Boiling Point is Eastside Radio’s 30-minute foray into the scientific world. The BP crew discuss obscure scientific facts, recent developments and play tunes with a tenuous connection to their topics of choice!
This week on Boiling Point, Nick and Tim discuss the rise of monkey-borne malaria infections in humans, how hairy moths evading their bat predators and a few examples of biomimicry. […]
Read More… from Monkey malaria, stealth moths and biomimicry
On Boiling Point tonight, Cat and Nick are joined by Dr Keith Leggett. What do we actually know about the critters of the outback like echidna and co? Surprisingly little! Our special guest, Dr Keith Leggett, is Director of the arid zone research station of the University of New South Wales and runs several research […]
Cat and Chantelle interview special guest, Alexandra Ross. PhD student Aly Ross talks about her amazing research to help conserve some of Australia’s most unique creatures from extinction by minimising prey naiveté. Sources: https://www.bees.unsw.edu.au/alexandra-ross […]
Cat and Tim are joined this week by special guest Rosie Steinberg. Pink cauliflower growing underwater? Soft corals are little understood creatures that provide habitat and food for numerous marine invertebrates and fish like seahorses. Marine biologist, Rosie talks about her research on the mysterious soft corals. Boys are better at maths and girls better […]
Tim investigates how Australian funnel-web spiders can help fight melanoma and Tasmanian Devil facial tumours. Chantelle explores the brain benefits of growing up surrounded by books. And Nick discusses new technology keeping birds away from airport runways. Sources: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/growing-surrounded-books-may-bolster-skills-later-life-180970523/#7pYqKcJLJHFJSpmy.99 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0204802 https://amp.abc.net.au/article/10344588 […]
Read More… from Cancer combating venom, anti-avian airport tech, benefits of books on brains
Be quick: The 5 second-rule revisited. A subtle pointer: Digit ratios and what it tells us about our in utero life! This and not quite 99 other science myths on Boiling Point! Sources: https://www.nature.com/news/the-science-myths-that-will-not-die-1.19022 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/28208851/ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2672.2006.03171.x […]
We talk to Holly Richardson about jellyfish. Cat explores menopause in orcas and why the top predators of the oceans stop reproducing with age. And Tim digs into the war on waste with new techniques to process discarded consumer electronics Sources: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/01/study-suggests-surprising-reason-killer-whales-go-through-menopause https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2018-01-24/meet-the-pioneers-in-the-war-on-waste/9329038 https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/invertebrates/jellyfish-and-comb-jellies https://www.smithsonianmag.com/videos/category/wildlife/jellyfish-are-stirring-up-the-ocean/ […]
Read More… from Jellyfish, orca menopause, e-waste microfactories
Chantelle discusses a study linking a baby’s cries with their adult vocal range. Tim has his head in the noctilucent clouds. And Nick explores the relationship between antidepressants and antibiotic resistance. Sources: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/babies-cries-may-predict-what-they-will-sound-adults-180969669 https://www.livescience.com/63656-glowing-blue-clouds-nasa.html https://www.space.com/5790-strange-clouds-spotted-edge-space.html?_ga=2.216286163.434774862.1537792562-1288216643.1537792561 […]
Enlightened: How to find #meteorites in the Outback. Poisoned: Why you shouldn’t eat fish from #SydneyHarbour. Forgetful: Why our brain can only remember 4 things at a time. Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-30/meteorite-search-in-wa-underway/10179826 https://fireballsinthesky.com.au/frequently-asked-questions/ https://www.smh.com.au/environment/sustainability/the-poison-that-got-away-20101029-177i0.html https://news.mit.edu/2016/bursts-neural-activity-brain-working-memory-0317 […]
Read More… from Desert fireball network, Sydney Harbour fish and memory limits
It’s all about #parasites! We discuss endoparasites in kangaroo meat and how it can affect us. Toxoplasma and how it may make us more drawn to starting a business. And rat fleas – why they might have been innocent of spreading the Black Death. Sources: https://www.businessinsider.com.au/parasite-in-cat-poop-linked-to-entrepreneurial-behavior-2018-7?r=US&IR=T https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2018/01/09/1715640115.short https://academic.oup.com/af/article/4/4/38/4638811#112075224 […]
With 30 % of college students in the US taking Ritalin to be more efficient with their studying, we look into the stimulant drug #Ritalin for those who don’t have #ADHD? We discuss electro-stimulation of the brain can improve states of depression. Only humans react to stimulants? Wrong! Doping horses and dogs for racing has […]
Super smellers – the human sense of smell is much more capable than we thought. Ancient fruit and veggies – how little they have in common with their modern counterparts. Pollution in our cities – how it affects our brain. Sources: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/aug/27/air-pollution-causes-huge-reduction-in-intelligence-study-reveals https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-05/are-you-a-super-smeller/8501018 https://www.businessinsider.com/what-foods-looked-like-before-genetic-modification/?r=AU&IR=T […]
Read More… from Super sense of smell, fruit & veg cultivation, city smog brain drain