Quirks and Quarks

4,4 (14)
GEOWISSENSCHAFTEN
WÖCHENTLICH

CBC Radio's Quirks and Quarks covers the quirks of the expanding universe to the quarks within a single atom... and everything in between.

VOR 5 TAGEN

Why this biologist loves unpopular animals, and more…

We tend to think of animals like snakes, rats and even cockroaches as pests, but in her new book, biologist Marlene Zuk says there's a lot we can learn from these less than desirable creatures, if we just give them a chance. PLUS: A case of mistaken identity: The truth about the world's 'oldest' octopus fossil From the archives: Carl Sagan on the worlds beyond our solar system The evolutionary cost of our relationship with fire We're not speaking as much as we used to — and scientists are concerned

54 Min.
10. APR.

Moving beyond animal testing, and more…

There's been a growing movement to develop new technologies to replace at least some of the animals used in scientific research. Researchers across Canada are working to create these tools, to usher in a new animal-free era for medical science. PLUS: Harbor seals can 'talk' thanks to their parrot-like brains'Flaming hot' water ice may explain Neptune and Uranus' strange magnetismA thigh bone that could represent the oldest evidence of our human lineageThe ravens of Yellowstone remember where wolves typically kill their prey

54 Min.
3. APR.

What we hope to see on the far side of the moon, and more…

On their mission around the moon, Jeremy Hansen and his crewmates will become the only four people on Earth to ever lay eyes on the entire far side of the moon. Since joining the space program, the Artemis astronauts have been undergoing intensive geological training to help train their eyes to look for lunar features that satellites can't pick up. PLUS: How Neanderthals skillfully hunted and butchered a giant elephantFilming fish over their lifetime reveals behaviours that lead to longevityHow our food environment shapes our tastes — and health

54 Min.
27. MÄRZ

Dogs have been by our side for 16,000 years, and more...

New research confirms that dogs were the first animal to form a domestic relationship with humans, dating back to the end of the last Ice Age almost 16,000 years ago. PLUS: Constructing shelters out of Martian soil may be possible with bacterial helpMale-on-male cricket 'twerking' and 'booty bumping' is not a case of mistaken identityNarrowing down potential alien signals from 12 billion to 100, thanks to SETI Researchers find a brain switch in mice to turn a deadbeat dad into a doting one

54 Min.
20. MÄRZ

A stinky planet full of magma, and more...

An unusual hellscape of a planet found 34 light years from Earth has a deep ocean of molten magma surrounded by noxious, hot, rotten egg-type fumes. It just may be the most uninhabitable alien landscape we've ever come across. PLUS: Neanderthal DNA can help explain how human faces formNearly indestructible teeny tiny tardigrades struggle to survive in Martian dirtTiny tags on monarch butterflies allow scientists to track their exact migration routeA weird fish has a big hole in its head. Scientists finally have an idea why.

54 Min.
13. MÄRZ

Bonobo females bully the boys, and more…

We used to think that of our primate relatives, chimps were the more aggressive ape and bonobos were more peaceful. A recent study found that bonobos are just as antagonistic as chimps, but it's the females targeting males. PLUS: Mission to deflect an asteroid was a smashing successLow gravity environments can lead to stronger blood clots in astronautsFrom fire to galaxy formation, a celebration of friction as a fundamental forceWinter spiders survive subzero temperatures with a potent antifreeze

54 Min.
6. MÄRZ

Filming a black hole in action, and more…

You may have seen Black Hole, the image, but have you heard of the upcoming Black Hole, The Movie? This week, astronomers launched a new campaign to capture video footage of the supermassive black hole pulsing at the heart of the M87 galaxy. PLUS: Sunlight and fungi inspiration can help recycle plastic waste into vinegarAncient kangaroos were hopping giantsHow monogamy helps termite colonies number in the millionsOur infant universe's primordial soup was soupy, according to new study

54 Min.
27. FEB.

How starfish move their tiny tube feet, and more…

Starfish don't have brains, and yet they're able to mobilize hundreds of tiny hydraulic tube feet to get around. Now scientists are getting an understanding of just how they do that. PLUS: Atmospheric pollution from an individual rocket re-entry event measured for the first timeHow the Earth’s greenhouse age transitioned into a world with frozen polesWhat is dark matter? The contenders — from WIMPs to dark matter starsQuirks Question: why doesn’t flowing water freeze at the same temperature as still water? (Correction: A previous version of the dark matter story referred to a study published last fall that mapped the distribution of dark matter, but the study was published on Jan. 26, 2026.)

54 Min.

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Bob McDonald

Moderation

4,4

von 5

14 Bewertungen

Long time listener

21. März

britt_diane

I’ve been listening for years. When the news bums me out, I enlist this podcast as my main source of “cool science news that doesn’t actually bum you out and actually helps promote feelings of excitement for the future”. Also, fun story. It’s podcasts like these that got me interested in science in the first place. I’m now in research, and I think about how impactful science communicators are; the ones that make learning accessible and fun. I hope they continue inspiring young people for years to come.
Great Science Information

17.04.2017

Acre88

I listen to Quirks and Quarks religiously. It is my auditory highlight of the week! Thanks to Bob McDonald for being such a great interviewer!