The Science Show

The British Science Festival

Robyn Williams reports from The British Science Festival in Southampton UK.

Lab Notes: Bogong moths bounce back?

Across south-eastern Australia, bogong moths seem to be everywhere. A few years ago, it was a different picture: scientists witnessed a population crash, and habitat thr

Collaboration between life forms and how bees protect their hives from disease

Plus a call for accuracy in dinosaur displays.

Lab Notes: What's in store for wildlife this summer?

Over the past few years, our environment seems to have experienced multiple extreme events in quick succession. With a summer fuelled by what may be the strongest and we

72 per cent of UK trees threatened by changing climate, plus the simple spud’s complex genetics

And palm oil producers in South-East Asia have changed their ways, considering the environment more than they did. Brendan May is turning his attention now to nickel mine

Lab Notes: When astronomers make mistakes

In March 2018, a South African astronomer looking into the distant universe "discovered" a bright red spot in the sky that hadn't been there previously; it felt like an e

Nobel Prizes, kitchen fumes and a biography of Francis Crick

* 2026 Nobel prizes in science* Air fryer vs deep fryer: Which produces more indoor air pollution?* First major biography of Francis Crick

Lab Notes: When is it time to throw in the towel?

If you reach for the old tea towel in the cupboard, this episode is for you.  It's time to talk textiles: why older towels seem to be better at drying, and when it may b

Paul Nurse and assessing the health of Australian trees

And genetics reveals further details of a great friendship story – humans and dogs.

Lab Notes: Why you shouldn't leave your phone charging

Your phone battery doesn't like being fully charged or discharged. This is why it's sometimes advised that to extend its life, you shouldn't charge your phone beyond 80 p

Deep sea nodules, ideas in ecology, and three brilliant scientists not always on the money

Millions, perhaps billions of sharks teeth lie on the ocean floor. Valuable mineral deposits collect on their fossilised remains. Now they are viewed as a resource and if

Lab Notes: Have we found dark matter?

Deep in an old gold mine in South Dakota, scientists witnessed a flash of energy in a giant pool of xenon. Some in the astronomical community are pretty excited, saying t

The big cats that stalked early humans and why ancient concrete outlasts the modern stuff

Plus the tree bark which hosts a whole world of methane-absorbing microbes.

Lab Notes: The AI maths wars

AI is getting so good at maths that it is now tackling, and apparently solving, some of the hardest mathematical problems that exist. But as huge companies like OpenAI an

AI boost for people with dyslexia and how algorithms shape what we read

And botanists intervene to save a plant that may have become sterile

Lab Notes: Where could bird flu go next?

It's been three months since the first case of bird flu was found on the Australian continent. Many cases have been found in birds since then, along with other mammals.

As fire ravages the Northern Hemisphere, is Australia ready for a record-breaking El Niño? And why optimists live longer than pessimists

The Science Show gives Australians unique insights into the latest scientific research and debate.

Lab Notes: Why are we ticklish?

Most people know the feeling of ticklishness, whether it's the tickle attacks that bring about uncontrollable laughter or the feather-like touch from something brushing a

A moon beyond our Solar System, dust storms on Mars and questioning of reality

Dust storms on Mars make the biggest on Earth seem like a gentle breeze. Chelsea Huang describes the Martian conditions which produce humungous dust storms that cover the

Lab Notes: The redback sex-death somersault

These little spiders that live in the dark corner of your garage have a pretty crazy sex life. Researchers have known for a while that male redback spiders get eaten duri