🥛 Milk isn’t just low fat, no fat, skim, or extra dollop anymore. There’s a whole new world of plant milks (or plant beverages if you’re in Europe). But is soy changing your hormones? Why does oat milk use a saliva enzyme? And is actually better for you or the planet than good ol’ cow’s milk? Jacinta Bowler, a science journalist at Cosmos, is the ‘mylk’ maverick, finding out all the science behind about plant-based milks. 🧬 New episodes of Huh? Science Explained drop every Monday and Friday. Subscribe on the LiSTNR app to make sure you don’t miss an episode. 🔬 Follow us on TikTok @aussiesciencepodcasts. 

🏋️ Protein powders: do we really need them? Join Cosmos science journalist Matthew Agius as he sifts through the hype and answers whether protein supplements are really worth it. 🧬 New episodes of Huh? Science Explained drop every Monday and Friday. Subscribe on the LiSTNR app to make sure you don’t miss an episode. 🔬 Follow us on TikTok @aussiesciencepodcasts. 

💊 Pill testing: in one form or another, people have been checking their illicit drugs for more than 50 years. But in Australia, it’s still pretty unusual. The first and only fixed-site pill testing clinic started operating in Canberra in July 2022. Queensland has just announced it plans to become the second place in the country to roll out pill testing at both fixed and mobile locations. But does it actually work, or is it just an expensive festival side show? 🧬 New episodes of Huh? Science Explained drop every Monday and Friday. Subscribe on the LiSTNR app to make sure you don’t miss an episode. 🔬 Follow us on TikTok @aussiesciencepodcasts. 

💍 It's the 'social experiment' you either love or hate - but does the matchmaking science used by the Married at First Sight 'Experts' add up? Cosmos Science Journalist and MAFS Tragic, Petra Stock, weighs in! 🧬 New episodes of Huh? Science Explained drop every Monday and Friday. Subscribe on the LiSTNR app to make sure you don’t miss an episode. 🔬 Follow us on TikTok @aussiesciencepodcasts. 

Food for gettin' in the mood. Today we’ll be making science sexy or maybe sex sciencey? We're examining if and why certain foods and drinks seem to rev up our sex drives. Evrim Yazgin is a Cosmos journalist with a Masters in Physics from the University of Melbourne. His love of palaeontology has burned since he was three and, fun fact: his name means “evolution” in Turkish! The joys of being a biologist’s son.

🤳 These days beauty filters are commonplace on social media apps, but TikTok’s new “bold glamour” filter is so realistic it’s a bit terrifying. So, how do beauty filters work in the first place? And what makes this one so different? And by using them are we changing the way we perceive ourselves?  🧬 New episodes of Huh? Science Explained drop every Monday and Friday. Subscribe on the LiSTNR app to make sure you don’t miss an episode. 🔬 Follow us on TikTok @aussiesciencepodcasts.  👩‍🔬 Imma Perfetto is a journalist at Cosmos Magazine and has a Bachelor of science and honours in Science Communication.

🥩 Are fake meats healthier than regular meat? What about better for the environment? And are we going to be able to buy lab-made meat in Australia any time soon? 🧬 New episodes of Huh? Science Explained drop every Monday and Friday. Subscribe on the LiSTNR app to make sure you don’t miss an episode. 🔬 Follow us on TikTok @aussiesciencepodcasts. 

Fitness trackers. Whether it’s the phone in your pocket, or the watch on your wrist, tallying steps, measuring your heart rate, diarising your period. It seems like a fun way to engage with exercise and health. But have you ever considered your fitness data might help someone steal your bike or even give away secret military information? 🧬 New episodes of Huh? Science Explained drop every Monday and Friday. Subscribe on the LiSTNR app to make sure you don’t miss an episode. 🔬 Follow us on TikTok @aussiesciencepodcasts. 

🥤 The world’s most popular soft drink: what’s in it, why does it clean coins and explode when combined with mentos? 🧬 New episodes of Huh? Science Explained drop every Monday and Friday. Subscribe on the LiSTNR app to make sure you don’t miss an episode. 🔬 Follow us on TikTok @aussiesciencepodcasts. 

🛸 If recent news has caused you to glance at the sky in fear or trepidation, or possibly alien-seeking excitement, this is the podcast for you. Petra Stock has a Bachelor of Engineering and a Master of Journalism, both from the University of Melbourne.  🧬 New episodes of Huh? Science Explained drop every Monday and Friday. Subscribe on the LiSTNR app to make sure you don’t miss an episode. 🔬 Follow us on TikTok @aussiesciencepodcasts. 

🍯 Why does food spoil? And how do we keep it from going bad? Other than sticking it in the fridge or freezer that is? From the science of dehydration, fermentation, to pasteurisation, let’s get into the science of preserving food. Imma Perfetto is a journalist at Cosmos Magazine and has a Bachelor of science and honours in Science Communication. 🧬 New episodes of Huh? Science Explained drop every Monday and Friday. Subscribe on the LiSTNR app to make sure you don’t miss an episode. 🔬 Follow us on TikTok @aussiesciencepodcasts. 

🪐 We all remember when Pluto was infamously demoted from being considered a 'planet'. But, what even is a planet? And if the definition keeps changing, will there be more planets in the future?  🧬 New episodes of Huh? Science Explained drop every Monday and Friday. Subscribe on the LiSTNR app to make sure you don’t miss an episode. 🔬 Follow us on TikTok @aussiesciencepodcasts.  👨‍🔬 Evrim Yazgin is a Cosmos journalist with a Masters in Physics from the University of Melbourne. His love of science fiction has spurred an interest in all things flux capacitor to quantum-time-antimatter-inverters.

🩸 Microplastics have found their way to literally every crevice of the earth, from remote Antarctic ice, all the way to our bloodstreams. But is this actually a bad thing? Cosmos Science Journalist, Ellen Phiddian, investigates. 🧬 New episodes of Huh? Science Explained drop every Monday and Friday. Subscribe on the LiSTNR app to make sure you don’t miss an episode. 🔬 Follow us on TikTok @aussiesciencepodcasts. 

🩸Blood types - we’ve all got them, and yet do you really know what they are? Why do they protect us from stomach flu? Do they make us tasty to mosquitos? And most importantly, why are they like doughnuts? 🧬 New episodes of Huh? Science Explained drop every Monday and Friday. Subscribe on the LiSTNR app to make sure you don’t miss an episode. 🔬 Follow us on TikTok @aussiesciencepodcasts.  🧑‍🔬 Jacinta Bowler is a science journalist at Cosmos. They have an undergraduate degree in genetics and journalism from the University of Queensland and have been published in the Best Australian Science Writing 2022.

🍓 What is a fruit? And why are bananas, pumpkins, and lemons classified as berries? Let’s take a bite out of the science behind why some fruits are considered berries and why others, despite their misleading names (I’m looking at you strawberry), are not. 🧬 New episodes of Huh? Science Explained drop every Monday and Friday. Subscribe on the LiSTNR app to make sure you don’t miss an episode. 🔬 Follow us on TikTok @aussiesciencepodcasts.  👩🏻‍🔬 Imma Perfetto is a journalist at Cosmos Magazine and has a Bachelor of science and honours in Science Communication. 👩🏻‍🔬

🤯 Emojis. Love them or hate them, they’re now an essential part of our text-based vocabulary. But where do they come from, how do they work, and did you know there's a secretive board of 16 people who control them all??  🧬 New episodes of Huh? Science Explained drop every Monday and Friday. Subscribe on the LiSTNR app to make sure you don’t miss an episode. 🔬 Follow us on TikTok @aussiesciencepodcasts.  👩‍🔬 Petra Stock has a Bachelor of Engineering and a Master of Journalism, both from the University of Melbourne. While she loves writing about new technologies (robots, digital platforms), Petra is nostalgic for the retro kind (letters, cassette tapes).

🤖 Today we’ll be talking about ChatGPT and artificial intelligence language processors which have been making waves online. 🧬 New episodes of Huh? Science Explained drop every Monday and Friday. Subscribe on the LiSTNR app to make sure you don’t miss an episode. 🔬 Follow us on TikTok @aussiesciencepodcasts.  👨‍🔬 Evrim Yazgin is a Cosmos journalist with a Masters in Physics from the University of Melbourne. His love of science fiction has spurred an interest in all things flux capacitor to quantum-time-antimatter-inverters.

🍄 Fungi aren’t so different from us, at least compared to plants, but what is it about fungi that makes them special, and how do they help their plant and animal cousins in the real world? 🧬 New episodes of Huh? Science Explained drop every Monday and Friday. Subscribe on the LiSTNR app to make sure you don’t miss an episode. 🔬 Follow us on TikTok @aussiesciencepodcasts.  👨‍🔬 Matthew Agius is a science writer for Cosmos Magazine.

🩲 Is cotton really better for the environment than synthetic fabric? And what does 'organic' really mean?  🧬 New episodes of Huh? Science Explained drop every Monday and Friday. Subscribe on the LiSTNR app to make sure you don’t miss an episode. 🔬 Follow us on TikTok @aussiesciencepodcasts.  👩‍🔬 Ellen Phiddian is a science journalist at Cosmos. She has a BSc (Honours) in chemistry and science communication, and an MSc in science communication, both from the Australian National University.

0️⃣ Null. Nil. Zip. Nada. Zero. Call it what you like, it’s still nothing. But what is nothing? And is “zero” just a theoretical concept, or can it really be considered a number? At times, philosophy and mathematics meet in the middle to give us truly weird thought experiments. So, grab your graph paper, calculator and tweed coat, because we’re going to go on a journey down the number line to find out what “zero” really means. 👨‍🔬 Evrim Yazgin is a Cosmos journalist with a Masters in Physics from the University of Melbourne. His love of science fiction has spurred an interest in all things flux capacitor to quantum-time-antimatter-inverters.

Can cats see illusions? And is a cat parasite changing our brains? Cats may not be man’s best friend, but they are science’s best kept secret. Jacinta Bowler, a science journalist at Cosmos, is here to help explain all the science on our sometimes grumpy, but always cute, feline friends.  

The Sun is running out of gas. But when is it going to blow up? In this episode of Huh? Science Explained, we look at how the Sun works, and what happens when its fuel tank runs dry.

🫖 We've got the tea on tea! What's the difference between black and green tea, is it really good for you, and could it make us live longer?

Today we’ll be climbing back through our family tree to find out about ancient humans and what happened to Neanderthals. Evrim Yazgin is a Cosmos journalist with a Masters in Physics from the University of Melbourne. His love of palaeontology has burned since he was three and, fun fact: his name means “evolution” in Turkish! The joys of being a biologist’s son.

What colour is the sky? The answer isn’t as straightforward as you’d think. Today, we’re going to help you answer the question that’s puzzled children throughout history… or at least science journalist Matthew Agius - why is the sky blue?

How exactly do you get all those dazzling lights in the sky at New Years, and are they bad for the environment? Let’s look at the science of fireworks.

Why do we get brain freezes? And why is some ice cream all hot air? The chemistry of ice cream is surprisingly complicated but Jacinta Bowler, a science journalist at Cosmos, is here to help explain the coolest facts about ice cream and why this summer treat tastes so good!

As the festive season gets underway, Cosmos science journalist Petra Stock investigates the science behind five sensory experiences. Petra Stock has a Bachelor of Engineering and a Master of Journalism, both from the University of Melbourne. While she loves writing about new technologies (robots, digital platforms), Petra is nostalgic for the retro kind (letters, cassette tapes).

🐙 From their origins over 500 million years ago to their brainy arms, we’re suckers for the science of cephalopods. Let’s dive into the science behind what makes octopuses one of the most iconic ocean dwelling organisms to exist!  👩‍🔬 Imma Perfetto is a journalist at Cosmos Magazine and has a Bachelor of science and honours in Science Communication.

Today we’ll be stretching our imaginations to the farthest reaches of space to learn more about how our Universe is evolving.  Evrim Yazgin is a Cosmos journalist with a Masters in Physics from the University of Melbourne. His love of science fiction has spurred an interest in all things flux capacitor to quantum-time-antimatter-inverters.

Why do we need to turn our phones onto flight mode on an airplane? And are phones listening to us to sell better ads? Considering we have a device with almost all the answers at our fingertips, we sure do have a lot of questions about the space age computer we use to make calls. Jacinta Bowler, a science journalist at Cosmos, is looking into our favourite pieces of tech to hate – the smartphone. 

Name another species more universally beloved than the domestic dog 🐶 Let’s dig into the science behind what makes man’s best friend the incredible animals they are today. Imma Perfetto is a journalist at Cosmos Magazine and has a Bachelor of science and honours in Science Communication.

As the silly season approaches, Cosmos journalist Ellen Phiddian spills the science on how to enjoy the perfect glass of bubbly, from the ideal glassware, exact temperature and achieving the perfect pop.

Unless you’re being actively stung by one, it’s not hard to love bees. They pollenate our food, do little waggle dances and give us honey. But they’re also incredibly helpful for science.  Jacinta Bowler, a science journalist at Cosmos, is looking into the weird (and cute) ways bees have ended up as scientist’s lab rats.

Today we’ll be diving into Earth’s deep past to find out how and when the first animals left the primordial oceans to walk on land 🌏 Evrim Yazgin is a Cosmos journalist with a Masters in Physics from the University of Melbourne. His love of palaeontology has burned since he was three and, fun fact: his name means “evolution” in Turkish! The joys of being a biologist’s son.

A primer on why sunscreen is a medicine, what’s in it, and why it’s sticky, by ex-chemist and current solvent-enthusiast Ellen Phiddian. Ellen Phiddian is a science journalist at Cosmos. She has a BSc (Honours) in chemistry and science communication, and an MSc in science communication, both from the Australian National University.

Bananas are a beloved by a bunch of us the world over, but will they go extinct on us? Will eating too many kill you? And are banana peels really that slippery?  Imma Perfetto is a journalist at Cosmos Magazine and has an honours degree in Science Communication.

This episode is looking into the surprisingly complex world of coffee cups. Are they recyclable? Is it better to just chuck them in the bin? Are bioplastics actually better for the planet? Jacinta Bowler, a science journalist at Cosmos, is your guide to the many questions surrounding those convenient little coffee carriers. 

Hay fever sufferers have been warned to brace themselves for a severe allergy season as the weather warms up. Join Cosmos Science journalist Matthew Agius to find out all you need to know about hay fever and what happens during an allergic response.

Lunar lunacy, celestial water, but not enough cheese! Our Moon is a magnet for stories – Join Matt Agius as he looks at the science behind the superstitions.

Today we're focussing on lightning – what exactly is that flash, where does it happen, what are the odds of it hitting me and can we untangle the shocking myths from the dazzling truths? Clare Kenyon has her fingers in so many science pies, she’s running out of flavours. With a background in astrophysics and dabblings in maths, geology, music and criminology – just to name a few – she’s constantly distracted by the next new shiny thing – especially when it’s space-bound. An ex-high school teacher and Superstar of STEM, she’s particularly passionate about plain-speaking science and women in STEM.

Today we will be wrapping our heads around the physics of temperature to work out why things get hot, and just how cold they can get.  Evrim Yazgin is a Cosmos journalist with a Masters in Physics from the University of Melbourne. His love of science fiction has spurred an interest in all things flux capacitor to quantum-time-antimatter-inverters.

Halloween is all about leaning into our fears and getting carried away with our superstitions. But is it possible to take things too far? Cosmos science journalist Petra Stock investigates the fallout from Halloween fun. Petra Stock has a Bachelor of Engineering and a Master of Journalism, both from the University of Melbourne. While she loves writing about new technologies (robots, digital platforms), Petra is nostalgic for the retro kind (letters, cassette tapes).

With Halloween just around the corner, we're talking all things glow sticks! What makes glow sticks glow, and what does it have to do with ocean bacteria? Let's take a look at the science of chemiluminescence. Ellen Phiddian is a science journalist at Cosmos. She has a BSc (Honours) in chemistry and science communication, and an MSc in science communication, both from the Australian National University.

Birds make an incredible cacophony of sound early morning, but why do they do it?  Imma Perfetto is a journalist at Cosmos Magazine and has an honours degree in Science Communication.

Hiccups are bizarre. Why do we get them? And do any of the cures actually work? Ellen Phiddian worked in science outreach before deciding to become, in her grandmother's words, "one of those whizz-bang science journalists". With a background in chemistry, she's particularly interested in renewable energy, catalysts, and deciphering the ingredients on food packages. Her favourite podcasts are Wardrobe Crisis, Friends at the Table, and just about any audiodrama.

She’s the disco dolly that’s more than 60 years old, stands shorter than a ruler and who’s had more than 200 different careers. But this tiny doll has been troubling adults and researchers for decades. In this episode, we take a deep dive into the controversies and concerns about Barbie’s body shape, gender stereotyping, and ...spying on children? Petra Stock has a Bachelor of Engineering and a Master of Journalism, both from the University of Melbourne. Like Barbie, she’s worked as a Renewable Energy Engineer, an Environmental Advocate and a Journalist. While she loves writing about new technologies (robots, digital platforms), Petra is nostalgic for the retro kind (letters, cassette tapes).

This week we’re looking at heart disease’s arch nemesis – salt and sugar. But salt and sugar aren’t just delicious villains in a movie - they’ve got their own story to tell. In this episode we’ll find out whether our love of sugar and salt is hardwired into out brain, if MSG is actually bad for you, and why it is so hard to analyse the flavour of soy sauce. Jacinta is an enthusiastic tourist in all things science, has a background in microbiology and spends most of their spare time making and eating baked goods.

The Sun shines, your calculator works, your Tesla charges, and your house’s battery starts to fill up on stored energy. Meanwhile, up in space, the James Webb Space Telescope collects enough solar light to give it the power it needs to peer into space…   Today, Clare Kenyon talks all things solar panels - how do they work and exactly what shiny new things are coming sometime to a rooftop near you?

Caffeine is the fuel that gets us through our day, but what is it, how does it really work and is it possibly not a good thing? Today, Matt buzzes about the drug that many of us can’t get through a day without.

There’s a chance that you or someone you know has considered cosmetic injectables to change some aspect their appearance. But what are they and how do they work? Let’s cut into the science behind botox, fillers, and lipolytic injections. Imma Perfetto is a journalist at Cosmos Magazine and has an honours degree in Science Communication.