Quirks and Quarks

Next stop - the moon! Jeremy Hansen stops by our studio to chat about how he’s prepping to be the first Canadian to go to the moon.Plus:Santa’s reindeer may be losing their antlers –– and climate change could be the culpritReindeer are the only animal in the deer family where the females also grow antlers, and they typically have a full rack over the wintertime and drop them in June when they give birth. University of Guelph PhD student Allegra Love was monitoring reindeer on Fogo Island in Newfoundland, when she made a surprising discovery that female reindeer are losing and growing their antlers much earlier than usual. This can put more stress on the animal during a crucial part of their pregnancy, and the researchers think this could eventually lead to the reindeer losing their antlers altogether. The work was published in the journal Ecosphere.Pterosaur brains reveal clues about why these mighty fliers took to the skiesFlight has only evolved among vertebrates three times — in bats, birds, and first in pterosaurs. How pterosaurs first took to the skies was always a mystery to scientists, until the discovery of a fossilized 230-million year old pterosaur relative in Brazil. An international team, including Ohio University professor Lawrence Witmer, used an MRI for detailed analysis of the fossilized skull, to pinpoint the miniscule brain changes that happened as the animal developed the capacity to fly. The research was published in the journal Current Biology.Scientists are using AI to find life in 3 billion year old rocksEarth’s earliest signs of life are often incredibly difficult to detect. An international team of researchers have developed a new tool that uses AI to find “whispers” of life locked inside ancient rocks. Using this tool, the researchers, including astrobiologist Michael Wong from Carnegie Science, were able to detect fresh chemical evidence of life in rocks that are 3.3 billion years old. This tool can not only be used to explore the origins of life here on Earth, but also on Mars and other planetary bodies. The work was published in the journal PNAS.

Russell Engelman, a PhD student at Case Western Reserve University, reveals fascinating insights about Dunkleosteus, an ancient armored fish that lived 360 million years ago in Ohio. He delves into its unique anatomy, including its blade-like fangs and the environmental conditions of its tropical habitat. Meanwhile, Dr. Stefan Comrade discusses the detrimental effects of industrial chemicals on gut bacteria and his innovative use of machine learning to predict toxicity. Lastly, Dr. Benjamin Ward-Cherrier shares groundbreaking work on training brain organoids to process sensory information, paving the way for biological computing.

Dr. James Napoli reveals the fascinating discovery of a new dinosaur species, Nanotyrannus, highlighting its unique features. Dr. Luke Leckie shares how ants cleverly redesign their nests to curb disease spread. Dr. Allison Muotri uncovers evidence of ancient lead exposure in hominins, potentially influencing human evolution. Dr. Liam Zari discusses how smallmouth bass are evolving in response to removal efforts. Lastly, Dr. Maria Strack stresses the environmental risks associated with peatland development and the permanent damage it may cause.

Elisabetta Versace studies bumblebee cognition and reveals that these tiny creatures can be trained to perceive time, which could inspire efficient AI systems. Chelsea Rockman discusses the alarming effects of plastic on marine life, showing how even small amounts can be fatal to animals. Lena Murchikova shares groundbreaking findings of winds from our galaxy's black hole, crucial for understanding galactic evolution. Raquel El Faro Sanchez explains 'drunken trees,' highlighting permafrost instability's impact on carbon storage and forest health.

Dr. Joe Callingham discusses tracking a stellar explosion from another star and its impact on exoplanet habitability. Dr. Ratchett Dubé reveals how vivid local climate stories can awaken urgency in addressing environmental issues. Dr. Sean Johnson-Bice highlights the crucial role of Arctic foxes in food webs as climate change shifts ecosystems. Dr. John Hogan explains the physics behind golf 'lip-outs,' while Dr. Alistair Evans explores snake strike mechanics. Finally, Nick Berlet shares advancements in developing a nanobody-based antivenom to tackle various venoms.

On this week's episode: studying a rare visitor to our solar system, eating saturated fats can mess with our internal clocks, holding hands with our 2 million year old ancestors, woodpeckers drill into trees like hammers, and the pros and cons of geoengineering.

Dr. Samantha Lawler from the University of Regina shares concerns about reflective satellites potentially harming astronomy and wildlife. Dr. Danielle Fraser reveals a fascinating 23-million-year-old rhino skeleton found in the Arctic, shedding light on ancient migration. Dr. David Melanson discusses innovative kirigami patterns for more accurate parachutes. Dr. David Wishart, this year's Gerhard Herzberg Gold Medal winner, highlights advances in metabolomics. Meanwhile, Dr. Reese Richardson uncovers networks of scientific fraud facilitated by paper mills, pinpointing the systemic issues in publishing.

On this week's spooktacular episode: Wolves are afraid of the big bad human, methane spewing from Montreal’s largest snow dump, screaming babies make us hot to get our attention, baby pterosaurs died in a torrential storm and mind-controlling parasites turn bugs into zombies.

Nobel Prize in medicine for a leash on our immune systemOur immune system has enormous power to defend us against the wide range of pathogens and invaders that nature sends at us. But it’s a double-edged sword, and can target its powerful weapons against us as well. This year’s Nobel prize in Medicine or Physiology went to a group who discovered a critical mechanism that keeps the immune system in check, under normal circumstances, giving them new insights into the diseases that occur when it goes wrong.Yogurt with a creepy-crawly secret ingredientA team of researchers has duplicated an ancient recipe for yogurt that uses a unique ingredient to initiate fermentation: ants. They added squished ants to fresh milk, buried it in an anthill to incubate it, and enjoyed zesty yogurt soon after. A microbiological analysis showed that the ants contributed a bacteria to the yogurt that is also present in sourdough starter.An ancestor of the largest dinosaurs was a dog-sized bipedResearchers have discovered a 230 million year old fossil high in the Andes of Argentina that is the precursor to the giant, long-necked sauropod dinosaurs like the iconic brontosaurus. This animal, however, is a two-legged herbivore that likely weighed less than 20 kilograms.Nobel in physics awarded for laying the groundwork for quantum computing Quantum tunneling is a strange phenomenon in which subatomic particles can pass through apparently impenetrable objects like magic. This year’s Nobel prize in physics was awarded to a team that discovered that this strange quantum phenomena can happen on larger scales too, and how their superconducting circuit also absorbs and emits energy at distinct energy levels, laying the groundwork for quantum computers.Neanderthals systematically rendered fat from animal bonesScientists think that the fragmented bones of at least 172 animals discovered at a Neanderthal site in Germany represent the remains of a large-scale processing site where they extracted nutritious and useful fat. This could be used for a range of things, from skin protection to preserving meat similar to pemmican.Moose are hot. Are they bothered?During the fall rut moose, particularly the males, are very active searching for mates and competing with rivals. This activity generates a large amount of heat, which could be a problem as moose don’t sweat. Scientists are investigating if, in a warmer climate, this might be interfering with their reproductive success.

On October 9, 1975, CBC listeners across the country heard David Suzuki introduce the very first episode of Quirks & Quarks. 50 years and thousands of interviews later, Quirks is still going strong, bringing wonders from the world of science to listeners, old and new.On October 7, 2025 we celebrated with an anniversary show in front of a live audience at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Ontario. We had guests from a range of scientific disciplines looking at what we’ve learned in the last 50 years, and hazarding some risky predictions about what the next half century could hold. Our panelists were:Evan Fraser, Director of Arrell Food Institute and Professor of Geography at the University of Guelph, co-chair of the Canadian Food Policy Advisory Council, a fellow of the Pierre Elliot Trudeau foundation, and a fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.Katie Mack, Hawking Chair in Cosmology and Science Communication at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics.Luke Stark, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Information & Media Studies at Western University in London, Ontario, and a Canadian Institute for Advanced Research Azrieli Global Scholar with the Future Flourishing Program.Laura Tozer, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Toronto and director of the Climate Policy & Action Lab at the Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences at the University of Toronto Scarborough.Ana Luisa Trejos, a professor in the Department Electrical and Computer Engineering and the School of Biomedical Engineering and Canada Research chair in wearable mechatronics at Western University in London, Ontario.Yvonne Bombard, professor at the University of Toronto and scientist and Canada Research Chair at St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, where she directs the Genomics Health Services Research Program.