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I talk to Professor Claude Roux from the Centre for Forensic Science at the University of Technology Sydney about forensics and how it is used. Topics we discuss include:

– The type of research Claude is interested in
– Finger printing
– Forensic anatomy
– Anti body forensic methods
– DNA usage and profiling in the criminal justice system
– Forensic intelligence
– What are the ‘point of identities’ in a fingerprint?
– How many matching points does a fingerprint need to be classified as a match?
– How do forensic scientists ensure identification?
– How accurate is DNA evidence?
– Forensics v archaeology
– The differing definitions of ‘trace’
– The future of forensic science

Listener of the episode is Kathleen Humble, from Melbourne, Australia.

Download MP3 of Ep 135

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Why do people lie? And how easy is it to determine if people are being truthful or not? I talk to Dr Helen Paterson and Sadhana Raju in relation to these topics. We discuss:

– What is a lie?
– Why do people lie?
– Is there an advantage to being deceitful?
– Are humans the only creatures to lie?
– Do micro-expressions really show truthfulness?
– Why do we expect lies in certain situations?

The listener for the episode is Victoria Soutar from the UK

Download MP3 of Ep 134

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The Ordinary Guy from the Brains Matter Podcast has contributed to another episode of 365 Days of Astronomy:

Meteorites in Antarctica

Professor Ralph Pudritz is the Director of the Origins Institute at McMaster University in Canada, and presented a talk entitled “From First Stars to First Life” at Monash University, Australia.

The following podcast is a recording of that presentation, which also brings out some interesting discussion points, and some amazing revelations including:

– Formation of stars
– What processes from the formation of stars lead to planetary formation
– What is required for life
– Why certain other alternatives for life may not be feasible
– The age required by stars to have an opportunity to form life

Listen in to this fascinating discussion, including audience questions.

Download MP3 of Ep 133

Please vote for this podcast this month at

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Hi folks,

Dr Geoff Campbell, who was interviewed in the following episodes:

18/3/2008 – Episode 58 – Srinivasa Ramanujan
27/4/2008 – Episode 61 – Visible Lattice Points

will be releasing a book next week, so you are welcome to join if you wish. Details in the flyer below.

… or so it seems. I’ve been fortunate enough to be nominated in the Shorty Awards

Nominate Brains Matter for a social media award in the Shorty Awards science category

and also in the Top Geek award.

OG

In Brains Matter’s continuing series on science communication, I continue my talk with Steve Mirsky, a journalist and author, editor at Scientific American, and podcast host about various aspects of science communication and the perception of science in the public.

This is part 2 of the discussion. If you haven’t listened to part 1, please go back and listen to episode 131.

Topics we discuss include:

– the impact of science communication
– where podcast listeners are located
– the increased number of science communicators
– where science communication has inspired people
– why do kids lose interest in science within schools?
– how do we influence kids to have a positive view of science?
– how does opportunity and influence affect this?
– the wonder of libraries
– Steve’s path into science
– OG’s path into science
– The impact of good teachers on interest in science
– The relationship between art and science
– How some sciences can lead into other types of science interests

Today’s listener of the episode is Bruce Wallace from Australia.

(Keep an ear out for an out-take from this episode!)

Download MP3 of Ep 132

Please vote for this podcast this month at

You can donate by clicking on the button above, and subscribe by subscribing in iTunes

In Brains Matter’s continuing series on science communication, I talk to Steve Mirsky, a journalist and author, editor at Scientific American, and podcast host about various aspects of science communication and the perception of science in the public. Topics we discuss include:

– Steve’s background
– The changing view of science by the public
– Stereotypes of scientists
– The modern take in television and movies of a scientist
– Gilligans Island
– Sports v Science
– Perceptions of the Nobel Prize
– Various strategies to get people interested in science
– The IgNobel Prizes
– The differences in science being communicated in print and through new media
– Some fun science stories
– How do we get children more interested in science at a younger age?
– What is a science story?
– The false objectivity of non-science media when they report on science stories
– A discussion on climate change as an example
– The reliance people have on science and engineering
– The funding of science compared to other areas due to a lack of political will and public apathy
– Some great science communicators

Today’s listener of the episode is Joshua Weisskopf.

This is part 1 of an interview with Steve – keep an eye out for part 2 in the next episode.
(Keep an ear out for an out-take from this episode!)

Download MP3 of Ep 131

Please vote for this podcast this month at

You can donate by clicking on the button above, and subscribe by subscribing in iTunes

The Ordinary Guy from the Brains Matter Podcast has contributed to another episode of 365 Days of Astronomy:

Titan and the Saturnian System

For the full interviews with Dr Andrew Prentice, please check out the guests list

In our continuing series on Science Communication, I talk to Sydney science journalist, Ian Woolf. Topics we discuss include:

– How Ian got into science communication
– How well is science communicated in Australia?
– Where does most of the communication come from in this country?
– The government’s lack of valuing of education
– Why is science communication important for public dialogue?
– What is being done particularly well in Australia?
– What science shows are being shown on television?
– The origins of Mythbusters
– OG proposes the idea of ABC4 – the science channel!
– Where can you find science on the internet?
– What is the delineation between science communicators and scientists who communicate?
– How does “authority” affect people’s perception of the communication of science?
– What needs to be done to help communicate science to the public?

Today’s listener of the episode is Jindrich Dusek, from Gothenburg in Sweden
Today’s promo is for Here’s Why

Included in the show are some out-takes as well!

Download MP3 of Ep 130

Please vote for this podcast this month at

You can donate by clicking on the button above, and subscribe by subscribing in iTunes