It Starts With...

‘Remarkable’ freshwater turtles face quiet decline

Australia’s freshwater turtles are some of the country’s most fascinating and under-appreciated animals. They can live for decades, survive incredible injuries, help clean river systems and in some cases even breathe underwater through specialised adaptations. But despite how remarkable they are, turtle populations across Australia are quietly declining and most people do not even realise it is happening. In this first of a two-part panel episode, David Boldeman is joined by turtle experts Deb Bower [https://www.une.edu.au/staff-profiles/ers/debbie-bower], James Van Dyke [https://www.jamesuvandyke.com/], Michael Thompson [https://1millionturtles.com/our-team] and Ricky Spencer [https://researchers.westernsydney.edu.au/en/persons/ricky-spencer/] to explore why turtles are so important, the surprising biology behind how they survive, and the growing challenges they face. Part two will be published on May 26 and discusses the 1 Million Turtles [https://1millionturtles.com/] project. Deb, James, Mike and Ricky co-author the book The Mystery of the Missing Turtles with Elizabeth Hale and illustrator James O'Hanlon. The book is published by CSIRO Publishing and is available in print or eBook [https://www.publishing.csiro.au/book/8222/#author]. It Starts With... [https://connectsci.au/news/pages/podcasts] is a ConnectSci podcast. ConnectSci [https://connectsci.au/] delivers trusted, fact-based content, including peer-reviewed journal articles, eBooks and science news articles. It is operated by CSIRO Publishing [https://www.publishing.csiro.au/], a not-for-profit, editorially independent publisher based in Australia. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Could kangaroo tendons repair a knee injury?

Our guest Dr Elizabeth Clarke [https://profiles.sydney.edu.au/elizabeth.clarke/publications] explains how biomechanics is helping researchers and surgeons better understand movement, arthritis, ACL injuries and long-term joint deterioration. The episode also explores how robotics, surgical technology and AI-assisted systems are increasingly being integrated into modern orthopaedic procedures. She also discusses current research [https://esskajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ksa.70201] that investigates whether kangaroo tendons could one day help repair human knee injuries. For the latest science news visit https://connectsci.au/news [https://connectsci.au/news] It Starts With... [https://connectsci.au/news/pages/podcasts] is a ConnectSci podcast. ConnectSci [https://connectsci.au/] delivers trusted, fact-based content, including peer-reviewed journal articles, eBooks and science news articles. It is operated by CSIRO Publishing [https://www.publishing.csiro.au/], a not-for-profit, editorially independent publisher based in Australia. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

AI is reshaping businesses and customer experience but are we making intelligent decisions?

Welcome to It Starts With... a weekly podcast series where we uncover the people behind the stories from fossils to AI, and the microscopic to the galactic.  Our host David Boldeman is joined by AI expert Jon Whittle [https://www.linkedin.com/in/whittlejon/] to unpack one of the biggest and most misunderstood ideas shaping our lives today: artificial intelligence. Jon has spent more than 30 years working in AI including NASA, Data61 [https://research.csiro.au/data61/] and Melbourne Business School [https://mbs.edu/centres/institute-for-digital-innovation-and-ai/leadership]. He cuts through the hype to explain why so many people are getting it wrong and what is coming next. From real-world examples like software development and everyday tools, to an electrician using ChatGPT on the job, we explore where AI is useful, what it means for how work gets done, and how it will affect you the customer. The takeaway is simple: AI isn’t replacing everything overnight, but it is reshaping how decisions get made. And understanding that starts at the beginning. Jon's book AI in Business was published in January 2026 is available to buy in print or ebook via CSIRO Publishing [https://www.publishing.csiro.au/book/8244/#:~:text=Jon%20Whittle%20is%20a%20leading,Everyday%20AI%2C%20over%20two%20seasons.]. DISCOVER MORE: * For the latest science news visit https://connectsci.au/news [https://connectsci.au/news] * Jon's substack blog is Being Human in an AI World [https://jonwhittle.substack.com/] * Jon has also hosted his own podcast: My CSIRO Presents Everyday AI podcast [https://www.csiro.au/en/news/podcasts/everyday-ai-podcast] It Starts With... [https://connectsci.au/news/pages/podcasts] is a ConnectSci podcast. ConnectSci [https://connectsci.au/] delivers trusted, fact-based content, including peer-reviewed journal articles, eBooks and science news articles. It is operated by CSIRO Publishing [https://www.publishing.csiro.au/], a not-for-profit, editorially independent publisher based in Australia. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.