Shirtloads of Science

Dr Karl’s a curious optimist – a great combination for a science lover. Join him and his guests for weird facts, amazing conversation and remember, it’s never too late for a happy childhood. https://drkarl.com/

Space Lasers on the Toliman Mission with Prof. Peter Tuthill and Prof. Boris Kuhlmey (426) 05/03/2025

Space Lasers on the Toliman Mission with Prof. Peter Tuthill and Prof. Boris Kuhlmey (426) In this episode, Prof. Boris Kuhlmey and Prof. Peter Tuthill join me to discuss the Toliman Mission, a space telescope project focused on detecting Earth-like exoplanets around Alpha Centauri, our nearest star system, using precise astrometric measurements. We discuss logistics, the costs involved and the success rate of such an astronomical project. Developed by a collaboration including the University of Sydney, NASA’s JPL, and Breakthrough Initiatives, it aims to launch by 2026. University of Sydney, Faculty of Science Toliman: https://toliman.space/ Boris Kuhlmey linkedin: https://au.linkedin.com/in/boris-kuhlmey-48b45615 Peter Tuthill Bluesky: https://blueskydirectory.com/profiles/spiralstar.bsky /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/35930145

Fluoride in Drinking Water with Dr Michael Foley (425) 04/26/2025

Fluoride in Drinking Water with Dr Michael Foley (425) Almost all of the regional and remote communities in Queensland do not have fluoridated drinking water, so why is this a problem? Dentist Dr Michael Foley debunks the infamous NTP report which suggested that fluoridated drinking water lowered IQ and breaks down how fluoride actually works and why it's so important for our dental health. /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/35930075

RPT Growing Ear Drums with Professor Marcus Atlas 04/20/2025

RPT Growing Ear Drums with Professor Marcus Atlas Dr Karl uncovers a lifelong Australian quest to restore comfort and hearing with custom made eardrum transplants. Called Cleardrums, Professor Marcus Atlas is close to passing regulatory hurdles for human trials. Ep407 [Repeat] /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/32819352

RPT Eating for Beginners with Dr Fuller 04/13/2025

RPT Eating for Beginners with Dr Fuller Dr Karl (former father of the year) talks with Dr Nick Fuller (recent dad) about teaching children how to eat. The good habits learned early lead to healthy lives. Ep396 [Repeat] /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/32438452

RPT Ballooning for Dark Matter with Dr Sirks 04/06/2025

RPT Ballooning for Dark Matter with Dr Sirks Why use a balloon to hunt the most elusive suff in the Universe? Dr Sirks takes Dr Karl through the history of Dark Matter and why astronomy is only part of the solution. Ep379 [Repeat] /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/29625078

Seaforesting Carbon with Sam Elsom (424) 03/30/2025

Seaforesting Carbon with Sam Elsom (424) Atmospheric Carbon is burning us up. CO₂ is the big culprit but what about methane? Industry calls it "natural gas" but sheep and cattle belch millions of tons. Australian scientists have a very cool answer with seaweed. /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/35299030

Food Noise with Professor Clare Collins (423) 03/23/2025

Food Noise with Professor Clare Collins (423) Weight loss medicines are never easy. What happens when your brain says you're full? Dr Karl and Professor Clare Collins explore the promises and pitfalls plus the ones that occasionally kill. /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/35299480

Keeping Cool ep2 with Professor Jay (422) 03/16/2025

Keeping Cool ep2 with Professor Jay (422) Our warming world means more humidity. You can't see it but you can feel it. Professor Ollie Jay introduces Dr Karl to wet bulb thermometers, how sweating works and why humidity gets you down. /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/35159610

Keeping Cool ep1 with Prof Jay (421) 03/09/2025

Keeping Cool ep1 with Prof Jay (421) Summer heat waves are increasing - so AC or fan, what is best? The answer becomes unclear when air temperatures are in the high 30s. Professor Jay takes Dr Karl inside your sweat glands to discover the physics of keeping cool. /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/35159530

The Crack with Marcus Chown (408) 12/08/2024

The Crack with Marcus Chown (408) Author and astrophysicist Marcus Chown is a great explainer. A British stargazer, he studied under Richard Feynman in California. Dr Karl puts him to the test talking about Marcus' latest book on black holes "A Crack in Everything". /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/33753947

G-Planes and Hoops with Dr Bloom (420) 03/05/2025

G-Planes and Hoops with Dr Bloom (420) Physics on both galactic and personal scales are explored and answered with Dr Jessica Bloom and Dr Karl. . /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/35143560

Meet the Novas with Dr Sara Webb (419) 02/23/2025

Meet the Novas with Dr Sara Webb (419) We are so lucky to be alive. Dr Sara Webb's 'The Little book of Cosmic Catastrophes' looks at dangerous galactic neighbours. So what are the chances of finding Earth 2.0 ? /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/34544100

Circular economies with Belinda Chellingworth (418) 02/16/2025

Circular economies with Belinda Chellingworth (418) Dr Karl consults with circular economy expert, experienced waste manager, change maker and garbologist Belinda Chellingworth. Waste is expensive so well-designed product cycles makes it better for us all. /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/35718035

Sexy Talk with Dr Ann Jones (417) 02/09/2025

Sexy Talk with Dr Ann Jones (417) A shameless piece of cross promotion for ABC podcast 'What the Duck' with Dr Ann Jones about plant and animal reproduction. Contains names of body parts, fluids, graphic descriptions and one swear word. /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/33873647

Slick Oil with Royce Kurmelovs (416) 02/02/2025

Slick Oil with Royce Kurmelovs (416) Global Warming is caused by burning fossil fuels. is journalist Royce Kurmelovs' account of our role. Dr Karl and Royce and explore how the science was silenced Down Under. /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/33992617

News from Mars with Dr Brown (415) 01/26/2025

News from Mars with Dr Brown (415) Dr Karl talks with the Australian working on the surface of Mars, Dr Adrian Brown from NASA. Hear how AI saved "Percy" the Rover, what those leopard-spotted rocks could mean and Dust devil strategies. /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/34026754

Winning the Science debate with Dr Bertley (414) 01/19/2025

Winning the Science debate with Dr Bertley (414) Dr Frederic Bertley is a leading educator, President and CEO of the Center for Science and Industry (), one of America’s top-ranked science museums. Dr Karl explores tactics in the war on Pseudo and Anti-science. /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/33910007

Hypnotherapy with Dr Spiegel (413) 01/12/2025

Hypnotherapy with Dr Spiegel (413) Feelings live in our brain. Some are painful like anxiety and addiction and can ruin lives. So why aren't hypnotherapy treatments more widely used? Dr Karl asks Stanford University psychiatrist and leading researcher on hypnosis Dr David Spiegel with 50 year's experience. /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/33865467

Settlement Science with Professor Roland Fletcher (412) 01/05/2025

Settlement Science with Professor Roland Fletcher (412) What will our human space colonies look like? Dr Karl checks with research spanning more than 10,000 years. Meet University of Sydney's Professor Roland Fletcher. /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/33865147

Triangulation with Matt Parker (411) 12/29/2024

Triangulation with Matt Parker (411) Stand-up comedian, ex-maths teacher and author Matt Parker chats about his bestselling book on three-sided figures called Love Triangle. Dr Karl explores what fascinates us about trigonometry. /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/33844967

Responsible AI with Natasha Blycha (410) 12/22/2024

Responsible AI with Natasha Blycha (410) When Artificial Intelligence is everywhere what should be the rules? Dr Karl and Natasha Blycha test Isaac Asimov's Laws of Robotics and find they need updating. /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/33346292

More Cracks with Marcus Chown (409) 12/15/2024

More Cracks with Marcus Chown (409) Author and astrophysicist Marcus Chown tells of the forgotten Australian female astronomer who helped discover the first black hole. Dr Karl digs deeper into Marcus' latest book on black holes "A Crack in Everything". /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/33753952

Growing Ear Drums with Professor Marcus Atlas (407) 12/01/2024

Growing Ear Drums with Professor Marcus Atlas (407) In this repeat episode, Dr Karl uncovers a lifelong Australian quest to restore comfort and hearing with custom made eardrum transplants. Called Cleardrums, Professor Marcus Atlas is close to passing regulatory hurdles for human trials. /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/35717930

Feral Bugs in a cooked Australia (406) 11/24/2024

Feral Bugs in a cooked Australia (406) Prof Puckett from the US explains how America lost its fire ant war and Jess Ward-Jones on the struggle to learn what is killing our Alpine Eucalypts (Snow Gums). /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/33309207

Beating Cancer with Professor Richard Scolyer (405) 11/17/2024

Beating Cancer with Professor Richard Scolyer (405) Professor Richard Scolyer is the 2024 joint Australian of the Year. Dr Karl probes skin cancer therapies and immunotherapies with a researcher who has put his life on the line. /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/33312312

Dr Matt Agnew's guide to AI (404) 11/10/2024

Dr Matt Agnew's guide to AI (404) Phones made today are super smart. Fast and versatile they can be so powerful to be spooky. Dr Matt joins Dr Karl to peel back the AI layers for a set of rules for the future. /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/33338912

Dr Matt Agnew's extraordinary life so far (403) 11/03/2024

Dr Matt Agnew's extraordinary life so far (403) Mining Engineer, Reality TV star, Astrophysicist, Author - What's left for Dr Matt? /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/33338312

Observable and Infinite with Prof Lewis (402) 10/27/2024

Observable and Infinite with Prof Lewis (402) If we need to fully understand space we need more time - lots of it. Beyond the Hubble sphere things gets lumpy. /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/33344087

Deceit starts with D with Prof Mann (401) 10/20/2024

Deceit starts with D with Prof Mann (401) Dr Karl asks a fellow physicist for the telltale signs when powerful people spread untruths. They are easy to spot and nasty. /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/32421882

Hot Data with Prof Mann (400) 10/13/2024

Hot Data with Prof Mann (400) The graph points skywards. A thousand of years of data says "stop burning carbon". Prof Mann tells Dr Karl of how the USA responded to his articles in the early 1990s. /episode/index/show/shirtloadsofscience/id/32421982

Shirtloads of Science

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