discuss if Twitter is just for twits,
News by Ian Woolf
- Mitsubishi electric cars for Oz?
- Nano-batteries
- virus build batteries
- hot drink alert
Presented by Lachlan Whatmore,
Produced by Ian Woolf
Earth Hour and Carnivorous plants
Marc West interviews Dr Ben McNeil about Climate Change science and policy,
Ian Woolf talks about Carnivorous plants,
News by Ian Woolf
- Solar cycle could get noisy
- Strangers make better mates
- Genes diversify in hard times
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf

Mad cows, stem cells and Dark aliens
Muhsin Karim explains the big issues of tiny stem cells,
Ian Woolf looks for Dark aliens,
News by Ian Woolf
Twin paradox in DNA profiling
Mad cows come unstuck
Diabetic sugar
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
LOLcat censorship and Future Journeys
Futurist Janine Cahill tells Ian Woolf what "gentle whispers" from the Future are telling us about future trends,
Ian Woolf reports from Saturday's March in March protest against internet censorship in Australia:
- Google Guru Jim Stewart discusses the ACMA black-list of forbidden material and what it means for Australians,
- Protestors report on the banning of funny cat pictures, and businesses falsely accusing rivals of naughty material to get them banned,
- Colin Jacobs from Electronic Frontiers Australia explains that Internet censorship is a political problem, not a technical one.
News by Kalvin Ng
- underwater eruptions
- self-healing cars
- ID for tigers
- teenage space balloons
Presented by Charles Willock,
Produced by Ian Woolf
Bats and sharks, correlated?
Nick Evershed interviews Dr. Lindy Lumsden about Pipistrelle bats near extinction,
Ian Woolf gives his view of the New Scientist interview assertion that Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is "almost all in the mind" because you "think yourself sick",
Marc West examines correlation and causation,
News by Jacqui Hayes
- Older parents statistically have less intelligent children
- Stem cell policy change
- DNA confirms Tsar's children died with the Tsar
Presented by Marc West,
Produced by Ian Woolf
>
MP3
Gender, Curie, Franklin, and Carson
International Women's Day 2009 with Victoria Bond and Ian Woolf,
Gender bending stories:
- phthalates feminise boys
- half boy half girl bird brain
- sixth sense switches mice gender
- gender gene identified
- Gender and sex identity development
- gender development disorders
- Turner sydnrome
- Kleinfelter syndrome
- hermaphroditism and gender assignment
- testosterone receptor insensitivity
Women in Science:
Marie Curie,
Rosalind Franklin
Rachel Carson
Presented by Victoria Bond,
Produced by Ian Woolf
Space, babies and pregnant fish
Marc West talks to Bianca Nogrady from New Scientist Magazine about the last 3 unknown facts of our solar system.
Lachlan Whatmore pays a tribute to a special lady called Ruby and explains why babies are so warm.
Patrick Rubie will change the way you think about fish…forever
News by Patrick Rubie
- Migrating Planets
- Mutated HIV
- Bilirubin in plants
Presented by Lachlan Whatmore,
Produced by Patrick Rubie
Brains, Space and medical tattoos
Patrick Rubie sees a green comet,
meningitis in disguise,
and beta blocks memories.
Ian Woolf looks at medical tattoos,
with commentary from Drew Shobbrook.
Marc West interviews Bianca Nogrady about the mysteries of our solar system.
Presented by Patrick Rubie and produced by Ian Woolf
Cassowary are you?
Tilly Boleyn, Chris Stewart and Jacqui Hayes have the latest news about fetal alcohol syndrome, the FAST telescope in China, spray-on solar panels and they ask, "Cassowary are you?" Produced by Jacqui Hayes, panelled by Tilly Boleyn.
Walking tree, smart mobile, bad chickens
Drew Shobbrook explains how to be smart about being elctronically mobile,
Patrick Rubie sights land whales,
Walking trees cross Ian Woolf's path,
while unhealthy chickens get peckish.
Presented and Produced by Ian Woolf
Green contraception, Fifth grade science
When getting cosy with your partner of choice, have you ever wondered what form of contraception is better for the environment? Sarah Wood has, and the answer will surprise you.
Plus, Caitlin Howlett has a brain-busting quiz covering your 5th grade science knowledge - how will you stack up?
And in the news this week find out where happy Australians are living and why we yawn.
Presented by Sarah Wood and produced by Jacqui Hayes.
Cancer, dust and super-tasters
John August explains the causes of cancer,
Amy Bullen explores dust,
Jaqui Hayes, Monica Sharma, Derek Muller and Ian Woolf discuss super-tasters.
News by Ian Woolf
- generate power from water flowing in buildings
- the cloak of invisibility is now tunable
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Science in Namibia, Magnificent Maths
Patrick Rubie interviews Scott Daniel, a member of Australian Volunteers International and former National Science and Technology Centre (QUESTACON) worker, about teaching Science in Namibia.
Marc West talks about the 5 biggest Mathematics stories of 2008.
News by Kalvin Ng
- New climate change advisers for Obama
- Energy sources ranked
- Oestradiol causes affairs
Presented by Jacquie Hayes
Produced by Patrick Rubie
Unhealthy Santa and Roo for You
Marc West consults Bianca Nogrady about Santa's gut,
Patrick Rubie tucks into kangaroo for science,
News by Patrick Rubie
- Consumer electronics show
- adolescent baldness
- tasmanian devil sailing
Presented by Derek Muller and produced by Ian Woolf
Reading brains, Dave sings science
MP3
Ian Woolf looks inside the minds eye to see what you see, with a scanner,
commentary by Charles Willock,
Patrick Rubie zaps cheap wine into the good stuff,
Kalvin Ng shows the world was warmer than you thought,
Dave the Happy Singer reviews the news in impromptu song,
Dave Sings Monty Python's Universe song,
Presented by Marc West,
Produced by Ian Woolf
2008 Kisses, tantrums and infections
It’s the last show of 2008 so there’s plenty of love, tears and infection spreading! Patrick Rubie looks at the nice and the nasty side of mistletoe. Victoria Bond and Jaime Leclerc quiz you on infectious diseases. Ian Woolf tells a tale of eight-tentacled fury at the Sea Star Aquarium in Coburg, Germany.
And in our last news of 2008 Marc West reveals Santa’s secrets!
Presented by Darren Osborne
Produced by Patrick Rubie
Panelled by Ian Woolf
“The mistletoe: naughty or nice?” by Patrick Rubie
“Otto the kranky octopus” by Ian Woolf
“Who am I – infectious diseases” by Victoria Bond and Jamie Leclerc
News by Marc West – “Infectious Happiness” and “Santa’s Secrets”
Christmas 2008 special
Marc West interviews Hayley Birch organiser
of the Geek Pop Festival,
Marc West and Darren Osborne reflect on the science that made the news in 2008,
news on Santa dealing with global warming and the
global financial crisis, Reindeer science
Produced and Presented by Marc West
Internet censorship protest special
Ian Woolf speaks with Sam, organiser of the protest,
Fiona Patten convenor of the Australian Sex Party,
and finally Dave the Happy Singer and Percy from the Digital Liberty Coalition.
News by Kalvin Ng
- dying coral reefs,
- relating to artificial people,
- ancient cannabis in China.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Maths, hot leaves, and body swapping
Marc West talks with Jamos McAlister and Marcus Findlay about teaching kids that "calculations are the spelling of maths, not the story",
Ian Woolf talks to Dr Andrea Leigh at the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Technology about the science of hot leaves,
News by Kalvin Ng and Monica Sharma, and Ian Woolf
- body swapping
- digital beautification
- heart attacks prevent heart attacks
- Internet censorship rally around Australia on December 13th 2008
Presented by Kalvin Ng, and produced by Ian Woolf
Parasite Wisdom, warming, space sugar
Marc West extends last week's report on global warming and the next ice age, explains how wine's bubbles can track the carbon dioxide from fossil fuels, about dating glaciers by atomic bomb residue, how wind farms may create weather, and Monday night's crescent moon, along with Venus and Jupiter will show a celestial smiley face!
Ian Woolf talks parasite wisdom with Professor John Dalton, director of the Institute for the Biotechnology of Infectious Diseases, UTS, who researches how to exploit parasite's knowledge of our immune system to cure diseases.
Caitlin Howlett tell us about sugar in space, which may point at life, and how water is a greenhouse gas.
Ian Woolf reports on solar powered sea slugs on the sea floor that can make food from sunlight.
Monica Sharma updates us on the fate of the spiders in space, and how a brain implant is giving a paralysed man the power of speech,
Caitlin Howlett reports on how turtles evolved their shells.
Presented by Monica Sharma, produced by Ian Woolf
Cells, Cycling, and fake holograms
PhD student Phoebe Peters is conducting research at the Institute for the Biotechnology of Infectious Diseases, she speaks to Ian Woolf about the role of proteins in the surprisingly complex mechanism of bacterial cell division.
Cyling scientist Chris Lauf describes his 7 month science education adventure around Queensland to Caitlin Howlett,
Cart washes with Kalvin Ng,
Spiders and butterflys in space by Monica Sharma,
Global warming prevents an Ice Age by Patrick Rubie,
and CNN and Telstra "holograms" with Ian Woolf,
Presented by Caitlin Howlett, and produced by Ian Woolf.
Censorship, broken and fixed hearts
MP3
Ian Woolf interviews Crikey tech writer Stilgherrian about the
Australian Government's plan to censor the internet.
Patrick Rubie tells about heart-powered pacemakers, and why looks matter more at speed dating sessions,
Caitlin Howlett pleads the case of whales versus the US Navy,
Presented by Monica Sharma and produced by Ian Woolf.
Read Stilgherrian's blog: Stilgherrian or follow him on twitter
Electronic Frontiers Australia: No Clean Feed
Electronic Frontiers Australia: Protecting and promoting online civil liberties
Digital Liberty Coalition: No Censorship
Twitter hastags: #nocleanfeed
Laurel Papwoth: No Clean Feeds video
Irene Graham: The Net Labelling Delusion
Saviour or Devil
OverClockers Australia:Wiki page collating media articles & other info on the debate
New Matilda: Conroy's Web
ABC Unleashed: PG Nation
ABC Unleashed: How the cold creeps as the fire dies at length
Get UP: Save The Net
Paul Sheehan SMH: A piddling offence and much worse
Syd Walker: Clive Hamilton & I: Getting Personal about Sex, Lies, Hate & Censorship
Richard Baker & Nick Mackenzie SMH: Police hire private spies to snoop online
Cyberspace Law and Policy Centre UNSW: Forum: Internet filtering and censorship proposals
Glenn Milne, in The Sunday Times: Rudd will need a stiff upper lip
Liam Tung, ZDNet.com.au: NSW calls Conroy on Euro filter fudge
Forest water, PhD dances, bird flu
Associate Professor Kendal McGuffie from the Physics department at UTS, tells Ian Woolf about tracking the movement of water by weight to find out how forests use water and effect the climate.
Marc West phones Dr Christopher Pettigrew from Cork University in Ireland to find out how to apply for the American Association for the Advancement of Science PhD interprative dance competition.
Kalvin Ng bring us the latest news about bird flu.
Presented by Kalvin Ng and produced by Ian Woolf.
Vampire moth, ghosts, and vasty deeps
MP3
Halloween special!
Android Amy Bullen hunts the ghost-hunters,
Lycanthrope Ian Woolf explores Immortal radiation-eating bacteria,
Murderous Marc West warns us about Vampire Moths,
UTS Geologist Greg Skilbeck explains to Ian Woolf how sediment from the sea floor tells the tale of climates long past, and may give clues to our future.
Presented by Murderous Marc West,
produced by Lyncanthrope Ian Woolf.
Nanotech, doctoral dancing and pubs
MP3
Ian Woolf interviews UTS Head of Physics Michael Ford about how to make matter do whatever you wish by controlling the size and shape of nano-particles,
Marc West goes on a pub crawl of science-related pubs in London,
News by Marc West and Ian Woolf
- a competition for interprative dances based on PhD theses,
- factors to make your brain grow
Presented by Nick Evershed,
Produced by Ian Woolf
Radio rewards pick-up lines
MP3
Pick-up lines by Victoria Bond and Patrick Rubie,
118118 Information hotline challenge by Marc West,
The brain's reward by Amy Bullen,
News by Victoria Bond and Patrick Rubie,
- obesity and pleasure
- internet surfing keeps your brain young
Presented by Marc West,
Produced by Ian Woolf
Quantum teleportation and a sexy hello
MP3
Ian Woolf interviews Samuel Braunstein about quantum teleportation, how to get yourself faxed from A to B, without travelling in the space in-between,
Patrick Rubie explains part 1 of his Science and History of Radio,
News by Ian Woolf,
- Medical Chocolate from Mars,
- Fertile greetings from females
Presented and Produced by Ian Woolf
Proteomics and close relatives
MP3
Our closest relatives are all of us,
You can learn to change the way genes are expressed in your body,
Ben Herbert explains proteomics,
Melinda Hall King explains childhood deception,
Produced and presented by Ian Woolf
Bleaching coral and androids
MP3
Ian Woolf speaks with Peter Ralph about global warming modelling, from coral bleaching to Antarctic algae,
Patrick Rubie examines the issue, are robots better than androids - R2D2 or CP30?
News by Victoria Bond, read by Dean Procter:
- Personal genetic screening
- Mothballs and life
- LHC melts down
- blindness cured by gene therapy
- human clones in Sydney
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf with technical support from Victoria Bond
Blood and Space Volcanoes
MP3
Victoria Bond tells us all about blood and the history of blood transfusions.
Ian Woolf interviews Graziella Caprarelli, Space Scientist for the Department of Environmental Sciences at University of Technology Sydney about volcanoes in space.
Ian Woolf, Patrick Rubie and Sam Conyngham review the latest scientific news, from Cubans in space to health-conscious computer geeks.
Presented and produced by Patrick Rubie
Conspiracy and LHC
MP3
News by Victoria Bond
- familiarity breeds contempt
- gentler needles from mosquitoes,
- listeners predict how sentences will finish
The Large Hadron Collider switch-on discussed by Victoria Bond, Patrick Rubie, and Ian Woolf,
Jason Heimaster brings a critical eye to Conspiracy Theories,
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf, with technical support from Patrick Rubie.
Hypnosis and scepticism
MP3
John August sends a Postcard from Britain in the 1870's.
Ian Woolf speaks with Melinda Hall King about hynotherapy,
Melinda and Ian talk about the Science festival, Scepticism and the Placebo effect.
Presented and Produced by Ian Woolf.
Bionic soldiers and unlimited power
MP3
Jacqui Hayes brings the week in review:
- Landmine tobacco
- Tree-man
- Cow compasses
- cognitive magic
Muhsin Karim explores the bionic soldier and Brain Computer Interfaces,
Ian Woolf has the last word with Brian Lennon from the Live Futures 2020 festival about the
opportunities offered by large amounts of cheap, clean alternative power.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf.
Future Fab Labs and Fish and Chip cars
play now
In this special edition from the Live Futures 2020 Festival, Brian Lennon speaks to Ian Woolf about the Fab Lab that could make anything with 3D printers and cars that run on used vegetable oil left over from fish and chip shops. Jacqui Hayes reviews elephants who count, and how to read men's faces.
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf.
Steam work and giant wallabies
play now
Lachlan Whatmore puts steam to work,
Jacqui Hayes and Caitlin Howlett review the week in science
- happiness science,
- giant wallabies in Tasmania
- confirmation that contraceptive pills reverse attraction
- vaccination against alcoholic pleasure
Amy Bullen examines the ultimate cheating drug - the placebo,
News by Ian Woolf
- synthetic telepathy
- anti-aging drugs keep your cells clean
- chilli heat not just an illusion
- cannabis and opium to prevent addiction
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
Smashing atoms and nanotechnology
play now
Victoria Bond finds out if the Large Hadron Collider will destroy the world,
Ian Woolf talks to Professor Mike Cortie about zapping gold nanoparticles in your body with lasers to cure mind-control parasites,
News by Patrick Rubie
- King Tut's foetuses
- solar power at night
- smart bricks
- dandelion rubber
Produced and Presented by Ian Woolf
Alpine Kat https://www.msu.edu/~mcalpin9/lhc_rap/largehadron.html
Invisible illness and exploding spacecraft
play now
Ian Woolf reports the latest in the war on aging,
the Live Futures Festival to be held simultaneously in Newtown and Second Life on August 17th,
and The doomed attempt of the commercial SpaceX Falcon 1 spacecraft to launch over the weekend.
Dr Stephen Graves talks to Ian about the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Conference in Cambridge. What is Chronic fatigue Syndrome? What are the causes and what is it like to be struck down by the illness? Why is it still the invisible illness so many years after its discovery in the 1980's?
Presented and Produced by Ian Woolf
Vaccination and Autism?
play now
Martin Faccini investigates the controversy over whether the Mumps Measles and Rubella (MMR) Vaccination causes austism in children,
Panel discussion of vaccination as a civil liberty issue by Martin Faccini and Ian Woolf,
News by Ian Woolf,
- Viagra for depressed women
- lasers for youth
- urine on your mind
Produced and Presented by Ian Woolf
Clones, Steam Hero and Mind Control
play now
Cloning by Michelle Kovacevic,
Steam engines and Hero of Alexandria by Lachlan Whatmore,
Emotiv Mind Control interview with Tan Le by Daz Chandler,
News by Ian Woolf
- Wooden nuclear power plant accident in Vermont,
- Moon race goes underground at NASA
Presented and Produced by Ian Woolf
BioUtopia and draft Garnaut
play now
Heading towards a BioUtopia by Richard Hindmarsh, reviewed by Muhsin Karim,
Panel discussion of Ross Garnaut's draft report on climate change for the Australian government by Lachlan Whatmore, Patrick Rubie, Vicky Saunders, Adrian Saunders, and Ian Woolf,
News by Ian Woolf
- Chimps play to their audience,
- Real snail mail,
- plastic conductors,
- magic half-time oranges,
Presented by Lachlan Whatmore,
Produced by Ian Woolf
Chiptunes, see-through batteries and syphilis
play now
Syphilis in Australian history by John August,
Interview with Professor Christopher Fairley by John August,
News by Ian Woolf
- Migraine zapping
- Transparent, bendy batteries,
- The world's oldest computer generated music
Presented and Produced by Ian Woolf.
Diffusion moves to Monday 6:30pm tonight!
We'll no longer be heard on Thursday mornings in Sydney. Diffusion broadcasts tonight in its new Monday 6:30pm timeslot on 2SER 107.3FM for the first time.Holistic medicine and ancient engines
play now
Lachlan Whatmore looks at waterwheels and other ancient machines,
Patrick Rubie talks to the president of the Sydney University Holistic Society,
News by Ian Woolf,
- solar powered solar power
- neurology of cinema
- erasable printing paper
produced by Lachlan Whatmore
Bad weather, appropedia, wet Mars
play now
Lachlan Whatmore talks to Dr Helen Reed from the Metereology Bureau about La Nina,
Ian talks to Chris Watkins about sustainable technology and Appropedia,
News by Victoria Bond,
News by Victoria Bond
- coffee good for you
- cone of silence
- white stuff on Mars
Presented by Ian Woolf,
Produced by Lachlan Whatmore.
Fanny Macleay and talking dolphins
play now
News by Patrick Rubie
- electric flying saucers
- personal networks sewn into clothes
- fake urine used by miners
Nineteenth Century naturalist Fanny Macleay by Lachlan Whatmore,
Discussion of news, staying young by staying with the young, and the portable hug with Ian Woolf and Patrick Rubie,
Can Dolphins Talk? by Ian Woolf,
Produced and Presented by Ian Woolf.
Growing fat and shrinking brains
play now
Cannabis: shrinking brains or fighting fear? by Patrick Rubie
Epigenetics by Tilly Boleyn and Jacqui Hayes
(taken from 2SERâs Friday Daily 06/06/08)
Less money, more fat by Patrick Rubie
News prepared by Ian Woolf and read by Patrick Rubie
- Fruits for power
- Old inside, young outside
Presented and Produced by Patrick Rubie
Outro
Grassroots OLPC and Martian red skies
play now
Martin Facini explores Mars with the Phoenix lander,
Ian Woolf talks with Professor Barry Vercoe about the One Laptop Per Child Foundation in Australia,
Is space exploration worth it? Discussion by Patrick Rubie, Martin Facini and Ian Woolf,
Presented by Patrick Rubie,
Produced by Ian Woolf.
Brain cells and water wells
play now
Inside your brain with Muhsin Karim,
Watching the Water: Interview by Amy Bullen with Clunies Ross Award winner Iven Mareels,
News by Jacqui Hayes,
- Panda's survive the Chinese Earthquake,
- Interplanetary locust robots,
- Bubonic plague's secret weakness
Presented and Produced by Ian Woolf
Music: "The Best Imitation of Myself by Ben Fold"
'Popular and polarising science'
play now
'Rock radar and solar cells' (The ATSE Clunies Ross Awards: part 1) - Amy Bullen interviews two award-winning scientists, David Noon and Stuart Wenham on their inventions
'A tribute to David Attenborough' by Victoria Bond and Martin Facini
Discussion forum on Richard Dawkins''Enemy of Reason'
News by Ian Woolf
- Safe sex science
- Design your own phone
Presented and Produced by Patrick Rubie
Sample of 'It's a scientific fact' by Tom Glazer and Dottie Evans in outro
Flores Hobbits and Stinging Jellyfish
play now
Amy Bullen and Chris Rehberg interview Professor Mike Morwood about the Hobbits of Flores,
Lachlan Whatmore talks about the stinging Irukandji jellyfish of Australia,
News by Ian Woolf,
It takes two people to trick the masses,
Solar electric cars for cities
Presented and Produced by Ian Woolf
Music: Upside Down by Jack Johnson from the Curious George soundtrack CD
Global cool space engineers chocolate
MP3
Ian Woolf looks at chocolate physiology,
John August continues his battle with syphilis and the world,
and Lachlan talks to space engineer George Graves.
News by Patrick Rubie,
Presented and produced by Lachlan Whatmore.
Quolls and Quokka dreaming
play now
Quokka and Quolls with Chris Rehberg,
Lucid Dreamer Amy Bullen,
News by Ian Woolf
- peering phones
- Chicken X prize
- pig plastic
Presented by Amy Bullen,
Produced by Ian Woolf.
Ponderous by 2NU2
Tasmanian Tiger bosses spy syphilis
Tasmanian Tigers on the mainland by Chris Rehberg,
Syphilis dose 2 by John August,
Policing at work and school by Ian Woolf,
News by Victoria Bond
- mineral deficiency delayed evolution,
- fertilisation fighting malaria,
Presented and Produced by Ian Woolf
So Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced that companies need to be able to read employee's email whenever they want, in order to prevent emails being used to commit massive crimes like breaking essential services. This means repealing the Telecommunications (Interception) Act, 1997 which says that only ASIO can intercept emails, and only if they have a warrant from the Attorney-General. In this they went further than other liberal democracies where a warrant from a judge is required, instead of just a government minister.
Since companies are fictional people, who are the bosses that will have greater powers than ASIO? What will separate the police from the policed? Will it be managing one employee? Managing five? There will be national outcry that bosses shouldn't be doing this, and bosses will say they need police to do this. Does it make sense for managers to have more policing powers than ASIO? So the government can back off and just give ASIO and the Federal Police these powers to wiretap without a warrant, and the public will feel they've been saved from the evil spying bosses. Certainly if a MacDonalds supervisor can read our emails, then ineveitably ASIO and the Federal Police will have equal powers.
At present if ASIO makes a horrible mistake using its email interception powers, the responsibility lies with the minister who granted the warrant. If this law is changed, then the government has no responsibility for anything that goes wrong.
Of course if you were to read your boss's email and blow the whistle on criminal plans, then you would be the one to go to gaol.
Technically there are two ways that bosses could read your email. Either they set up a system where they hire people to read all incoming and outgoing emails, in the same way as a country at war. This means a special internal police force. This slows down email traffic and costs a lot of money. Its not going to happen.
The other is to give bosses the power to search your inbox and sent mail folders whenever they want. They will inevitably use Outlook which by default automatically executes macros embedded in emails and automatically opens attachments. This is how viruses are spread. The bosses will spread more viruses this way. It would be simpler to have software anonymously filter emails for attachments before they reach the employee - without anyone reading them.
We are told we need to protect essential services that are in private hands from electronic attack. The only known case of an essential service going down due to abuse of a private network is the rolling black-outs caused in california. However the criminals were not the employees, but the executives of Enron. The executives criminally caused blackouts to generate a fake demand for electricity that allowed them to justify increasing the cost of power. Giving email reading power to the executives is like giving the keys to the henhouse to the fox.
Perhaps emails could be sent to or by employees using code. If so, it would require ASIO or Federal POlice to crack the code, not bosses. When the dust settles, we may be expected to welcome ASIO and the Federal Police being given these overkill powers over email, just to stop the bosses from getting them.
In reality, an electronic attack on a company is more likely to come from a Denial Of Service Attack. This is usally done by saturating the computer with so many requests for service, whether that be a web page or a credit card authentication, that the computer has no time left over to service legitimate requests. The email equivalent is spam. So is the Deputy Prime Minister proposing to classify email spam as a terror crime?
Tapes Show Enron Arranged Plant Shutdown
Science Puts Enron E-Mail to Use
Planned ASIO surveillance laws under fire
Big pox big cats remotely lie
play now
John August gives us Syphilis,
Chris Rehberg chases Singleton Big Cats,
News by Patrick Rubie and Victoria Bond,
- remote lie detection
- two faced girl
- spinal healing with nano-polymers
- piezoelectric nano-fibres rub up some power
Multilingual dyslexia and super-powerful lasers by Patrick Rubie,
Presented by Victoria Bond,
Produced by Ian Woolf
Reducible Evolution Special
play now
Thermoregulation with Frank Seebacher interviewed by Jesse Silverman
The irreducibly complex Michael Behe by Alex Jordan
News by Jesse Silverman
- life from space
- hobbits
- Ancient sea monsters
- AIDS resistance
- Antarctic giants
Presented by Carla Avolio
Produced by Ian Woolf
We Come From Monkeys by Emerald Rose
Silky spiders with wireless chips
play now
Fast, cheap and wireless by Ian Woolf
Silky spidery secretions' by Lachlan Whatmore with discussion by Patrick Rubie, Ian Woolf and Victoria Bond
News by Victoria Bond
- bacteria fighting bacteria
- iodine-deficient cavemen
- cancer-killing viruses
Presented by Patrick Rubie
Produced by Patrick Rubie
Songs:
'Big Scary Monsters' by Sar Friedman
'The Spider' by Flanders and Swan
Sample of 'Technologic' by Daft Punk
Galileo fish count quantum secrets
play now
Space probe Galileo by Lachlan Whatmore
Quantum cryptography by Amy Bullen
News by Ian Woolf,
- Superconductors,
- Nanowires
- Counting Fish
Presented by Amy Bullen
Produced by Lachlan Whatmore
Space probes Borderless housing
Space Probes by Lachlan Whatmore
Sustainable housing interview with Vaugh Gray of Engineers without Borders by Amy Bullen,
News by Patrick Rubie
short people are more jealous,
self-healing artificial joints
butterflys remember their childhood
Presented and produced by Lachlan Whatmore
Echinoderms, illusions and your brain
Lachlan Whatmore explores the mysterious world of echinoderms,
Ian Woolf reveals the illusion of scarcity,
and the panel discusses the latest brain research:
gaming gadgets,
memory goggles,
brain entrainers,
happy genes,
and why puberty is so difficult.
Presented by Amy Bullen,
and produced by Jacqui Hayes.
Power-dressing giant frogs with ID cards
MP3
ID card pensions by Ian Woolf
Synaesthesia by Charles Willock
Power-dressing giant frogs by Tilly Boleyn and Evan Shapiro
News by Patrick Rubie
- Wild winter viruses
- snake jaws sailing sound waves
- solving a 140 year old equation
Song '"A Thumbnail 160 -Atomic Energy"
Outro contains a sample of "It's a Scientific Fact"
Presented by Lara Davies
Produced by Patrick Rubie
Religion, Spineless sex, and faces
Religion versus Science by Michelle Kovacevic,
Sex bypasses the spine for the injured by Ian Woolf,
Facing up to automatic ID recognition by Tilly Boleyn and Evan Shapiro,
Calculating your caffeine by Ian Woolf,
News by Ian Woolf
- artificial sweeteners make you fat
- G-spot imaged
Presented and produced by Ian Woolf
War goats, rat studs, and smart beds
MP3
Goat sacrifices of the military by Ian Woolf,
Wired Beds by Tilly Boleyn and Evan Shapiro,
Junk DNA points the way by Patrick Rubie,
Female rats prefer males with recent sexual experience by Patrick Rubie,
Jacqui Hayes interviews Chris Lauf of the Cycling Scientists and their travelling energy show,
Presented by Patrick Rubie,
Produced by Ian Woolf.
'Plug into your Prius, replicate with RepRap'
MP3
'Self-replicating 3-D printers' by Ian Woolf
'Plug-in batteries for hybrid cars' by Brigid Mullane
'DNA taxis' by Patrick Rubie, Lachlan Whatmore and Ian Woolf
News by Patrick Rubie
- Black Strings
- Stem cells give birth to a jaw
- Threesome IVF
Outro contains a sample of 'Love will tear us apart again' by Yha Khut
Presented by Lachlan Whatmore
Produced by Patrick Rubie
Good Vs Bad radiation, Hep C treatments and more....
MP3
News and views by Tilly Boleyn (speaking with Evan Shapiro)
New Hepatitis C treatment by John August
Good and Bad Radiation by Michelle Kovacevic
Presented by the ever elegant Lindsey Gray
Technical assistance by Ian Woolf
Additional contribution by Joanne Chang
Edited by Tilly Boleyn
Zombie Sex Change Lizard Medical Myth
play now
Free will or zombie-hood explored by Amy Bullen,
Medical myths dispelled by Michelle Kovacevic,
Hot sex changing lizards get cool with Jacqui Hayes,
Michelle Kovacevic, Amy Bullen, and Patrick Rubie.
News by Patrick Rubie:
- Virgin Galactic spaceship 2,
- Upsizing dimensions with Artificial Intelligence,
- Searching and rewarding the searching and rewarding area of the brain
- Aztecs sacrificed young boys
Presented by Jacqui Hayes,
Produced by Ian Woolf.
Crude oil and cruder monkeys
play now
News and views by Jacqui Hayes.
Lindsey Gray with a slick coverage of the competing crude oil formation theories.
Matt Clarke couldn't help but tell us about monkey prostitution and pornography.
Intelligent musings from Michelle Kovacevic.
Produced and presented by Tilly Boleyn.
Parasitic Koels and space robots
MP3
Koels of summer by Lindsey Gray,
Kayuga probes the moon by Ian Woolf,
News by Ian Woolf,
- Glowing mind parasites get jammed,
- Magnetic nano-medicines,
Presented by Derek Williamson,
Produced by Ian Woolf
Stone calendars, obsolete units of biofuel
MP3
We take the measure of strange obsolete units with Lachlan Whatmore,
and look at ancient astronomy with John August and Steve Maxwell,
Charles Willock looks at the downside of biofuels.
News by Patrick Rubie,
Presented by Lachlan Whatmore
Produced by Lachlan Whatmore with technical support from Ian Woolf
Peruvians online and exercising flab
MP3
Patrick Rubie with exercise science,
Ian Woolf with Peruvian children's first experiences online, One Laptop Per Child Videos
Fat discussion by Joanne Chang, Ian Woolf and Patrick Rubie,
News By Joanne Change, James Foster and Ian Woolf.
Presented by Lindee Wong,
Produced by Ian Woolf with technical assistance by Patrick Rubie
'Fly me to the moon with love and fireworks'
play now
'Mining the moon' by Ian Woolf
'The chemistry of love' by Joanne Chang
'Fireworks frenzy' by Patrick Rubie
Fireworks discussion by Charles Willock, Ian Woolf, Joanne Chang, Lara Davis and Patrick Rubie
Music outro: Sample of Aerodynamic by Daft Punk
Presented by Lara Davis
Produced by Patrick Rubie
Coelacanth, Xmas trees Stand pregnant
play now
The Science of Xmas Trees by Patrick Rubie,
Coelacanths fishy resurrection by Rabia Khan,
News by Ian Woolf
- Scary time
- Flipping coins
- Fearless mice
Stand to be Pregnant and BBQ cancer by Jacqui Hayes and Ian Woolf,
Presented by Jacqui Hayes,
Produced by Ian Woolf
Ancient chocolate bioweapon bugs moon
play now
A Shirtload of Units by Lachlan Whatmore,
Squirming, creeping and feeling by Tilly Boleyn and Evan Shapiro,
Termite class war by Ian Woolf
Ancient Chocolate by Derek Williamson,
Endangered new species by Rabia Khan,
News by Patrick Rubie
- Memorable Chimps
- Free internet on aircraft
- Moon rocks
- Seeing red over the Red Sea Dam
- Ancient Hittite bioweapons
Presented by Rabia Khan,
Produced by Ian Woolf
Menstrual stem cells smallpox extinct
play now
Stem cells from Menstrual blood by Ian Woolf,
Smallpox extinction by John August,
News by Patrick Rubie,
Presented by Joanne Chang,
Produced by Lachlan Whatmore
Evidence kills smallpox placebo
play now
Evidence based medicine by Erin Passmore
Smallpox and vaccination by John August
Evidence, smallpox and placebo discussed by Rabia Khan, Patrick Rubie, John August, Joanne Chang, Linda Wang and Ian Woolf
News by Patrick Rubie
- climate
- telescopes
- stem cells
- giant scorpians
Presented by Rabia Khan
Produced by Ian Woolf
Robot Love, Nuclear Power, Safe?
play now
A Diffusion Science Nuclear Special (Part II).
Instead of looking only at CO2, we look at the
other important issues surrounding nuclear power
generation. This week: the risks of proliferation.
Special Guests Dr Sue Wareham OAM of the Medical
Association for the Prevention of War, and A/Prof
Tilman Ruff, Australian Chair of the International
Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons talk with
Charles Willock about nuclear proliferation.
Jaroon Descartes is Jacqui Pfeffer's Special Guest
in Part II of "Relationships with Robots".
Presented by: Lachlan Whatmore
News: Patrick Rubie and Ian Woolf
Panelled by: Ian Woolf
Produced by Charles Willock and Ian Woolf
Musical Clips:
Randy Newman: Political Science ("Let's drop the big one now")
Tom Lehrer: That Was The Year That Was ("Who's_Next?").
Nuclear Waste: Safe for 240,000 years?
play now
A Diffusion Science Nuclear Special. We look at the breakdown of
nuclear waste storage materials with time, and the problems
associated with cleanup of the Maralinga nuclear test site.
Dr Ian Farnan, University of Cambridge, talks to Charles Willock about
possibly significant errors in estimates of nuclear waste storage times.
Alan Parkinson, nuclear engineer, talks with Charles Willock about
the mishandling of nuclear waste at Maralinga.
Presented by: Emily Fearn
Panelled by: Celine Steinfeld
Produced by Charles Willock and Ian Woolf
assisted by Patrick Rubie
Music:
"The Elements" Tom Lehrer/Sir Arthur Sullivan
"It's a scientific fact" Tom Glazer and Dottie Evans
(by Hy Zaret and Lou Singer)
Robots, baby birds and free internet
play now
Jacqui Pfeffer discusses Robot Relationships with Hugh Durrant White
Ian Woolf interviews Lachlan Hardy about freeing the net http://lachstock.com.au
Charles Willock looks at the life of baby birds
News by Ian Woolf
Presented by Lara Davis
Produced by Ian Woolf
Diffusion Animal Special: Spooky Worms, Dr Pet and Medicine Farms
play now
'Spooky Worms' by Lachlan Whatmore
'Dr Pet and Medicine Farms' by Patrick Rubie
News by Patrick Rubie
Presented by Lachlan Whatmore
Panelled/Produced by Patrick Rubie
Apt Apertures, Microbial Fuel Cells
play now
News by Emily Fearn
- drop in ocean pH harms snail defences
- ancient evidence of modern behaviour
Apt Apertures by Charles Willock
DIY Beer Power with Microbial Fuel Cells by Patrick Rubie
Presented by Ian Woolf
Produced by Ian Woolf and Ed Pollitt
Sound barrier, Virgin green
play now
Aviation special
60th Anniversary of the first supersonic flight by Lachlan Whatmore,
Virgin Blue goes green by Emily Fearn,
News by Erin Passmore,
- Suicidal genetics
- Of moose and man
- Urine as fertiliser,
Presented by Ian Woolf,
Produced by Lachlan Whatmore
'Science, Politics and the Nuclear Meltdown'
play now
'Science in Poltics' and 'Nuclear Meltdown' by Charles Willock, Ian Woolf and Patrick Rubie
News by Ed Politt
Presented by Ian Woolf
Panelled and Produced by Patrick Rubie
Dino-bird, Scientists miscast, Sputnik
play nowNews by Emily Fearn and Jo Dessman
- Velociraptor possibly had feathers
- Hearing problems in the classroom
- Scientists angry at being miscast in doco
50th Anniversary of Sputnik by Lachlan Whatmore
Presented and Produced by Ed Pollitt
'Loneliness, Hair and Red Blood Cells'
play now
'Loneliness and Hair' by Tilly Boleyn and Evan Shapiro
'Riding the Red' by Patrick Rubie
News by Patrick Rubie
Presented by Charles Willock
Panelled and Produced by Patrick Rubie
Music: Lenny Kravitz - 'Are you gonna go my way?'
Miss Bessie Music/EMI Virgin Music
P 1993 Virgin Records America Inc
Sea grass neurological morals
play now
Sea Grass by Lachlan Whatmore,
Neurology of Ethics interview by John August,
News by Patrick Rubie
Presented by Lachlan Whatmore
Produced by Ian Woolf and Lachlan Whatmore
The Art of Science
play now
'The Art of Science', interview with Boo Chapple by Ian Woolf
News by Ed Politt
Presented by Ian Woolf
Produced by Patrick Rubie
Zero Point Energy, Sex/Sport, Toy Boys
play nowFocussing zero point energy by Ian Woolf
Sex before sport by Marc West
Toy-boys and Trophy wives by Kachina Allen
News by Patrick Rubie
- Swiss Cheese universe
- Atomic-size computers
- Long-lived bacteria
- Relationship maths
Presented and produced by Ed Pollitt
Dark matter and alternative medicine
play now
'The Dark Side of the Cosmos' - Professor Joe Silk interviewed by Ian Woolf
'What's the alternative?' by Patrick Rubie
News by Patrick Rubie
Presented by Ian Woolf
Produced by Patrick Rubie
Professor Joe Silk' is the author of books and articles such as "The Left Hand of Creation", "The Big Bang", "A Short History of the Universe" and "The Infinite Cosmos". His website is at http://www-astro.physics.ox.ac.uk/people/silk.shtml
Diffusion Medical Special
play nowNews by Ed Pollitt
- toys recalled for lead and magnets
- sexy slug pheromone orgies
- immune system recognizes fats
The Evolution of Medicine by Emily Fearn
Presented by Erin Passmore,
Produced by Ian Woolf
Puke-ray, Marriage, Expanding Universe
play now
News by Ian Woolf
- Iced Germs
- Puke-ray
- Mega sugar-rush
Marriage Science by Kachina Allen
Expanding Universe by Patrick Rubie
Presented and produced by Ed Pollitt
Music: Lies Are Much More Fun by The Grates, Galaxy Song by Eric Idle
Genetic Peas Uncomplimentary Medicine
play now
Mendel's Peas by Lachlan Whatmore,
Uncomplimentary complementary medicine by Ian Woolf,
Blood chips by Matt Francis,
News by Matt Francis
Presented and Produced by Ian Woolf
Asperger's adventure Nuclear shutdown
play now
Asperger's Adventures by Patrick Rubie,
Nuclear shutdown by Ian Woolf,
News by Ian Woolf
- Paper aircraft
- Neurological guardian angel
The Science of Niceness presented by Bre Bunce
Presented and Produced by Ian Woolf
Global Swindle, Snow Science, E-voting
play now
News by Ian Woolf
- Australian Audiovisual Archive
- Caffeine Thinking
- Gesture Control
- Micro Movers
- Early Altruism
Global Warming Swindle Review by John August
Snow Science by Patrick Rubie
E-voting by Ian Woolf
Presented by Emily Fearn
Produced by Ed Pollitt
Brain music and Smelly science
play now
Mind Listening to the Mind Listening by Ian Woolf,
Smells like Science by Patrick Rubie,
News by Patrick Rubie - taking the urine,
- holograph testing
- synthetic life
- jellyfish cosmetics
- ancient chilli
Presented by Ed Pollitt,
Produced by Ian Woolf
Icelandic Science, Heart Brain, Robots
play now
News by Patrick Rubie
- Hubble sees new stars
- energy generator using vibrations
- rat-brained robot
- Aesop's fable tested
- gut parasites from the ocean
- largest bird's secret of flight
Science of Iceland by Marc West
Heart Rates and the Brain by Tilly Boleyn
Presented by Erin Passmore
Produced by Ed Pollitt
Music: 'Vaka' by Sigur Ros, 'Kobol's Last Gleaming' by Bear McCreary
Carbon Praise, Internet Goes Sideways
play now
Wonderful Carbon by Lachlan Whatmore,
Meshing the Internet by Ian Woolf,
News by Patrick Rubie:
- Space weather
- Microwaved plastic
- Colour evolution
- Artificial skin
- Giant penguins
Presented by Charles Willock,
Produced by Ian Woolf.
Music: Carbon is a Girl's Best Friend by Lynda Williams The Physics Chanteuse - from her Cosmic Cabaret album,
http://www.scientainment.com/songs.html
DJ Ted Stevens Techno Remix: "A Series of Tubes" by 13tongimp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtOoQFa5ug8
Greenwich Mean Time, Chookosaur, Bees
MP3
News by Patrick Ruby
- Liquid Telescopes
- Arctic Spring
- Fresh Air
- Nano-squids
- Bad news for girls
- Picky-eating kids
- Pygmy pandas
Greenwich Mean Time by Marc West
Chookosaur & Queen Bees by Tilly Boleyn
Presented by Ed Pollitt
Produced by Ed Pollitt
Music: "Greenwich Mean Time Machine" by Mark Mitchell, "Space" by James Singer
The Sciencegasm, Ice Skating, Vegemite
play now
News by Erin Passmore
- Smoking
- Sticky gecko feet
- Familial plants
- Cold pain
The Science of Orgasm by Tisha Dejmanee
Ice Skating Science by Celine Steinfeld and Jeffrey Heaton
Southern Directions and Vegemite by Celine Steinfeld
Presented by Emily Fearn
Produced by Ed Pollitt
Music: "Science Is Golden" by The Grates, "The Scientist" by Coldplay
Killer Robots, Google Streetview, Ants
MP3
- Killer robots
- Stainless stem cells
- Gait madness
Marching Ants and the best Patents by Tilly Boleyn and Vanessa Gardoz
Google Streetview discussion with Erin Passmore, Ian Woolf and Ed Pollitt
Presented by Erin Passmore
Produced by Ed Pollitt
Oil free, Low fat cows, Green goes red
play now
Darren Osborne interviews Dr David Lamb about Fuels of the Future,
Tilly Boleyn and Vanessa Gardoz discuss:
- Workchoice treadmills,
- Nominative determinism,
- lonely albatross,
- red-stained windmills,
News by Erin passmore and Ed Pollitt,
- Energetic astronomy,
- Black holes,
- Wood fired reverse speakers for alternative energy,
- Low fat cows
Presented by Ed Pollitt,
Produced by Ian Woolf
Robots in traffic, What attracts you?
play now
Dr Will Uther talks to Ian Woolf about robots that drive in traffic,
Patrick Rubie takes to the streets to find out what people find attractive,
Presented by Charles Willock,
News by Ed Pollitt
-Nobel Peace,
-Yoga and GABA,
-Salt Savvy,
-Ward Awarded,
Produced by Ian Woolf
Oil, hair, heads and science
MP3
News by Ed Pollitt.
Hair, heads and hard-times discussion lead by Jacqui Hayes.
Interview with science film-maker Sonya Pemberton by Tilly Boleyn.
Presented and produced by Tilly Boleyn.
Music
It's Alright by Rand & Holland
23 by Blonde Redhead
Nanotech cancer and super-duper-novas
play now
Nanotechnology and cancer treatment by Pat Rubie;
Super-duper-nova by Chris Stewart;
news by Ed Pollitt.
Produced and presented by Chris Stewart
Synchrotron and phone spam
play now
News by Catherine Beehag.
Spunky Synchrotron Science by Ed Pollitt.
Beer Power, Micro-Wind power and Military brain-scanning by Ian Woolf.
Do-Not-Call (DNC) registry discussion lead by Ian Woolf.
Presented and produced by Tilly Boleyn.
Music
Hang me up to dry by Cold War Kids
+81 by Deerhoof
Cricket science+not so new discoveries
play now
News read by Catherine Beehag.
The science of cricket by Marc West.
Not-so-new discoveries by Tilly Boleyn (and a gaggle of delightful volunteers).
Presented by Jacqui Pfeffer.
Produced by Tilly Boleyn.
Music
Misread by Kings of convenience.
Mishaps Happening by Quantic.
Cloned and Dressed for Success
play now
This week's Diffusion casts aside vanity and looks at how healthy those belts, braces and bras really are when we try to dress up. The beer drinking scientists ask your opinion on cloning, life in general and the appeal of your own mini-me. Plus in Diffusion News, we look at an insect which has rediscovered the joys of sex after millions of years of celibacy.
Presented by Emily Fearn. "Dressed for Success" and "Eye Colour" by Kachina Allen, "The Beer Drinking Scientists: Cloning" by Marc West and Darren Osborne, News by Patrick Rubie. Panelled by Celine Steinfeld. Produced by Celine Steinfeld and Patrick Rubie.
Da Vinci, Climate-Fried Fish, the Pope
Discover Da Vinci's workshop full of flying machines, theatrical contraptions and submarines. Take a splash with the frenzied fish that are migrating across our warming ocean. But where does the Pope fit into all this? Find out this week on Diffusion.
Presented by Ed Pollitt and Emily Fearn
News by Patrick Rubie
Climate Fried Seafood by Darren Osborne
Da Vinci's Inventions by Chris Stewart
Produced by Celine Steinfeld
The science of sleep, lasers and sauce!
News and views by Ian Woolf.
Scientific tips on how to get a good nights sleep from Darren Osborne.
Lasers that will blow your mind and other body parts by Chris Stewart.
Will eating an aussie pie protect you from the suns harsh rays by Kachina Allen.
Produced and presented by Tilly Boleyn.
Music
Let me go home by Camera Obscura.
Happy Kid by Nada Surf.
Solar saves coal, Green your home
play now
Coal is too valuable to burn, by Ian Woolf,
Angus Kell explains water and energy efficient home renovation to Patrick Rubie, Mark West shares his election fever,
Presented by Jacqueline Hayes,
Produced by Ian Woolf, with technical support by Tilly Boleyn.
Music:
Why Does the Sun Shine? (The Sun is a Mass of Incandescent Gas)
by They Might Be Giants (Severe Tire Damage Album - Restless Records)
Stretched Out and Rollin by Pat Webb
Magical mushrooms and so much more!
play now
Scientific news and views by Ed Pollitt.
Magical mushroom tour by Celine Steinfeld.
Science Communication interview and lowdown by Catherine Beehag.
Presented and produced by Tilly Boleyn.
Music
We will become silhouettes - The Postal Service
Phantom Limb - The Shins
Science chats+wine-a perfect combo!
download
Scientific news and views by Marc West and Celine Steinfeld.
The genetics of grapes by Darren Osbourne.
Questacon outreach interview by Marc West and Celine Steinfeld.
Presented and musically enhanced by Marc West.
Produced by Tilly Boleyn.
Pubic lice, fishy & diesel science
Diffusion's Marc West reports on diesel from his stranded car,
and Patrick Rubie taunts us with a fish science paradox.
Vanessa Gardos manages to tell us all about pubic lice, pregnant lizards and Diffusion on wikipedia!
Presented and Produced by Tilly Boleyn.
International Womens Day Special
Medicating Mr Faithful, Green Senator Kerry Nettle and the Women behind Science
Let's celebrate all those XX chromosomes out there! On Diffusion this week, we will have a chat with the Greens Senator and environmental scientist, Kerry Nettle. We will also take a bite of the "commitment pill" - a medication for creating Mr Faithful. Plus, we uncover two female scientists who were buried in history. Don't miss this weeks Diffusion special!
Presented by Celine Steinfeld
News by Emily Fearn
Medicating Mr Faithful by Tisha Dejmanee
Uncovering Women in Science by Catherine Beehag
Interview with Senator Kerry Nettle by Celine Steinfeld
Produced by Celine Steinfeld
ID Card - Is Big Brother Stalking You?
This is a special edition of the Diffusion Science Radio show looking at a controversial application of science and technology: the proposed card to identify everyone accessing Australian government services.
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Program Summary
Developments in "smart-card" technology have resulted in a push by governments world-wide to identify people (eg Real ID in the US, and the Access Card in Australia) - ostensibly to reduce fraud by those who use their services. Unfortunately, extensive collection of personal details could lead to abuse and suppression of dissent.
Will the Access Card Bill be passed and effectively become a National Identity Card?
We speak with Professor Graham Greenleaf of the University of New South Wales and former New South Wales Deputy Privacy Commissioner Anna Johnston, now of the Australian Privacy Foundation. They explore the issue of function creep by which the access card would become a de facto national identity card and the risks that involves.
Engineer Aras Vaichas explains the workings of possible smart card technologies, and how they might be made secure.
Concealment of identity when exposing fraud and malpractice has long been an issue for whistleblowers. That has partly been resolved by disguising their voice. We experiment with a further level of concealment - concealing the inteviewer as well, by replacing their voice with an anonymous synthetic voice.
We also explore synthesising an interview - using answers from a real interview but splicing them with new questions spoken by an anonymous interviewer voice.
The show was presented by Darren Osborne and produced by Ian Woolf and Charles Willock from the Diffusion Science Radio team at 2SER Sydney.
Is it now possible to ensure complete anonymity for both interviewer and interviewee?
What steps are required to eliminate all clues to identity?
What are the as-yet-undisclosed "commercial benefits" of the card.
Credits
- Presented by Darren Osborne
- Synthetic interview with Anna Johnston about privacy concerns, by Anonymous Voice,
- Aras Vaichas speaks with Ian Woolf about RFID cards,
- Anonymous Voice interviews Professor Graham Greenleaf about card use and Cyberlaw
- Produced by Ian Woolf and Charles Willock
Acknowledgments
The interview with Anna Johnston was synthesised from a story by
Alex Koutts, produced by Erica Vowles and
originally broadcast
on 13th February 2007 by
2SER on The Wire.
Permission to adapt and rebroadcast that interview is
gratefully acknowledged.
Podcasts
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Index (All Diffusion podcasts) |
REFERENCES:
Links used in preparing the Big Brother special program are listed below. It is worth noting that while most pages remain constant, some government web sites, changed on an almost daily basis).
- Updates
- International and General
- Campaigns and Issues
- Need for Identity? - Need for Privacy?
- Blogs and Commentary
- Australian Government Websites
- Technology Sites
- Business Issues
Updates: (. . . and developments since the program aired)
International and General
Privacy legislation applied to businesses is substantially different from privacy legislation for government organisations.


Brain builder Colin Hales





























