What The Duck?!

ABC Australia
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  • NATURAL SCIENCES
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The show with a mission to explore the mysteries of nature - especially the ones that make you go What the Duck?!

  1. Sex is Weird 1: The world's first d*ck pic

    7 HR AGO

    Sex is Weird 1: The world's first d*ck pic

    When you really think about it, sex to make babies is WEIRD! You take an outie that has to get stuck inside an innie that links into a production line of eggs to assemble a perfect tiny being. It's so damn complicated! So why does it work like that? Join us at What the Duck for the first episode of a new series where we figure out how living things went from splitting ourselves in half to double the population, to periodically feeling compelled to copulate in such a vigorous, sometimes highly embarrassing, manner. Earth — this is your sexual history! Please note that this program contains adult themes and explicit language. Parental guidance is recommended. Featuring: Emeritus Professor David Siveter, University of Leicester, UKAssistant Professor Emily Mitchell, University of Cambridge, UK and curator of non-insect invertebrates, University Museum of Zoology, Cambridge, UKDr Marissa Betts, geologist and palaeontologist at the University of New England, Armidale, AustraliaDr Emily Willingham, biologist, journalist and authorAssociate Professor Patty Brennan, Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts, USProduction: Ann Jones, Presenter / ProducerPetria Ladgrove, ProducerAdditional mastering: Isabella Tropiano and Russell StapletonThanks also to Will Ockenden, Belinda Smith, Corey Hague and Joel Werner.This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in 2024 and was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people. Find more episodes of the ABC podcast, What the Duck?! with the always curious Dr Ann Jones exploring the mysteries of nature on ABC Listen (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll learn more about the weird and unusual aspects of our natural world in a quirky, fun way with easy to understand science.

    26 min
  2. Nature's Most Wanted: Can my dog inherit my house

    30 APR

    Nature's Most Wanted: Can my dog inherit my house

    In 2002 Gigoo became the world's wealthiest chicken when her owner left her £10 million in his will. How does a chook even open a bank account? Within legal limitations there are ways to provide your pets the lifestyle they're used to after you die. But what about divorce? Can you have visitation rights to see your goldfish? And when a dog's day in court climbs though the tiers of the Australian legal system, it might surprise you how little the pet is mentioned. Featuring: Professor Katy Barnett, Melbourne Law School at the University of Melbourne, and co-author of Guilty PigsProfessor Prue Vines, Faculty of Law and Justice, the University of New South WalesIan Charman, family law specialist, consultant solicitor, Adelta LegalProduction: Ann Jones, Presenter / ProducerRebecca McLaren, ProducerIsabella Tropiano, Sound EngineerThis episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Taungurung people. Find more episodes of the ABC podcast, What the Duck?! with the always curious Dr Ann Jones exploring the mysteries of nature on ABC Listen (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll learn more about the weird and unusual aspects of our natural world in a quirky, fun way with easy to understand science.

    26 min
  3. Nature's Most Wanted: Wild, but not free

    23 APR

    Nature's Most Wanted: Wild, but not free

    A lost monkey in an Ikea carpark is an illegally traded pet, so does he have a legal owner? When it comes to animal ownership, courts turn to Roman-era laws to try and figure out if an animal is tame or wild. It may work sometimes, but leaves out the modern idea of the animal's best interests. And it doesn't explain how an elephant can have a criminal rap sheet. Content warning: This program contains stories where animals are punished as if they are criminals. Some listeners may find this confronting. Featuring: Professor Katy Barnett, Melbourne Law School at the University of Melbourne, and co-author of Guilty PigsDr Michelle Granden, psychologistMary Roach, author of Animal, Vegetable, CriminalProfessor Sindhu Radhakrishna, National Institute of Advanced studies in Bengaluru, IndiaWith thanks to Dr Michelle Granden whose research inspired the title of this episode And extra sounds from bird enthusiasts: Mike Dooher, XC402422. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/402422 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0)Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / ProducerRebecca McLaren, ProducerHamish Camilleri, Sound EngineerThis episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Taungurung people. Find more episodes of the ABC podcast, What the Duck?! with the always curious Dr Ann Jones exploring the mysteries of nature on ABC Listen (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll learn more about the weird and unusual aspects of our natural world in a quirky, fun way with easy to understand science.

    26 min
  4. Nature's Most Wanted: Trunk and disorderly

    16 APR

    Nature's Most Wanted: Trunk and disorderly

    How much booze does it take to intoxicate an elephant? The answer isn't as much as you might expect, because not all guts are created equal when it comes to metabolising alcohol. This explains why an elephant might be considered a lightweight and your donkey got into a fight last weekend. But alcohol isn't the only cause of misbehaviour — so what motivated the legless serial doorbell pranksters? Featuring: Dr Mareike Janiak,  postdoctoral associate at the University of CalgaryDr Christine Sutton, particle physicist and past editor of CERN CourierKate Connolly, Berlin correspondent for the Guardian NewspaperDr Imogen Cavadino, freelance malacologistWith news audio thanks to NPR And extra sounds from bird enthusiasts: Mike Dooher, XC355140. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/355140 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0)Lonnie Bregman, XC373738. Accessible at  www.xeno-canto.org/373738 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0)Mike Dooher, XC402422. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/402422 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0)Frank Lambert, XC1031363. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/1031363 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0)Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / ProducerRebecca McLaren, ProducerHamish Camilleri, Sound EngineerThis episode of What the Duck?!  was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Taungurung people. Find more episodes of the ABC podcast, What the Duck?! with the always curious Dr Ann Jones exploring the mysteries of nature on ABC Listen (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll learn more about the weird and unusual aspects of our natural world in a quirky, fun way with easy to understand science.

    26 min
  5. Nature's Most Wanted: Fowl play with real-life angry birds

    9 APR

    Nature's Most Wanted: Fowl play with real-life angry birds

    Forget feathered friends — these are our feathered foes. They can wield knives, get involved in the world of organised crime and drug dealing, and even shut down the Large Hadron Collider. But the most pressing question is, why did the duck cross the road at speeds so high local law enforcement was on the case? Featuring: Dr Christine Sutton, particle physicist and past editor of CERN CourierMary Roach, author of Animal, Vegetable, CriminalDr Laura Adams, psychology instructor at Langara CollegeProfessor Dina Siegel, criminology at Utrecht UniversityDr Amber Lee, avian & exotic animal veterinarian at The Unusual Pet VetsSven Montgomery, Police Inspectorate, municipality of KönizWith extra sounds from bird enthusiasts: David m, XC116357. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/116357 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0)David m, XC164431. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/164431 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0)Romuald Mikusek, XC912877. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/912877 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0)Daniel Parker, XC949456. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/949456 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0)Ray Cooke, XC1058578. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/1058578 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0)Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / ProducerRebecca McLaren, ProducerHarvey O'Sullivan, Sound EngineerThis episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Taungurung people. Find more episodes of the ABC podcast, What the Duck?! with the always curious Dr Ann Jones exploring the mysteries of nature on ABC Listen (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll learn more about the weird and unusual aspects of our natural world in a quirky, fun way with easy to understand science.

    26 min
  6. Nature's Most Wanted: Murder (but not crows)

    2 APR

    Nature's Most Wanted: Murder (but not crows)

    The fear of being eaten by an animal is so visceral that a mass psychosis, featuring a monkey man, once swept across Delhi. But in the event of an actual attack, investigators look for specific forensic clues to identify which predator was responsible. Was the perpetrator human or animal? Or in one infamous case in the US, was it human … or owl? Featuring: Phoebe Judge, host of the podcast CriminalEuan Ritchie, Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at Deakin UniversityMary Roach, author of Animal Vegetable CriminalProfessor Sindhu Radhakrishna, National Institute of Advanced studies in Bengaluru, IndiaProfessor Satish Kr. Verma, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Amrita University in Faridabad, IndiaWith extra sounds from bird enthusiasts: Barry Edmonston, XC1001471. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/1001471 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0)Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / ProducerRebecca McLaren, ProducerHamish Camilleri, Sound EngineerThis episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Taungurung people. Find more episodes of the ABC podcast, What the Duck?! with the always curious Dr Ann Jones exploring the mysteries of nature on ABC Listen (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll learn more about the weird and unusual aspects of our natural world in a quirky, fun way with easy to understand science.

    26 min
  7. Nature's Most Wanted: Cat burglars and robber duckies 

    26 MAR

    Nature's Most Wanted: Cat burglars and robber duckies 

    Leonardo da Pinchy is a literal cat burglar with more than 350 pieces of evidence against him — evidence that's easy to confirm because when he steals his neighbour's underwear, he brings it home with a satisfied look of great pride. Steven Seagull is banned from the local corner store after a six-year beef-flavoured-chip-thieving spree. Then there are the monkeys holding phones hostage for fruit juice. These aren't the only creatures with a criminal record — far from it So when animals steal, what is driving their behaviour? Featuring: Dr Neeltje Boogert, associate professor in animal behaviour at the University of ExeterHelen North and Leonardo da PinchyJulia Henning, PhD candidate at the University of AdelaideProfessor Sindhu Radhakrishna, National Institute of Advanced studies in Bengaluru, IndiaWith extra sounds from bird enthusiasts: Romuald Mikusek, XC912877. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/912877 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0)Мітла Андрій Володимирович, XC915767. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/915767 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0)Eetu Paljakka, XC1087274. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/1087274 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0)And thanks to Dr Neeltje Boogert for sounds used in the study: Herring gulls respond to the acoustic properties of men's voicesProduction: Ann Jones, Presenter / ProducerRebecca McLaren, ProducerHamish Camilleri, Sound EngineerThis episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Taungurung people. Find more episodes of the ABC podcast, What the Duck?! with the always curious Dr Ann Jones exploring the mysteries of nature on ABC Listen (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll learn more about the weird and unusual aspects of our natural world in a quirky, fun way with easy to understand science.

    26 min
  8. Nature’s Most Wanted: Odour in the court

    19 MAR

    Nature’s Most Wanted: Odour in the court

    Pigs tried for murder, weevils expelled from heaven and how a bloke dressed as an executed French monkey became mayor of an English town. Topsy the elephant travelled the US performing for cheering circus-goers, but when her drunken trainer rode her into town wreaking havoc, was that her poor decision-making … or his? Content warning: This program contains stories where animals are punished as if they are criminals. Some listeners may find this confronting. Featuring: Professor Katy Barnett, Melbourne Law School at the University of Melbourne, and co-author of Guilty PigsDr Michelle Granden, psychologistStuart Drummond, former Mayor of Hartlepool UKProduction: Ann Jones, Presenter / ProducerRebecca McLaren, ProducerHamish Camilleri, Sound EngineerThis episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Taungurung people. Find more episodes of the ABC podcast, What the Duck?! with the always curious Dr Ann Jones exploring the mysteries of nature on ABC Listen (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll learn more about the weird and unusual aspects of our natural world in a quirky, fun way with easy to understand science.

    26 min
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Hosts & Guests

About

The show with a mission to explore the mysteries of nature - especially the ones that make you go What the Duck?!

Information

  • Creator
    ABC Australia
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    206
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026, Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All right reserved.
  • Show Website
    What The Duck?!

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