Up and Atom: Recent Episodes
FBi Radio
Up and Atom brings you the latest breakthroughs and discoveries in the ever-changing world of science. Sometimes weird, sometimes confronting, always informative, come learn about the world around. Hosted by Alice Williamson (@all_isee), University of Sydney lecturer and researcher for Open Source Malaria, each week on Up For It with Ruby Miles.
Why are opossums immune to snake bites? And what's the deal with tasting stuff? Dr Alice Williamson joined Ruby Miles to answer some of these pressing questions.
Dr Alice Williamson came into the studio to tell us about dinosaur dandruff and the asteroid that wiped them out.
Dr. Alice Williamson joined us to confirm our greatest fear (hand driers are spraying poop onto our fingers), and to teach us about green blooded lizards.
Dr Alice Williamson joined Ruby to talk all things brains. We learned that Google DeepMind has developed an internal satnav (all by itself?!), and about Neanderthal brains that are being grown in petri dishes.
Dr. Alice Williamson has finally returned so we can bask in her sciencey glory. It's not all good news though. We talked flesh eating ulcers, and the people who search the sea floor for medicine.
Dr. Alice Williamson is still out of sorts, so Tom Gordon joined us to talk protein caps on DNA and special plastic.
Dr. Alice Williamson is recovering, so our backup scientist Tom Gordon swooped in to save the day. He told us all about a spacecraft on the hunt for alien planets, and tiny robots who can fix your cells from the inside.
We're cursed! Dr Alice Williamson tripped over some loose science on the floor and needed to call in from home. Luckily we still got our knowledge fix, learning about laser beam tweezers and their impact on quantum computers.
Dr Alice Williamson returns to the studio to talk wasp drumming and seriously killer whales.
Tom Gordon joined us for a second week to talk the physics of ball tampering and meat grown in petri dishes.
Dr. Alice Williamson is taking the week off, so Ruby was joined by Tom Gordon, who talked Pi Day, the speed of galaxy’s rotations, and batteries that run on water.
Dr. Alice Williamson joined Ruby to talk (potentially) Alzheimers curing light, and how polar bear fur can make bunnies invisible.
Dr. Alice Williamson is joined by Chemistry PhD candidate Kate Leslie for this International Women's Day special to talk fluorescent dye in cells and the end of cervical cancer.
Dr Alice Williamson is making science cool again with this chilly Winter Olympics Special. She talks plastic ice and quintuple spins on Up For It with Ruby Miles.
Dr Alice Williamson joined Ruby today, and we learned that magpies in larger groups are smarter, ecologists are planting prairies in our cities, and that somewhere out there is the loneliest frog in the world. http://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2018-02-08/australian-magpie-brain-power-boosted-by-group-size/9401674 https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/02/vacant-lot-ecological-experiments/552746/ http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-43004367
Dr Alice Williamson discussed Australian of the Year, quantum physicist Michelle Simmons, and talked jogging apps revealing secret US army bases.
http://theconversation.com/award-to-michelle-simmons-reflects-strategic-importance-of-quantum-physics-for-australia-90759https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/28/fitness-tracking-app-gives-away-location-of-secret-us-army-bases
Dr Alice Williamson joins Ruby once again to talk bacteria that make gold nuggets, and how gamblers 600 years ago decided to make dice fair.
Dr Alice Williamson joined Ruby this morning to talk fire starting birds and a machine the size of a pill that could change diagnostic medicine as we know it.
Lucy Smith is officially wrapping up her time as host of Up For It, making way for a new presenter in 2018 after an incredible two years behind the mic. On her final edition of Up and Atom, Dr Alice Williamson quite literally put her to the test, submitting Lucy to her first science quiz since high school while recapping the biggest science stories covered on Up and Atom over the past year. Questions ranged from why Western Australians were asked to collect as many cane toads as possible, to who was awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, and when the first-ever sighting of a gravitational wave event using conventional telescopes was. While Lucy may be moving on, Dr Alice will be back with more science in 2018.
Dr Alice Williamson brought in some amazing science news this week about early earthquake detection that measures fluctuations in gravity signals, as well as the lowdown on some research that might just disprove the existence of the abominable snowman.
Dr Alice Williamson joined Lucy to share some personal memories sparked by specific smells, because one of our science stories this morning is about the research being done to categorise, measure, and quantify smells. They also talked about the 'daversity' problem in Australian science that sees men being given far more grants than women. Research shows these men are also mostly only working with other men, which makes it even tougher for women in science. Also, most of them are called Dave.
Lucy quizzed Dr Alice Williamson today on some pest control news out of New Zealand, where scientists and conservationists are examining the potential for the use of gene editing techniques like CRISPR to eradicate rats and other invasive species from the country. They also looked internally at the mechanics of the human brain, after revelations that our brain processes sound in an alternating way, reminiscient of strobes.
Our globe-trotting scientist Dr Alice Williamson is back in the country once more, and she dropped by the studio to give Lucy the low down on two amazing new pieces of science news. Scientists have managed to grown a genetically modified replacement skin for a 7 year old boy in Syria, and a reversible material is being developed that'll keep you warm one way, and cool if you turn it inside out.
Dr Alice Williamson joins us again in the FBi Studio to bring us all the news of exciting developments in the world of chemistry and the Nobel prize for Chemistry's impacts. We also found out the origin of athletes biting their gold medals, gold's properties and uses.
Tom Gordon joins Lucy Smith for Up and Atom! this week to bring us exciting news on Australia's space embassy. One small step for man, one giant leap for all Aussie kind! We also discussed the 'pee-search' suggesting boys are better than girls at physics as they learn from a young age to pee standing up.
Bill Nye is going to save the world, but can he save Australia too? Joined by Dr Alice Williamson, Bill shares with us how Australia is a corner stone in scientific discoveries. Listen in and get inspired!
Dr Alice Williamson joins Lucy Smith, bringing us all the latest in gene-editing research of wheat and gluten. Big news for coeliacs and those of us who are gluten intolerant! Cake for all!
Dr Alice Williamson joined Lucy Smith over the phone today to bring us gigantic updates on tiny robots. These molecular robotic advancements may seem straight out of a Sci-Fi story but they could mean huge news for us.
Filling in for Dr Alice Williamson this week was Dr Bish Marzook, who shared with us two stories from the Ig Noble Prize: Cats - solid or liquid? and the best way to save yourself from a coffee spilling catastrophe. We also got an update on some Sawfish wearing fit bits in WA.
Celebrating FBi Radio's 14th birthday, Up and Atom was all old-school science news this week! Alice and Lucy talked about a bunch of the most interesting breakthroughs and events of 2003 - revelations in dark matter, the Columbia Space Shuttle disaster, and the first time embryonic stem cells were turned into eggs. Oh, and the introduction of camera phones and iTunes!
Dr Alice Williamson is riding the Sydney Science Festival wave at the moment, and she had a couple of huge stories for Lucy this morning. Scientists have worked out how and why goldfish are using alcohol to survive icy winters (yes, really), and thanks to some big advances in gene editing, we may be one step closer to transplanting pig organs into humans and saving thousands of lives.
With the Sydney Science Festival and National Science Week upon us, Dr Alice Williamson filled Lucy in on some amazing research from two women killing it in Australian science.
Professor Shari Forbes is a forensic chemist and professor at UTS, and she's the lead researcher and coordinator of Australia's first body farm, where she's studing human decomposition and capturing the smell of death. She's presenting a keynote called Cracking the World of Forensics for the Sydney Science Festival.
Masters student and Kamilaroi woman Karlie Noon is the first Indigenous person on the East coast of Australia to attain degrees in mathematics and physics. She's currently studying a joint Masters of Astronomy and Astrophysics (Advanced), and on top of that is doing research into weather predictions used by Indigenous Australians with Indigenous astronomer, Duane Hamacher. In particular, she's been looking at moon haloes, how they've been used for centuries to predict storms, and how modern science backs it all up. She's giving a keynote address at Indigenous Sciences: A Second Symposium... of Sorts.
Back in Sydney and fully recovered from Splendour in the Grass, Dr Alice Williamson brought some hot science goss to the studio this morning, with the news that some incredibly interesting signs of life have been discovered on Titan, one of Saturn's many moons. She also told Lucy all about the surprising uses for slug slime, which has inspired some potentially lifesaving medical glue.
Lucy was sick this morning, so Ted Dwyer filled in, and he and Alice talked all about how scientists have managed to store a piece of video within a section of DNA. Sticking with incredible achievements, they also discussed the amazing impact of Maryam Mirzakhani, an Iranian mathematician who passed away a few days ago at just 40 years of age. She was a ground-breaking mathematician who was the first woman to ever win the prestigious Fields Medal - maths’ Nobel Prize equivalent.
Frog’s legs for brekky? Not quite, but Alice and Lucy did talk all about the amazing new finding that frogs may have been the first lifeforms on Earth to have developed kneecaps. It’s early days for the research, but as it develops it may have an interesting impact on our theory of evolution! Going back to the realm of humans though, Alice and Lucy also looked at the news that an antibiotic used to treat a rare, deadly lung disease could actually be a lifesaver for adults with severe asthma.
It turns out that musos are kinda attractive in the bird world too, you guys! Lucy and Alice broke down the habits of cockatoos this morning on Up and Atom, more specifically, their talent for drumming and how that helps them attract a mate. Keeping the bird theme going, they also looked into why the heck eggs are shaped the way they are. Eggcellent.
Meow! Alice and Lucy got catty on Up and Atom this morning, looking into how the domesticated cat managed to spread itself to every corner of the globe, and in particular where the tabby cat got its markings. They also moved to the backseat to talk about driverless cars, and how they're actually struggling to get them to work down under because of the bizarre way that kangaroos move (and their propensity for causing car accidents).
Sorry, but is it cool if we talk science for a sec? Alice had a hot tip for Lucy this morning that apologising a lot may have actually have a stack of benefits for your health and for the way you're perceived - so if you feel like you maybe you apologise a little too much, chill out! They also looked across the ditch at the potential discovery of the location of the long-lost eighth natural wonder of the world, the pink and white steps of Lake Rotomahana.
Alice joined Lucy once again to explain why our emotions go haywire when we have a sneaky pash with someone, and that the human race might be much older than we thought thanks to a new discovery in Morocco.
Alice Williamson couldn't make it this week, so University of Sydney Science Communicator Tom Gordon joined Lucy in the studio to discuss the politics of climate change (given Trump's decision to pull the USA out of the Paris Agreement), and the revolutionary new ideas in our theory of gravity - gravitational waves.
Lucy was a little under the weather today, so The Bridge's Lachlan Wyllie jumped behind the mic to fill in. Lachlan and Alice looked into game theory, more specifically, the idea that maybe you should be starting to charge your mates for the privilege of borrowing your stuff. They also talked about the implications of an exciting new experiment involving space sperm - scientists have successfully bred mice from freeze-dried sperm kept on board the International Space Station for about nine months. #interstellarsteak
Lucy and Alice talked about global doomsday prep this morning after the news that the Arctic stronghold designed to protect a massive stockpile of the world's seeds and ensure humanity's food supply forever was flooded with melted permafrost. Keeping things focused on keeping the human race alive, they also talked fertitlity, because a recent study has shown that an old-school method of flushing out fallopian tubes with poppy seed oil can actually boost fertility by getting rid of blockages that stop eggs moving into the uterus.
Lucy and Alice went classical this week, because it turns out super famous old violins aren't as shit hot as we once thought. In a recent series of double-blind tests, a number of Stradivarius violins, which are hundreds of years old and often worth millions of dollars, were played by blindfolded violinists to blindfolded audience members alongside a series of top quality modern violins. The modern violins were thought to be better sounding nearly every time. Listen back to the podcast to find out why, as well as to hear all about some of Alice's upcoming events - Pint of Science and Two Up.
Lucy and Alice talked all about breathalysers today, but no, not the kind you'd see at an RBT. Scientists have been able to use a special kind of breathalyser to get insights into the health of dolphins exposed to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the results mean that they now have biomarkers for assessing the health of wild dolphins in a non-invasive way. In the spirit of the Sydney Comedy Festival, which is going down right now, they also delved into the science of laughter!
Alice and Lucy dove head first into some far-out medical science today, starting with the ancient hallucinogen ayahuasca and its potential as a treatment for depression. The psychedelic drug is legal in parts of South America, where it has been drunk for centuries as part of religious rituals, and tourists are increasingly giving it a go while holidaying there. The world's first randomised clinical trial of ayahuasca for treating depression has just been completed, and has found that it can rapidly improve mood over a short period, especially among people with depression that is resistant to antidepressants.
Then they looked into something a little more futuristic - the incredible news that two lambs have been successfully grown in an artificial womb that could one day be used to help human babies that are born prematurely. It looks like a plastic bag filled with fluid, and it mimics a mother's uterus, allowing the foetus to continue breathing oxygen-filled liquid just as it would in a real womb. The team at the Centre for Foetal Research in Philadelphia tested their prototype on two lambs, and hope to have the technology available for humans in less than two years. This would be a huge step forward in the care of babies born prematurely, who suffer from a very high mortality rate and very high rates of illness.
Alice also told Lucy all about her brand new podcast, Dear Science!
Today's Up and Atom sees our two ladies of science traverse timelines. Travelling to the past to talk about dinosaurs or rather chicken dinosaurs, and then heading to a future which could be populated by racist and gender bias robots.
The beak is considered one of the most prominent features which make up the anatomy of the chicken. But, the current beak wasn't always as sharp and pointed as it is now. Realising the chicken needs two different genes to develop their beak, they suppressed one. The result.... some interesting effects on the embryo's beak, or should we say, snout!
The two then power forward to a future of prejudice artificial intelligence. A recent AI tool used to revolutionise computers has been found to have some striking discriminations against certain genders and races, and of course, it's all the fault of us humans. Could these machines be absorbing deeply ingrained biases concealed within the patterns of our own language? Lucy and Alice discuss.
Lucy and Alice discuss recent news regarding our Prehistoric predecessors. Over a century of dinosaur classification has just been turned on its head with some new research and scientists are now debating the origins of prehistoric beasts, with a small cat-sized creature from Scotland being the frontrunner. Also, It turns out the T-Rex isn't just the vicious monster we thought. Researchers now think T-Rex used to rub their snouts together as a form of courtship, and that their snouts were as sensitive to touch as human fingertips. Got to make up for those arms somehow.
From watching the ground to watching the skies, Lucy and Alice talk about spiders and clouds (Note: Unrelated topics just in case you're imagining spiders falling from the sky).
Following up last week's venture into the use of Funnel Web spider venom as an insecticide. Now researchers think they might be able to create a drug from the deadly venom to ward off brain damage caused by strokes.
The two science aficionados then let their heads drift off to the clouds as they discuss the twelve new cloud formations which have been added to the official Cloud Atlas.
Their inclusion is all thanks to the Cloud Appreciation Society, which you can become a member of right now!
A Chimpanzee has recently filmed cleaning the teeth of a deceased chimp of their group in a mortuary-like practice. What insight does this give in terms of evolutionary practices and the compassion of animals? Lucy and Alice dive right into that question!
The pair also bravely chat about spider venom and the possibility of using a Blue Mountain Funnel Webs venom as an insecticide. Don't be scared, have a listen!
Lucy and Alice dive into the mystery that is the alien solar system discovered which could support other life. We may not be alone! They also discuss the mad ball skills of Bumblebees who have learned to complete tasks, including manoeuvring balls into a hole for a tasty treat.
Lucy and Alice get down to business today, talking about the newest prospective continent Zealandia (You get one guess as to who this might be). They also chat about monkey semen and the role it has to play in a hydrogel that could lead to a non-surgical vasectomy.
Scientists have discovered that some roses smell sweeter than others and as a result may have figured out a way to make the Valentine Day flower smell even sweeter.
Alice talks us through the latest Scientific discoveries, including the use of soybean oil to create a material 200 times stronger than steel. Alice and Lucy also discuss the mysterious illness affecting the children of Mazzafarpur, India. Scientists believe the Lychee fruit might have something to answer for.
Scientists have created a human-pig hybrid which raises the prospect of being able to grow human organs inside animals for use in transplants. While the Food Standards Agency has warned that overcooked, starchy foods can contain acrylamide - a chemical linked to cancer.
A feathered dinosaur tail was discovered in a piece of amber for sale at a market in Myanmar, plus: researchers at the University of Adelaide have found that monotremes, like the platypus and echidna, may hold the secrets to curing diabetes.
Bees may be in decline, but pollen continues to move throughout the ocean. Researchers discovered a species of crustaceans that pollenates sea grass like bees pollenate flowers.
Meanwhile, University of Queensland researchers look deeper at how whales communicate with each other when they are out of the water.
Humans have mainly left invertebrates out of the equation for medical research, instead thinking about animals that are more similar to us. Researchers looking at invertebrates have discovered at least 1500 previously unknown viruses. Plus: multiple people hospitalised in Melbourne with asthma following intense storms.
Scientists are using taste aversion to prevent larger animals from eating Cane toads. Meanwhile, the Dart Frog's toxin is said to be so strong that one frog could kill 10 men, and a group of chemists at Stanford University are using the toxin to investigate how disease passes through the body.
Researchers have used a brain implant to allow paralysed monkeys to walk again by wirelessly bypassing the damaged section of the spine. Plus: the robot that is set to revolutionise eye surgery.
Researchers from the University of Western Australia looked closer at how Thorny Devils absorb water without using their mouth. Meanwhile at MIT, spinach and nanotechnology have been combined to create natural bomb detectors.
Scientists have discovered an ancient species of bison that match some cave paintings from 30,000 years ago. Researchers have discovered that Tasmanian Devils’ milk is able to prevent fungal infections and believe that they may be able to be used to prevent golden staph and other superbugs on humans.
The world’s first baby to be born from a new procedure that combines the DNA of three people appears to be healthy, according to doctors in the US who oversaw the treatment. A new exciting discovery in kidney stone research! A study had shown that that rollercoasters may be able to help people pass kidney stones.
Atrial fibrillation is the cause for up to a third of all strokes. Now there is a smartphone app that detects abnormalities in heart rhythm and can alert you if you have the condition. A new study has come out that proves that modern Aboriginal Australians are the direct descendants of some of the first people to inhabit the continent
Alice Williamson calls Lucy Smith from London to chat about how Tasmanian Devils are evolving in order to fight a deadly and infectious face cancer.
Alice Williamson and Lucy Smith discuss new ways of treating Koala chlamydia as well as the discovery of Proxima B.
Scientists have discovered that some birds sing a different song to their eggs in hotter climates, sending a message to the eggs to develop more slowly. Is this the birds preparing for climate change? Alice also tells Lucy about a breakthrough in diabetes science, possibly eliminating the finger prick.
A new exoskeleton technology designed to help paraplegic patients walk, has shown signs of physical neural pathway reawakening. Scientists have discovered the oldest ever shark which is over 400 years old!
There has been a discovery of a super immune system, antibodies that may make people live longer and they may be able to detect and fight cancer cells. New research has shown that sunflowers actually have body clocks that work on a 24 hour cycle with the sun, and they move with an obscure growing method.
Alice Williamson brings you the latest in science breakthroughs. Today's subject matter: fairy circles found in Western Australia and a pregnant Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil discovered.
Alice Williamson brings you the latest in science breakthroughs. Today's subject matter: a new discovery in the genetics of Dingo cross breeds and a bacteria that eats PET plastic
Alice Williamson brings you the latest in science breakthroughs. Today's subject matter: in honour of International Women's Day, Alice celebrates and speculates on the role of women in science
Alice Williamson brings you the latest in science breakthroughs. Today's subject matter: scientists produced lab-grown sperm for the first time, and coffee comes under the magnifying glass with new research suggesting a big positive for drinkers.
Alice Williamson brings you the latest in science breakthroughs. Today's subject matter: 3-D printing of organs and news on the long-extinct marsupial lion.
Alice Williamson brings you the latest in science breakthroughs. Today's subject matter: could being a morning person be genetic? And using smell receptors to create new tastes
Alice Williamson brings you the latest in science breakthroughs. Today's subject matter: the spread and treatment of the Zika Virus and a white giraffe named Ono.
Alice Williamson brings you the latest in science breakthroughs. Today's subject matter: a woman who can feel no pain and . Featuring a live and original performance by Obscura Hail.
Alice Williamson brings you the latest in science breakthroughs. Today's subject matter: a new treatment for haemophiliacs and how restaurants can help to preserve birds.
Alice Williamson brings you the latest in science breakthroughs. Today's subject matter: ultrasonic bubbles being used to image the brain and how pigeons are being used to detect breast cancer.
Alice Williamson brings you the latest in science breakthroughs. Today's subject matter: penetrating the blood-brain barrier and the use of magnets by animals to navigate. Obscura Hail joins the show to give a live performance of the song 'Terminal'.
Alice Williamson brings you the latest in science breakthroughs. Today's subject matter: Scientists using bees to spread pesticide and smart glasses using sound to help the blind see.
Georgia Hitch and Alice Williamson take a look at new ways to solve some of the infestations threatening our fragile ecosystems.
Today on Up For It we have a water theme - Alice Williamson and Georgia Hitch talk about how subterranean water can reveal evolutionary secrets, and how old books teach us about filtration.
Alice Williamson and Georgia Hitch talk about using yeast to synthesise opiates, and how electro-shock therapy is saving condors.
Alice Williamson and Georgia Hitch discuss water-based polymer condoms, and all the great stuff happening around the place during Science Week.
Georgia Hitch and Alice Williamson talk foodstuffs on Up and Atom: How can shrimp be used to prevent a nasty sunburn, and could fruit be the answer to a post-drink hangover?
Nick Watts and Alice Williamson discuss the birth of the world's most hated profession, as well as how radio can get us in touch with extraterrestrial life.
Alex Williamson talks with Georgia Hitch about how chemicals in algae, fish mucus and shrimp shells can be made into a super-sunscreen and how pears can be used to help ward off hangovers.
Alex Williamson talks with Georgia Hitch about spiders capable of aquatic transportation, as well as a new move to use dogs to sniff out cancer.
Georgia Hitch and our new Up and Atom host Alice Williamson take a look at the link between exposure to faces of fear and juvenile delinquency, as well as why pandas are so darn lazy.
Hear Wendy Zukerman talk about a lizard species named after self proclaimed lizard king Jim Morisson and new research that shows that neurons in the brain do actually regenerate
Wendy Zuc talks the future of North American Painted Turtles in the face of Global Warming and uncovering some fossilised bacteria that suggests 1.9 billion years ago earth smelt like rotten eggs!
Scratching is Contagious and Scanning the Brain's of free-styling rappers reveals insights into creativity