Shirtloads of Science

Growing Mini Retinas To Fight Blindness With Anai Gonzalez-Cordero (485)

Associate Professor Anai Gonzalez-Cordero joins us on Shirtloads to explore the remarkable world of stem cells and how they can develop into almost any cell in the human body! She explains how her team is using stem cell technology to better understand and develop potential treatments for inherited retinal diseases, including Stargardt disease and Usher syndrome. We also discuss her work at the Children's Medical Research Institute and the importance of supporting genetic research through Jeans for Genes Day (coming up on the 7th of August!) If you'd like to help fund life-changing genetic research, consider making a donation this Jeans for Genes Day www.cmrijeansforgenes.org.au/

Beyond "Survival of the Fittest" with Rowan Hooper (484)

What if evolution isn't just about the survival of the fittest? Rowan Hooper, senior editor at New Scientist, joins Shirtloads to discuss his new book Togetherness - a challenge to the idea that nature is defined purely by competition. From the fig and wasp's ancient partnership to the mycorrhizal fungal networks threading through forest soils, Hooper makes a compelling case that relationships and symbiosis are overlooked fundamental aspects of evolution.

In Dedication: Richard Scolyer on Risk, Hope and Radical Cancer Treatment (483)

This conversation was originally recorded and published in November, 2024. In light of Richard's passing, we wanted to share it again because his insights remain as inspiring and relevant as ever. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.

Beasts Behaving Badly with Dr. Ann Jones (482)

Dr. Ann Jones joins me to chat about her hilarious new What the Duck? series, Nature's Most Wanted, which dives into the wild world of criminal animals. We investigate some of nature's strangest case files… a duck caught speeding (twice), drug-addicted parrots, an underwear-nicking cat, drunk elephants, and heavyweight hamsters! A funny look at the surprising ways animals collide with the human rules we've created. What The Duck?! Nature's Most Wanted [https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/what-the-duck/natures-most-wanted/106620406]

Seaweed! The Humble Organism Fighting Climate Change with Assoc. Prof. Alex Campbell (481)

Marine Ecologist Assoc. Professor Alex Campbell takes us into the wonderful, under-appreciated world of seaweed and makes the case that it might be one of our most powerful allies against climate change! We dive into seaweed's evolutionary history and the troubling decline now underway: as ocean temperatures rise, marine organisms are shifting toward the poles at a rate of over 60km per decade to escape the heat, with Tasmania's once-thriving giant kelp forests shrinking by a staggering 90% since the 1990s due to devastating changes to their habitat. But the story isn't all bad news. Seaweed also holds genuine promise as a climate solution - from carbon sequestration and biofuel production, to a renewable alternative to plastic, to livestock feed additives that can dramatically cut methane emissions. Alex makes a compelling case for why this humble marine organisms deserves a much bigger role in how we tackle climate change.