Quirks & Quarks - Segments

All podcast episodes

Use the links below to download a file.

You're Getting Warmer - 2013/09/28 - Pt. 1

In its summary for policy makers, the IPCC report strongly suggests humans are responsible for climate change.

Download You're Getting Warmer - 2013/09/28 - Pt. 1
[mp3 file: runs 00:17:23]

Handful of Asian Carp Could Overwhelm Great Lakes - 2013/09/28 - Pt. 2

The invasive Asian Carp has already damaged ecosystems in major rivers and could do the same in the Great Lakes.

Download Handful of Asian Carp Could Overwhelm Great Lakes - 2013/09/28 - Pt. 2
[mp3 file: runs 00:08:01]

Cheetah's Savvy Hunting Strategy - 2013/09/28 - Pt. 3

The cheetah uses much more than its incredible speed to hunt and catch its prey.

Download Cheetah's Savvy Hunting Strategy - 2013/09/28 - Pt. 3
[mp3 file: runs 00:07:35]

Population Countdown - 2013/09/28 - Pt. 4

The author of the new book 'Countdown, Our Last Best Hope For a Future on Earth' talks about overpopulation.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:19:35]

Overfishing Sharks Damages Coral Reefs - 2013/09/21 - Pt. 1

Overfishing sharks begins a cascade of consequences that results in coral reefs being damaged by algae.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:08:14]

Human Babies Learn From Lemurs - 2013/09/21 - Pt. 2

Human infants respond the same way to lemur calls as they do to maternal doting when doing specific cognitive tasks.

Download Human Babies Learn From Lemurs - 2013/09/21 - Pt. 2
[mp3 file: runs 00:09:50]

Mosquito Invisibility Cloak - 2013/09/21 - Pt. 3

A chemical that makes mosquitoes blind to the odour used to find humans has been found.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:08:07]

Neanderthals Used Spohisticated Tools - 2013/09/21 - Pt. 4

Neanderthal sites from 50,000 years ago indicate sophisticated tool use.

Download Neanderthals Used Spohisticated Tools - 2013/09/21 - Pt. 4
[mp3 file: runs 00:09:23]

Cat Parasite Brainwashes Mice - 2013/09/21 - Pt. 5

A parasite causes infected mice to lose their fear of cats.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:08:21]

Were Ancient Sahara Rivers Migration Routes? - 2013/09/21 - Pt. 6

Ancient rivers in the Sahara may have provided a migration route for early humans out of Africa.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:08:48]

Seniors Gain From Train-The-Brain Game - 2013/09/14 - Pt. 1

A video game has been designed to help restore cognitive performance in older adults.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:10:38]

Mercenary Ants - 2013/09/14 - Pt. 2

Mercenary ants protect farmer ants from a third species of invading ant.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:07:21]

The Encyclo-Pee-Dia of Urine - 2013/09/14 - Pt. 3

It may be possible to learn more about human health from urine analysis than previously thought.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:12:32]

Happy Sea Otters Means Healthy Seagrass - 2013/09/14 - Pt. 4

A cascade of events that starts with a sizable sea otter population results in seagrass being saved from the choking algae.

Download Happy Sea Otters Means Healthy Seagrass - 2013/09/14 - Pt. 4
[mp3 file: runs 00:08:10]

Life After Kepler - 2013/09/14 - Pt. 5

Even though the Kepler Space telescope is finished, its legacy will live on.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:14:15]

Voyager Tribute podcast - 2013/09/13

Archival tribute to the Voyager 1 Spacecraft leaving the solar system.

Download Voyager Tribute podcast - 2013/09/13
[mp3 file: runs 00:39:53]

Cultured Meat, Flesh or Fantasy - 2013/09/07 - Pt. 1

A look at cultured meat and some of the problems getting it to market.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:24:53]

Greenland's Grand Canyon - 2013/09/07 - Pt. 2

A huge canyon, similar to the Grand Canyon, has been discovered under the ice in northern Greenland.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:08:09]

First Use of Fertilizer for Farming - 2013/09/07 - Pt. 3

Evidence of use of manure for fertilizer discovered from 8,000 years ago in Europe.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:08:15]

Solar Flip-Flop - 2013/09/07 - Pt. 4

The Sun's magnetic polarity will flip soon, as it does every 11 years.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:10:35]

Podcast update

The Quirks podcast will return in September. Have a great summer

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[mp3 file: runs 00:00:10]

Ancient Egyptians Made Jewellery From Meteorites - 2013/06/29 - Pt. 1

Egyptians knew that the iron that fell from the sky was rare, so they made jewellery from it.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:10:59]

Radiation En Route To Mars - 2013/06/29 - Pt. 2

Astronauts may experience twice as much exposure to radiation en route to Mars than previously estimated.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:09:35]

Cuban Tree Frogs Are The Loud New Neighbours - 2013/06/29 - Pt. 3

Invasive Cuban Tree Frogs in Florida are so loud they are forcing their Green tree frog neighbours to change their call.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:08:52]

Bob Goes To Sea to See Some Ocean Research - 2013/06/29 - Pt. 4

Bob McDonald goes out on a Canadian Coast Guard research vessel to get a first-hand look at how they work.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:13:49]

Predicting The Next Big One - 2013/06/22 - Pt. 1

A megathrust earthquake could hit the west coast any day based on the history of previous events.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:10:52]

Cabbage Circadian Clock Keeps Ticking After Picking - 2013/06/22 - Pt. 2

Fruits and vegetables have circadian clocks that help keep the nutritional value up even after harvesting.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:08:47]

Fish Swimming in Pharmaceutical Soup - 2013/06/22 - Pt. 3

Phamaceuticals like estrogen and prozac are proving especially harmful to fish when mixed together in out waterways.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:08:45]

Building A Brain - 2013/06/22 - Pt. 4

Scientists Will Try to build a brain to better understand processes like thought, memory and consciousness.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:26:14]

Quirks & Quarks Question Road Show From Halifax - 2013/06/15 - Pt. 1

The question road show from Halifax, questions 1-5.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:24:08]

Quirks & Quarks Question Road Show From Halifax - 2013/06/15 - Pt. 2

The question road show from Halifax, questions 6 to 10.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:28:52]

The Return of Chris Hadfield - 2013/06/08 - Pt. 1

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield talks about life in the ISS and his life back on Earth.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:15:30]

Oldest Primate Skeleton - 2013/06/08 - Pt. 2

A 55 million year old fossilized skeleton of a tiny primate is the oldest ever found.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:09:28]

Gill-net Drownings Depress Seabird Populations - 2013/06/08 - Pt. 3

A change in fishing methods may reduce the number of seabirds caught in gill-nets.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:09:08]

Stung! Jellyfish Blooms and the Future of the Ocean - 2013/06/08 - Pt. 4

Dr. Lisa-ann Gershwin suggests jellyfish are taking over the oceans in her new book 'Stung! On Jellyfish and the Future of the Ocean.

Download Stung! Jellyfish Blooms and the Future of the Ocean - 2013/06/08 - Pt. 4
[mp3 file: runs 00:18:30]

Wings and White-nose Syndrome in Bats - 2013/06/01 - Pt. 1

White-nose Syndrome does the most severe damage to the wing of the bat.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:10:10]

Moss Revived After Centuries Under Ice - 2013/06/01 - Pt. 2

Moss has been shown to be able to re-grow after over 400 years under a glacier.

Download Moss Revived After Centuries Under Ice - 2013/06/01 - Pt. 2
[mp3 file: runs 00:08:01]

Fleshing Out Allosaurus - 2013/06/01 - Pt. 3

Allosaurus was a smaller cousin of T-Rex, but still a fearsome predator.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:08:28]

Glitches in a Neutron Star - 2013/06/01 - Pt. 4

Neutron stars usually speed-up in rotation, but one has been observed slowing down.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:08:10]

How The Turtle Got Its Shell - 2013/06/01 - Pt. 5

The mysterious evolution of the turtle shell has been solved.

Download How The Turtle Got Its Shell - 2013/06/01 - Pt. 5
[mp3 file: runs 00:08:25]

Malaria's Malign Modification of Mosquitos - 2013/06/01 - Pt. 6

Mosquitos infected with malaria are far better at finding humans than those not infected.

Download Malaria's Malign Modification of Mosquitos - 2013/06/01 - Pt. 6
[mp3 file: runs 00:09:19]

Arctic Bacteria Survives Below Freezing - 2013/05/25 - Pt. 1

An Arctic bacteria can reproduce in temperatures as cold as -15C.

Download Arctic Bacteria Survives Below Freezing - 2013/05/25 - Pt. 1
[mp3 file: runs 00:09:51]

Earliest Evidence of Cooking Pots - 2013/05/25 - Pt. 2

Pottery fragments in Japan indicate hunter-gatherers used pots for cooking fish 12 to 15 thousand years ago.

Download Earliest Evidence of Cooking Pots - 2013/05/25 - Pt. 2
[mp3 file: runs 00:08:44]

Entangled Whales Suffer Slow Death - 2013/05/25 - Pt. 3

A study reveals exactly how entanglement in fishing gear impacts the behaviour of a right whale.

Download Entangled Whales Suffer Slow Death - 2013/05/25 - Pt. 3
[mp3 file: runs 00:08:42]

Gila Monster Food Dehydration - 2013/05/25 - Pt. 4

Contrary to previous thought, eating may actually add to dehydration in the gila monster reptile.

Download Gila Monster Food Dehydration - 2013/05/25 - Pt. 4
[mp3 file: runs 00:08:22]

The Origin of Feces - 2013/05/25/ - Pt. 5

Dr. David Waltner-Toews describes the important of excrement to our evolution, culture and environment in his new book 'The Origin of Feces'.

Download The Origin of Feces - 2013/05/25/ - Pt. 5
[mp3 file: runs 00:18:15]

Oldest Water May Be Clue To Life On Mars - 2013/05/18 - Pt. 1

Ancient water found near Timmins may include microbial life, and suggests similar findings in similar rocks on Mars.

Download Oldest Water May Be Clue To Life On Mars - 2013/05/18 - Pt. 1
[mp3 file: runs 00:10:20]

Oldest Evidence Of Human Hunting - 2013/05/18 - Pt. 2

Evidence that humans first hunted 2 million years ago has been found in East Africa.

Download Oldest Evidence Of Human Hunting - 2013/05/18 - Pt. 2
[mp3 file: runs 00:09:25]

Humans And Dogs Evolved Together - 2013/05/18 - Pt. 3

Humans and dogs developed parallel genes during the domestication process.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:08:09]

Apps For Apes - 2013/05/18 - Pt. 4

A documentary report about a program in which Orangutans were given iPads to experiment with.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:17:42]

Beetles Make Antifreeze - 2013/05/18 - Pt. 5

Longhorn beetles survive -40C by making their own internal antifreeze.

Download Beetles Make Antifreeze - 2013/05/18 - Pt. 5
[mp3 file: runs 00:07:12]

Bone Head Dinosaur Diversity - 2013/05/11 - Pt. 1

There may have been more small dinosaurs than previously thought.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:10:08]

Using Elephants to Study Dinosaur Metabolism - 2013/05/11 - Pt. 2

Elephant sized dinosaur migrated at night to avoid over-heating.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:08:49]

Hairy Bat Tongues Lap Liquid - 2013/05/11 - Pt. 3

Hair on the tip of a bat's tongue becomes erect in order to extend the surface area.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:08:19]

Compound Eye Camera - 2013/05/11 - Pt. 4

An electronic camera has been developed based on the compound eye of an insect.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:09:13]

Bone Worm Devours Whale Skeletons - 2013/05/11 - Pt. 5

A bizarre worm secretes acid on to whale skeletons in order to extract nutrients from inside.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:08:25]

Seeing Faster Than The Eye Can Follow - 2013/05/11 - Pt. 6

The brain can track an object, like a puck or ball, faster than the eye.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:08:41]

Shark Embryos Cannibalize Their Siblings - 2013/05/04 - Pt. 1

The most developed embryos of the sand tiger shark kill then eat their siblings while still in the uterus.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:10:43]

Does Antimatter Have Anti-Gravity? - 2013/05/04 - Pt. 2

An experiment has been devised to answer whether or not antimatter falls up or down.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:08:57]

Humpbacks Take Fishing Tips From Friends - 2013/05/04 - Pt. 3

Humpbacks whales have learned to add lobtail feeding to their routine thanks to a single female who started it in 1980.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:08:47]

My Beloved Brontosaurus - 2013/05/04 - Pt. 4

In his new book 'My Beloved Brontosaurus' Brian Switek says popular culture has not kept up with scientific discovery.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:20:18]

Quirks Question Period: The Moon's Moon - 2013/05/04 - Pt. 5

The question 'can a moon have a moon?' is answered 'no' by a Canadian physicist.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:04:04]

Paleofantasy - 2013/04/27 - Pt. 1

In her new book 'Paleofantasy' Dr. Marlene Zuk suggests that humans have never been perfectly suited to their environment and today is not different.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:17:47]

Why Vermin Can't Vomit - 2013/04/27 - Pt. 2

Rodents lack the physical capability and neural signals in order to vomit.

Download Why Vermin Can't Vomit - 2013/04/27 - Pt. 2
[mp3 file: runs 00:08:35]

Squirrel Stress Makes Big Babies - 2013/04/27 - Pt. 3

More stress hormones in female squirrels result in faster growing, bigger offspring.

Download Squirrel Stress Makes Big Babies - 2013/04/27 - Pt. 3
[mp3 file: runs 00:08:13]

Bacterial Biofuels Made Better - 2013/04/27 - Pt. 4

A new biofuel has been developed using a special strain of E.Coli bacteria.

Download Bacterial Biofuels Made Better - 2013/04/27 - Pt. 4
[mp3 file: runs 00:09:07]

Big Stars Make Long Gamma-ray Bursts - 2013/04/27 - Pt. 5

Super giant stars explode and collapse resulting in longer gamma-ray bursts.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:08:49]

Parastic Worms Inspire Better Skin Graft - 2013/04/20 - Pt. 1

The swellable head of the spiny-headed worm is the inspiration behind microneedles used for better adhesion in skin grafts.

Download Parastic Worms Inspire Better Skin Graft - 2013/04/20 - Pt. 1
[mp3 file: runs 00:10:18]

Penis-like Organ Helps Bowheads Keep Cool - 2013/04/20 - Pt. 2

An organ in the mouth of the bowhead whale acts as a thermoregulation device.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:09:30]

Beothuk Beliefs Inspired by Birds - 2013/04/20 - Pt. 3

Birds inspired the Beothuk people of Newfoundland in their journey to the afterlife.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:07:14]

Lake Erie Algae Bloom - 2013/04/20 - Pt. 4

Fertilizer run-off was responsible for massive algae bloom in Lake Erie in 2011.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:08:02]

Time Reborn - 2013/04/20 - Pt. 5

In his new book 'Time Reborn' Dr. Lee Smolin argues that time is real.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:17:44]

Dinosaurs Great At Growing - 2013/04/13 - Pt. 1

200 million year old dinosaur embryos indicate very rapid growth.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:10:20]

Dinosaurs Do The Duck Paddle - 2013/04/13 - Pt. 2

Scratches from rear toe-claws on river bottoms indicate that some dinosaurs could swim.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:08:33]

Monarch Butterflies Navigate Without Map - 2013/04/13 - Pt. 3

Monarch butterflies find their way to Mexico using landmarks when blown off course, instead of an internal map.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:08:21]

Shark Tooth Weapons Reveal Lost Species - 2013/04/13 - Pt. 4

The shark teeth used in weapons from the Gilbert Islands reveal that two species are no longer found there.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:09:19]

Humans Caused Bird Extinctions in Pacific Islands - 2013/04/13 - Pt. 5

Human colonization of many Pacific islands resulted in the extinction of hundred of birds.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:07:14]

Electric Engines For Aircraft - 2013/04/13 - Pt. 6

Ionized air molecules may provide more efficient thrust than jet engines.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:10:05]

Big Dogs Die Young - 2013/04/06 - Pt. 1

Larger breeds of dogs die sooner than smaller ones because they age at a faster rate.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:09:32]

The Firestorm That Killed The Dinosaurs - 2013/04/06 - Pt. 2

An asteroid alone didn't kill the dinosaurs, the re-entry of debris from the impact also contributed.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:08:35]

Giraffes Changed by Distant Feet - 2013/04/06 - Pt. 3

Giraffes face the challenge of signal delay from brain to feet and back again.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:07:31]

Rocky Mountains Imported From Overseas - 2013/04/06 - Pt. 4

Rocks that comprise the Rocky Mountain range were actually formed in the Pacific.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:08:20]

Brain Machine Interfaces - 2013/04/06 - Pt. 5

Brain-machine interfaces could mean being able to control a computer with thoughts alone.

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[mp3 file: runs 00:18:36]