The Cosmos Podcast

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Cosmos Country – Solar thermal storage

Cosmos Country – Transitioning agriculture to net zero emissions

Australia’s farmers and agricultural industries are at the front line when it comes to dealing with the impacts of climate change. Agriculture also contributes 14% of the country’s emissions. The recently established Zero Net Emissions Agriculture Cooperative Research Centre (ZNE-Ag CRC) aims to help the agriculture industry transition to net zero by 2040 by bringing academic knowledge and agriculture experience together.  In this episode of Cosmos Country, hosts Glenn Morrison and Jamie S...

Cosmos Country – Managing the health of Australia's coastal bays and estuaries

Science Detectives: Why do animals come in different colours and patterns?

The Science Detectives are on another case.  This week, Olivia Henry wants to know why animals come in so many different colours and patterns. The detectives talk to Devi Stuart-Fox, a professor of evolution and ecology at the University of Melbourne, to find out.  This episode was hosted and produced by Imma Perfetto and edited by Andrew Wyrill. For more science news, visit cosmosmagazine.com and follow us on Instagram @cosmosmagazine Love the show? Let us know by rating and leaving a r...

Cosmos Country - A deep dive into our oceans

Regional communities looking for ways to diversify income and employment under climate change often turn to tourism. Recently, the Australian Tourism Commission created a data hub to help. It shows the value of Australian tourism by region; and the scale of incomes and number of people in the industry to be staggering. The Cosmos Country podcast speaks with two people involved in tourism about how events can contribute to a diversified economy. Archaeologist Dr James Hunter is curator of Na...

Science Detectives: South Pole rain

It doesn’t rain at the South Pole. Why not? Will global warming change that? This question from a Cosmos reader was a task for The Science Detectives. Cosmos journalism intern Tyler Fisher was asked to investigate, to find out what’s going on.

Science Detectives: Does the sun always rise in the east?

We learn in school that the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west. But we also know the Sun doesn’t stay in the same part of the sky the whole year round – it’s higher at some points and lower at others. So what’s going on? What about the Moon? How does its path change across the sky? On the latest episode of Science Detectives, a new podcast series from Cosmos, Ellen Phiddian gazes at the sky to figure out how its two biggest hits change their appearance. She’s joined by Mary Adam, a...

Cosmos Country: Reefs

Series one ep: 14 When coral reefs disappear more is lost than animals and evonomic benefits. Dr Tommy Fellowes at the USyd’s School of Geosciences Geocoastal Research Group talkas to Cosmos Country reporter Glenn Morrison.

Cosmos Country - Quolls

Cosmos Science regional reporters Jamie Seidel and Glenn Morrison find out how quolls were transported across the country  to help re-wild an arid reserve in outback WA.

Science Detectives: Whale teeth

At the beginning of 2023, scientists made a surprise finding. The pygmy right whale, which is the smallest of the baleen whales, didn’t move far from waters in the Southern Ocean. It’s surprising because long-distance migration is a behaviour practised by most other baleen whales. Knowledge of this enigmatic species, which is a filter-feeder using baleen to sift tasty but tiny marine life from seawater, is slowly, but surely, on the rise. But is this baleen like having a set of teeth? Or ...

Cosmos Country - Resilience

Cosmos Country - Building Resilience On Country

Cosmos Country - Ammonia

Podcast Next Gen: How important are marine microbes?

If marine microbes are Earth's unsung heroes, year 12 student Emelia is singing their praises.  They produce 50% of our oxygen, are a crucial part of the food pyramid and they can even help us understand the ancient world.  In this episode of Podcast Next Gen, join Emelia as she unpacks marine microbes in all their fabulous forms. Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the...

Science Detectives: Mangroves

Science can answer most of life’s big and little questions – but you don’t always have scientist on hand to explain their reasoning. Now you do, with a new Cosmos Science Detectives podcast finding the experts and interrogating them to help answer your burning inquiries. The crack Cosmos team of newsroom science journalists will leave no stone unturned. They’ll open a case file; find evidence and witnesses; and give you the detail you need to close a case of “uncertainty.” In this episode,...

Cosmos Country - Microgrids

Podcast Next Gen: Is there poetry in maths?

While for most of us, maths might conjure up equations and stuffy professors, for year 12 student Matilda, she thinks of poetry. From weird and wonderful mathematical sequences popping up in traditional verse structures, to the mathematics of metre and rhythm, and even completely numerical poems, maths is everywhere. In this episode of Podcast Next Gen, join Matilda as she dives into poetic mathematics and mathematical poetry. Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos magazine an...

Podcast Next Gen: What's the science behind the aurora?

For those lucky enough to have been able to experience it, an aurora is an incredible sight.  But year 12 student Hajara wanted to know what was happening behind the scenes to cause these gorgeous hues. In this episode of Podcast Next Gen, she investigates how it occurs, where the colours come from, and exactly when and where you can find the auroras.  Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from a...

Podcast Next Gen: What's the best music to study to?

Have you ever been trying to study and turn on some music, but discover that what you’ve picked is just too good? Instead of focusing on your work, you end up vibing with the song. Jorja, a year 12 student and robotics enthusiast wanted to know why, and so she hooked up her own brain to find out. Explore Jorja’s brain on music, why jazz might be the most meditative, and why you need to keep an eye on those gamma waves. Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos magazine and the Na...

Cosmos Country: water quality

Cosmos Country: water

Podcast Next Gen: Why does spicy food feel hot?

We all know the feeling – sweat forming on your brow and your face heating up. Eating something spicy is not an easy thing to forget. Year 12 student Stephanie wanted to know why spicy food is just so hot. In this episode of Podcast Next Gen she discovers why a study used strawberry jam spiked with capsaicin, why one food acts like tear gas, and why you might need to fake it to you make it when it comes to spice.  Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National...

Cosmos Country: Fire

 How can we capitalise on Indigenous burning knowledge? 

Indigenous fire knowledge

 How can we capitalise on Indigenous burning knowledge? 

Podcast Next Gen: Put simply, what is climate change?

We all know about climate change, but do we really understand it? Maya, a year 12 student and musical theatre fan wants to know how it actually works.  So, why is our planet warming? Is it really our fault? And why is it like putting on a jumper? Maya puts on her best investigative sweater to find out.  Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientist...

Podcast Next Gen: Can kelp save the world?

Sophie is a year 12 student who loves kelp. And why wouldn’t she? A kelp forest called the Great Southern Reef is home to thousands of species of whales, sharks, turtles, okra, seals, and crustaceans. But can kelp help us as well as all these animals? Sophie dives into the slimy substance to find out. Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists,...

How safe are high voltage transmission lines

In this Cosmos Country podcast, Glenn Morrison and Marie Low talk with Associate Professor Ken Karipidis from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) about any health risks posed by transmission lines.

Cosmos Country: High voltage

In this Cosmos Country podcast, Glenn Morrison and Marie Low talk with Associate Professor Ken Karipidis from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) about any health risks posed by transmission lines.

Podcast Next Gen: How does sound work?

Why does the sound of nails on a chalkboard make our skin crawl? Why does a bubbling brook make us calm (if more likely to need to pee)? In this episode of Podcast Next Gen, Zeph – a year 12 student – wanted to know why some sounds are fine, but others we hate. Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, science journalists and podcasters. Thes...

Podcast Next Gen: What's the science of skeletons?

For this episode of Podcast Next Gen, Sarah – a year 12 student – is asking how skeletons are formed and what vital functions our bones undertake in our bodies, other than stopping us all from looking like shapeless blobs! Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, science journalists and podcasters. These ‘shortcast’ episodes have been writte...

Podcast Next Gen: Why are magpies so lovely?

Elizabeth is a year twelve student who loves magpies and has never been swooped. For this Podcast Next Gen, she’s diving into all facets of magpie – their different calls, colours and swooping, and why they have their own rap battles.   Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next generation of scientists, science journalists and podcasters. These ‘shortcast’ episodes ha...

Cosmos Country: Rambo

Somewhere in north-west NSW among 35,000 hectares of forest in the Pilliga National Park, a killer has been hiding. Nicknamed Rambo, the bandit evaded capture for more than 4 years, almost stopping a multi-million conservation project in its tracks.

Cosmos Country: tracking the elusive Rambo

Somewhere in north-west NSW among 35,000 hectares of forest in the Pilliga National Park, a killer has been hiding. Nicknamed Rambo, the bandit evaded capture for more than 4 years, almost stopping a multi-million conservation project in its tracks.

Podcast Next Gen: Why do so many people believe in conspiracies?

Conspiracy theories are everywhere. The moon landing was fake, the Earth is flat, Area-51 houses aliens, climate science isn’t real, the government is controlled by lizard people. The list goes on and on and on. Vishnu, a year 12 student loves everything about conspiracies, and this week on Podcast Next Gen, he’s trying to understand why people love conspiracy theories, and why in an age where we have access to more information than ever before, conspiracy theories still thrive. Podcast Ne...

Podcast Next Gen: Can we make the best scrambled eggs with science?

Lina realised much too late that the scrambled eggs she was making were awful. But being an intrepid science student, she realised that maybe she could science her way to better eggs. Whisk or fork? Hot or warm? And why does water just sometimes leak out of the eggs? Listen to the Podcast Next Gen episode below to find out. Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – the next ge...

Cosmos Country: Disaster solutions

 In this episode of Cosmos Country, Jamie Seidel and Dr Glenn Morrison talk with Australian National University’s Head of Disaster Solutions, Associate Professor Roslyn Prinsley about how regional communities can address frequent, intense flood events. 

Cosmos Country: Disasters

 In this episode of Cosmos Country, Jamie Seidel and Dr Glenn Morrison talk with Australian National University’s Head of Disaster Solutions, Associate Professor Roslyn Prinsley about how regional communities can address frequent, intense flood events. 

HabiChat: Brush-tailed bettong

Welcome to HabiChat, a podcast miniseries exploring ecosystems and the animals which live in them. Join Cosmos journalists as they talk to experts about the who’s who, and where’s where, of mammals in Australia. Cosmos journalists Jacinta Bowler and Matthew Ward Agius talk to Natasha Harrison, a conservation biologist and behavioural ecologist in her final PhD year. They join her in a woodland soundscape and talk about the furry little t-rex of the mammal world – the brush-tailed bettong –...

HabiChat: Kultarr

Welcome to HabiChat, a podcast miniseries exploring ecosystems and the animals which live in them. Join Cosmos journalists as they talk to experts about the who’s who, and where’s where, of mammals in Australia.  In this episode, Cosmos journalists Matthew Ward Agius and Jacinta Bowler talk to Cameron Dodd, a PhD student at the University of Western Australia and the Western Australian Museum, about the kultarr. They discuss the arid environments these little-known mammals live in, the dif...

HabiChat: Southern greater glider

Welcome to HabiChat, a podcast miniseries exploring ecosystems and the animals which live in them. Join Cosmos journalists as they talk to experts about the who’s who, and where’s where, of mammals in Australia.   In this episode, Cosmos journalists Imma Perfetto and Matthew Ward Agius talk to Dr Kita Ashman, a threatened species and climate adaptation ecologist for WWF Australia.  Kita speaks about wet forest and temperate rainforest environments and the organisms that call them home, incl...

Podcast Next Gen: What's the science of the Bermuda Triangle?

Angie is a year 12 student and wants you to connect the dots. That is, the dots between the kooky conspiracy theories of the Bermuda Triangle.  This million-kilometre square stretch of the North Atlantic Ocean has been apparently swallowing ships and planes since the early 1900s. What caused it? Angie puts some of the wackiest theories – like alien wormholes and crystal energies – under scientific scrutiny to try and find out. Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and...

Cosmos Country: Saving the Murray Cod

River ecologist and CSIRO Scientist Paul Murray talks to Ian Mannix about his new book: "The Life and Times of the Murray Cod."

Podcast Next Gen: What exactly is a snowflake?

When Hannah first saw snow, she was instantly fascinated by it. Even if it was more like a slushie than the delicate snow crystals she’d imagined. In this episode of Podcast Next Gen, Hannah looks into what a snow flake (or snow crystal) actually is.  She wants to know why does it look the way it does? Are all types of snow the same? And finally, what does snow have to do with Kepler? Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The re...

Podcast Next Gen: How sustainable are electric cars?

Sascha has just turned 17 and recently had to choose her first car. But being both an environmentalist, and a motorsports fan on a budget, was harder than she thought. In this episode of Podcast Next Gen, Sascha looks into the sustainability of electric cars. She wants to know whether they’re better for the planet from the start to the end of their life, plus she tells us why her parents might need supervision when driving a Tesla. Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazi...

Cosmos Country: The electric ute roadshow

 Cosmos Country reporters Marie Low and Jamie Seidel discuss the electric ute road show with Ben Lever, a clean transport campaigner who’s been showcasing electric utes throughout Australia. 

Podcast Next Gen: What's the science behind dyed hair?

From pin straight to corkscrew curls, hair is a huge part of us – it protects us from the weather and provides a way for us to communicate who we are. And what better way to communicate then to get out the hair dye. Year 12 student Makaela has investigated what hair dye and bleach does to hair, what uncombable hair syndrome is, and why we love dyeing our hair despite the consequences. Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The re...

Podcast Next Gen: Why do we feel hot?

A weather forecast of above 35 degrees is frankly sweltering. But our natural human body temperature is 37 degrees. Although you might not think about it much, it’s worth asking, why is this the case?  Year 12 student Dorothea explores how heat works, how bodies keep cool, and what is actually happening to us when we have a fever.  Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration between Cosmos Magazine and the National Youth Science Forum. The reporters are year 12 students from across Australia – th...

Podcast Next Gen: What even is quantum entanglement?

While Einstein wasn’t for it, calling it “spooky action at a distance”, quantum entanglement is very much a real thing.  Saskia is a year 12 student who enjoys teaching herself about complicated science phenomena, and for this episode of Podcast Next Gen she is investigating the complexities and complications of quantum entanglement.  That trip around the quantum world includes a high five at the beach, an Austrian telescope and mind melting physics.  Podcast Next Gen is a collaboration b...

Cosmos Country: Weather

In the second episode of the first series of Cosmos Country, Cosmos science journalists discuss how regional and rural Australia are adapting to climate change. Find the science of everything at the Cosmos Magazine website Subscribe to Cosmos Magazine (print) or the Cosmos Weekly Listen to all our Cosmos Podcasts Special 10% discount on Cosmos magazine print subscriptions (1 or 2 year), or 1 year Cosmos Weekly subscriptions for Cosmos Briefing podcast listeners!  Use coupon code COSMOSPO...