Side of Science
Side of Science
Every story has a side of science. Join Stacey and Clinton as they dive headfirst into the fascinating science behind a new story each week. Whether it’s the secrets of Netflix’s algorithm, the mysteries of spontaneous human combustion, or the possibility of life on Mars, we uncover the weird, wonderful, and sometimes downright bizarre explanations hiding in plain sight. Our goal is to make scien…Social links:
WTF is the cloud?
In this final episode for Season 2, Stacey and Clinton journey from the darkness of space to the deepest parts of the sea to untangle the science of cloud computing. Launching with a tale that connects Genghis Khan, the International Space Station, and Steve Jobs, it's not just about servers in the…
27:13
How does blood do its job?
It’s all about good humour and not a drop of bad blood as Stacey and Clinton pour out the science of the red and white cells pumping through our bodies. They pass on the Cheerios and head straight into a heart pumping oxygenated orchestra of transportation, regulation, communication and protection.…
25:35
What is it like to live with Huntington's disease?
Stacey brings in a special guest to dive into the human side of science. Ali isn’t just living with Huntington’s, he grew up in a Huntington’s family, watching the disease echo through generations. Ali shares the moment a DNA test turned 'maybe' into certainty and the tight-rope walk between hope a…
29:45
What is the DNA we share?
Talk about twisted deoxyribose family drama! The story of Lydia Fairchild and her mysteriously non-DNA related children gives Stacey cause for a double take on some unique science. The chimera chaos leads the team to wander the streets of DNA snips and ancestral alleles that makes us unique. From c…
26:39
How and why do we see colour?
The ancient Egyptians, Sistine Chapel, Van Gogh’ s Starry night and Dr Frankenstein have some eye-opening chemistry in common, and it all has to do with colour. Starting from lapis skies and cerulean waves, Stacey and Clinton shine a light on how and why we see colour, the visible light spectrum, a…
27:20
Does size really matter in the animal kingdom?
Scrolling Instagram triggers a deep dive into the world of the Greenland shark, and has Stacey and Clinton exploring the massive world of animal sizes, aging, and even cancer. From the largest animal on Earth, to elephants with super-powered tumour-suppressing genes, they dive into Peto's Paradox a…
24:41
Why is chocolate so scientifically special?
Stacey’s friend has posed an unusual question: Why don’t Flake chocolate bars melt? Turns out, dark, milk, or amorphous solid, there is some decadent science behind the every day chocolate bar. From the 6 crystal structures, the art of tempering, and why some chocolate achieves that perfect snap wh…
27:58
What’s the science behind venom and poison?
A near miss with a tiger snake on Clinton's morning run sparks a deep dive into the world of nature’s chemical weaponry. First used for defence and hunting millions of years ago, these substances are now unlocking new medical breakthroughs. Clinton and Stacey explore the science behind venoms, pois…
25:08
How did biomimicry change the bullet train?
What's the one thing Ant is most excited about for his upcoming trip to Japan? Taking the shinkansen, or Japanese bullet train, from Tokyo to Osaka. First launched in 1964 and travelling today at 320 km/h, it's a feat of modern science. Ant and Stacey take a whistle stop tour of the science of biom…
21:50
What is methanol poisoning?
It's summer holidays in Australia, which for some means jumping on a plane and heading overseas. Depending on the destination, that next beachside cocktail might be best avoided. Prompted by recent media stories of holiday makers being poisoned by methanol, Stacey distils the chemistry of alcohol a…
16:28