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What The Duck?!: Daily Summaries Delivered
by ABC Australia
Australia is full of weird plants and animals. And Dr Ann Jones is on speaking terms with most of them! Each week Ann explores the most unusual elements of our natural world — the ones that make you go What the Duck?! Like why do quolls have spots? Who farts (and who doesn't)? And how do snakes climb trees? Join Ann alongside experts and ordinary Aussies alike to solve mysteries, smash myths and uncover the bizarre truth about nature down under.
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- Today26 min
Butts. What are they good for?
Two million years ago, our ancestors had tiny ape-like butts. Then something strange happened.. our butts grew bigger. Butt, why?It turns out humans aren’t the only primates whose butt took a bizarre evolutionary turn.These peaches have a lot to answer for.Featuring:Professor Daniel Lieberman, Harvard University, US.Professor Jo Setchell, Durham University, UK. Dr Peter Bishop, Harvard University, US.Lauren Thornton, University of Sunshine Coast.Production:Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.Petria Ladgrove, Producer.Additional mastering: Russell Stapleton.This episode of What the Duck was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung 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.
- 1 weeks ago26 min
Flaco the owl escapes cage in Central Park Zoo
A superhero origin story would absolutely be 12 years in a cage and then set free by secretive criminals.That’s the story of Flaco, the Eurasian Eagle Owl, released from his vandalised cage in Central Park Zoo, New York City. But how long could Flaco possibly last in the graveyard of bird diversity that is the city? How long could he fly without confusing a window for the sky?Featuring:Ed Shanahan, Metro reporter, The New York Times.Julia Wang, Project Leader, Cornell Lab of Ornithology.Brendon Samuels, Fatal Light Awareness Program and Western University in Canada.Dr Kylie Soanes, Urban ecologist at The University of Melbourne.Mat Howard, Midjuburi Ward (Marrickville), Inner West Council, NSW.Kat and Zach, Flaco Song.Production:Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.Petria Ladgrove, Producer.Additional mastering: Hamish Camilleri.This episode of What the Duck was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung 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.
- 2 weeks ago26 min
Bumblebees have BIG feelings
Mum says it’s ok to be angry. But it’s not ok to take over a whole island state.Featuring: Andrew Barron - Comparative Neuroscientist from Macquarie University, NSWTim Low - Biologist and a founder of the Invasive Species CouncilProduction:Ann Jones, Presenter / ProducerSarah Prosser, ProducerHarvey O'Sullivan, Mastering EngineerThis episode of What the Duck was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung 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.
- 3 weeks ago25 min
What will we eat in space?
How will we survive the cosmic void? Scientists have a superfood diet in mind, but will the smallest flowering plant on Earth REALLY save humanity? Featuring:Jenny Mortimer - Professor of Plant Synthetic Biology in the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine at Adelaide University. Chief investigator in the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plants for SpaceGareth Prosser – Professional Voice Over Artist whose wife roped him in Production:Ann Jones, Presenter / ProducerSarah Prosser, ProducerMastering Engineer, Emyrs Cronin This episode of What the Duck was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung 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.
- 4 weeks ago25 min
Tits, boobies and hooters
Why is it that bird names seem so… childishly misogynistic? Featuring: Professor Andrew Cockburn, bird watcher and word batcher, ANUJeannie Gray, Author, Australian Bird Names: Origins and Meanings.Ian Fraser, Author, Australia Bird Names: Origins and Meanings.Stephen Downes, the brains behind @Parrotoftheday social media accountsStephen Moss, Author, Mrs Moreau's Warbler: How Birds Got Their Names.Nola Turner-Jensen, Culture Inclusion Specialist and Wiradjuri HistorianDr Ayesha Tulloch, Research Fellow, QUT.This episode was first broadcast in 2022.Featuring extra sounds from listeners:Large-tailed Nightjar from Briony Barnett.Cat Bird from Scott Fisher. And extra sounds from bird enthusiasts:Marc Anderson, XC287030. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/287030 ( Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0)Yong Ding Li, XC57231. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/57231 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5)Phil Gregory, XC690345. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/690345 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0)Production:Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.Petria Ladgrove, Producer.Joel Werner, Script Editing.This episode of What the Duck?! 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.
- Sep 4, 202625 min
Can you speak fish?
Someone get a translator app because the fish are ready to speak. FEATURING: Lauren Hawkins - Centre for Marine Science and Technology at Curtin University.Dr Aaron Rice - Research Scientist at Cornell University. FEATURED SOUNDS :Thanks to Aaron and Lauren for providing sounds as well as Professor Robert McCauley and the Centre for Marine Science and Technology at Curtin University. PRODUCTION:Ann Jones, Presenter / ProducerPetria Ladgrove, ProducerAdditional mastering: Hamish CamilleriThis episode of What the Duck was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung 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.
- Aug 28, 202625 min
Hitchhikers guide to ecology
Grabbing a lift can go from bad to worse when your uber drops you outside your evolutionary niche. FEATURING:Dr Matt Greenlees - Sydney University.Arthur White - NSW frog and tadpole study group.David Chapple - Monash University.Dr Maggie Watson - Charles Sturt University.Dr Robert Streit - Reef Function Hub at James Cook University.Voice of the Internet: Nikolai Beilharz. PRODUCTION: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.Petria Ladgrove, Producer.Joel Werner, Script Editor.Additional mastering: Brendan O'Neill.This episode of What the Duck was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung 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.
- Aug 21, 202655 min
G.O.A.T AUSTRALIAN WILDFLOWER
Does Australia have a BEST wildflower? Hang on... what even is a flower? Dr Ann Jones and Belinda Smith count down the top 10 best wildflowers as voted by YOU in a special live show, The Hour of Flower. FEATURING: Tim Entwisle – Author, The Sceptical Botanist. Former CEO of the Royal Botanic Gardens in MelbourneChantelle Doyle - Research Associate, Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental SciencesKingsley Dixon - Professor, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western AustraliaMira Jordan - PhD candidate, Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, Centre for Ecosystem Science and Evolution & Ecology Research CentrePRODUCTION: Ann Jones, Presenter / ProducerBelinda Smith, Presenter / ProducerPetria Ladgrove, Executive ProducerSarah Prosser, ProducerStudio Engineer, Carey Dell This episode of What the Duck was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung 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.
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About What The Duck?!
Australia is full of weird plants and animals. And Dr Ann Jones is on speaking terms with most of them! Each week Ann explores the most unusual elements of our natural world — the ones that make you go What the Duck?! Like why do quolls have spots? Who farts (and who doesn't)? And how do snakes climb trees? Join Ann alongside experts and ordinary Aussies alike to solve mysteries, smash myths and uncover the bizarre truth about nature down under.
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