Quirks and Quarks from CBC Radio

About this podcast

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

Quirks and Quarks from CBC Radio

Episodes

2021
Coyotes doing well in the city, asteroid impact created rainforests, the minimal organism, elephant seals fear of the light and why warmer springs could mean earlier falls
How “wily” coyotes have managed to find success in the city like no other predator; The asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs might have created the rainforests; Scientists create the simplest cell with only the bare essentials for it to live and reproduce; Elephant seals buoyantly navigate ‘lightscape of fear’ in long sea migrations; Climate change might make autumn leaves appear — and disappear — earlier.
April 9, 2021
55 min
Gorilla troops raise orphans, Canadian laser cools antimatter, concussion spit test, octopus sleep and dreams, forensic science in real life and blood of many colours
Giant silverback gorillas show a gentler side in looking after orphans; ‘Cool’ new Canadian-built laser will help scientists probe antimatter mysteries; Game-changing saliva test could rapidly diagnose concussions for athletes; Octopuses sleep in technicolour. Do they dream, too?; A new book looks at forensic science beyond what we see on TV; Do all creatures on Earth have red blood?
April 1, 2021
55 min
COVID pandemic origins, nature sounds good, why humans have such big brains, making the study of the universe more accessible and a question of cat fur
COVID ‘fuse’ may have been lit weeks or months before the Wuhan market ‘bomb’; Nature's sounds improve well-being — reducing stress and even pain; Researchers use 'mini-brains' to find out why ours grow so large; A theoretical cosmologist explores the right to wonder upon the night sky; How do you explain the changing hair colour pattern of a tabby cat?
March 26, 2021
55 min
When Greenland was green, bear back-scratching, Mars voyage emotional toll, fin whale seismic sensing, what made COVID-19 vaccines possible and gas fume shadows
Ice cores drilled for missile silo research reveals when Greenland was last green; Grizzly Tinder: Bears rubbing up against trees may be their dating calling card; Microgravity on a trip to Mars might leave astronauts emotionally impaired; Listening in on fin whale calls to do seismic sensing of the ocean floor; COVID vaccines were made in record time. Meet a scientist who made that possible; Why do gasoline fumes cast a shadow on a cold, sunny day?
March 19, 2021
55 min
10 years since Japan’s tsunami, ants do social distancing, otters save kelp forests, ancient and agile hippo-sized reptile and autism and human innovation
Earthquake science takes great strides in the 10 years since massive quake hit Japan; Ant-i-social distancing: Ants know how isolation prevents the spread of infection; Sea otters have been saving Pacific kelp forests from rapacious sea urchins; As big as a hippo, but speedy like a cheetah: meet the intimidating Anteosaurus; Is autism the legacy of humans evolving the ability to innovate?
March 12, 2021
55 min
COVID & climate complexity, memory athletics, life on Earth is lucky, frogs do noise cancellation, speaking to the dreaming and hot air rising
COVID gave climate scientists a natural experiment. Here’s what they learned; Flexing memory muscles like the pros can build long term memories; Do you feel lucky? Chance likely played a major role in life persisting on Earth; Frogs have noise cancelling lungs so females can hear males over the swampy din; Dispatches from the dreamworld: establishing two-way communication with lucid dreamers; If hot air rises, why is it cold at the top of mountains?
March 5, 2021
55 min
Black in science: The legacy of racism in science and how Black scientists are moving the dial
This week’s special edition of CBC Radio’s Quirks & Quarks looks at the history and future of Black people in science. We delve into the the history of biased and false “race science” that for hundreds of years was used to justify slavery, exploitation and exclusion. This has left a terrible legacy in systemic racism that in the past and present has, on one hand, led to misunderstanding and mistreatment of Black people by the scientific and medical community, and on the other has created obstacles for talented Black researchers that prevented them from fully participating in the scientific process. We also talk to Black researchers about how they’re working to increase recognition for the contributions of Black scientists, and use that profile to build more opportunities and representation across all disciplines of science. Along the way we identify and honour historical Black scientists who overcame the obstacles to make significant but often unrecognized contributions to science.
February 26, 2021
55 min
Magnetic pole reversals, viruses hunt bacteria, solar powered microflyers, trans people and sexual health, the music of endangered birds and why elliptical orbits?
When the magnetic poles flip out, Earth seems to suffer; Bacteria-hunting viruses can track down antibiotic resistant bugs where they hide; Levitating solar-powered micro flyers may fly high where planes and rockets can't; HIV testing study of trans people in the UK reveals health care gaps; Music inspired by endangered bird calls brings focus on conservation and creativity; If the sun is round, why are the planets in elliptical orbits?
February 19, 2021
55 min
Driving a rover on Mars, a stinky romantic gift, coral that can handle bleaching, easy choices aren’t stress free, monkeys ‘self-domesticate’ and unhealthy water holes
Meet the Canadian engineer who will help guide NASA’s new rover on Mars; Butterfly males leave a stinky parting gift with mates that deters further suitors; Biologists can tell how some corals survive climate-related coral bleaching events; Quick decisions might not be easy ones as ‘choice overload’ leads to stress; Monkeys are 'naturally selecting' themselves for domestic cooperation and tranquility; Why don’t animals get sick from filthy, drying-up water holes in Africa?
February 12, 2021
55 min
COVID treatments: what have we learned? Breakups change language, algae blooms on Greenland, bats’ impressive flight, amateur astronomers find brown dwarfs and fish in space?
Treating COVID-19 one year in: what have we learned?; Me, myself and I: Little words might signal a breakup is coming, long before you know it; What’s feeding the algae growing on — and helping to melt — Greenland’s ice?; Faster, higher, stronger — bats reach Olympian heights and record speeds; Amateur astronomers use the ‘mark one eyeball’ to find brown dwarf stars; If fish don’t experience gravity, can astronauts learn from them to stay in shape?
February 5, 2021
55 min
New climate war tactics, lizard burrows are wildlife condos, sleep lunacy, blind naked mole-rat dialects, male mantises don’t go down easily, and how do astronauts float?
Prominent climatologist behind ‘hockey stick’ graph talks about the ‘New Climate War’; Australian monitor lizards build underground condos used by dozens of other species; Phases of the moon could be playing with your bedtime without you knowing it; Naked mole rats learn their 'language' from their queens and speak in dialect; Scientists find male praying mantises taking a stand against cannibal females; Why aren’t astronauts affected by gravity or centrifugal force in the space station?
January 29, 2021
55 min
A pandemic of boredom, dinosaur’s nether regions, a giant telescope on the moon, greenhouse gases and a mussel’s shell game and cancer ‘sleeps through’ chemotherapy
Pandemic boredom research is thrilling and — and might even be helpful; A dinosaur's 'butthole' was a swiss-army-knife of orifices; Building Earth's largest telescope on the far side of the moon; Mussels play a 'shell game' to deal with increasingly corrosive ocean waters; Cancer cells 'hibernate' to hide from chemotherapy.
January 22, 2021
55 min
Introducing: Tai Asks Why Season 3
Fourteen year-old Tai Poole returns with Season 3 of Tai Asks Why to ask: What’s happening in my teen brain? How is the Universe going to end? Why do humans dance? And how much screen time is too much? Join Tai as he boldly goes where no 9th-grader has gone before to find you answers you never knew you needed. His conversations with everyone from NASA experts, to physicists and dancers, to his little brother Kien will expand your mind, no matter how old you are! More episodes are available at http://hyperurl.co/taiaskswhy
January 20, 2021
24 min
Snake lasso climbing, detecting gravitational waves with pulsars, coping with soil compaction, what land should we protect to reach 30% and electric eels hunt in packs.
Snakes tie themselves in knots to climb up slippery poles after endangered prey; Spinning stars act as cosmic lighthouses to help detect gravitational waves; Heavy machinery is compacting agricultural soils. Can we persuade plants to put up with it?; Canada committed to protecting 30% of our territory by 2030. Which 30% should it be?; ‘Shocking’ electric eel pack-hunting behaviour discovered in the Amazon.
January 15, 2021
55 min
COVID-19 and fighting viral evolution, ice-age wolf pup, how jellyfish swim so efficiently and how to do online learning to make education better
New COVID variants: what’s driving the virus to evolve, and what we can do about it; A 60,000 year-old frozen wolf cub paints a picture of ice age life; Jellyfish are the ocean’s most efficient swimmers - here’s how they do it; An online learning expert explains how the COVID crisis might help change education for the better.
January 8, 2021
55 min
Listener question show — we answer your science questions, like: Where are the missing dinosaurs? Why does cold make you pee? Do insects feel pain? And much more.
The Quirks & Quarks annual Question show, ten questions, ten answers.
January 1, 2021
55 min
2020
Our producers' favourite stories of 2020. Tickling rats, the power of swearing, amazing awakening, squat don't sit, woodpecker wars and more
The 'best of' Quirks 2020 season as selected by the show's producers
December 25, 2020
55 min
Quirks & Quarks holiday book show. Chance and human evolution, surviving a black hole, new insights about Neanderthals and more...
Do you feel lucky? A biologist explains we exist because of ‘A Series of Fortunate Events’; A ‘Black hole Survival guide’ and your brief life in a paradox of space and time; A new book about our ‘Kindred,’ the Neanderthals, puts to rest the brutish image.
December 18, 2020
55 min
Spotting STEVE, superbolts and megaflashes, hyperventilating sober, bees use poop as insect repellent and a spider research and racial equity in science.
Citizen scientist help reveal new features of the mysterious aurora-like STEVE; Superbolts and megaflashes — scientists study souped up lightning; Hyperventilate yourself sober — a simple new device could help treat acute alcohol poisoning; Bees defend themselves from giant asian ‘murder’ hornets with animal poop; Maydianne Andrade on black widow spiders, and fighting for racial equity in science.
December 11, 2020
55 min
A mysterious light from the universe, undoing cellular aging, feather talking, a smartwatch predicts COVID, the path of the polar bear and moon volcanoes
Pluto probe finds mysterious ‘night light’ in the universe; Your smartwatch might be able to detect early signs of COVID-19; These birds communicate through feather flutters - and even have different accents; Scientists reverse aging in retinal cells by removing genetic 'rust' to restore vision; Ice Walker — a mother polar bear's precarious existence in the changing Arctic; Why does Jupiter’s moon Io have volcanoes but our moon doesn’t?
December 4, 2020
55 min

Quirks and Quarks from CBC Radio

About this podcast

Categories

About this podcast

Categories

Quirks and Quarks from CBC Radio

Episodes

Coyotes doing well in the city, asteroid impact created rainforests, the minimal organism, elephant seals fear of the light and why warmer springs could mean earlier falls

Gorilla troops raise orphans, Canadian laser cools antimatter, concussion spit test, octopus sleep and dreams, forensic science in real life and blood of many colours

COVID pandemic origins, nature sounds good, why humans have such big brains, making the study of the universe more accessible and a question of cat fur

When Greenland was green, bear back-scratching, Mars voyage emotional toll, fin whale seismic sensing, what made COVID-19 vaccines possible and gas fume shadows

10 years since Japan’s tsunami, ants do social distancing, otters save kelp forests, ancient and agile hippo-sized reptile and autism and human innovation

COVID & climate complexity, memory athletics, life on Earth is lucky, frogs do noise cancellation, speaking to the dreaming and hot air rising

Black in science: The legacy of racism in science and how Black scientists are moving the dial

Magnetic pole reversals, viruses hunt bacteria, solar powered microflyers, trans people and sexual health, the music of endangered birds and why elliptical orbits?

Driving a rover on Mars, a stinky romantic gift, coral that can handle bleaching, easy choices aren’t stress free, monkeys ‘self-domesticate’ and unhealthy water holes

COVID treatments: what have we learned? Breakups change language, algae blooms on Greenland, bats’ impressive flight, amateur astronomers find brown dwarfs and fish in space?

New climate war tactics, lizard burrows are wildlife condos, sleep lunacy, blind naked mole-rat dialects, male mantises don’t go down easily, and how do astronauts float?

A pandemic of boredom, dinosaur’s nether regions, a giant telescope on the moon, greenhouse gases and a mussel’s shell game and cancer ‘sleeps through’ chemotherapy

Introducing: Tai Asks Why Season 3

Snake lasso climbing, detecting gravitational waves with pulsars, coping with soil compaction, what land should we protect to reach 30% and electric eels hunt in packs.

COVID-19 and fighting viral evolution, ice-age wolf pup, how jellyfish swim so efficiently and how to do online learning to make education better

Listener question show — we answer your science questions, like: Where are the missing dinosaurs? Why does cold make you pee? Do insects feel pain? And much more.

Our producers' favourite stories of 2020. Tickling rats, the power of swearing, amazing awakening, squat don't sit, woodpecker wars and more

Quirks & Quarks holiday book show. Chance and human evolution, surviving a black hole, new insights about Neanderthals and more...

Spotting STEVE, superbolts and megaflashes, hyperventilating sober, bees use poop as insect repellent and a spider research and racial equity in science.

A mysterious light from the universe, undoing cellular aging, feather talking, a smartwatch predicts COVID, the path of the polar bear and moon volcanoes