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Tastebuds, Superfoods and Antioxidants
19:04 | Dec 7th, 2015
What are superfoods, how many tastebuds do we have on our tongue and how antioxidants can help add muscle after exercise. This and more about gold in your body and poisonous levels of banana consumption.
Twinkle Twinkle Twitter Time
21:18 | Nov 30th, 2015
They love it, answering questions that is. In this episode Dr Karl and Adam Spencer zip their way through the latest batch of audience quesitons via Twitter. They also manage to head off on a shameless book promotion tangent to chat about their new ...Show More
It’s Xmas and book gifting time
26:08 | Nov 24th, 2015
Dr Karl and Adam Spencer are back together in a new series of podcasts. They catch up for a chat, and exchange early xmas gifts, a copy of each others latest book. Funny that. Dr Karl’s new book, Short Back and Science is a grab bag of science topics...Show More
Interview with Derek Veritasium Muller
20:41 | Sep 29th, 2015
With Dr Karl and Adam both out of town, we asked geek by association, Dan Ilic, to interview Derek Veritasium Muller on behalf of leek Geeks. Derek speaks about his PhD, his YouTube success, and his most recent documentary series Uranium.
Interview with Astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield
36:42 | Aug 21st, 2015
Commander Chris Hadfield has flown test fighters, run the International Space Station and recorded a cover of David Bowie's Space Oddity that has received over 1.5 million YouTube views. But what will he make of Adam's attempt to speak Russian based ...Show More
Risk, Rasin Toast and Complaint Letters
17:12 | Jun 30th, 2015
A MicroMort is a unit of measurement related to risk. If an activity exposes you to one MicroMort, then you have a one-in-a-million chance of sudden death while engaged in that activity. The very earliest customer-complaint letter goes back some 3,7...Show More
Does sunlight kill odours?
18:49 | Jun 9th, 2015
Does sunlight kill odours? Will the dog’s bed smell fresher by leaving it in the sun? Do mobile phones cause cancer? In what order did human senses evolve, and are there more senses on the way? And, Dr Karl and Adam’s ManWashing tips are back
iPhones, Manbags and Computer Hacking Tyres
19:50 | May 26th, 2015
Dr Karl's iPhone 6+ has caused him to carry a man bag because it won’t fit in bright blue stretch jeans. Adam on the other hand will happily accept any colour iPhone 6 that Apple send his way. Also, just how can a computer hacker access your tyres t...Show More
Pat Rafter, Big Data and Space Elevators
16:04 | May 18th, 2015
Dr Karl and Adam try to get through a series of Twitter questions from their listeners, but what unfolds is everything but that. Topics they blast through include … Galois, Fermat Primes, fear of numbers, Pat Rafter, Big Data and space elevators.
Dad jokes, Tumbleweed, Cows and Strawberry Milk
20:03 | May 12th, 2015
In this episode, Dr Karl and Adam ditch the stories in favour of answering questions from Twitter, like this corker … If you feed cows strawberries, will they produce strawberry milk? To find out, download their latest podcast
Science of Breaking the Seal
15:06 | May 5th, 2015
When running wheels are set up in the wild, random wild mice will come and run on them. 10,000 year old ancient sea rise stories have been accurately passed down by the Australian Aborigines. Breaking the Seal, why is it after that third beer, that y...Show More
Geeks on Gallipoli
21:55 | Apr 24th, 2015
The First World War combined modern science and technology in an effort to kill people more efficiently. It saw the advancement of many existing technologies, many of which had a beneficial flow on effect, both during and after the war.
Sneezing, Sex and the ACHOO Syndrome
16:06 | Mar 17th, 2015
Sexual interest and arousal can lead to sneezing, but only in a very small subset of people. We have found the surprising link between the common cold and cold weather ... and the ACHOO Syndrome, and why sunlight makes some people sneeze.
Counting, Drugs and Smart Cards
15:42 | Mar 10th, 2015
Why do we count in base 10? Why are there 60 minutes in an hour? Why do kids need more anesthetics than adults, and how do contactless smart cards work?
Plants consciousness, cows milk cancer and lightning
15:11 | Mar 3rd, 2015
Can a plant be intelligent. Some plant scientists insist they are — since they can sense, learn, remember and even react in ways that would be familiar to humans. Does drinking cows milk cause cancer. Is it possible to harness the energy from lightni...Show More
Breastcancer Breakthrough
21:00 | Feb 24th, 2015
In this ep, special guest Prof Susan Clarke walks Dr Karl and Adam through her breakthrough research looking at the methylome of breast cancer, finding distinct patterns associated with different types of breast cancer. Working out how to distinguish...Show More
Heatwaves, rubbers ducks and Gershwin
25:12 | Feb 17th, 2015
This is a hot geeky special .. the science of heatwaves. What causes them and what defines a heatwave? Will heatwaves increase with climate change? While we’re on hot things, did you know it rains on the Sun, and why do yellow rubber ducks fade in th...Show More
Why are veins blue?
27:33 | Feb 3rd, 2015
Brought to you by the No. 31, but why? What’s so special about the phrase “the five boxing wizards jump quickly” Why are veins are blue, and where does the phrase blue blood come from? In Twitter Time this week ... “If we quantum teleported a camer...Show More
Coconut Water and Paleo Diets
22:36 | Jan 27th, 2015
Apparently both coconut oil and coconut water will do everything from beautifying your skin to boosting your immunity. What exactly is a Paleo-diet? Fruit, green vegetables, eggs, poultry, meat and seafood — but no dairy, grains, legumes or processed...Show More
Do antioxidants actually work
14:22 | Jan 13th, 2015
What’s the link between the number 13 and anagrams? Are the antioxidants you’re taking just propping up a $23 billion dollar snake oil industry? What happens in the brains of people who see the face of Jesus in a piece of toast? In Twitter Time this...Show More
When you lose weight, where does the fat go
23:23 | Dec 30th, 2014
If you've popped on a few KGs over Xmas and are wondering how to shift them, then take a listen to this fascinating chat with Dr Karl, Adam Spencer and their good mate The Surfing Scientist Ruben Meerman
A Very Geeky Xmas
22:17 | Dec 16th, 2014
This week's very geeky NERD ALERT Xmas Special is brought to you by the number 78. Now, we all know Santa is real, but what kind of scientific time and motion physics caper is at play here that allows him to achieve his appointed workload and deliver...Show More
Popular 7, Mid-life Crisis and the Placebo Effect
15:15 | Dec 9th, 2014
In a recent UK poll, the number 7 topped the list of people’s favourite or lucky number. But why? What is a mid-life crisis, and does it really exist? Researchers have tracked the happiness levels of thousands of people and confirmed the age-old susp...Show More
Dr Karl and The Amazing James Randi
21:02 | Dec 2nd, 2014
In this episode, Dr Karl is joined by none less than the Amazing James Randi. Randi is a magician and scientific skeptic best known for his challenges to paranormal claims and pseudoscience which he collectively calls woo-woo. Randi is currently on a...Show More
Book Club with Dr Karl and Adam Spencer
16:39 | Nov 25th, 2014
This week in Book Club, Dr Karl reviews and interviews his good mate Adam Spencer about his latest book, Adam Spencer's Big Book of Numbers. Adam chats to Karl about why he loves numbers so much and he reveals what his favourite number is and why …
Book Club with Adam and Dr Karl
16:20 | Nov 18th, 2014
This week in Book Club, Adam has chosen to review and interview Dr Karl about his latest book, 'House of Karls'. Adam chats to Karl about the process of writing a book, how Karl chooses the stories and asks him just exactly what the phrase 'toilet r...Show More
We need to talk about Ebola
22:37 | Nov 11th, 2014
This week Sleek Geeks are joined by Dr Grant Hill-Cawthorne to chat all things Ebola - where did it come from, how does it spread and just how infectious is it? Dr Grant is a Lecturer in Communicable Disease Epidemiology at the Marie Bashir Institute...Show More
Man Washing, Spiders Silk and Subatomic-particles
16:33 | Oct 21st, 2014
This podcast is brought to you by the number 22. This week Karl and Adam are back on their favourite subject, #manwashing. Karl recently met a young bloke at Sydney Uni who as a 12 year-old kid, created what Karl believes to be an almost perfect #man...Show More
Listen here to hear about the ear ...
16:00 | Oct 14th, 2014
This episode is brought to you by the number 19 and associated segues … Now hear this: Why do we like to listen to music loudly? What have you done physically when you’ve damaged your hearing? Just how does the ear work and what role do the ‘hairs’ ...Show More
Bill Bailey joins Sleek Geeks for a chat
27:25 | Oct 3rd, 2014
When Bill Bailey arrived in town to kick off his Limboland tour, Dr Karl and Adam Spencer sat down to have a natter, and what unfolded was quite special. During this half hour chat they zip through an extraordinary range of topics, from phantom limb...Show More
Locusts, Obesity with Special Guest Prof Stephen Simpson
26:49 | Oct 1st, 2014
Prof Simpson is a world-renowned biologist whose research on nutrition is changing the way we look at diets. Professor Simpson’s research into Locusts has led him to some rather interesting nutritional discoveries. Check out the work of the Charles ...Show More
Muscles cramps, bruising and UFOs
14:56 | Sep 16th, 2014
A journey which weaves from Dr Karl's yak fur jumper, via his very bruised buttocks and Adam's knockout bruising hit delivered by Lleyton Hewitt. Muscle cramps are sudden, involuntary contractions that occur in various muscles, but what causes them? ...Show More
IQ vs EQ, are we really getting smarter?
16:14 | Sep 9th, 2014
What is the link between 208 and the forehead of Adam’s daughter? Are we really getting more intelligent by 3 IQ points every decade or 9 IQ points every human generation, and what is the difference between EQ and IQ? In Twitter Time this week ... ar...Show More
What is Triskaidekaphobia?
15:37 | Sep 2nd, 2014
What is Triskaidekaphobia? Dr Karl asks, why do people think the number 13 is unlucky? What is confirmation bias? You’re more likely to get killed in a road accident driving to and from the shops then you are to win the lotto. Twitter Time this week ...Show More
Dr Karl interviews James Cameron and Ray Quint
26:36 | Aug 19th, 2014
In this week's Sleek Geeks podcast, Dr Karl goes solo and interviews Hollywood movie director and pioneering explorer James Cameron and director Ray Quint about their new movie Deep Sea Challenge 3D. Download and listen to what happened when these fa...Show More
Pi, What's in a Name?, and Fuel Efficiency
19:43 | Aug 12th, 2014
This episode is brought to you by the number 355... it's a better approximation for Pi, but why? We discuss the science and statistics of naming children, and, actors who are right-wing tend to have a greater upper body strength than those who are a ...Show More
Rice Rice Baby
18:42 | Aug 5th, 2014
What is the Rice Grassy Stunt Virus? Rice sucks cadmium, mercury, arsenic and tungsten from the soil – and brown rice is worse. Karl loves cars, but there's a real downside to cars... Worldwide, road toll is the leading cause of death of people aged ...Show More
Geeks on Holiday Special
19:06 | Jul 29th, 2014
Where do geeks go on holiday? In this episode it's Dr Karl and Adam versus the Griswolds in a chitty chat about their recent overseas adventures. From Prosopagnosia, to a meeting of minds at a Nobel Laureates convention, then via Route 66, a Skeptics...Show More
The Number 12, Skeptics, and Ice-Beer
15:06 | Jul 22nd, 2014
This episode is dedicated to the number 12... Dozen comes from the Latin word duodecim: duo, meaning two and decim, ten. A brief overview of skeptics and the things they believe. Why is chocolate bad for dogs and why does beer that’s been in the free...Show More
Moonshots, Hurricanes, and Man-Washing
15:11 | Jul 15th, 2014
Karl and Adam discuss supercapacitors, moonshots and human breast milk. Also, do hurricanes with female names really kill more people than hurricanes with male names? What exactly is Man-Washing and why are Karl and Adam obsessed with it?
Thomas Midgley, Polio, and Emotional Water
15:29 | Jul 8th, 2014
Meet Thomas F. Midgley: amazing man, chemist and inventor of leaded petrol and CFCs (when he almost single-handedly destroyed all the oxygen on our planet) who died in a most unusual fashion. Polio is making a comeback – find out how and why. In Twit...Show More
A Geeky Guide to the World Cup
21:17 | Jun 30th, 2014
Hear some awesome football science and realise how bad a World Cup Football tipster Dr Karl is... How Beckham bends it and the Magnus Force; why goalies are worried about unknown toxins in artificial turf; and Prof Steven Hawking’s World Cup formulae...Show More
The Number One, Big Data and Twittertime
15:00 | Jun 26th, 2014
The number one is the first of the counting numbers; it's a multiplicative identity, and is NOT a prime number. We look at the world of Big Data, where chain store Target has data-mined its way into my favourite organ, the uterus! And welcome to Twit...Show More
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