Science Friction
ABC listen
Science Friction's latest season is: Artificial Evolution. In 1996, Dolly the Sheep became the first ever cloned animal. Nearly 30 years later, genetic technology has reshaped the world around us. What exactly has happened, where are we headed, and are we OK about it?
In this series, environment reporter Peter de Kruijff tells the surprising stories of genetic engineering. Meet the scientists changing the food we eat and creating animals with organs we can use. Hear about the criminal conspiracy to clone a giant sheep, and the teams bringing extinct animals back from the dead.
Artificial Evolution traces the influence of genetic technology from Dolly into the future. It’s the latest series of Science Friction, an award-winning podcast from ABC Radio National.
Brain Rot (Season 3): How does being chronically online affect our brains? Technology reporter Ange Lavoipierre explores the wildest ways people are using tech — from falling in love with AI companions to data-dumping a life into a language model — and the big questions about our own screen use.
Cooked (Season 2): Why do some studies show ice cream is good for you? Why do some people say they feel good going carnivore, and do we really need as many electrolytes as the internet tells us? Food and nutrition scientist Dr Emma Beckett cuts through these confusing findings to explain how nutrition science works.
AI Overlords (Season 1): AI didn't come from nowhere, and its development hasn't been a smooth, straight line — it's been rife with drama, conflict and disagreement. Technology reporter James Purtill looks at where AI came from, who controls it and where it's heading.
In this series, environment reporter Peter de Kruijff tells the surprising stories of genetic engineering. Meet the scientists changing the food we eat and creating animals with organs we can use. Hear about the criminal conspiracy to clone a giant sheep, and the teams bringing extinct animals back from the dead.
Artificial Evolution traces the influence of genetic technology from Dolly into the future. It’s the latest series of Science Friction, an award-winning podcast from ABC Radio National.
Brain Rot (Season 3): How does being chronically online affect our brains? Technology reporter Ange Lavoipierre explores the wildest ways people are using tech — from falling in love with AI companions to data-dumping a life into a language model — and the big questions about our own screen use.
Cooked (Season 2): Why do some studies show ice cream is good for you? Why do some people say they feel good going carnivore, and do we really need as many electrolytes as the internet tells us? Food and nutrition scientist Dr Emma Beckett cuts through these confusing findings to explain how nutrition science works.
AI Overlords (Season 1): AI didn't come from nowhere, and its development hasn't been a smooth, straight line — it's been rife with drama, conflict and disagreement. Technology reporter James Purtill looks at where AI came from, who controls it and where it's heading.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 28, 2021 • 26min
Trust after genocide: this African COVID success is a big wake-up call for the West
How has one of the world's poorer nations become a shining star in this pandemic, when rich countries failed to save lives? Two African movers and shakers tell it like it is.
Mar 21, 2021 • 26min
Laurence Vincent Lapointe's 'Pee of Gold': Has anti-doping science gone too far?
An athlete plays detective to clear her name from scandal. Is anti-doping science to blame?
Mar 14, 2021 • 26min
How to Be Animal - go on, embrace your inner beast!
Don't forget this. You're an animal. And it just might be lovely.
Mar 7, 2021 • 26min
Carlo Rovelli: intellectual free spirit, quantum physicist, bestselling author
There is nothing this physicist with radical roots won't think about!
Feb 28, 2021 • 26min
Meaning in mayhem: COVID death counts and a Black Lives Matter reckoning
The pandemic is personal and political for data scientist Inioluwa Deb Raji and historian of medicine Evelynn Hammonds.
Feb 21, 2021 • 26min
Science FAIL! A perilous story of why it's good to do
A sliding door moment. A test of character. A career on the line. What would you do?
Feb 14, 2021 • 26min
DEMONS: be scared, very scared*
When Jimena Canales went looking, she found them everywhere. But Science's demons are not the supernatural souls of religion.
Feb 7, 2021 • 27min
From wild idea to COVID vaccine – meet the mRNA pioneer who could win a Nobel
No-one thought they would work. This dogged scientist persisted with a difficult idea. Now it's driving the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
Jan 31, 2021 • 28min
Of Mice and Men: This top cancer scientist thought he knew a lot about cancer. Then he got it.
You're a top cancer scientist. And then you get cancer. Suddenly you become "A Cancer Patient", and one of your colleagues is wielding the (robotic) scalpel. A story about science, knowledge, and vulnerability. (Summer Season highlight)
Jan 24, 2021 • 31min
COVID-19, China’s wild wet markets, pangolins, and bats - is it US not THEM?
Why do deadly viruses love bats so much, why don’t bats get crook, and what’s with China’s wild wet markets? The curious making of a pandemic. (Summer Season highlight)
