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It Starts With...

by ConnectSci
ScienceHistory

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Latest episodes

  • Can AI improve your mental health?

    October 20, 2026 · 28 min

    Content warning: this episode discusses suicide and mental health. If you need urgent support in Australia call Lifeline 24/7 on 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14. Support is also available at Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, or Kids Helpline on…

  • Are the dinosaurs in our museums out of date?

    October 13, 2026 · 27 min

    Palaeontology has changed enormously in recent decades, but many museum and theme park dinosaurs still look like they came straight out of last century. Palaeontologist James Ronan joins David Boldeman to explain why that matters, how his…

  • Digital cows: how AI is reshaping farms

    October 6, 2026 · 28 min

    Can AI tell when a cow is getting sick before a farmer? An Australian team is working on using farm data to create a digital version of each cow and look for signs of illness before they become obvious. The technology can help prevent…

  • Robot boats set sail around the Southern Ocean on 9-month journey

    September 28, 2026 · 22 min

    The first of a new fleet of uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) has set off from Tasmania, Australia, on a nine-month mission to monitor the Southern Ocean. CSIRO’s Dr Elizabeth Shadwick discusses with host David Boldeman how the project will…

  • Is white really the coolest colour to wear?

    September 22, 2026 · 20 min

    We're told white keeps you cool and black soaks up the heat — but where does purple fit in? Imma Perfetto joins David Boldeman to unpack the surprising physics of colour and heat after a new purple fabric was found to keep you cooler than…

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  • Why pleasure — not fear — should drive sex education

    September 15, 2026 · 34 min

    New research shows that making sexual health services pleasure-inclusive for young people returns $23 for every $1 spent. Across 99 countries, that's 30.7 million more people protected, 4.3 million unintended pregnancies avoided, and over…

  • 90 years after extinction, could the Tasmanian tiger come back?

    September 7, 2026 · 41 min

    The last Tasmanian tiger died 90 years ago. Could de-extinction science bring it back? Professor Andrew Pask explains how. September 7, 1936, was the last confirmed sighting of a thylacine (Tasmanian tiger). It was named “Benjamin” and…

  • Your tongue is lying to you: the hidden science of flavour

    September 1, 2026 · 17 min

    Why does mint make your mouth feel like it's full of ice even though it doesn't change the temperature in your mouth? In this episode, host David Boldeman sits down with science journalist Ellen Phiddian to unpack the strange sensory…

  • Resilience, crisis leadership & AI with former pilot Richard de Crespigny

    August 25, 2026 · 44 min

    Knowledge built over time, skills practiced and risks taken help prepare us for the challenges of life. Resilience, therefore, is not something that emerges when things go wrong but takes a lifetime to develop according to this week’s…

  • What will we eat if we live on the Moon or Mars?

    August 18, 2026 · 27 min

    Professor Volker Hessel is working on one of the biggest challenge in future space exploration, how do we support human life beyond Earth. Volker is a chief investigator at the ARC Center of Excellence in Plants for Space. Plants for Space…

  • What is a bee and why do they need the right bee hotel in your garden?

    August 12, 2026 · 41 min

    Explore Australia’s hidden world of native bees with Dr Kit Prendergast and Clancy Lester. Kit is a native bee scientist, ecologist and passionate advocate for Australia’s bee diversity. Clancy is a science communicator helping Australians…

  • Microplastics: what are they and how dangerous are they really?

    August 5, 2026 · 19 min

    Microplastics are everywhere – in water, food, air and even our bodies. But are microplastics as scary as some news headlines would have us believe? In this episode of the It Stars With… podcast, David Boldeman chats with science…

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About the show

A weekly Australian science podcast exploring the people and stories behind discovery. It Starts With... curiosity, ideas, accidents, problems, or a passion — and it leads everywhere, from fossils to AI, microplastics to Mars, the microscopic to the galactic. David Boldeman talks to scientists, researchers and others about the journey behind the science and how they got there. It Starts With... is a ConnectSci podcast, produced by CSIRO Publishing, Australia's trusted source for fact-based content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.