The Science Show gives Australians unique insights into the latest scientific research and debate, from the physics of cricket to prime ministerial biorhythms.

Latest episodes

Lab Notes: When is it time to throw in the towel?

October 7, 2026 · 11 min

If you reach for the old tea towel in the cupboard, this episode is for you. It's time to talk textiles: why older towels seem to be better at drying, and when it may be time to throw out your more well-worn towels. Jonathan follows the…
Paul Nurse and assessing the health of Australian trees

October 2, 2026 · 55 min

And genetics reveals further details of a great friendship story – humans and dogs.
Lab Notes: Why you shouldn't leave your phone charging

September 30, 2026 · 11 min

Your phone battery doesn't like being fully charged or discharged. This is why it's sometimes advised that to extend its life, you shouldn't charge your phone beyond 80 per cent, or let it drop below 20 per cent. But what's actually…
Deep sea nodules, ideas in ecology, and three brilliant scientists not always on the money

September 25, 2026 · 55 min

Millions, perhaps billions of sharks teeth lie on the ocean floor. Valuable mineral deposits collect on their fossilised remains. Now they are viewed as a resource and if exploited devastation will come to an little known ecosystem.
Lab Notes: Have we found dark matter?

September 23, 2026 · 11 min

Deep in an old gold mine in South Dakota, scientists witnessed a flash of energy in a giant pool of xenon. Some in the astronomical community are pretty excited, saying this is our best hint yet at what dark matter is. How do we know, why…
The big cats that stalked early humans and why ancient concrete outlasts the modern stuff

September 18, 2026 · 55 min

Plus the tree bark which hosts a whole world of methane-absorbing microbes.
Lab Notes: The AI maths wars

September 15, 2026 · 13 min

AI is getting so good at maths that it is now tackling, and apparently solving, some of the hardest mathematical problems that exist. But as huge companies like OpenAI and Anthropic race to outdo each other, human mathematicians are…
AI boost for people with dyslexia and how algorithms shape what we read

September 11, 2026 · 55 min

And botanists intervene to save a plant that may have become sterile