Great Moments In Science

ABC listen

4.3 (20)
NATURAL SCIENCES
UPDATED WEEKLY

From the ground breaking and life saving to the wacky and implausible, Dr Karl Kruszelnicki reveals some of the best moments in science.

23/05/2023

The Greatest Moment in Science

Dr Karl was first heard on the wireless in 1981 when he convinced Triple J that a talk about the space shuttle would be good listening because he had applied to be a NASA astronaut. The shuttle did (eventually) launch ... and along with it, the all-science-media career of one Dr Karl Kruszelnicki. This is Dr Karl's last Great Moment in Science, as we know it—but don't worry, he'll still be around and firing on all cylinders—including on Triple J's Science with Dr Karl podcast. Science with Dr Karl

29 min
16/05/2023

Why the 'marijuana munchies' make you feel good

We know that the drug called cannabis, or marijuana, increases the appetitecommonly called the 'Marijuana Munchies', and we are finally getting closer to knowing what makes it happen. Half-a-billion years ago a biological system evolved to make sure that hungry animals would eat.
09/05/2023

Insects fly to the light

The ancient Romans thought that insects were attracted to bright light, and then there's the well-known phrase, "drawn like a moth to a flame", so it seems like people over many years have spotted insects coming into the lights, at night. But what's the real reason? Host: Dr Karl Kruszelnicki
02/05/2023

Dreaming a diagnosis with Dr Karl

Some sleepers who act out their dreams are later diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. As Dr Karl explains, it's one of a few slightly odd new diagnostic tools.
25/04/2023

Sniffing out disease with Dr Karl

The power of smell can't be understated — our noses don't just sniff out tasty treats, they can also alert us to danger. In this episode of Great Moments in Science, Dr Karl tells the story of a super-sniffer who might've unlocked a powerful diagnostic tool.
18/04/2023

How tall is time? Well, it's all relative

Atomic clocks are the most precise time-keepers we have. But that doesn't mean they can escape the timey wimey effects of gravity. In this episode of Great Moments in Science, Dr Karl explains how this enables super-accurate clocks to not just measure time, but height as well.
11/04/2023

The physics of dunking biscuits

Humans have been dunking biscuits for as long as biscuits have existed. But why do we do it? Why are soggy biscuits so darn good? In this archive episode of Great Moments in Science, Dr Karl submerges himself into the mechanics of this age-old activity.
04/04/2023

Want to see an eclipse without travelling? You might be waiting a while

Thousands of people will descend on the tiny WA town of Exmouth later this month to witness the Moon block out the Sun for a whopping one minute. But if you're a homebody not all that keen on a road trip, how long might it take to see a total solar eclipse from where you are right now? Dr Karl investigates in this archive episode of Great Moments in Science.

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4.3

out of 5

20 Ratings

Incredibly interesting snippets of science brilliantly explained

29/12/2017

Morning wind

Incredibly interesting snippets of science brilliantly explained. I first heard Dr Karl on BBC Radio 5 (podcasts) and have been hooked ever since. My dad was a scientist (though I became a musician) and he taught me to love finding out about how the world works, and in these short podcasts Dr Karl presents fascinating facts about the world which it would benefit everyone to know. The fact that they are short makes them easy to digest in a world that doesn’t allow many of us very much time to investigate all the things we’d like to. Thank you Dr K.
Interesting but…

20/04/2022

Philipmccabe

Lose the annoying and distracting background music.